South Korea Revises Cosmetic Safety Standards

On September 2, 2025, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea issued Announcement No. 2025-63 to revise the Cosmetic Safety Standards. This announcement will come into effect six months after its publication. However, the revised provisions concerning Cyclopentasiloxane in Annex 2 will take effect three years after the date of publication.

Key Revisions Include:

1. Refinement and Improvement of the Use Standards for Restricted Ingredients:

• In Annex 1, the entry “Toluene diamine compounds, their N-substituted derivatives, and their salts (e.g., 2,6-Bis(hydroxyethylamino) toluene) (excluding those used as hair dye ingredients in hair dye products)” is revised to: “Toluene diamine compounds, their N-substituted derivatives, and their salts (excluding those used as hair dye ingredients in hair dye products). For 2,6-Bis(hydroxyethylamino) toluene, when used as a hair dye ingredient in a mixture prepared according to the specified usage and dosage, the content must not exceed 1.0%. It must not be used in products containing nitrating agents, and the total nitrosamine content must not exceed 50 µg/kg.”
• In Annex 2: The maximum permitted concentration of Benzophenone-3 is reduced from 5% to 2.4%, except for products intended for the face, hands, and lips, where up to 5% is still allowed. Furthermore, Dihydroxyacetone mixtures are removed from the list of UV protection ingredients.

2. For five ingredients, including Nonoxynol-9, the maximum allowable concentration has been lowered, or specific usage conditions have been established when used in cosmetics.

3. A new UV filter has been added to the list of restricted cosmetic ingredients: Tris-Biphenyl Triazine.

• Maximum permitted concentration: 10%
• Usage conditions: Not allowed in aerosol products (including pump sprays); If used in the form of uncoated nanomaterials, the median particle size (D50) must be greater than 80 nm, and the purity must be no less than 98%.

Our Services

• South Korean Cosmetics Product Notification & Registration (General Cosmetics, Functional Cosmetics)
• Standardization of Cosmetic Ingredient Names in Korea
• Korean Cosmetics Label Review
• Quality Inspection

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Further Information:

MFDS