China Unveils First Mandatory Cosmetics Safety Standard

China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has released the country’s first mandatory national standard for cosmetics, the “General Requirements for Cosmetics Safety” (GB 7916—2026), marking a fundamental shift from “hygiene standards” to “safety standards” in the nation’s cosmetics regulation. The new standard, which takes effect on January 1, 2028, imposes significantly stricter requirements on children’s cosmetics and sets specific limits for harmful substances that lead international standards.

The standard replaces the 1987 “Cosmetics Hygiene Standards” (GB 7916-1987), representing the first systematic revision in nearly four decades. According to People’s Daily, An Fudong, head of the national standard drafting group, said the revision marks China’s cosmetics standards evolving from “hygiene standards” to “safety standards,” integrating requirements from the Cosmetics Safety Technical Specifications into a comprehensive national standard system.

The development of the standard followed an extensive consultation process. The NMPA opened the draft for public comment from March 19 to May 18, 2026, gathering input from industry stakeholders, consumer groups, and regulatory experts before finalizing the text. The standard was approved by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and officially released on August 6, 2026.

Stricter Standards for Children’s Cosmetics

Children’s cosmetics—defined as products used by children aged 12 and under, including cleaning, moisturizing, body powder, and sunscreen products—face microbial limits 10 times stricter than general cosmetics. The new standard caps total colony count at 100 CFU/g or CFU/mL for children’s products, compared to 1,000 for general cosmetics, as 21st Century Business Herald reported.

This protection extends further than international norms. Yan Jiangying, chairman of the China Fragrance and Cosmetics Association, noted that while ISO standards apply the strict 100 CFU limit only to children under 3, China’s new standard requires this limit for all children aged 12 and under, providing broader protection, according to First Financial.

The standard also mandates that children’s cosmetics comply with the “Regulations on Supervision and Administration of Children’s Cosmetics,” which require adherence to principles of “safety first, efficacy necessary, minimal formula” in product design and the display of the “Golden Shield” (小金盾) labeling mark on packaging.

International Leadership in Heavy Metal Limits

Beyond microbial controls, the new standard sets specific limits for eight harmful substances—including lead, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium at 1-10 mg/kg—a level of specificity that surpasses international standards. Guo Jianhua, head of the NMPA Cosmetics Regulatory Science Innovation Research Base, explained that ISO standards only provide testing methods without setting specific limits, while China’s new standard provides the public with directly assessable criteria, as reported by China.com.cn.

The standard also requires zero tolerance for pathogenic bacteria including heat-resistant coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in any product. Additionally, the prohibited substances lists (Appendix A and Appendix B) were significantly updated, incorporating NMPA announcements from 2021 through 2026, including new additions such as 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, PFOA, and D4, plus cannabis-derived ingredients.

Yan Jiangying noted that China’s new standard aligns its technical philosophy with the EU, allowing technically unavoidable trace residues of prohibited substances as long as they do not affect product safety, as Beijing Business Daily reported.

Market Context and Industry Impact

The new standard arrives amid rapid growth in China’s cosmetics industry. The market exceeded 1.1 trillion yuan in 2025, with manufacturers growing from just over 70 in 1980 to more than 6,000 by 2026, making China the world’s largest beauty consumption market. The children’s cosmetics segment is growing at 7.5% annually—exceeding the global average of 4-5%—with the market valued at approximately 35.8 billion yuan in 2025 and projected to exceed 45 billion yuan by 2028.

The standard implements a risk-based differentiated management approach, with stricter limits for products used around the eyes, eyelashes, and lips, as well as for children’s products. It also includes provisions for dynamic updates to the prohibited substances lists, allowing NMPA announcements to automatically update the lists without requiring full standard revisions—a mechanism designed to keep pace with emerging safety concerns.

Industry experts see the stricter standards as a catalyst for market consolidation. Xia Tian, a cosmetics expert and founding partner of Jumeili, said the new national standard acts as a “tightening ring” on enterprises, leaving non-compliant companies nowhere to hide, which he called a major benefit for the industry’s long-term development, according to Beijing Business Daily.

Response to Safety Concerns

The new regulations directly respond to safety issues exposed by a CCTV investigation in April 2026, which revealed widespread violations in the children’s cosmetics market. The investigation uncovered adult cosmetics falsely marketed as “children’s products,” illegal children’s hair dye and perm products, and “three-no” (no production license, no quality inspection, no manufacturer info) makeup toy kits from unregulated workshops. Specific cases included products with microbial contamination exceeding limits by 12 times and banned carcinogens detected in children’s products, as documented by Beijing Business Daily.

Companies are already positioning for compliance. A representative from Kangaroo Mommy, a children’s cosmetics brand, said the standard is an inevitable requirement for the industry’s high-quality development, emphasizing that for enterprises adhering to long-termism, implementation lies in refined management across the entire industry chain.

What’s Next

The standard takes effect on January 1, 2028, with products already produced or imported before implementation allowed to continue selling until the end of their shelf life. The public consultation period for the draft standard ran from March 19 to May 18, 2026, and the NMPA has announced a broader 2026 standards plan that includes 27 new or revised standards.

As China’s cosmetics industry continues its rapid expansion, the new safety standard represents a significant regulatory milestone. The shift from hygiene to safety standards, combined with internationally leading limits on harmful substances and unprecedented protections for children’s products, positions China at the forefront of global cosmetics regulation. Industry observers will be watching how the transition period unfolds and whether additional enforcement measures follow the violations exposed earlier this year.