How to check GB cosmetic ingredient restrictions
Obtain the full quantitative formula, identify every substance and calculate its concentration in the finished product. Match each substance and its intended function against the applicable GB annex entries, recording limits, use conditions and warnings for your safety assessor. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate factory information through its staff in China.
Build a substance list from the actual formula
Ask for a dated formula with a revision reference, ingredient names, chemical identities, supplier references and concentrations. Request registry identifiers where available, plus the composition of purchased blends. Match salts, derivatives and material forms carefully rather than searching only a trade name. Arrange confidential disclosure to your assessor where needed; see protecting formulation information.
Give each substance a screening row, including components supplied through fragrance, extracts and preservative blends. Record its source documents and any unresolved identity. Keep purchasing on hold where the supplier cannot explain what a raw material contains. Our beauty and personal care guide covers the wider sourcing and launch sequence.
Calculate concentration and define intended use
Calculate each substance's finished-product concentration from the amount of each raw material added and that raw material's composition. Add contributions from every source. For variable blends, ask for composition bounds and let the assessor check the highest resulting concentration. Do not compare a blend's addition rate directly with a limit for an individual substance.
Write down the application site, whether the product is rinsed off or left on, intended users, professional or consumer use, and application method. Record each substance's function separately. The safety assessment must consider intended use and anticipated systemic exposure to individual ingredients in the final formulation.
Check every applicable annex entry
Annex 2 lists ingredients prohibited in all cosmetics. Annex 3 permits listed ingredients only subject to its restrictions and can specify conditions of use and warnings. For each matching entry, record the permitted product category, concentration basis, maximum concentration, other conditions and required wording. Check the complete entry rather than copying a limit from a supplier spreadsheet.
Colourants, preservatives and UV filters must appear in the corresponding Annexes 4, 5 or 6 and meet their conditions. Check the substance's intended function against the appropriate list, alongside any other applicable restrictions. Record the source version and review date, and ask the assessor to confirm applicable amendments and commencement arrangements before accepting the formula.
Resolve hidden components and specialist questions
Annex 3 includes fragrance ingredients requiring individual labelling above specified thresholds, regardless of their function. Obtain composition information from essential oil and perfume compound suppliers, then calculate contributions across the formula. A description such as fragrance or botanical extract does not give you enough information to complete that calculation.
Ask the assessor to review any substance classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction: the GB rules prohibit the specified categories unless an annex allows their use. Flag nanomaterial forms, impurities and uncertain identities for specialist review. Request specifications and analytical evidence where useful; keep unresolved questions visible rather than treating missing data as a pass.
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Record the decision and control formula changes
Keep a screening record showing the formula revision, substance identity, calculated concentration, intended use, matching annex entry, conditions and outcome. Separate accepted ingredients from those needing clarification or reformulation. Pass the supporting documents to the qualified safety assessor; ingredient screening supports the assessment but does not replace it. See cosmetics safety assessment and the product information file.
Carry applicable mandatory annex warnings into the English artwork; see cosmetic container and carton labels. Ask the factory to seek written approval before changing ingredients, raw material suppliers or blend compositions. Recheck affected screening rows and send changes to the assessor before approving production.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check cosmetic restrictions from the label?
A label is not enough. Obtain the quantitative formula and blend composition so you can identify substances and calculate their finished-product concentrations.
Which annexes cover GB cosmetic ingredients?
Annex 2 covers prohibited ingredients; Annex 3 covers restricted ingredients. Annexes 4, 5 and 6 cover permitted colourants, preservatives and UV filters respectively, subject to their conditions.
How do I check an ingredient supplied in a blend?
Use the blend's composition and addition rate to calculate each component's finished-product concentration. Combine contributions from other raw materials containing the same substance.
Does passing the ingredient check replace a safety report?
No. Ask the relevant authority to confirm the safety assessment required before sale and the assessor's required qualifications. Give your assessor the screening record, formula, raw material documents and intended-use information.