China Overhauls Cosmetic Safety Rules with GB 7916-2026: Is Your Brand Ready?

On August 6, 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China officially published the mandatory national standard "General Safety Requirements for Cosmetics" (GB 7916-2026). This marks China's first mandatory national standard covering the full lifecycle of cosmetic product safety, from raw materials through distribution.

Following a draft published by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) in March 2026, GB 7916-2026 represents a landmark overhaul of China’s cosmetic regulatory framework. It replaces the decades-old “Hygienic Standards for Cosmetics” (GB 7916-1987), shifting the regulatory focus from end-product hygiene towards full lifecycle safety management.

The new standard will become mandatory on January 1, 2028, when GB 7916-1987 will be formally repealed.

Key Changes at a Glance

1. From End-Product Hygiene to Full Supply Chain Safety

For nearly four decades, 7916-1987 provided the baseline for cosmetic hygiene requirements in China. However, advances in formulation technology and increasingly complex global supply chains have created risks that cannot be addressed through finished-product testing alone.

GB 7916-2026 responds by taking a more comprehensive approach to product safety. Its requirements extend across key stages of the supply chain, including:

• Raw material selection and vetting
• Specialized packaging carriers and materials
• Functional labeling claims
• Warehousing, transit, and storage conditions

2. New Mandatory Limits for Heavy Metals and Trace Contaminants

GB 7916-2026 introduces explicit maximum thresholds for eight heavy metals and hazardous contaminants, including mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium. These limits establish clear benchmarks for regulators while creating a critical new compliance checkpoint for international brands.

Recommended action: Review raw material specifications, supplier documentation and existing testing data, and work with suppliers to verify that materials meet China’s new mandatory limits and that supporting evidence is available.

3. Revised Prohibited Substance Lists

Both the general list of prohibited chemical substances and the lists covering prohibited plant- and animal-derived ingredients have been updated.

International brands should not assume that products compliant with previous Chinese rules, or general international standards, will automatically pass.

Recommended action: Conduct a portfolio-wide ingredient review to identify potential compliance gaps and determine whether reformulation, additional testing, or updated supplier documentation is required.

4. Tiered Microbiological Limits

GB 7916-2026 replaces blanket thresholds with differentiated microbiological limits based on product application. Specified pathogens (including thermotolerant coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) remain strictly prohibited across all categories.

The Impact on Children's Cosmetics

Most international frameworks (such as ISO standards) restrict strict microbiological controls to products intended for children under three. China’s new standard dramatically broadens this scope to children aged 12 and under.

Products targeting this expanded age group must satisfy a strict maximum threshold of 100 CFU/g (or mL) — one-tenth of the limit allowed for general cosmetics.

Recommended action: Brands with children’s cosmetic products should prioritize microbiological gap assessments, particularly where existing controls were designed around international requirements for younger children only.

5. Packaging, Storage and Supply Chain Controls

Safety considerations now extend past the factory door. GB 7916-2026 holds brands accountable for degradation, leaching, or contamination that occurs during international shipping, warehousing, or local distribution within China.

Recommended action: Review packaging material compatibility and audit transit/storage conditions with local logistics partners to ensure continuous product integrity.

What Does GB 7916-2026 Mean for International Manufacturers?

While familiarity with international standards such as ISO may provide a useful starting point, it is not a substitute for China-specific compliance. GB 7916-2026 introduces local requirements that can affect formulations, sourcing, testing and supply chain operations.

Fortunately, there is a transition window: cosmetic products manufactured or imported before January 1, 2028 may continue to be sold until the end of their stated shelf life. International brands should use this period to turn the new requirements into a clear, portfolio-level compliance plan.

That means:

1. Identifying which products fall within scope
2. Prioritising those with the greatest compliance exposure
3. Mapping the time and resources required to implement changes arising from technical reviews

This is of vital importance for portfolios where compliance gaps could trigger reformulation, additional testing, supplier changes, packaging revisions or regulatory work.

Final Thoughts: The Clock Is Ticking

As China’s cosmetic market exceeds 1.1 trillion RMB in 2025 (~$163 billion USD) —  the world’s largest consumption market — proactive compliance with GB 7916-2026 is vital for any international brand entering or defending its position in this lucrative space.

Brands that move now — auditing formulas, vetting ingredients against updated prohibited lists, and locking in compliant supply chains — will protect their access. Those that hesitate will face reformulation bottlenecks, regulatory delays, and lost ground to competitors who prepared in advance of the December 31, 2027 deadline.

While the requirements are technically demanding, navigating them does not have to be. Cisema partners with international cosmetics brands on end-to-end compliance: from ingredient checks and gap analyses to NMPA filings and ongoing regulatory strategy across China and the Asia-Pacific region.

Ready to build your roadmap for GB 7916-2026? Contact the Cisema team today to consult with our regulatory experts.

Further Information

• Explore Cisema’s services for cosmetics registration in China.

References

• National standard for general safety requirements for cosmetics released (SAMR)
• National standard for general safety requirements for cosmetics released (National Standardization Administration)
• GB 7916-2026: Cosmetics Safety General Requirements (National Public Service Platform for Standards Information)
• GB 7916-1987: Cosmetic Hygiene Standards

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