Helping you understand soap and cosmetic regulations — in plain English.
Hi, I’m Marie Gale.
For over 15 years I’ve been researching and following the world of laws, regulations, standards and guidelines for the handcrafted soap and cosmetic industry. What started as a personal quest to understand soap and cosmetic labeling for my own products has grown into a deep understanding of the myriad of requirements that handcrafted soap and cosmetics makers are subject to.
My personal passion to assist others to understand and follow the labeling and other requirements grew out of all that research. If I had my way, no handcrafter would ever experience the stress and heartache of unwittingly running afoul of the the laws and regulations.
There is peace of mind in knowing that you are compliant with the applicable regulations. I’m here to help you achieve that stress-free relationship with your products and your business.
Whether you know it or not, you’ve been an invaluable resource for me throughout our years in business as I’ve relied on your many books whenever I have questions. I’ve recently purchased “Navigating the Rules & Regulations” and am going through it with tabs & a highlighter and am learning more than I ever expected. — Julia
Latest blog articles
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Intended Use – Know Before You Go
It is the intended use of a product that determines what it is. Oddly enough, it can be the exact same product formulation, but it could be classed as different types of products depending on what you say is its intended use. What is it? This is a very important concept to understand: the intended use […]
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Brexit and Cosmetics
If you are following international news, you probably heard that Brexit was approved and Great Britain will be leaving the European Union. What does that have to do with cosmetics? Well, honestly, I don’t know all the ins and outs of how the process of their leaving the EU will work, but I was struck […]
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Toxic Substance Control Act Reform 2016
If you’re following chemical news, you may have heard that reforms of the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976 were just signed into law by President Obama. In very, very brief summary, the revisions to the TSCA passed in 1976 include giving the EPA authority (and a mandate) to test and verify more chemicals for their […]
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International Cosmetic Laws
While most of my writing has been on the subject of United States regulations, the truth is that nearly all major countries have very comparable laws when it comes to labeling soap and cosmetics. The US is a bit more lenient when it comes to soap, and to registration and pre-approval. The reason for the […]
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Is the Net Content Required in Metric?
Are you required to put the net contents in metric on your soap or cosmetic label? As with most regulatory questions, the answer is… it depends.
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Cosmetic Regulations – Louisiana
Louisiana is another state that has some regulations for cosmetic manufacturers including facility and product registration.
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ISO Issues Natural and Organic Cosmetic Guidelines
In February this year, the International Standards Organization issued ISO 16128-1, Guidelines of technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products (available to purchase here). The description of the guidelines says: ISO 16128-1:2016 provides guidelines on definitions for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients. In addition to natural and organic ingredients, other ingredient […]
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What’s the Worst That Could Happen?
I’ve talked in the past about the dangers and pitfalls of making medical claims for soap and cosmetic products. Over and over, handcrafters have asked me: “What’s the worst that could happen?”
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What Suppliers Will (and Won’t) Tell You
When you make and label your own cosmetics, you are required to declare on the label all of the ingredients in descending order of predominance. In addition (and unlike food) you must list all of the components of any blended ingredient individually, in correct order in the ingredient declaration. If you purchase, for example, a […]
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Melt & Pour Soap: Soap or Cosmetic?
Whether a melt & Pour soap is a cosmetic or not depends on the ingredients and how it is marketed.
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New FDA Webpage for Handcrafters
The FDA has published a new webpage that is directed to cosmetic handcrafters. It’s the Small Businesses & Homemade Cosmetics: Fact Sheet, which can currently be found in the Cosmetics section of the FDA website, under “Resources for You” > “Industry“. Just to clarify, nothing has changed; there are no new regulations. This is just […]
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Understanding Labels & Labeling
Is there a difference between the “label” and the “labeling” when it comes to soap and cosmetic labels? YES. (Well, mostly.) The FDA defines both “label” and “labeling” for food, drugs, and cosmetic products. The FTC defines “label” for consumer commodities other than food, drugs, and cosmetics. Most states have regulations that define “label” and “labeling” […]
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Membership
$37 per month
Affordable and easily accessible ongoing support through courses, coaching, regularly scheduled Zoom Q + A sessions, a private Facebook group, and more. You don’t just learn what the rules are—you learn how to apply them to your business and get help when and how you need it.
Label Review
$125 per label
If you want another set of (experienced) eyes on your label to make sure it meets all the requirements, a label review is a good choice. A label review checks your label against the pertinent regulations. You get a checklist showing if corrections are needed (or not), along with documentation to help you understand the requirements. Label reviews take about a week. Once your review is complete, you can send me the revised label and I’ll take a look to make sure everything is in order.
I wanted my labels to be as close to compliant as I could get them. I took advantage of your label review service and can’t thank you enough for your expert advice. It was money well spent! — N.M.
Consulting
$100 – $125 per hour
Consulting is the tailor-made solution to address whatever your concerns are with your labeling, GMP, MoCRA compliance, safety substantiation, and the like. Consulting can be as simple as just answering the questions you have by email, phone or online meeting, or it can cover reviewing all your labels, ingredient declarations, website copy, safety substantiation documentation, and good manufacturing practices. It’s your call – I’m here to help with what you need.
I speak on behalf of the entire team that we are all very appreciative of your work in helping us grow our brand. It is a big step for us, and you have been instrumental in making that a reality. Thank you for your help. — D.C..
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