FL laws on handcrafted cosmetics?

green soap · Oct 24, 2014

I might move across the pond and one of my sisters has an interest in continuing the business I started. However, she lives across the continent in the beautiful state of Florida.

I make soaps, but also:
lip balms
solid lotion bars
massage oils...and a few other items.

She likes the lip balms a lot and would like to make them in Florida. If this is not possible, can she sell them in other states?

I remember reading somewhere in this forum that soap and only 'just soap' is OK, but cosmetics have other types of regulations in FL?

Any good links on the cosmetic regulations in FL? any experience with them?

Appreciate any and all input.

lionprincess00 · Oct 24, 2014

From my understanding, any cosmetic or cosmetic claim needs international nomenclature names ie sodium tallowate, not just tallow (example for soap not lip balm hehe).

No medical claims allowed without fda involvement like improves acne or wrinkles etc. Just beautifying moisturizing etc then inci names listed clearly on the label.

Soap here in the US is advertised as soap plain, clean, etc. needs to be on the main part of label, needs common names only. if you say soap is anything other than soap like moisturizing, now it's cosmetic and needs inci names.

Lip balm needs inci names and non drug claims. No "cures" talk.

Hopefully someone more experienced can add to my newbie ramblings

RhondaJ · Oct 24, 2014

Yep, here in FL soap is ok, the rest of the stuff you need to have a commercial kitchen to produce them and they are far more regulated. There is no making lip balms, lotions, etc in small home business here.

green soap · Oct 24, 2014

RhondaJ said:
Yep, here in FL soap is ok, the rest of the stuff you need to have a commercial kitchen to produce them and they are far more regulated. There is no making lip balms, lotions, etc in small home business here.

So people make lip balm just for their personal and family use? can you export or you have to make them in another state?

RhondaJ · Oct 25, 2014

You can make it for personal use but you can't sell it. Whether you can make it here and export it for sales in other states, I wouldn't know, that thought never crossed my mind so I never dug into it that deeply. Easier with the laws here to just stick with soap.

new12soap · Oct 25, 2014

green soap said:
So people make lip balm just for their personal and family use? can you export or you have to make them in another state?

Yes, if they make it it's only for personal use.

No, you cannot export it to another state, or sell on the internet, or anything else.

In Florida, you cannot manufacture cosmetics for commercial purposes in a residence. You must have a commercial facility, you have to have licenses, and every product you make has to be registered individually. I believe you are permitted small variations (such as color, fragrance, or flavor) per formulation, but each formulation has to be registered. There is a charge for every formulation of every product.

Start here http://blog.mariegale.com/florida-cosmetic-regulations/ and follow her links to the state sites.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Florida is probably the hardest place in the country to try to run a B&B business. Plenty of people do it, sure, but the laws are very strict and the stories I have heard of people "getting caught" are pretty harsh.

green soap · Oct 25, 2014

Thanks so much new12soap, this is the kind of information we were looking for.

new12soap · Oct 25, 2014

You are welcome.

As an aside, Florida has recently passed a new "Cottage Law" allowing people to make a small amount of food items in their homes that they can then sell locally. They cannot sell on the internet, and must not exceed x number of dollars in sales, and the products must carry a notice that they were not made in an inspected facility. But it's perfectly okay to make cookies for people to eat, but not okay to make lotion for their skin.

I wonder if it would do any good to put together a petition to change the laws for small home-based B&B businesses in Florida.

green soap · Oct 25, 2014

new12soap said:
I wonder if it would do any good to put together a petition to change the laws for small home-based B&B businesses in Florida.

We have had a similar food cottage law in California for the last year or so. It was started by a local baker. It was completely grassroots, and it passed. I guess this would be YES! It would be good to address whatever concerns prompted the added regulations.

rainwater · Oct 29, 2014

I will sign that petition.

FL laws on handcrafted cosmetics?

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