Helping you understand soap and cosmetic regulations — in plain English.
Let’s check out the package and label of a bottle of Trader Joe’s Botanical Bounty Foaming Hand Soap!
To really be able to create your own labels that comply with the regulations, get my book from Amazon and use it.
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AI Disclosure: Yes, I do use AI – primarily Claude and ChatGPT – to help draft my content. I provide the source material: the research (sometimes AI helps there), the personal stories, the experience, and the judgment about what will actually help you. AI gives me a draft, which I review thoroughly (and usually edit) before it is published. (Any typos are generally mine.)
Hello! If I sell in Canada, will I need to include english, french and INCI in the ingredient list?
In Canada you DEFINITELY need the ingredient declaration, using the internationally accepted INCI names.
I don’t know what the English/French requirements are in Canada.
Great video! Do you ever take handcrafted product submissions for label review? 🙂
Yes, I do label reviews! You can read about them here: Label Review Service
Thank you for this video! What about ‘100% biodegradable’ claims? Are these regulated?
“Biodegradable” isn’t a specifically regulated term. HOWEVER, if someone makes that claim they should have some sort of documentation to back it up in case anyone (especially the FTC) asks. If it’s not a true claim it falls under “false advertising” or “false or misleading” statements about the product.
Great video. So should the label be in ounces and milliliters if liquid instead of grams?
Also in Florida is detergent free melt n pour okay to sell? You mentioned this had detergent and was considered cosmetic
Liquid products are always measured by fluid ounces and milliliters in the net contents statement.
In Florida the issue isn’t selling, it’s manufacturing. You need an approved facility to make cosmetics, but not for soap that is exempt from the definition of a cosmetic. It has to be made from saponified oils, and only sold as “soap.”
Great video especially for newbies. My question is, putting something like “cruelty free” on your packaging, is this something that you need approval for? If I know where my ingredients are from, do I have to document that each is cruelty free?
“Cruelty free” and other “free of” claims aren’t specifically regulated. You just can’t be false or misleading. It’s a good idea to have some documentation in case anyone asks. The documentation could just be what you researched to verify you could make the claim.
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