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Marie Gale

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 that 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 your 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

  • Giant Soap Bubbles

    Giant Soap Bubbles

    Did you know there are huge soap bubble artists?  They make AMAZING bubbles – some are 15 feet (yes, FEET) high!

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  • “Soap Bubble” at Milky Way Center

    “Soap Bubble” at Milky Way Center

    Scientists have discovered gigantic bubble-like structures 25,000 light-years tall ballooning above and below the Milky Way. Within each curved “bubble”, extremely energetic electrons of unknown origin interact with lower-energy light to generate the gamma rays that define these bubbles.

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  • ForSoapmakers sold, not closed!

    ForSoapmakers sold, not closed!

    In my last post I mentioned that I would be closing www.forsoapmakers.com. I’m really, really pleased to say that the business was purchased by Kevin Growns, from Star City, Arkansas! The business will continue, and all the existing products will continue to be offered. So far, Kevin is doing a great job filling orders and […]

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  • ForSoapmakers.com Closing December 31

    ForSoapmakers.com Closing December 31

    After much thought and internal debate, I have decided to close down ForSoapmakers.com as of December 31, 2011. It was a hard decision, but having made it, I must admit somewhat of a sense of relief. ForSoapmakers had gotten to the point that it had to grow to the next level (or not). I chose […]

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  • Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011

    Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011

    The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 was introduced in June. I’ve reviewed the bill and have been following all the discussions. Unfortunately, it seems to have somewhat polarized the handcrafted soap community, which is surprising since we all want essentially the same things: to be able to run our businesses, to make safe soaps and […]

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  • Good Manufacturing Practices – Part 3

    In this 3rd installment, we’ll take a look at the records required to meet the standards required in the Good Manufacturing Practices Guidelines/Inspection Checklist. Like I say about labeling, “It isn’t COMPLICATED, but it is DETAILED.”  If you have your raw materials correctly logged and labeled, and your recipe/formulation with the procedures written out (see […]

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  • Good Manufacturing Practices – Part 2

    In this continuation of my series on Good Manufacturing Practices for small cosmetics manufacturers, we’ll look at the recommended practices for handling raw materials, production and laboratory controls.  (See Good Manufacturing Practices – Part 1 for the first of the series.)

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  • Good Manufacturing Practices – Part 1

    This is the first of a series of posts on the subject of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for cosmetics, especially as applicable to making handcrafted cosmetics in small batches. The Regulations Cosmetics are sort of the bastard child when it comes to GMP regulations. Both drugs and food have GMP standards set out in the […]

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  • Drug Claims and Lip Balm

    Drug Claims and Lip Balm

    I just returned from the 2011 Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild Annual Conference in Miami. It was terrific! This year I went as a speaker and a vendor, and had time to enjoy some of the other speakers and presenters. I loved seeing Barbara Corcoran and had the privilege of having breakfast with her and several of […]

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  • L. Ron Hubbard 100th Birthday Event

    Last week we went to the L. Ron Hubbard 100th birthday event hosted by the Church of Portland.  It was attended by several hundred people—it was great to see old friends. Much of the event was dedicated to a retrospective look at the life of L. Ron Hubbard, especially the many endeavors and adventures in […]

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  • Labeling … of People

    Name calling. In grade school it’s a tool of the bullies to make others feel bad.  Even though you can SAY “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” truth is, words, be it name calling or labeling, CAN hurt. Maybe not physically, like sticks and stones, but personally, emotionally, and […]

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  • Labeling Workshop – Feb 5, 2011

    It’s just been finalized that I will be doing a Labeling Workshop at The Nova Studio in Point Richmond, California on February 5, 2011.  Actually, two sessions are planned (one for the morning and one for the afternoon), depending on how many people sign up. The 4-hour class will cover the following:

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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 of 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 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..