Taiwan publishes draft on restricted ingredients in cosmetics

On 4 January 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Taiwan published 2 amendments and an announcement regarding the Cosmetics Regulation. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is considering updating the restricted list of cosmetic ingredients, and the restricted list of cosmetic sunscreens (allowing UV filters) and abolishing special use and antimicrobial compounds. This initiative aims to align Taiwan’s cosmetics regulation with the positive list approach used by the EU, US, and ASEAN countries.

Abolition of the use of Antimicrobial Ingredients

It has been discovered that the EU, US, Japan, ASEAN, and other international countries have not developed lists of antibacterial ingredients for cosmetics, and therefore the antimicrobial list will be abolished.

The abolishment of the Basic Table of Usage and Limitation Regulations for Antibacterial Ingredients in Chemical Components is scheduled to take effect on 1 July. The contents of the abolished list will be added

Amendments to the previous list of restricted substances

In order to enhance the safety of the use of cosmetic ingredients, Taiwan’s FDA updated the draft of the amendment to the Cosmetic Ingredient Use Restriction List. The provisions of the original "List of Names of Ingredients and Restrictions on the Use of Ingredients for Specific Purposes" will be incorporated into the "Table of Restrictions on the Use of Cosmetic Ingredients", "Table of Restrictions on the Use of Chemical Ingredients" and "Table of Restrictions on the Use of Sunscreen Ingredients in Chemical Products", which will be abolished and will take effect on 1 July.

The FDA has also proposed changes to the following ingredients:

1. Allantoin

2. Inorganic sulfites and bisulfites

3. Titanium dioxide

4. Thioglycolic acid and its salts

5. Potassium or sodium hydroxide

6. Lithium hydroxide

7. Calcium hydroxide 

8. 1,3-benzenediol

Restricted Sunscreen Ingredient list

Twenty-seven restricted sunscreen ingredients are combined into the newly drafted Cosmetic Sunscreen Ingredient Usage Restriction List. In accordance with the Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Management Act, the sunscreen agents specified under the Specific Use Cosmetic Ingredient Names and Use Restrictions List and Titanium Dioxide ingredients originally specified in the Cosmetic Ingredient Use Restriction List were added to the newly formed list.

Deadline for comments

Comments will be accepted at sherrycty@fda.gov.in till 5 March 2024., The updated lists are anticipated to enter into force on 1 July 2024.