CFDA consults on the approval of the 4th new cosmetic ingredient

The China Food & Drug Administration has issued a notice inviting public comments on the approval of the fourth new cosmetic ingredient ‘Elaeagnus mollis diel Oil’ after a previous four year silence.

The oil is used in cosmetics for its antioxidant or anti-ageing properties and if approved, will be good news for stakeholders and in particular, domestic ingredient suppliers who the Administration says will have more confidence to take the first step towards new cosmetic ingredient registration.

If it is approved, the 'Elaeagnus mollis diel Oil’ will be the 4th new cosmetic ingredient approved by CFDA in the last year after a four year silence.

In China, a new cosmetic ingredient is defined as any natural or artificial cosmetic substance that is used in the country for the first time. However, according to the Chemical Inspection and Regulation Service (CIRS), an ingredient is not new if it meets the following criteria:

The ingredient has been used in cosmetics in China before and a safety assessment has been carried out.

The ingredient is included in the Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China (IECIC 2003) and is not a banned substance

The ingredient has been used in a licensed special use cosmetic product.

The ingredient is part of a plant that has been approved as cosmetic ingredient.

Administration working hard to compile new ingredient inventory

Back in March 2012, the SFDA announced it had approved two new substances; Nivitol and PM-lysine after nearly nine months of public consultation.

According to CIRS, this was the first time the administration had approved new cosmetic ingredients since taking over licensing responsibilities from the Ministry of Health in 2008.

Then the third new ingredient, ‘Phenylethyl Resorcinol’ used in skin whitening products was then approved in August of last year as part of the Administration’s effort to compile a new Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China (IECIC) to replace the old version issued in 2003.

It has also recently published the final version of the second batch of Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China which now includes 411 cosmetic ingredients, which in comparision to the draft version of 637 ingredients published last year, finds 226 cosmetic raw materials to have been removed.