Q1102. How to translate cosmetic product formula and ingredient safety documents?

Answered by the NYC Visa & Translation certified translation team

Cosmetic product registration with the Thai FDA requires the product's formula and safety documentation, and the translation rules follow the cosmetic-control framework under the Cosmetic Act. The document set: the full ingredient list with INCI names and concentrations, the product specification, the manufacturing method summary, safety assessment data, and the label — with the Thai label mandatory for products sold in Thailand (product name, ingredients, usage, warnings, manufacturer, and notification number in Thai). Translation rules that matter: ingredient names use INCI nomenclature, which is international — the Thai label lists ingredients per the FDA's accepted rendering, and the concentration ranges in the formula are transcribed exactly; the safety assessment (for the product information file) follows the assessor's report structure, and the foreign assessor's qualifications must be documented; and claims on the label (whitening, anti-ageing, sunscreen SPF) must match the supporting data — Thai FDA reviews claims against the formula, and over-claiming in translation creates compliance exposure. Practice points: the notification (cosmetics are notified, not licensed, in Thailand) is filed by the Thai importer or manufacturer with the Thai documents; foreign manufacturing-site documents (GMP or ISO 22716 certificates) follow the legalisation chain where required; and for products with borderline claims (cosmeceutical territory), the claim wording in Thai decides whether the product stays a cosmetic or falls into drug regulation — this deserves regulatory review, not just translation. Confirm the Thai FDA's current notification requirements for the product category.