Medicines (Cosmetic Products) (Labelling) Regulations 1996

Status:

Published in Subsidiary Legislation Supplement
on 14 Jun 1996

No. S 270

Medicines Act

(Chapter 176)

Medicines (Cosmetic Products) (Labelling) Regulations 1996

In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 44, 45 and 46 of the Medicines Act, the Minister for Health hereby makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) (Labelling) Regulations 1996 and shall come into operation on 1st June 1997.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations —

“cosmetic product” has the same meaning as in the Medicines (Cosmetic Products) (Specification and Prohibition) Order 1996;

[G.N. No.]

[S 272/96]

“flavour” means a substance used as an ingredient of a cosmetic product solely to impart a taste to the product;

“fragrance” means a substance used as an ingredient of a cosmetic product solely to impart an odour to the product.

Display of information on cosmetic product

3.—(1) Every container of a cosmetic product or, where the container is immediately enclosed in a package, every package shall be labelled with the following information:

(a)	the name of the cosmetic product or an appropriate description of the cosmetic product;
(b)	the list of the ingredients specified in accordance with regulation 4;
(c)	if the cosmetic product is manufactured or assembled in Singapore, the name and address of the manufacturer or person responsible for the assembly of the cosmetic product;
(d)	if the cosmetic product is imported, the name and address of the importer;
(e)	the batch reference given by the person who manufactured the cosmetic product to the batch of which it forms a part; and
(f)	any particular precautions to be observed in use.

(2) The information in paragraph (1) shall be specified in English and shall be clearly legible.

(3) Where the size, shape or nature of the container or package does not permit all the required information to be specified on the container or package, it will be sufficient if any person possessing the cosmetic product for the purpose of sale or supply displays the information prominently in a leaflet attached to, or in a display panel near, the cosmetic product.

(4) Paragraph (3) shall not apply to the information required under paragraph (1)(a) or (e).

List of ingredients

4.—(1) The list of ingredients on a cosmetic product shall be specified —

(a)

by volume in descending order;

(b)

by mass in descending order; or

(c)

in the following order:

(i)	ingredients (except colour additives) in concentrations of 1% or more — by either volume in descending order or mass in descending order;
(ii)	ingredients (except colour additives) in concentrations of less than 1% — in any order; and
(iii)	colour additives — in any order.

(2) The ingredients of a cosmetic product shall be specified in the list of ingredients by using nomenclature from the latest edition of the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary, British Pharmacopoeia, United States Pharmacopoeia, Chemical Abstracts Service or such other nomenclature as may be approved by the Director of Medical Services.

(3) A flavour or flavours used as an ingredient of a cosmetic product shall be specified on the list of ingredients by —

(a)	the word “flavour” or “flavours”; or
(b)	the ingredients of the flavour or flavours.

(4) A fragrance or fragrances used as an ingredient of a cosmetic product shall be specified on the list of ingredients by —

(a)	the word “fragrance” or “fragrances”; or
(b)	the ingredients of the fragrance or fragrances.

(5) A substance shall not be required to be specified in the list of ingredients of a cosmetic product if it is present only as a trace which could not reasonably have been removed during or after manufacture.

(6) In the case of cosmetic products belonging to a same range, where a colour additive is —

(a)	added to some batches of the product for the purposes of colour matching; or
(b)	used in one or more (but not all) of the cosmetic products belonging to that range,

it shall be sufficient if the list of ingredients for any of the product in that range contains a statement that the product “may contain” the colour additive or words to that effect.

(7) For the purposes of paragraph (6), cosmetic products shall be considered as belonging to the same range if they have the following characteristics in common:

(a)	they are produced by the same manufacturer;
(b)	they are similar in composition;
(c)	they are intended for the same use; and
(d)	they are available in different shades.

(8) The Director of Medical Services may, on application by a manufacturer or an importer, allow any ingredient of a cosmetic product to be specified as “other ingredient” in the list of ingredients if the Director is satisfied that —

(a)	revealing the ingredient in the list of ingredients would prejudice a trade secret; and
(b)	inclusion of the ingredient in the cosmetic product is unlikely to be harmful to any consumer.

Penalty

5. Any person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

Made this 14th day of June 1996.

KWA SOON BEE

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Health,
Singapore.

[PD (CCU) 90:78/01 Vol. 4; AG/SL/35/95/1]

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