On August 6, 2026, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) issued Notice No. 2026-56, amending the Precautions for Use and Allergen Labeling Requirements for Cosmetics.
The changes took effect on the date of promulgation, although the new Benzophenone-3 precaution will apply from September 2, 2026. Companies manufacturing or importing cosmetics for the South Korean market should therefore review affected formulas and packaging in advance.
What is changing?
The amendment addresses two different issues.
First, MFDS has introduced an exception to an existing warning required on certain shampoo products. The warning concerns the potential for hair loss or discoloration if shampoo is not rinsed off immediately after use. Because this instruction is not appropriate for products specifically designed to remain on the hair, the revised rules exclude rinse-free products such as dry shampoos from the requirement.
Second, MFDS has established a new precaution for cosmetics containing Benzophenone-3, subject to a concentration threshold.
The amendment also updates references to other legislation and regulatory provisions to reflect changes made to the wider Korean regulatory framework.
Rinse-free shampoos no longer need the immediate-rinse warning
Under the previous rules, shampoos were subject to a precaution stating that failure to rinse the product immediately with water could cause hair loss or discoloration.
The revised provision recognizes that this warning is not appropriate for products intended to be used without immediate rinsing.
Accordingly, rinse-free shampoos, including dry shampoos, can omit this particular precaution from their labeling.
The change is relatively narrow: it does not remove general labeling or safety obligations for shampoo products. Rather, it prevents an immediate-rinse warning from being applied to products whose intended method of use does not involve immediate rinsing.
For manufacturers, this may allow packaging and usage instructions for dry or other rinse-free shampoo formats to better reflect their actual intended use.
New labeling precaution for Benzophenone-3
The amendment also introduces a specific precaution for cosmetics containing Benzophenone-3.
The new requirement applies to products containing the ingredient at a concentration above 2.4%. Products containing Benzophenone-3 at 2.4% or less are excluded from this particular labeling requirement.
For products within scope, the label must include a precaution instructing consumers to use the product only on the relevant area according to the specified directions and dosage, and not to apply it to the entire body.
This means that manufacturers using Benzophenone-3 should check both the concentration in the finished product and the corresponding packaging text when assessing compliance with the revised rules.
When will the new requirements apply?
Most provisions of Notice No. 2026-56 became effective immediately upon promulgation on August 6, 2026.
The new Benzophenone-3 precaution has a later effective date of September 2, 2026.
The amended requirements apply to cosmetics that are first manufactured or imported after the relevant provisions take effect. For imported products, the applicable date is determined based on the customs clearance date.
MFDS has also provided a transition period for existing packaging. Containers and packaging for Benzophenone-3-containing products that were already labeled in accordance with the previous requirements when the amendment takes effect may continue to be used for six months from September 2, 2026.
What should cosmetic companies do?
Companies selling cosmetics in South Korea should identify whether their portfolios include rinse-free shampoos or products containing Benzophenone-3.
For rinse-free shampoos, the key question is whether the product is genuinely intended to be used without immediate rinsing. If so, manufacturers can assess whether the relevant immediate-rinse warning can be removed from future packaging.
For Benzophenone-3 products, companies should review the concentration in each affected formula and determine whether the new precaution applies. Products above the 2.4% threshold should have their labeling and packaging artwork reviewed before the September 2, 2026 effective date.
Companies with existing packaging should also consider the six-month transition period when planning production and packaging changes.
The amendment illustrates the importance of keeping product formulas, intended use, labeling and regulatory requirements aligned. Even relatively targeted changes to precaution statements can affect packaging decisions, particularly for products manufactured for multiple markets with different labeling rules.
