Avoid three labels on Chinese cosmetic labels

 The China National Drug Supervision and Administration (NMPA) has published texts on cosmetic labeling on its official website: "Promote eyelash growth," "Stem cells," and "Acid skin."

1. "Promote the growth of eyebrows"

Based on the "Cosmetics Classification Rule and Classification Catalog", it was found that there is no efficacy classification that "promotes the growth of eyebrows". Moreover, at this time, NMPA has never approved cosmetics that claim to promote the growth of eyebrows.

Commercially available mascara advertises that the eyebrows can be thickened and lengthened, but they simply apply a film-forming agent and a colorant to the eyebrows in a physical way to "promote the growth of the eyebrows." It does not mean that the effect was demonstrated. Therefore, cosmetic companies should avoid expressions such as "promoting eyelash growth."

In addition, the use of "Prostaglandin (PG)" (for example, "Bimatoprost" and "Traboprost") is prohibited in mascara. By text, PG causes eyelid growth, increase, and thickening in clinical applications, but as it is a drug, it must always be used with the guidance of a doctor and the instructions of the drug. For healthy people, there is still insufficient information on the safety of long-term PG intake.

In addition, PG, a cosmetic ingredient, is not listed in the "Used Cosmetic Ingredient Name List (2021)" announced by NMPA. Moreover, at this time, NMPA has not approved or notified cosmetic ingredients related to PG. Therefore, the use of PG-like substances such as "Bimatoprost" as a raw material for cosmetics in the production of cosmetics violates the relevant provisions of the "Cosmetics Supervision and Management Ordinance" (hereinafter referred to as "Ordinance") and should be prohibited.

２, "stem cells"

Immediately, stem cell technology is still in the clinical research stage in the medical field. In the stem cell clinical research recorded in the hygiene and health department, there is no research on stem cell beauty and anti-aging. In addition, the "used cosmetic ingredient name list (2021)" does not include the cosmetic ingredient "stem cells". At this time, NMPA has not approved or notified stem cell-related cosmetic ingredients.

To be honest, "plant stem cells" are a type of plant cells that can only differentiate into other types of plant cells, not human cells. The "List of Used Cosmetic Ingredients (2021)" contains some plant-derived cosmetic ingredients. These plant-derived ingredients are added to cosmetics and are primarily acted upon by phytochemical components. It does not necessarily matter if it is a serogenous tissue of a plant. When some businesses display that their cosmetics contain "plant stem cells," it is easy for consumers to misunderstand that phytosanitary tissue has a differentiating effect on human cells.

As mentioned above, according to the "Ordinance", the label of cosmetics must not display "false or misleading content". Cosmetics labeled with "stem cells" violate the "Cosmetic Label Management Law" (a subordinate law of the "Ordinance") and should be prohibited.

3, "printing acid"

Even in China, labeling that may suggest a medical role such as "printing acid" or "skin replacement" cannot be advertised on cosmetic labels.

So-called "printing acid" is a chemical skin replacement technique. After causing controllable damage, chemicals are applied to the skin to promote new skin regeneration. In general, "printing acid treatment" can only be operated by trained specialists in medically qualified hospitals and clinics. However, that "acid" is not a cosmetic product.

Although the term "printing acid" cannot be displayed, some "acids" can be added to cosmetics. For example, companies such as "hydroxy acid" and "salicylic acid" can be used in cosmetics if they comply with the conditions stipulated in the "Cosmetic Safety Technical Code 2015".

Cosmetics refer to daily chemical industry products that serve the purposes of cleanliness, protection, beautification, and decoration, and have no medical effect. Some cosmetics have effects such as keratin removal, but they are essentially different from "printing acid treatment". According to the "Ordinance", the cosmetic label must not display the content of "expressing or implying therapeutic action". Business owners should not use the inappropriate label "skin change" to prevent misunderstandings by consumers