End-to-End Beauty Going Global: Key Takeaways Recap | [Makeup for the World]: 2026 Cosmetics Export Compliance Seminar (Shanghai Station) Successfully Concluded!

01 Navigating the Compliance Deep End: From ASEAN to the EAEU – How to Avoid Hidden Rocks in Market Access
Compliance is the very first threshold for going global. Regulatory systems vary significantly across countries, and a small misstep can lead to confiscated goods or heavy fines.

ASEAN Market: Ms. Wang, Enterco's ASEAN compliance expert, focused on the ASEAN 10-country regulatory framework, breaking down the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ACD) framework and the operational differences across member states. She noted that although ASEAN countries generally follow the ACD, each has its own internal regulations – such as additional entry standards in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Brands should never assume that approval in one country can be fully replicated in another, but proper planning can reduce around 70–80% of redundant efforts. She also emphasized that ASEAN's "lenient entry, strict enforcement" regulatory approach requires companies to attach great importance to retaining safety assessment documentation and staying alert to market surveillance rules.

South American Market: Ms. Lyu, Enterco's expert on South America, provided a detailed breakdown of market access pathways in the region. Brazil, the world's third-largest beauty market, operates under ANVISA with a notification/registration classification, and has fully banned animal testing since July 31, 2025. Mexico, which is often considered alongside Latin American compliance frameworks, is regulated by COFEPRIS, where special attention must be paid to stringent labeling standards (NOM 141) and the UVA certification fast‑track option. Chile's ISP imposes a rigorous full-registration customs process, requiring four major steps: CDA application, bonded warehousing, sample testing, and permit issuance. For the Andean Community, the NSO mutual recognition mechanism can help improve efficiency.

Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): Ms. Chen, Enterco's expert on Russian compliance, explained the boundaries between EAC certification and SGR state registration. She noted that Russia's regulatory system is broadly aligned with that of Europe, so companies already familiar with EU compliance have a good foundational basis – but local strict requirements still need careful attention. For example, anti‑acne products can easily be classified as high‑risk under SGR due to high active ingredient concentrations or strong efficacy claims. Marketing translation into Russian-speaking markets requires extra caution: the Chinese term "brightening/radiance‑boosting" should never be directly translated as the Russian word for "bleaching," to avoid crossing into drug registration territory. In addition, local authorities rigorously review claims such as "natural" or "organic," and are strictly cracking down on greenwashing in the beauty industry, making compliance standards extremely demanding.

02 Efficacy Claims: Global Scrutiny Is Tightening – How to Use One Set of Data for Multiple Markets
What claims can a product make, and what claims can it not make? Ms. Jin, expert from Enterco's Yinuode Efficacy Lab, compared the underlying logic of four major regulatory systems:

China: Pre‑market approval model. Special‑use cosmetics must be tested using designated methods in domestic laboratories.

ASEAN: The core principle is to strictly exclude any medical efficacy claims (e.g., "suppresses acne," "reduces weight").

EU: "Whatever you claim, you must have corresponding-level evidence to support it." Clinical proof and hypoallergenic claims require clear supporting data.

U.S.: The focus is on whether a claim crosses into drug territory. Sun protection, anti‑dandruff, etc., are regulated as drugs. Phrases such as "reverses photoaging" are prohibited.

To address the cost challenges of multi‑market expansion, Ms. Jin suggested that brands establish a multi‑tier global data package – covering in vitro tests, consumer self‑assessments, and human trials – so that one set of data can be adapted for filings across different markets, effectively reducing duplicate certification costs.

03 Platform Growth: Spotting Consumer Trends – The Logic Behind Amazon Beauty Best Sellers
Ms. Zhang Helin, Senior Manager of Strategic Accounts at Amazon Global Selling, refreshed the audience's perspective with data. The global beauty market is approximately US$700 billion. In the U.S., e‑commerce accounts for only 10% of beauty spending – but as the younger generation comes of age, the e‑commerce opportunity is substantial.

Men's skincare is a blue ocean. For every 100 RMB spent by Chinese women on cosmetics, Chinese men spend only 3.50 RMB – compared with 50 RMB by Japanese men, 38 RMB by French men, and 30–40 RMB by American men. On the operational front, products priced above US$25 on Amazon need a 40% gross margin and 20% net margin to sustain healthy growth. Regarding KOL marketing, overseas influencers with just 50,000 followers can have extremely loyal audiences, so brands should value engagement and connection rather than blindly chasing follower counts.

04 Supply Chain and Customs Clearance: Tariff Optimization and Tax Compliance – Protecting Your Profit Lifeline
Mr. Zhou, a representative from Agil Logistics, offered practical strategies for logistics and customs pain points. On tax compliance, he issued a special reminder: State Taxation Administration Announcements No. 15 and No. 17 of 2025 mean that e‑commerce platform sales data is now directly pushed to the tax authorities. If companies still use methods such as "buy‑out export" or under‑declared value, their accounting will show artificially inflated profits, putting them at risk of back‑paying value‑added tax (VAT) and corporate income tax.

On tariff optimization, for ASEAN markets, brands can make full use of RCEP certificates of origin to benefit from preferential duties. For South American markets, where tariffs are high – non‑FTA cosmetics in Mexico can face duties as high as 30% – a combination of nearshoring, local assembly, sea‑air intermodal transportation, and local distribution can help reduce costs and improve efficiency.