I am very pleased to announce that I am now an official “HSCG Expert” and as such I have my very own page in the Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild How-To Library. You can find tons of information on soap and cosmetic labeling and good manufacturing practices (and more to come!) In addition, I am providing my Label Review services … Read More
New Year’s Resolutions – Check Your Labels!
With the New Year come New Year’s resolutions. Besides the old standbys to lose weight, eat better, exercise more, and reduce stress, how about a new one this year — review your product labels to make sure they are compliant with the regulations! Eliminate the stress you might have from wondering whether your products would get quarantined if the FDA … Read More
Proposed FDA Survey: Allergens in Cosmetics
Allergens in cosmetics have been an issue of growing concern. Food product regulations require the disclosure of certain allergens, even if only that the facility makes other products with the allergens in them (e.g., “this product was made in a facility that puts peanuts in other products”). Cosmetics don’t have those requirements. Concern for consumers has prompted many handcrafters to include … Read More
Certificate of Free Sale
A Certificate of Free Sale is a document that provides proof that a product is being freely and legally sold without restriction. It is sometimes also called a “Certificate for Export” or “Certificate to Foreign Governments.” When is a Certificate of Free Sale needed? A Certificate of Free Sale is needed if you are exporting from the US to another … Read More
Why is Regulatory Compliance Important?
When looking at the minutiae of labeling a soap or cosmetic product, it’s easy to forget the big picture. Why are all these regulations in place? Why is it important to comply with them? Why are there regulations at all? Regulations are the rules that are put in place to implement the laws that are passed by Congress. When an … Read More
Blended Color Additives
Color additives in cosmetics continue to be a difficult topic. Blended cosmetics are especially problematic. Keeping your products legal requires diligence and an understanding of color additives and the regulations. Why “blended colors”? A blended color additive is one that is made with a combination of color components. It may also have other ingredients to make them work. Face it, … Read More
California Cosmetic Regulations Updated
Two bills concerning cosmetic manufacturing in California have been working their way through the legislative process. California Governor Jerry Brown just signed AB 2775 on Sept 14th, and SB 1249 went to the Governor on September 12th. What does it mean for handcrafted cosmetics? AB 2775 – Professional Cosmetic Labeling California AB-2775 requires that all cosmetics that are “for professional use … Read More
Are Your Product Claims Fake News?
You may have heard that Google, Facebook and other social media sites are trying to figure ways to weed out fake news before it makes its way into the wild. That they are using a combination of artificial intelligence, computer algorithms and live human reviews to decide what’s real and what’s fake. That they have started banning the sites and … Read More
