China Issues Guidance to Essential Oil Terminology, Filing, and Safety Assessment for Cosmetics

China has issued Questions and Answers on the Filing of General Cosmetics, such as Essential Oils.  It offers guidance on its terminology. Massage essential oil products, for example, are cosmetics that cannot be applied directly to human skin and must be diluted with massage base oil before being applied or massaged into the skin.  While filing, it is recommended that the nomenclature of specific essential oil products be correct and consistent with their characteristics and usage ways. It also states that cosmetics may not claim to have medicinal effects in order to avoid confusion between product qualities and appearance with other items. To ensure product safety, cosmetic items are assessed based on exposure, taking into account aspects such as method of use, place of application, amount utilized, and residue. For products comprising multiple dosages, each ingredient is evaluated based on the mode of use specified in the instructions.