Laws and regulation: Top news on cosmetics regulation across the APAC region

1 – China’s new cosmetics regulations: Key points you need to know about CSAR developments

With China’s Cosmetic Supervision and Administration Regulation (CSAR) is expected to come into force by the end of the year, one expert drills down into the need-to-know points​ for firms operating in the country.

China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) published the draft version of the CSAR in 2018.

Speaking at ACA Leader’s Forum 2019, Jason Chan, Business Head, Global Cosmetic Division of REACH24H is optimistic it will come into effect by the end of the year.

Key points of CSAR​

Previously, the NMPA defined cosmetics as a “…daily-used chemical product intended to be applied on the surface of human body…”

However, the new draft has removed the requirement that it needs to be applied externally, potentially widening the scope of products.

2 – Sustainable personal care: Moving away from palm oil is ‘not the solution’ - Croda

Avoiding palm oil all together instead of opting for sustainable palm usage​ is not the solution to achieving sustainable personal care, as alternatives could carry even more severe results, according to a Croda director.

At this year’s edition of the ACA Leader’s Forum, Magali Bonnier, Croda’s research and technology director, personal care, APAC, spoke about the importance of sustainable palm in the personal care industry, saying that one of the answers to a sustainable industry lies with palm oil itself.

“In personal care, 70% of all the materials we use to make all those great products are derived from palm oil. It is the core of our industry,” said Bonnier.

Misguided beliefs​

Unfortunately, she added that there had been a lot of inaccurate and messages about palm oil among consumers.

“I've heard that [the personal care industry] is responsible for all the issues related to palm oil but personal care is only estimated to use 2% of the world's palm oil.”

3 – Mask recall: Aussie TGA recalls Neutrogena’s acne mask amid eye damage fears

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has recalled Neutrogena’s high-tech light therapy acne mask over fears of eye damage.​

The TGA said the decision to remove Neutrogena’s Visibly Clear Light Therapy Acne Mask and Activator came after consulting with Johnson & Johnson Pacific. The product is also being withdrawn from the market.

Potential retinal damage​

The reusable non-sterile device was intended for home-use to treat mild to moderate facial acne. The product comprises an acne face mask and detachable corded ‘activator’. It delivers a combination of red and blue light via light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

According to the regulatory body, this feature was identified to have the potential to cause retinal damage for a “small subset of potentially susceptible people”, including those with certain eye-related disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa, ocular albinism, other congenital retinal disorders.

4 – Malaysian officials issue warning against seven toxic cosmetic creams containing mercury

The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) of the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) has flagged seven cosmetic creams for allegedly containing mercury and banned them​ from sale in the country.

According to a press statement sent from the desk of Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Bin Abdullah, the notifications for the seven products were promptly cancelled following the detection of mercury.

The notifications were held by five companies: Thefjura Marketing, Rohban Trade Sdn. Bhd., Qalbu Ocean Enterprise, Glowing Expert Apple Diamond and Lurveya Sdn. Bhd.

It added that the products had since been banned for sale in Malaysia.

According to NPRA’s press statement, the seven products listed were: Fjura-Face Polish Treatment, Dnars Golden Cream, Glow Glowing N Glowing, Apple Diamond Day Loose, 3rd Series Yanko Fade Out Cream Day Cream, 5th Series Yanko Fade Out Cream Day Cream and 7th Yanko Series Whitening Cream Day.

5 – Sunscreen regulations across the globe: What industry needs to know

With summer in full swing and sunscreen products flying off shelves, this guest article sheds light on what cosmetic companies need to know on sun protection product regulations​ – very different across the globe.

Sunscreen products are one of the most important categories in cosmetics because they provide protection against harmful UV radiation for consumers. Importantly, they must be strictly regulated in order to ensure sufficient UV protection for consumers.

An overview of the sunscreen regulations across the world shows a great deal of diversity, including different classifications, labelling and claims relating to this category of cosmetic products.

It is crucial for cosmetic companies to get well acquainted with the requirements of different countries around the world and to understand the main differences. This way they can ensure their products stay compliant. Here’s what you need to know.