Since the start of 2025, China has seen a notable surge in new cosmetic ingredient (NCI) filings/notifications. A total of 63 NCIs have been notified so far this year — with 17 announced since May alone. In under six months, the number of notifications has already surpassed two-thirds of the total 90 recorded in all of 2024.
From May 21 to 28, 2025, 11 new cosmetic ingredients were notified with the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). They include a variety of types, such as plant extracts, peptides, amino acids, ginsenosides and animal-derived ingredients.
The technical requirements for the 11 new cosmetic ingredients mentioned above have not been disclosed, and they have not yet entered the safety monitoring period.
In 2024, the notifier jointly published a research paper with a university in Dalian, China, titled "Application of Andrias Davidianus Glycopeptide (Hydrolyzed Andrias Davidianus Skin Mucus)as a New Raw Material for Cosmetics and Its Development Prospect."
The abstract of the paper indicates that the glycopeptides are active substances extracted from the skin mucus of Andrias davidianus through enzymatic hydrolysis and extraction. These glycopeptides feature O-linked glycopeptide structures, have a molecular weight of less than 3.5 kDa, and a polysaccharide content of 15.65%. They exhibit a range of bioactivities, including antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-fatigue, and immune-modulating effects.
Gentiana veitchiorum is a traditional Tibetan medicinal herb commonly used for its heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. Its flowers are rich in flavonoid compounds with notable bioactivity.
Phlomoides rotata, another plant native to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has long been utilized in traditional Tibetan medicine for promoting blood circulation, relieving pain, and detoxification. It contains a diverse array of chemical constituents, primarily including flavonoids, phenylethanoid glycosides (such as verbascoside and forsythoside), as well as certain types of saponins.
Both of these ingredients were notified by subsidiaries of Winkey Technology, a well-known cosmetic raw material company in China. As of now, Winkey has submitted a total of 18 NCI notifications, making it the company with the highest number of NCI submissions. While the company initially focused on peptide-based ingredients, its recent submissions have become increasingly diversified. The two ingredients notified this time are both plant extracts.
Rare ginsenoside Compound K is typically undetectable in aged wild ginseng or processed ginseng and is mainly derived from the biotransformation of other protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides. Compound K is known for its potent bioactivities, including anti-tumor, anti-skin aging, anti-allergic, and anti-inflammatory effects.
The notifier, Guangzhou Qingnang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., serves as the R&D center of the well-known Chinese skincare brand Guyu (谷雨). The company focuses on innovative ingredient development and efficacy-driven formulations, actively promoting the integration of traditional herbal ingredients with modern cosmetic science.
*Source: Official website of GUYU(谷雨)
Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) disodium salt is a redox-active compound with strong antioxidant capacity, widely recognized in the food industry for its health benefits. In cosmetics, its application is expanding rapidly in China, with 6 filings as new cosmetic ingredients by different companies—three of which have already entered the safety monitoring period—signaling growing interest and increasing adoption in skincare products.
Among the 11 ingredients summarized in this batch, four are peptides: Notification 20250054, 20250055, 20250056, and 20250063. Notably, Notification 20250063 was submitted by Shanghai Jahwa.
Shanghai Jahwa is one of China's leading domestic cosmetic and personal care companies, with a history dating back to 1898. The company is known for its strong R&D capabilities and well-established brands such as Herborist, Liushen, and Maxam. In recent years, Jahwa has actively invested in innovative raw materials and new cosmetic ingredient development, reflecting its strategic focus on technology-driven skincare solutions.
*Source: Official website of Shanghai Jahwa
The rapid rise in new cosmetic ingredient registrations in 2025 signals not just growth in numbers, but a shift in China's beauty industry toward innovation-led development. We are seeing a clear acceleration in notifications for plant-derived ingredients with distinct Chinese characteristics, alongside a surge in biotech-driven materials—such as peptides and fermentation-derived actives.
Since the beginning of 2025, ZMUni has supported the successful notification of 14 new cosmetic ingredients (NCIs), representing over 20% of all NCI notifications so far this year. We offer extensive experience across diverse ingredient types and submission scenarios. If you have any notification needs or questions, feel free to reach out—we're here to assist you!
