Helping soap and cosmetic handcrafters navigate the rules and regs.
Category: Soap & Cosmetic Labeling
Blog posts that deal with soap and cosmetic labeling; addition information, questions asked and answered and updates as new information becomes known.
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Updated Info on FDA site
The FDA recently updated several pages on their website that have to do with cosmetics. The regulations haven’t changed, but it appears that they are continuing in their trend to making them more understandable (although it is still a bit difficult to find things when you need them). Here’s a brief overview of some of […]
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Calculating Percentages for Blended Ingredients
Ingredients are supposed to be listed in the ingredient declaration in “descending order of predominance.” In other words, the ingredient at the highest percentage (by weight) goes first, then then next highest, etc. Ingredients that are present at less than 1% can be listed in any order following the ingredients present at 1% or greater. […]
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Labeling Regulations – Don’t Know vs. Don’t Care
I’ve been discussing, writing, and lecturing on the subject of soap and cosmetic labeling for nearly 10 years now. During that time I’ve discovered that people who are making handcrafted soap and cosmetics seem fall into categories when it comes to knowing and following the regulations. As with all things, how a person deals with […]
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Getting UPC Codes on Your Labels
One of the things that you often see on soap and cosmetic labels are bar codes. They are not required by regulation, but can make a big difference in where and how your products can be sold. Many of the large stores or retail chains use UPCs (“Universal Product Codes”) on all their products, both […]
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Packaging & Labeling – More Than Just the Requirements
When we talk about soap and cosmetic labeling, very often the discussion is about the regulations and the requirements. It’s true that the package label must contain very specific elements, but what about the rest of the label content? What about the “labeling,” defined as the materials and text that goes with the product (like […]
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Quick Labeling FAQ Updated
I’ve just updated the Quick Labeling FAQ on my website. It’s easier to follow, covers the basics more clearly and is updated to take into account recent changes made to the FDA website.
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What About “Natural”?
Can you call a cosmetic product “natural?” And what does that really mean, anyway? Nowadays, there are so many products of all types being marketed as “natural” it’s getting crazy! I recently saw some piece of furniture marketed as “natural” because it was made (mostly) of wood. Where does it end? The first thing to know […]
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FDA Cosmetic Website Updated
The FDA recently (2014) updated the cosmetic section of their website and added some new pages that clarify regulations, particularly for small manufacturers of soap and cosmetics. Some of the most commonly asked questions are very clearly answered in FAQ format.
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Ingredient Names From 1977 Still Good?
The Code of Federal Regulations specifies where to find the names by which cosmetic ingredients should be identified in the ingredient declaration on a cosmetic. First are any names “established by the Commissioner” (there are a few) and then the CTFA Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary, Second Ed., 1977. After some searching, I was finally able to […]
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Using an Ingredient Name in a Product Name
Over the years, one small section in my book, Soap and Cosmetic Labeling, has probably generated the most question and online discussion over any other. That section covers “Using an Ingredient in the Name” and discusses the FDA regulations that prohibit the use of the name of one ingredient in the name of the product […]
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More on “Lip Balm”
Last year (2012) I wrote a post (on “Drug Claims and Lip Balm“) which discussed the use of the phrase “lip balm” as the identity of a product. Unlike “lipstick” or “lip gloss,” the specific term “lip balm” is cited in the over-the-counter drug monograph for “skin protectants” as one of the approved ways to […]
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What About “Organic” Cosmetics?
Several people lately have asked me about using the term “organic” when it comes to cosmetics. Can cosmetics claim to be “organic? What about using the term “organic” in a product or company name? I did some research, and what I discovered was a little bit surprising. It seems that the FDA and the USDA […]