News

CHINA’S NEW COSMETICS REGULATION (CSAR)

Published on 6 December 2022


China State Council released the final version of CSAR (Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics) on 29th June 2020. This regulation came into force on 1st January 2021 and replaced the existing Cosmetics Hygiene Supervision Regulations, which was first released in 1989.

CSAR aims to ensure the quality and safety of cosmetics through strengthening the supervision and management of cosmetics and controlling the production and operations to protect consumer health.
Some important changes with deadlines scheduled in 2023 are described below.

 

REGULATION CHANGES

China’s new cosmetics regulation addresses compliance requirements, and many of the key changes and updates are as follows:

 

  • New cosmetic definitions, scope and classifications

CSAR defines cosmetics as ‘’ daily chemical products intended to be applied on human skin, hair, nails, lips, mouth, etc., by spreading, spraying or other similar ways for cleansing, protecting, beautifying, or grooming purposes’’.

Toothpaste is not considered a cosmetic product, and a notification must be completed before entering the market.

Soaps remain outside of the scope of CSAR; the only exceptions are soaps with special cosmetic efficacies.

The classification of “special cosmetic products” (cosmetics with special purpose or function) has been updated to include hair dyeing, hair perming, spot removing and whitening, anti-hair loss, and any new function as determined by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

Other cosmetic products fall under general cosmetics.

 

  • Cosmetic efficacy claims

Cosmetic claims must be substantiated by sufficient scientific evidence, and the applicant is to make this information publicly available on the NMPA’s website. Claims may be substantiated by literature, research data, or product efficacy evaluation data.

 

  • Safety Assessment of cosmetic Products

For registering or filing of cosmetic products, as well as new cosmetics ingredients, it is necessary to conduct a safety assessment.

General cosmetics can be exempted from animal testing if the safety and quality requirements (GMP/ISO issued by government) is met/proven.

 

  • Safety Information of cosmetic Ingredients, including Fragrance

For raw materials functioning as preservatives, sunscreen agents, colorants, hair dyes, dark spot-removing agents, and whitening agents, the safety data shall be submitted and is mandatory from 1st January 2022.
For other raw materials, including fragrance, the safety data shall be submitted and is mandatory from 1st January 2023. Any data gaps for all raw materials in a cosmetic product, including those used in such products notified or registered prior to CSAR, shall be filled before 1st May 2023.
There are two ways to report the information:

  1. Filer/registrant of the cosmetic product can obtain from its suppliers the Annex 14 information for each cosmetic ingredient and submit with filing/registration dossier.

  2. The supplier of the cosmetic ingredient can perform the notification for that ingredient on the MNPA safety information platform. A registration code will be generated which can be shared with downstream filer/registrants for use during the registration process of the finished cosmetic product.

As a fragrance manufacturer, Sozio is willing to provide the Annex 14 with the basic set of documents (SDS, IFRA, Allergens certificate) to downstream filer/registrants placing cosmetics on the Chinese market.
For the best-selling fragrances, Sozio authorizes its Chinese subsidiary to perform the ingredient data submission on the NMPA safety information platform on its behalf. Through this process the fragrance registration code will be generated and subsequently made available to appropriate downstream filer/registrants.

 

CHANGE FOR THE BETTER, WITH SOZIO SUPPORT

CSAR aims to encourage and support research and innovation of cosmetics to meet consumer needs, with advanced technology and management practices to improve the quality and safety of cosmetics through a combination of modern techniques. Under the premise of safety, more innovative technologies will be utilized in cosmetic R&D, stimulating the industries vitality and motivating scientific investigation and application. In addition, the positive policies in CSAR are hoped to boost enterprises’ interest in developing new ingredients and products with new efficacy claims.

Sozio fully supports customers facing this new regulatory challenge through provision of fragrance safety information by way of Annex 14 information, or by registering the best-selling fragrances directly, and providing the registration code. As the official text is only available in the Chinese language, the support of Sozio’s Chinese subsidiary offers an advantageous and comprehensive understanding of the regulation and Sozio’s obligations regarding CSAR requirements and compliance.

 

FOLLOW UP

If you need any further information about Vegan certifications, please reach out to us via email: regulatory@jesozio.com or through your designated Sales Representative.


PHOENIX FRAGRANCES REBRANDS AS SOZIO UK LTD

Published on 7 November 2022


« 18 months after the acquisition of Phoenix fragrances by the French fragrance company Sozio Descollonges we are glad to announce the transformation of Phoenix Fragrances into Sozio UK, Ltd starting November 1st 2022.

This is the result of a complete integration plan and will allow Phoenix customers to fully benefit from Sozio worldwide organization in terms of Perfumery Innovations, Marketing, Supply Chain and Investments.

Sozio UK will continue to operate from Wellingborough (R& Production, Sales & Marketing Regulatory Administration) and focus on the UK market. »

Frederic Braud, Sozio general manager


VEGAN CERTIFICATIONS FOR COSMETICS AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

Published on 28 September 2022


Throughout the last decade, vegan products have become more present in our lives and consumers are looking for non-food products in line with their way of life and without any animal ingredients. This desire for vegan products also concerns personal care and household products.

Veganism can be defined as a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.

 

ANIMAL ORIGIN INGREDIENTS AND ANIMAL TESTING IN COSMETICS

Some cosmetic ingredients are from animal origin like honey, lanolin, carmine or propolis. There are few perfumery ingredients with animal origins: civet, castoreum or beeswax. However, these are less used in fragrances.

In the European Union, a strict ban of animal testing for cosmetics has been in place since 2003. Animal testing is also forbidden for cosmetics raw materials since 2009. Moreover, alternative methods have to be used and prioritized in the safety assessment of substances as part of REACH Regulation. Animal testing are only used as last resort and if there is no alternative to assess the health effects of the substance like for carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and reprotoxicity.

 

WHAT IS A VEGAN COSMETIC?

A vegan cosmetic product is first a cosmetic product. Thus, it must be compliant with the regulations in place (i.e. the EU Cosmetic Regulation) and with the same quality and safety requirements to be placed on the market.

There is currently no international or national definition of a vegan cosmetic product. A product can be labelled “suitable for vegan” if this claim follows the common criteria for the justification of claims used in relation to cosmetic products (legal compliance, truthfulness, evidential support…).

Some labels and certifications have been created to build a framework for vegan products. They are independent and not mandatory. However, they allow consumers to choose vegan products that follow a specific guideline defined by the certification itself.

 

VEGAN CERTIFICATIONS

  • Vegan Society

Logo vegan society

Vegan Society is an internationally acknowledged non-profit association founded in 1944 in the United Kingdom. This label is applicable to cosmetics, detergents and household products. To be compliant and to obtain the Vegan Society label, products must not contain any raw materials from animal origin and/or tested on animals. Ingredients tested by third-parties are authorized in the final product.

 

  • Certified Vegan

Logo certified vegan

Certified Vegan was created by the non-profit association Vegan Awareness Foundation. It can be delivered to product at a worldwide level for companies based in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. The main criteria are the absence of animal origin ingredients and of animal origin GMOs in the product. Other requirements are linked with the manufacturing of the product to minimize cross-contamination.

 

  • V-Label

logo v label

V-label was created by the European Vegetarian Union in 1996 and certifies food product and cosmetics. There are two levels of certification for food products: vegan and vegetarian. In order to obtain this label, products must not contain any animal origin raw materials or GMOs. Some criteria are also applied to the manufacturing process; i.e. non-vegan substances must not be present even if they are unintentional. The list of V-label certified products is available on their website.

 

  • Eve Vegan

logo eve vegan

Eve Vegan (Expertise Végane Europe) was created by the French association Vegan France and certifies food products, cosmetics and fashion products. Their requirements are on the product itself and its ingredients as well as on the manufacturing process and the conditioning. Products must not contain animal origin raw materials and technical agents. The wrapping and packaging must also be without substances of animal origin. The list of Eve vegan certified products is available on their website.

 

  • Leaping Bunny

logo leaping bunny

Leaping Bunny program is a Cruelty Free certification created in the 1990’s which is internationally acknowledged. Cosmetics, detergents and household products may be certified if they have not been tested on animals and are compliant with Leaping Bunny guidelines (no animal testing in the supply chain, external audit…). However, this certification doesn’t ensure the absence of animal origin raw materials in the product.

 

  • Cruelty Free and Vegan

logo cruelty free

Cruelty Free and Vegan was created by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and certifies the brand itself and its products. This certification ensures the absence of animal origin ingredients in the product and in its wrapping. Products must not have been tested on animals and therefore cannot be placed on the market in countries where animal testing for products is still authorized.

 

  • One Voice

logo one voice

This certification was created by the One Voice association in 2011 and certifies the brand itself and its products. They can be food products, cosmetics or detergents. As the absence of animal testing is one key criteria, brands selling their products in countries where animal testing products is still authorized cannot be certified. The other key requirement is the absence of animal origin ingredients in the products with the exemption of honey and beeswax.

 

VEGAN FRAGRANCES AT SOZIO

At Sozio we can propose fragrances without animal origin ingredients and compliant with the previous Vegan labels. As requested in the EU Cosmetic Regulation, none of our fragrances are tested on animals. Finally, we provide our own Vegan certificate for each of our fragrances with no animal origin raw materials and support our customers in their Vegan certification journey.

 

FOLLOW UP

If you need any further information about Vegan certifications, please reach out to us via email: regulatory@jesozio.com or through your designated Sales Representative.