China rewrites cosmetics import rules after a decade

After a decade of silence, China's General Administration of Customs has finally rewritten the rulebook for cosmetics imports and exports. The industry is warming up again, but compliance is the only path forward.

The General Administration of Customs recently announced a revised set of operating rules for the Measures for the Inspection and Quarantine Supervision of Imported and Exported Cosmetics by the Customs of the People's Republic of China (the "new measures"), set to take effect on December 1, 2026. Reading through the full text, one clear regulatory logic emerges: import requirements are significantly tougher than export ones, creating a dynamic balance of "strict in, easy out."

The new measures land in 2026, just as China's imported cosmetics market emerges from a four-year deep freeze, posting its first monthly growth above 10%. A systemic regulatory overhaul meets a strong import recovery — the intersection is rewriting the rules of the game.

What's new: closing loopholes, strengthening traceability, lowering barriers

The core changes can be summed up in three keywords.

Closing loopholes: Sample exemptions are no longer a gray area. In the past, some imported goods sidestepped registration requirements under the guise of "samples" or "R&D testing," with vague purposes and haphazard disposal. The new measures box in these exemptions: samples for registration must come with proof from testing institutions; samples for R&D must include a research plan, capability certification, and a testing agreement; and promotional samples must specify where, how, and to whom they're distributed, plus disposal methods.

Strengthening traceability: Full-chain records, trackable destination. Importers must now record the customs declaration number, entry date, batch number, shelf life, sales targets, and quantities for each batch of imported cosmetics. These records must be kept for at least one year after the product's expiration. It's like giving every imported product an ID card and a trajectory map, extending oversight from the port to the end user.

Lowering barriers: Convenience and strict regulation go hand in hand. On one hand, the new measures cancel the requirement for importers to file a consignee record, and move inspection from the port to the destination. A pilot program in Shanghai will introduce electronic labels for imported cosmetics — consumers can scan a code to read info, and customs systems automatically cross-check registration data. On the other hand, for the first time, the rules clarify how to declare semi-finished imported cosmetics: they must be labeled as "cosmetic semi-finished product," marked "non-pre-packaged," and include the filling company's name and production license number, with a declaration that they meet national technical specifications. This helps compliant companies move faster, while non-compliant ones have nowhere to hide.

Additionally, the new measures incorporate supplementary technical requirements for quality and safety issued by the State Drug Administration into the mandatory scope of "national technical specifications." That means imported cosmetics won't just have to meet existing safety standards — they'll also face dynamically updated supplementary requirements from the drug regulator.

Meanwhile, Chinese cosmetics exports continue their high-growth trajectory, reaching $7.82 billion in 2025, up 9.2% year-over-year, marking five consecutive years of rapid growth. The new measures show fewer requirements for exports: exporters only need to declare that the manufacturer holds a license, provide labels and translations, and confirm compliance with the importing country's rules — no domestic registration or filing needed. This is the "strict in, easy out" principle in action.

Import recovery: a sharp rebound after four years of downturn

Even as regulation tightens, the imported beauty market is undergoing a structural recovery. According to customs data, in March of this year, cosmetics imports reached $1.67 billion (in USD), up 12.1% year-over-year. That's the first monthly growth above 10% since January 2022, and the fourth consecutive month of positive growth. Before that, from 2022 to 2025, China's cosmetics imports declined for four straight years.

Multiple factors are at play: gradual recovery of domestic consumer confidence, continued optimization of cross-border e-commerce channels, and heavy reliance on imported products by many cosmetics companies. Whether international giants or niche imports, foreign brands still command a significant share of the domestic beauty market.

From water-sheep (Shuiyang) shares distributing EviDenS de Beauté and RéVive, to Yatsen (Yixian) e-commerce acquiring Galénic and Eve Lom, imported products have become a key lever for many domestic beauty brands to turn around their performance. In 2025, Shuiyang's distribution business returned to positive growth, and Yatsen's skincare segment grew 63.5% year-over-year, with imported high-end brands contributing significantly.

Alongside this recovery, an intriguing phenomenon has emerged: Korean "white-label" brands run by Chinese operators are rising fast. On Douyin (TikTok's Chinese sibling), nearly 30 Korean brands surpassed 100 million RMB in gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2025, most of them unknown newcomers. Examples include VEIRFOO, Lifeo, ILSO, DMCK, and SUDEE. This "Chinese boss + Korean contract manufacturer + Chinese social platform" model essentially exploits two layers of information asymmetry: consumers' association of "imported" with quality, and the regulatory gap between China and Korea.

More notably, Douyin is flooded with "fake foreign devils" — products marketed as imports but with murky supply chains and unknown origins. Some brands use doctored customs declarations and forged import registration numbers, manufacturing or repackaging domestically while wearing a foreign label. A recent exposé of "Australia YouSiYi" (a health supplement) revealed it was actually produced in Guangzhou despite claiming Australian origin. The cosmetics sector is no different: origin, supply chain, and registration are all faked, propped up by a single forged customs document. The new measures' enhanced traceability and record-keeping requirements will expose the true origins of these white-label brands, precisely to plug this counterfeit chain.

Rules reshaped: cutting corners won't fly anymore

Import recovery and tighter enforcement are happening simultaneously. Companies heavily reliant on imported cosmetics must adapt. Whether international brands' local distributors, domestic beauty groups building their own import brand portfolios, or emerging white-label operators, all face the same compliance test.

A compliance service expert specializing in cosmetics export regulations told Cosmetics News that for exports, Article 18 of the measures states: "Export cosmetics production enterprises shall ensure that their export cosmetics meet the standards of the importing country (region) or contractual requirements. If there are no relevant standards in the importing country (region) and no contractual requirements, the customs administration may designate relevant standards." Previously, products for export only needed simple export filing, but the new measures further clarify customs' inspection requirements. Exporters should prepare compliance test reports or other evidence in line with destination countries' standards to ensure smooth customs clearance.

For all importers, she offered three specific pieces of advice: First, immediately review existing import categories — distinguish finished products, semi-finished products, samples, exhibition items, etc. — and establish internal classification guidelines for declarations. Second, upgrade information recording systems, ideally using digital tools to track data from customs declaration to sales, ensuring traceability. Third, closely monitor the drug regulator's technical standard updates, since the new measures have incorporated those supplementary requirements into mandatory scope — both lines must be watched.

After a decade, the cosmetics import-export regulatory framework has undergone a major revision. The "strict in, easy out" design both defends import safety and empowers export convenience. In the wave of import recovery, compliance is shifting from a gray area to a clear boundary. The companies that navigate this rule upgrade smoothly will become key players shaping the future market landscape.