Why Korean cosmetic ads can no longer say "exosome", "microneedle" or "clinic only"
Korea's MFDS revised its cosmetics labeling and advertising guideline in January 2025, and a lot of trendy wording landed on the banned list. Has your team updated its product pages yet?
Newly banned examples
- Wording that suggests human-derived ingredients: a plain "exosome cosmetic" can be read as containing human-derived material
- Wording that misstates how the product is used: needle, microneedle, micro-spicule style terms
- Medical setting cues: "hospital exclusive", "dermatology procedure", "pharmacy only"
- "Inner care", which suggests something you swallow
- Skin-age numbers: "skin 10 years younger", "skin age -3"
What is still allowed The guidance says you can use terms like plant exosome or milk exosome when the source is stated clearly.
Practical checks
- Ad headlines are in scope, not just product names and detail pages
- Old creator scripts and short-form captions may still carry the same phrases
- Translated listings on overseas marketplaces often copy the Korean wording
If your team renamed a product or rewrote copy after this change, what wording did you switch to?
Source: CosinKorea — MFDS expands banned expressions in cosmetic labeling and ads
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