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Import cosmetics into mainland China
Importing finished cosmetics into mainland China through general trade normally requires NMPA filing or registration before import, appointment of a Domestic Responsible Person, a Chinese label that meets current rules, and separate customs formalities at the port.
Who this is for
This path is for overseas brands, exporters and importers who will ship finished cosmetics into mainland China as goods, then sell them in physical retail or domestic e-commerce. It is not automatically the same as cross-border e-commerce retail import, which is supervised under a different set of rules.
How the path works
First we confirm whether the product is an ordinary cosmetic or a special cosmetic. Ordinary imported cosmetics are filed before import; special cosmetics must be registered before they are produced or imported. The legal basis is the Cosmetics Supervision and Administration Regulation and the Measures for the Administration of Cosmetics Registration and Filing.
An overseas filer or registrant appoints a Domestic Responsible Person in China. The dossier typically includes formula or full ingredient information, the product standard, Chinese label artwork, test reports, safety-assessment materials, the original sales packaging and a Chinese translation of the foreign-language label, and proof that the product is already marketed in the country of the filer or the country of manufacture—unless a legal exception applies. NMPA Announcement No. 70 of 2026 allows certain first launches in China, or simultaneous launches, to use a written commitment instead of overseas marketing proof, if the announcement’s conditions are met.
Port inspection and customs declaration are not the same procedure as NMPA filing or registration. Completing one does not replace the other. See inspection and quarantine versus NMPA filing.
What Jinshang organizes, and what partner labs do
We help judge the path, assemble overseas and Chinese documents, review the Chinese name and label, coordinate needed tests with partner laboratories, and support the Domestic Responsible Person during submission and any supplementary requests. Partner laboratories perform the tests and issue those reports. We do not replace the statutory responsibilities of the overseas filer or the Domestic Responsible Person.
Timing
Imported ordinary cosmetics follow a filing path, not special-cosmetics registration. The 10–20 day figure we use for domestic ordinary filing, where testing and filing proceed in parallel, should not be copied onto every import project. Overseas documents, translations and the Domestic Responsible Person arrangement often add time. Special cosmetics use separate testing and review clocks, described on the special registration page.
Next step
Discuss your China market path
Tell us whether you plan to import finished goods or manufacture in mainland China, and what the product claims. We will outline the likely filing or registration path. Testing, where needed, is arranged with partner laboratories.
Contact us