New Law Limits Animal Cosmetics Testing in China

The Chinese government no longer requires all cosmetics manufacturers to test their products on animals.


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Last year, the Chinese government announced that it would phase out animal-testing requirements for “ordinary” cosmetic products, such as shampoo and skin-care lotions, and as of Monday those regulations are no longer in place. Instead, Chinese cosmetic companies can use pre-existing toxicology and tissue culture data to certify that product ingredients are safe for public use. While numerous animal-welfare activists welcomed the amendment to the law, which in the past mandated that all cosmetic products had to be tested on animals, there is still significant work to be done in the Chinese make-up industry. Currently, all cosmetics imported to China as well as other domestically manufactured products, including hair dye and sunblock, must be tested on animals before they are sold for public use, and according to Humane Society International, every year the Asian country subjects approximately 30,000 rabbits, mice, and other animals to testing.