Helping you understand soap and cosmetic regulations — in plain English.
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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What are INCIDENTAL INGREDIENTS?
We all expect the ingredient declaration in cosmetics to be accurate and include all the ingredients in the product. However, in certain circumstances, “incidental ingredients” may be left off the list. It’s a loophole that can sometimes be abused.
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Essential Oil Companies Rated
A recent irticle by ConsumerAdvodate.org found 30% of the EO samples they testet were adulterated.
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What is LABELING?
When you start to learn about what it takes to legally label your soap and cosmetic products, you may not realize that within the laws and regulations there is a very specific definition of labeling. It’s not what you would expect it to be, and it’s not a definition you can get by looking in
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What is a LABEL?
One frequent point of confusion when it comes to understanding the labeling laws and regulations is exactly what is meant by the word label. The problem is that there are several regular English definitions for label, each one meaning a slightly different thing AND there is a definition of label that is used in the
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What is a CONSUMER COMMODITY?
The labeling laws for items that ARE consumer commodities are different than items that ARE NOT consumer commodities. Knowing if a product is classed as a consumer commodity will help you determine whether certain laws or regulations apply. Key Words to Know Consumer A person who purchases goods or services. Commodity Something that is bought
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FDA & Social Media
NOTE: This post is not specifically about handcrafted soap and cosmetics, but more about FDA enforcement generally. The Food Drug and Cosmetic Act defines the “label” as the written printed or graphic matter on the immediate container of a product and, and defines “labeling” as all written, printed, or graphic matter accompanying an article at
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Hemp Oil & Seeds
As a follow-up to my previous post, What About CBD Oil?, I have been asked about the status of hemp oil and seeds. The FDA has approved hemp seed oil, hemp seed protein powder and hulled hemp seed as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) for use in food products. There should be no problem using
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For Members of the HSCG
I am very pleased to announce that I am now an official “HSCG Expert” and as such I have my very own entry in the Handcrafted Soap and Cosmetic Guild’s Expert Consultations page. You can find tons of information on soap and cosmetic labeling and good manufacturing practices. (With more to come!) In addition, I
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New Year’s Resolutions – Check Your Labels!
With every New Year come the New Year’s resolutions. Now’s the time to check your labels!
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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
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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
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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? In the USA, regulations are the rules that are put in place to implement the