Welcome

Thanks for visiting!

Since I started making handcrafted soap in 1998, I've become more and more interested in and focused on the handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry as a whole.  During my time as President of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild (2004 - 2009) I had the privilege of meeting many creative and professional handcrafters and getting an more "inside" view into the regulations that affect us all.

There's no doubt that we are different than the large, commercial soap and cosmetic companies; what we do is similar, but definitely not the same.  We have the ability to customize our products to meet our own (and out customers) demands, whether it be "natural", vegan, without petroleum products, organic, artistic, or a combination.  We can produce in small batches to tailor-make our products, something no commercial manufacturer can do.

But there are still standards to be met to ensure that our products are correctly labeled and - most importantly - safe for ourselves and our customers. I've created this website as a resource for information on the legal and professional aspects of being part of the handcrafted soap industry - labeling requirements, good manufacturing practices and the regulations that affect us all.  

Soap and Cosmetic Labeling

Correctly following the regulations, particularly those that deal with labeling consumer products like soap and cosmetics, are the best way to prove that we, as an industry, don't need more regulation.  It's not that hard to do - it just takes understanding the rules and then following them.

The section on soap and cosmetic labeling covers resources to help you in correctly labeling your products.  You'll find a Quick Labeling FAQ  covering the questions I am most often asked, links to governmental agencies, information about my book, Soap and Cosmetic Labeling, and more.

Good Manufacturing Practices

GMP is all about making sure that all the necessary procedures and processes are in place to ensure that your products meet the high quality standards you expect for them - each and every time.  As handcrafters, quality is of paramount importance - after all, most of us started making products because we felt they were better than what was commercially available!

In this section, you'll find information on how to implement your own good manufacturing practices in your business, so your not only meet the standard GMP guidelines, but also ensure that your products are exactly the same - every batch, every bar, every time.   You can also get information about (and purchase) my new book, Good Manufacturing Practices for Soap and Cosmetic Handcrafters.

Blog

My blog, which I really do try to keep up with, contains on-going posts about issues of interest to me.  Not only about handcrafted soap and cosmetics, but about my other hats in life - which are many and varied!

Other Info

Along with all everything else on the site, you'll find some background on who I am, what I do and why I am so passionate about  the things I do.

Please feel free to email me if you have questions or suggestions!