The latest adjustment means that the four ingredients are now included in IECIC List II and are managed as existing cosmetic ingredients in China, subject to their applicable regulatory conditions.
Four Ingredients Added to IECIC List II
China’s IECIC is dynamically managed through List I and List II. Eligible new cosmetic ingredients can be transferred to List II after completing the required safety monitoring period and undergoing the relevant regulatory assessment.
The latest adjustment includes: Azelamidopropyl dimethyl amine, Cetyl diglyceryl tris (trimethylsiloxy) silylethyl dimethicone, Nicotinamide mononucleotide (nmn) and Bakuchiol
Importantly, the monitoring period does not necessarily begin on the date of the ingredient filing. Under China’s Provisions for Registration and Filing of Cosmetics, the monitoring period begins when the first cosmetic product containing the ingredient completes its registration or filing.
What Are IECIC List I and List II?
China’s Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients (IECIC) is the NMPA’s reference inventory for cosmetic ingredients that are considered existing ingredients under China’s cosmetic regulatory framework. Since 2025, the IECIC has been managed through two lists—List I and List II—to distinguish established existing ingredients from new cosmetic ingredients that have subsequently completed the required safety monitoring process.
List I is based on the IECIC issued in 2021. It contains the existing cosmetic ingredients already recognized under the inventory, with the 2025 update standardizing ingredient names and revising certain remarks and regulatory information. In other words, List I represents the established base of existing cosmetic ingredients carried forward from the previous IECIC.
List II was introduced to accommodate new cosmetic ingredients that have completed the three-year safety monitoring period and have been assessed as meeting applicable safety and regulatory requirements. Under the Provisions for Registration and Filing of Cosmetics, new cosmetic ingredients are subject to a three-year safety monitoring system beginning when the first cosmetic product using the ingredient is registered or filed. After the monitoring period, the technical assessment agency evaluates whether the ingredient meets safety requirements. Ingredients without identified safety concerns may then be included in the IECIC.
The NMPA has also established a dynamic adjustment mechanism for the IECIC. The inventory can be continuously updated based on scientific research, industry development and regulatory practice, including additions, corrections and other revisions. Since 2025, the NMPA has stated that it will no longer issue every IECIC update as a separate official announcement; instead, updates and related adjustment information are to be disclosed through its official website.
For companies, the distinction is important: an ingredient appearing in List II has completed the new-ingredient safety monitoring process, but companies should still check the ingredient’s specific IECIC entry, intended use, applicable restrictions and conditions of use before incorporating it into a cosmetic formulation. In addition, changing the intended purpose or safe dosage of an existing ingredient can trigger requirements under China’s new cosmetic ingredient framework.
What IECIC List II Inclusion Means for Companies
The inclusion of an ingredient in IECIC List II changes its regulatory status and can simplify future formulation planning for companies seeking to use it in China.
However, IECIC inclusion should not be interpreted as unrestricted authorization. Companies should continue to verify:
- the exact IECIC ingredient entry and identity;
- the ingredient’s intended function and applicable conditions of use;
- the proposed concentration and product category; and
- finished-product safety and other applicable compliance requirements.
This is particularly important when adapting global formulations for the Chinese market. An ingredient permitted in the EU, United States or another jurisdiction should not automatically be assumed to satisfy China’s requirements.
Where a proposed use, concentration or other conditions fall outside the ingredient’s existing regulatory status, companies may need to assess whether new cosmetic ingredient registration or filing is required.
Azelamidopropyl dimethyl amine Added Following Safety Monitoring
Among the four newly added ingredients is azelamidopropyl dimethyl amine, a patented cosmetic active developed by Corum Inc. under the trade name Epi-On®.
The cosmetic ingrediend was filed in in January 2023. Following completion of the applicable safety monitoring period and regulatory assessment, the ingredient was incorporated into IECIC List II in August 2026.
The development illustrates the regulatory pathway for innovative cosmetic ingredients entering the Chinese market:
New cosmetic ingredient filing → Safety monitoring → Regulatory assessment → IECIC inclusion
For ingredient developers, this highlights the importance of considering regulatory requirements beyond the initial filing and incorporating long-term monitoring and compliance into China market-access planning.
Key Takeaways for the Cosmetics Industry
International ingredient suppliers, manufacturers and cosmetic brands should consider the following actions:
- Check the latest IECIC: Confirm an ingredient’s current status before determining whether new cosmetic ingredient registration or filing is required.
- Review the complete IECIC entry: Inclusion does not necessarily mean unrestricted use; applicable conditions should be verified.
- Assess the intended use: Check the ingredient’s function, concentration, product category and other relevant conditions when adapting global formulations for China.
- Plan for ingredients outside the IECIC: Determine at an early stage whether registration or filing as a new cosmetic ingredient will be required.
- Consider the full regulatory lifecycle: For innovative ingredients, China market-access planning should account for the safety monitoring period and subsequent regulatory assessment.
The latest IECIC adjustment provides greater regulatory clarity for the four ingredients concerned while also highlighting the importance of monitoring China’s dynamic ingredient-management system when developing and commercializing cosmetic ingredients.
