Children's cosmetics primarily consist of cleansing, care, and moisturizing products. When purchasing, parents should check for labels indicating suitability for children. Baby bath products, shampoos, moisturizers, talcum powder, and prickly heat lotions all fall under children's cosmetics. Since February this year, China's "Guidelines for the Declaration and Evaluation of Children's Cosmetics" (hereinafter referred to as the "Guidelines") have been officially implemented. However, a reporter's investigation into Guangzhou's children's cosmetics market revealed that many parents still feel uncertain when making purchases.Experts explain that children's cosmetics have strict application guidelines and formulation principles, prioritizing safety above all. Parents who enjoy "dressing up" their children should be particularly cautious, as products for whitening, spot removal, hair dyeing, or perming are unsuitable for children.
Retail: Children's Cosmetics Sales Surge in Recent Years
A recent survey of several supermarkets in Guangzhou revealed dedicated children's product sections stocking diverse items, primarily bath and skincare products like body wash, shampoo, moisturizer, baby powder, and prickly heat lotion. Prices vary significantly, ranging from five to six yuan to over one hundred yuan.Specialized protective products for outdoor activities also feature dedicated children's brands.
At a large pharmacy on Beijing Road, sales staff noted that children's cosmetics sales have surged in the past two years. "Many beauty-conscious mothers are willing to select specialized skincare products for their children," they explained.
When randomly interviewed, several parents purchasing children's cosmetics emphasized that brand reputation and safety are their top priorities due to children's delicate skin. Ms. Li selected a bottle of children's shower gel: "I usually choose from major brands that label their products as 'all-natural' or 'non-irritating'—these are generally suitable for children."
Do parents check ingredient lists when purchasing? One male parent admitted he doesn't know which ingredients are best for children, so he relies on sales staff recommendations and rarely examines ingredient lists.
Nearly all interviewees expressed high concern about safety despite lacking knowledge on selecting children's cosmetics. Ms. Li stated: "With only one child per family nowadays, parents naturally want the best for them.We hope that after the Guidelines are implemented, children's cosmetics can truly be safe and reassuring."
Expert: Antiperspirants, Hair Dyes, and Perming Products "Not Suitable for Children"
Xiong Xikun, Deputy Director of the Department of Health Toxicology at the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that talcum powder, shampoo, body wash, and skin creams used by children aged 12 and under (including 12 years old) are classified as children's cosmetics.
Children's skin is delicate with a thin protective layer, making it highly permeable to chemicals. Therefore, the formulation of children's cosmetics should adhere to the principle of "less is more" regarding the variety of ingredients used, minimizing the number of components as much as possible. For instance, when selecting fragrances, colorants, preservatives, and surfactants, the principle of using the minimum effective amount—or none at all—should be upheld, while also paying close attention to potential adverse reactions.
Xiong Xikun particularly emphasized that companies should avoid developing children's products for functions such as skin whitening, spot removal, hair removal, antiperspirants, deodorants, hair growth, hair dyeing, perming, body sculpting, or breast enhancement. "Especially hair dyeing—some parents perm or dye their children's hair to create 'child stars,' which can actually damage the scalp, cause allergies, or lead to adverse reactions if it gets into the eyes."
Furthermore, raw materials for children's cosmetics must have a proven safety history. Ingredients involving technologies like genetic engineering or nanotechnology, which lack historical validation, should not be rashly applied to children's skin.
Spot Checks: Guangzhou Market Shows 99% Compliance Rate for Children's Cosmetics
According to Chen Lingxi, Deputy Director of the Guangzhou Municipal Drug Administration's Inspection Division, spot checks on children's cosmetics in Guangzhou over the past two years have shown a compliance rate exceeding 99%. Among the two non-compliant cases identified, the issues arose during distribution—specifically, microbial counts exceeded standards during transportation. The companies involved have been ordered to rectify these issues.
Chen Lingxi stated that the Municipal Drug Administration Inspection Division conducts regular inspections of children's cosmetics counters and applies stricter approval standards. Following the implementation of the Guidelines, non-compliant and illegal manufacturers will be strictly investigated through methods such as supervisory sampling, market oversight, and risk monitoring to ensure the safety of children's cosmetics.
Director Yan Xiaohong of the Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Inspection Institute highlighted that the primary distinction between children's cosmetics and non-children's cosmetics lies in the permissible limits for colony-forming units (CFU). Children's cosmetics must adhere to a CFU limit of 500 CFU/ml or 500 CFU/g, aligning with the standards for eye and lip cosmetics. Other cosmetics, however, are permitted a CFU limit of 1000 CFU/ml or 1000 CFU/g.
"Children's cosmetics represent a relatively new category that has garnered significant attention in recent years, with sampling volumes steadily increasing. No issues have been identified thus far," Yan Xiaohong noted. Current testing parameters include heavy metals, microorganisms, and prohibited/restricted substances. Heavy metals like lead pose cumulative toxicity risks to humans, while microbial contamination can lead to infections.
It is understood that some foreign children's cosmetics have been found to contain excessive ingredients. For instance, dioxane was detected in children's hair care products, and asbestos was found in baby powder. These reports triggered negative reactions from local communities and society. Investigations revealed that certain major international brands even contained trace amounts of formaldehyde.