Helping you undersand soap and cosmetic regulations — in plain English.
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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
Latest blog articles
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Liquid Soapmaking by Jackie Thompson
Jackie Thompson’s long awaited book, Liquid Soapmaking, is finally here—and more than worth the wait! For those who make handcrafted soap bars, transitioning to making liquid soap can be daunting. While the chemistry is essentially the same, when it comes to the finished product, opaque bar soap is much more forgiving than liquid soap that […]
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Cosmetic Claims and Required Approval
Recently (2014) there has been some discussion online (in a Facebook Group) as a result of a report of a conversation with someone from the FDA. The report was that this FDA representative said that if you wanted to use the word “moisturizing” to describe a soap, then your recipe would need to be submitted […]
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FDA Sends Warning Letters to Two Essential Oil MLMs
I have posted numerous times, including here and here, about FDA warning letters concerning “drug claims” used for supposedly cosmetic products. After those posts went up, I had a number of people tell me about several national companies selling essential oils that were making all sorts of claims, and asking why they could get away with […]
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Updated Info on FDA site
The FDA recently updated several pages on their website that have to do with cosmetics. The regulations haven’t changed, but it appears that they are continuing in their trend to making them more understandable (although it is still a bit difficult to find things when you need them). Here’s a brief overview of some of […]
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Quest for the Perfect Pickle and GMP
This last week has been shaped by the bounty from our garden. I realized that keeping track of all the canning recipes is just one piece of good manufacturing practices
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Calculating Percentages for Blended Ingredients
Ingredients are supposed to be listed in the ingredient declaration in “descending order of predominance.” In other words, the ingredient at the highest percentage (by weight) goes first, then then next highest, etc. Ingredients that are present at less than 1% can be listed in any order following the ingredients present at 1% or greater. […]
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Labeling Regulations – Don’t Know vs. Don’t Care
I’ve been discussing, writing, and lecturing on the subject of soap and cosmetic labeling for nearly 20 years now. During that time I’ve discovered that people who are making handcrafted soap and cosmetics seem fall into several categories, when it comes to knowing and following the regulations. As with all things, how a person deals […]
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Getting UPC Codes on Your Labels
One of the things that you often see on soap and cosmetic labels are bar codes. They are not required by regulation, but can make a big difference in where and how your products can be sold. Many of the large stores or retail chains use UPCs (“Universal Product Codes”) on all their products, both […]
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Packaging & Labeling – More Than Just the Requirements
When we talk about soap and cosmetic labeling, very often the discussion is about the regulations and the requirements. It’s true that the package label must contain very specific elements, but what about the rest of the label content? What about the “labeling,” defined as the materials and text that goes with the product (like […]
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Making Soap, 1955 Style
I recently found a marvelous brochure, Making Soap at Home from February, 1955. Prepared by Irene Crouch, Extension Agent Home Management, and published by the Extension Service (North Dakota), this little document outlines how to make soap at home. “A thrifty housewife can save many dollars a year by making soap of good quality.”
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Quick Labeling FAQ Updated
I’ve just updated the Quick Labeling FAQ on my website. It’s easier to follow, covers the basics more clearly and is updated to take into account recent changes made to the FDA website.
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Insect Repelling Soap and Cosmetics
Updated September 25, 2017 Several people have asked me recently about soaps and cosmetics that repel insects. What are the regulations and how do they get labeled? Once there’s a “pesticide” claim (that is, that the product repels insects), the product falls under the jurisdiction of the EPA, under the authority of the Federal Insecticide, […]
MORE RESOURCES
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..
Books
