The Technical Q&As on Cosmetic Safety Assessment (Part 1)

We have collected the latest technical Q&As on cosmetic safety assessment from the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control and translated them into English for your reference.

1. How to Determine the Toxicological Endpoints that Need to be Assessed for Cosmetic Ingredients?

Registrants or filers should follow the requirements of the "Technical Guidelines for Cosmetics Safety Assessment" to identify potential health hazard effects of cosmetic ingredients based on the product's usage method, exposure route, and actual exposure amount. Depending on the physicochemical properties of the ingredients, quantitative structure-activity relationships, toxicological data, usage history, clinical research, epidemiological investigations, and the toxicity of similar compounds, certain toxicological endpoints may be added or exempted. For example, if it is sufficiently proven that the ingredient has a history of safe consumption, the assessment of systemic toxicity toxicological endpoints may be exempted.

2. How to Assess the Phototoxicity and Photoallergenicity of Cosmetic Ingredients?

Registrants or filers can use the seven types of evidence outlined in the "Guidelines for the Use of Cosmetic Ingredient Data" to conduct safety assessments for most ingredients listed in the "Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China." For a few ingredients where these evidence types cannot be applied, the "Technical Guidelines for Cosmetic Safety Assessment" should be followed to identify potential health hazard effects, including phototoxicity and photoallergenicity, based on the product's usage method and exposure route. If a thorough analysis or testing of the ingredient's structural characteristics proves it lacks UV absorption properties or has no likelihood of outdoor intense UV exposure (e.g., rinse-off products and those used at night), the assessment of skin phototoxicity and photoallergenicity can be exempted.

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