On April 21, 2026, South Korea's National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation (NIFDS) released a draft revision of the "Guidelines for Analytical Methods for Cosmetic Usage Limit Ingredients (Citizen Guide)" through the Korea Cosmetic Association (KCIA) for public comment. The public comment period closed on April 24, 2026. The revision adds 18 new analytical methods and improves existing methods for triclosan and zinc pyrithione.
On March 25, 2026, the Korea Cosmetic Industry Association (KCIA) issued a notification regarding the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's (MFDS) issuance of Notification No. 2026-16 to amend the "Regulation on Safety Standards, etc. for Cosmetics." The key amendments include the reorganization of hair dye ingredient lists, the addition of a new UV filter, and the revision of certain test methods. The amendments entered into effect on March 18, 2026.
On June 6, 2025, CIRS Group officially launched the Global Cosmetic Ingredient Regulatory Database--Global CosIng. This database integrates regulatory information on cosmetic ingredients from major markets, including China (Taiwan included), the European Union, the United States, Canada, ASEAN countries, South Korea, and Japan. It is designed to provide enterprises with a one-stop, authoritative, and user-friendly platform for ingredient compliance inquiries, supporting cosmetic companies in global regulatory compliance and product development.
From July 2 to 4, 2025, CIRS Group was invited to participate in the in-cosmetics Korea 2025, organized by Reed Exhibitions. As one of the most influential trade shows for cosmetics and ingredients in Asia, the event brought together ingredient suppliers, cosmetic manufacturers, R&D institutions, industry experts, and professionals from around the world to explore emerging trends, technological innovations, and opportunities for international collaboration in the cosmetics industry.
South Korean authorities have issued proposed revisions to the cosmetic ingredient usage standards that aim to clarify the scope and requirements for submitting materials when applying for the cancellation or modification of prohibited ingredients. This would ensure the rationality and standardization of the review process for the designation or modification of cosmetic ingredient usage standards. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea issued Announcement No. 92 of 2025, on February 21.
To strengthen the management of cosmetics and safeguard the people’s health, five ingredients, including o-aminophenol, m-Phenylenediamine HCl, m-Phenylenediamine, Catechol, Pyrogallol were added into the list of prohibited ingredients for cosmetics, according to the revised draft on the Cosmetic Safety Standards and Other Related Provisions released by the South Ministry Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). According to Article 8 of the Cosmetics Law, MFDS shall regularly conduct hazard assessment on the hair dye ingredients and results show that the above five hair dye ingredients are likely to have genotoxic hazards.
