Checking a hair product in Malaysia: NPRA notification, labels and claims

Shampoos, tonics, serums and scalp sprays for hair fall fill pharmacy shelves, salon counters and online marketplaces in Malaysia. Many carry bold promises, glossy before-and-after photos and a string of numbers on the box. For a shopper, the practical questions are simple. Is the product legal to sell here? Is it a cosmetic or a medicine? And do the claims on the label match what a cosmetic is allowed to do? This guide explains how the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) system works for hair products, how to check a product yourself, what a compliant label should show, and which claims are a warning sign.

(This is general information, not personal medical or legal advice. Rules can change, so check the NPRA sources linked below for the current position.)

Short answer

In Malaysia, most shampoos, conditioners, tonics and scalp serums are regulated as cosmetics. A cosmetic must be notified to the NPRA before it is manufactured, imported or sold, and each notified product and variant gets a unique notification number in the format NOT followed by digits and the letter K ¹. The number does not have to be printed on the pack, but you can check a product's status by name or number on the NPRA QUEST 3+ Product Search ^{2 3}. Notification is not an approval that a product treats hair loss. NPRA guidance lists claims such as "stimulate or promote hair growth", treating baldness or alopecia, and treating hereditary or hormonal hair loss as unacceptable for cosmetics ⁴. Medicines, such as minoxidil solutions, are a separate category: registered products carry a MAL registration number and a Farmatag hologram ². If a "cosmetic" promises to treat baldness, treat that as a red flag.

Cosmetic or medicine: why the category matters

The first step is knowing what you are holding. NPRA guidance describes a cosmetic as a product applied to external parts of the body, including the hair and scalp, mainly to clean, perfume, change appearance, correct body odour, or protect and keep those parts in good condition ⁴. Products meant to be swallowed or injected are not cosmetics ⁴.

That definition matters because it sets limits on what a cosmetic may claim. A shampoo can clean the scalp, control dandruff and make hair look fuller. A cosmetic is not meant to treat a disease. Pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia), alopecia areata and scarring hair loss are medical conditions, and treating them falls outside the cosmetic scope.

Medicines go through a different process. In Malaysia, health products are registered, while cosmetics are notified ². The Ministry of Health explains that registered products have two key features: a product registration number and the Farmatag hologram, which consumers can check ². Minoxidil is a medicine used on the scalp for pattern hair loss ⁵, so a minoxidil product sold here should be a registered product, not a cosmetic. Products taken by mouth are not cosmetics ⁴, so a capsule sold for "hair health" should not carry a cosmetic NOT number. For more on buying medicines, see Hair loss products at the pharmacy: what to ask the pharmacist.

How cosmetic notification works

Here is what the NPRA guidelines say about notification, in plain terms.

• Who notifies. A company called the cosmetic notification holder submits the product online through the NPRA Quest system for each product and each variant ¹.
• When it can be sold. The company may manufacture or import the product once it receives a Notification Note ¹.
• How long it lasts. A notification is valid for two years and should be renewed no later than one month before it expires ¹.
• The number. Each product and variant has a unique number in the format NOTyymmxxxxxK, where the digits stand for year, month and a serial number ¹.
• Changes. Some changes to a product need a new notification and a new number ¹. So a reformulated product may carry a different number from an older pack.
• Responsibility. The notification holder must keep information on the product's safety and its claimed benefits ⁶. The guidelines state that claimed benefits should be justified by substantial evidence or by the formulation itself ⁷.

This is a notification system, not a pre-market efficacy review. The company declares the product and takes responsibility for it. So a notified product is legal to sell as a cosmetic, but notification on its own does not show that the product works for hair fall.

How to check a hair product yourself

Checking takes a few minutes.

1. Find the product name and, if printed, the NOT number. The Ministry of Health notes that the notification number is not compulsory on a cosmetic's packaging, so do not panic if you cannot find it ².
2. Search the NPRA QUEST 3+ Product Search. You can search by product name or by number ³. The search page notes that results apply only on the date and time you search, and that status can change ³. It also notes that attachments may not appear for products notified before the QUEST3+ system came into use in 2017 ³.
3. Match the details. Compare the product name, variant and company on the search result with the pack. A similar name from a different company, or a different variant, is not the same product.
4. Check the status. Look for whether the notification is current. A notification lasts two years unless renewed ¹.
5. For medicines, check the MAL number and hologram. A registered medicine should carry a MAL number, and the Farmatag hologram can be scanned with the Farmachecker app ².

If you cannot find a product at all, that does not prove it is illegal. Names may be entered differently, and imported products may be listed under a slightly different name. But it is a reason to ask the seller for the notification number, or to choose a product you can verify.

What a cosmetic label should show

NPRA's labelling guidance lists the details that should appear on the outer pack, or on the container if there is no outer pack ⁸:

The label should be in Bahasa Malaysia and/or English ⁷. Labels must not mislead consumers about a product's contents, quality or safety ⁸.

A few practical points for hair products:

• Ingredient list. This is the most useful part. If you know you react to an ingredient, check the full list. Fragrance may be listed simply as "perfume", "fragrance" or "aroma" ⁸.
• Warnings. Hair dyes and some chemical treatments come with special warnings. Read them before you start, not after.
• Company details. A pack with no company name or address in Malaysia, or with only a social media handle, is harder to trace if something goes wrong.

For more on reading tonic labels, see Do hair tonics work? What to look for on the label.

Claims: acceptable and unacceptable

This is where many hair products cross the line. NPRA's claims guideline gives examples for hair and scalp products ⁴.

Examples of unacceptable claims for a cosmetic:

• stimulates or promotes hair growth
• hair loss can be arrested or reversed
• restores hair cells
• treats hereditary or hormonal hair loss
• treats baldness or alopecia
• prevents grey hair
• eliminates dandruff for good

Examples of acceptable claims:

• controls, reduces or prevents dandruff
• anti-hair-loss or hair fall control, where the hair fall is due to a physical factor such as breakage
• increases hair volume, through the physical effect of the product, for example temporarily adding body to thin or flat hair
• promotes healthy hair
• helps to strengthen or nourish the hair root or follicle

The guideline also says a cosmetic should not use a name or claims that are medicinal in nature ⁷, and a separate NPRA list names "hair growth" among the non-permissible product names for cosmetics ⁹. These rules follow the ASEAN cosmetic claim guideline, which gives similar unacceptable claims for hair care products, including "stimulates hair growth" ¹⁰.

So "hair fall control" on a shampoo does not mean the product treats pattern hair loss. Under the guideline, that wording refers to hair fall from a physical cause, such as hair breaking ⁴. If you are losing hair from the root, or your part is widening, the shampoo is not the treatment. See Hair loss shampoo: what a shampoo can and cannot do.

Red flags when you shop

Beyond the formal rules, these signs suggest caution:

• Disease claims on a cosmetic. "Treats alopecia", "for hereditary baldness" or "grows new hair in weeks" on a product sold as a cosmetic.
• Hidden medicines. A cosmetic that claims to work "like minoxidil" but does not say what it contains, or a cream that lists a medicine in the ingredients while sold as a cosmetic.
• No traceable company. No name and address of a notification holder, or a seller who will not give the notification number.
• Mismatched details. A NOT number that, when searched, belongs to a different product or company.
• Only testimonials. Before-and-after photos and reviews, but no ingredient list or study. Photos can be taken in different light, with different styling or at different stages of a hair cycle.
• Pressure to buy. Countdown timers, "last stock" messages, or pressure to pay for a large package upfront.

For more examples, see Hair product claims: red flags to watch for and Hair loss treatments with weak evidence: what experts advise against.

Natural and herbal products

Herbal shampoos and tonics are popular. A 2025 review of herbal remedies for hair loss found some promising early results for ingredients such as rosemary and pumpkin seed oil, but noted small samples, short treatment periods and a lack of long-term follow-up, and called for larger, well-designed trials ¹¹. "Natural" does not mean free of side effects, and herbal products still need to meet the same cosmetic rules on ingredients and claims if sold as cosmetics. See Rosemary oil for hair: a closer look at the evidence.

Safety: what labels help you avoid

The label matters most when you have had a reaction before. Hair products are a common cause of contact dermatitis on the scalp. A systematic review of 99 studies, covering 3,185 patients, found that hair dyes, shampoos and conditioners were the products most often linked to allergic contact dermatitis of the scalp ¹². The most commonly reported allergens included p-phenylenediamine (PPD), fragrance mix and preservatives such as methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone ¹². In North American patch test data from 2001 to 2016, 9% of 38,775 patients tested had positive reactions linked to hair care products, and shampoos and conditioners were the most frequent source ¹³.

If a patch test has identified an allergen, the full ingredient list is how you avoid it. Signs of a reaction include an itchy rash, burning or swelling of the scalp, face or neck. For hair dye reactions, see Hair dye and hair loss: allergy, breakage and safety.

Salon chemical treatments are another area to ask about. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns that many hair smoothing products release formaldehyde gas when heated ¹⁴. In a salon you may not see the pack, so ask what product is being used and whether you can see the label. A review of hair cosmetics also notes that shampoos, dyes and straightening products can change hair fibre structure ¹⁵.

Buying online

Online marketplaces make it easy to buy products from anywhere, including products that are not notified in Malaysia. Some practical steps:

• Search the product name on QUEST 3+ before you buy ³.
• Check that the listing shows the same product name, variant and company as the search result.
• Be wary of very low prices for a well-known brand, which may suggest a counterfeit or grey-market item.
• Keep the box and receipt in case you have a reaction.
• For medicines, buy from a pharmacy rather than a general marketplace seller.

What a compliant product can and cannot tell you

A properly notified, properly labelled hair cosmetic tells you that a company has declared the product to the regulator and takes responsibility for it, and that the label lists what is inside. It does not tell you the product will help your hair fall. Evidence for a product comes from studies, not from a notification number.

If you are trying a product for hair fall, give it a fair test. Take photos in the same light every month, note any side effects, and stop if your scalp reacts. If shedding is heavy, hair is coming out from the root, a part is widening, or there are bald patches, see a doctor to find the cause. Many causes of hair loss have treatments with good evidence, and those are worth knowing before you spend on products. See Hair growth serums: which ingredients have evidence behind them and Scalp serums explained: niacinamide, salicylic acid, caffeine and more.

Life in Malaysia

Hair products in Malaysia come from local manufacturers, regional brands and imports, and are sold in pharmacies, supermarkets, salons, clinics and online. The NPRA system covers all of them if they are sold here as cosmetics ⁶. If you suspect a product is unsafe or making false claims, you can raise it with the NPRA, and if you have a reaction, keep the product and see a doctor. When buying from a pharmacy, ask the pharmacist whether the product is a registered medicine or a notified cosmetic; see Hair loss products at the pharmacy: what to ask the pharmacist. For supplements, see Hair supplements in Malaysia: how to judge the claims. If you see a doctor, choose a registered practitioner; you can check registration with the Malaysian Medical Council ¹⁶. For an overview of treatment options, see Hair loss treatment in Malaysia: a plain guide to your options.

Bottom line

Most hair care products in Malaysia are cosmetics that must be notified to the NPRA. You can check a product's status by name or NOT number on the QUEST 3+ Product Search, even when the number is not on the pack. A compliant label lists the full ingredients, the company responsible, the batch and a date. Notification is not proof that a product works, and claims to grow hair, treat baldness or treat hormonal hair loss are not acceptable for a cosmetic. Medicines such as minoxidil are registered products with a MAL number and hologram. If your hair loss is getting worse, a diagnosis will do more than another bottle.

Frequently asked questions

What is a NOT number on a hair product?

It is the NPRA cosmetic notification number. Each notified product and variant has a unique number in the format NOTyymmxxxxxK.

The pack has no NOT number. Is it illegal?

Not necessarily. The notification number does not have to be printed on a cosmetic. Search the product name on the NPRA QUEST 3+ Product Search instead.

Does NPRA notification mean a hair product works?

No. Notification means the company has declared the product as a cosmetic and is responsible for its safety and claims. It is not a test of whether it reduces hair loss.

Can a shampoo claim to grow hair?

No. NPRA guidance lists 'stimulate or promote hair growth' and treating baldness or hormonal hair loss as unacceptable cosmetic claims.

What does 'hair fall control' on a shampoo mean?

Under NPRA guidance it refers to hair fall from a physical cause, such as breakage. It does not mean the product treats pattern hair loss.

How is a medicine different from a cosmetic?

Medicines are registered rather than notified. A registered product carries a MAL registration number and a Farmatag hologram you can scan with the Farmachecker app.

What should a cosmetic label show?

The product name and function, instructions, a full ingredient list, country of manufacture, the notification holder's name and address, contents, batch number, and a manufacturing or expiry date.

What should I do if a hair product gives me a reaction?

Stop using it, keep the pack and receipt, and see a doctor if the rash, burning or swelling is significant. A patch test may identify the allergen so you can avoid it.

Educational content. Not medical advice.