Cosmetic products imported to China for the first time are required to go through the hygiene safety examination by the hygiene licensing agency authorized by the CFDA (China Food & Drug Administration), submit and report the 'import cosmetics hygiene license application' alongside the examination results for evaluation before applying for the license to the CFDA. CFDA conducts evaluation to issue the hygiene license on the products that pass the process. No customs clearance and sale activity in China can be conducted unless the license is acquired. Each product requires the hygiene license, which means even the products of the same category produced by the same producer should go through the above process to acquire the license number individually

On December 23rd 2015, the CFDA (China Food & Drug Administration) released「New Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients (2015)」. It lists up a total of 8,783 ingredients. Note, however, that even the ingredients in this list don't guarantee your acquisition of hygiene license. It may become difficult to obtain the hygiene license on some of these ingredients because the authorities may demand data submission as a way to prove safety.

There are two options to consider:
1) Register the ingredient to use in the CFDA to obtain license on that new ingredient. While the new ingredient licensing procedure is similar with the hygiene licensing procedure, over the last few years, there were extremely few cases where the Chinese government permitted a new ingredient. Even in those cases, the procedure had cost over hundreds of millions of won.
2) Remove the ingredient not included in the「New Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients」and replace it with other ingredients.

You need to apply for extension at least 4 months before its expiry date. It is advised that you start the renewal process at least 6 months earlier to have the required documents ready. In case you lost your license of which expiry period to extend, you need to apply for re-issuance. If this prevented you from applying for extension 4 months before, you need to do it no later than 15 days from the date of re-issuance. Also note that application for re-issuance should be done 4 months before the expiry date. In case you failed to apply for extension before it expires, you need to submit an application to get another license.

You need to apply for 1 license regardless of capacity if the product has the same ingredients and product name.

Only one original copy can be issued. You may apply for re-issuance only when you lost the license or it is damaged. Re-issuance application should be submitted in 20 days from submitting the lost hygiene license statement.

There is no need to do so, however, you should submit a statement on cancellation of consignment to the previous company.

In regard to a change in prescriptions or any changes that may affect the safety of the cosmetic products, you should apply for a new license.

It is prescribed that an import vendor should have a single China-based incorporated company, however, there is no limitation on how many vendors it should have a contract with.

In case your production base is changed, there is no need to apply for a new license as long as you submit a change application according to the administrative license change.