How do I export foundation, concealer or BB cream to China?

Q: How do I export foundation, concealer or BB cream to China?

Foundation, concealer and BB cream are usually exported to China as ordinary cosmetics used to temporarily modify appearance. Complete ordinary filing before general-trade import unless the product claims SPF or whitening. A BB or CC cream with SPF must be registered as a sunscreen. A product that claims to whiten skin or fade spots must be registered as a whitening special cosmetic.

Published 11 November 2026 · Updated 11 November 2026

How to judge the path

Physical covering that is only makeup can remain ordinary beauty modification. Physical covering used to achieve a whitening or spot-removal effect is described in the whitening classification and should be assessed accordingly.

See BB or CC cream with SPF and cushion foundation.

Typical documents, tests and labels

If the product remains ordinary, Testing and ordinary cosmetics filing may proceed in parallel. The ordinary filing cycle is about 10–20 days in total, depending on completeness and supplementary requests. That timing applies only to ordinary cosmetics filing, never to special cosmetics registration and not as a guaranteed import timeline. Colorants and any UV filters present as sunscreen agents must meet the technical standards. Jinshang Testing organizes the compliance work. Testing is coordinated with partner laboratories, and those laboratories issue the reports they perform. After a record is issued, check it on the official NMPA filing query https://hzpba.nmpa.gov.cn/gccx/ and the NMPA data-search page https://datasearch.nmpa.gov.cn/datasearch/home-index.html#category=hzp.

Cautions

For general-trade import of a finished product, complete the required filing or registration before import, appoint a Domestic Responsible Person, and apply a Chinese label that meets the Cosmetics Labeling Rules. Customs and inspection-quarantine formalities are a separate process. Cross-border e-commerce retail import is a different channel with list, platform and personal-use limits; it is not a blanket “no filing” rule and not a path to unrestricted domestic resale.

Do not treat “skin-improving BB cream” as ordinary if the Chinese text is actually whitening or sun protection.

Questions we are often asked

Is concealer handled like foundation?

Yes, when both are ordinary beauty-modification cosmetics. Eye-area concealers should be assessed for that site.

Can I file foundation without listing every shade?

Each shade you will place on the market needs to be identified as its own product or as part of a similar-formula set handled under the current rules. Do not omit shades you intend to sell.