A question for those that sell ...

[LadyM]

I just read the following note from The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild.
I'm sure many soap makers that sell, make soap from home, and do you all put your home address on the label? That seems so dangerous ...


Important Labeling Update

It has come to our attention that there has recently been a little confusion over the interpretation of one part of the current product labeling regulations.

According to both FDA and FTC regulations, every product label (including soap and cosmetics) must include the "name and place of business". The "place of business" is further clarified as the "street address, city, state and zip code." There is an exception that the street address may be omitted if the business name is listed in a print phone or city directory.

There has been some discussion as to whether a PO Box would suffice as some people with home-based businesses are not comfortable with putting their home address on a label.

Marie Gale, author of Soap and Cosmetic Labeling recently contacted a person in the FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colors for clarification. He, in turn, checked with the FDA's Office of Compliance to get a final ruling on the debate.

The answer back from the FDA Office of Compliance is that a PO Box is not sufficient and that a street address must be included on the label (unless listed in a phone or city directory).

 

[SideDoorSoaps]

That's what I interpreted as when I designed my labels.

I have *yet* anyone to show up to my house stalking me for soap.

 

[azimuth]

Seems a bit silly to me, to be afraid to list your address on a label. Anyone anywhere can find your address if they were desperate enough.

 

[LadyM]

Maybe it's because I live in Los Angeles ... we have a lot of weirdos here!

 

[Soapsugoii]

Good thread! I'm moving towards the goal of selling some of my product within the next year and I hadn't even thought of what address I would put on the label. I live I'm LA too and yes, there are some weirdos. Home address makes me a bit hesitant but... I wonder if you could get away with leaving off the apartment number

 

[dirrdee]

I've never read of a serial killer getting his victims from the back of a soap label?

Only thing I can imagine is maybe a disgruntled customer, but you dont have to open the door! Hopefully you would take care of your customers if they're not happy so they dont want to come bust down your door

 

[Dennis]

Put the wrong number on your street address. Caught? Oh gee, how did that get by me? I never noticed the misprint. And the number is beyond anything on your street. That's if you're really concerned. I have an attack cat.


Don't let looks deceive you. Remember the killer rabbit?

 

[Fullamoon]

It makes me think of way back when my dad was a kitchen contractor. Our address must have been listed somewhere, and we lived in the country. One day as we drove up the driveway, there were two women on the front porch looking into the basement windows of our raised ranch where my sister's bedroom was. They were looking for the showroom. LOLOL Glad we weren't home. I would have freaked out.

 

[Genny]

It makes me think of way back when my dad was a kitchen contractor.

After seeing the cat pic in the previous post, I read Fullamoon's first sentence as,

"It makes me think of way back when my dad was a kitten contractor."

I assumed kitten contractor was a fancy way of saying, "breeding cats." But then I couldn't figure out who would have a showroom for that

 

[Jamison]

I would never ever use my personal address.

On a side note, I have heard in a book (soapmaking for fun and profit) that since it is "soap" you do NOT have to list ingredients. Is this still the case? I share those ingredients with pride! :-D

 

[VanessaP]

I would never ever use my personal address.

On a side note, I have heard in a book (soapmaking for fun and profit) that since it is "soap" you do NOT have to list ingredients. Is this still the case? I share those ingredients with pride! :-D

FDA rules state that if you claim it is anything more than soap (that it does anything other than clean), then it is a cosmetic and therefore needs to follow the FDA rules for cosmetic labeling. So if you say your soap is moisturizing, its considered a cosmetic. However, if you say that it treats acne or any other condition, then it is considered a drug and falls into other categories. Personally, my mother is allergic to some items so I won't buy soap that doesn't list ingredients.

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceCo ... 074201.htm

As far as the address goes... legally, street address is required unless the business is listed in the current phone book with an address. Then you can do just city, state on the labeling. Of course, I'm not a Crazy, so if I have a problem, I'm either going to email you or just leave bad reviews elsewhere rather than waste my time hunting someone down

 

[Jamison]

That expands further on what I've read elsewhere. I read you can legally only clam it 'cleans'. Otherwise it needs FDA approval (or following their guidelines you are saying).

Instead of claiming a property like that, I just list what the ingredient has been used for. "such and such has been used for skin moisturizing" or something to that nature.

PS, the FDA is a joke.

 

[SilverMaple]

I have had people show up thinking I have a show room.... but we live in a tiny town so it's kind of to be expected. I let those who stop by know that my products are available downtown at the drugstore or online, but that due to business regulations, I can't sell directly out of our home. They seem pretty understanding. I keep a basket of available soaps along with business cards and an informational brochure by the door, let them see what I have, and give them the card and brochure. Most call later to place an order. I've only had one person upset, and that was a woman who showed up at the door at 6 am wanting a custom batch of soap to take to a wedding LATER THAT DAY. She was very upset that I couldn't accomodate her, and didn't have anything in the scent she wanted already made up. Oh well, you can't please them all....

As far as listing ingredients-- I do on all my stuff simply because most of my customers are really concerned about what goes into the products they use, and with so many people with allergies these days, I think it can help them select products that work for them. At one craft show I attended, I had nearly double the sales of another soaper, and customers commented that 'it's so nice to see the ingredients listed. The other lady didn't have that on hers.'

 

[Genny]

Listing what the ingredients have been used for skin moisturizing is the same as claiming your soap will moisturize skin, if you use those ingredients in your soap.

And yes, if you decide to say your soap does something else than clean, it becomes a cosmetic. Or, if you take it to the extremes, a drug. If it becomes a cosmetic, then you only need to label it as such under the FDA guidelines, which isn't really a big deal nor that difficult. But, if you're making medical claims, then you need to have it tested with the FDA.

The only thing that bugs me about the FDA is there's not more officers out there handing out fines to sellers that blatently defy the FDA regulations, like 1/4 of the B & B sellers on Etsy.

 

[IrishLass]

Here is a recent thread from the business section of the forum discussing this very thing:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/vi ... c&start=30

Scroll down to Marie Gale's posts.


IrishLass

 

[ikindred]

Well, I did have a lady show up at my house with one of my business cards that had my address on it and want to buy soap. I was a little cautious about letting her in because I didn't know her...luckily my husband who is a police officer was home so I let her in and she bought a ton of products that day! As a matter of fact, she is one of my best customers and swears my Green Tea Soap helps keep her eczema under control.

It does kind of irritate me because she never calls before she comes so sometimes I am in my pajamas but she doesn't seem to mind.

 

[MegaSoap]

I would never ever use my personal address.

On a side note, I have heard in a book (soapmaking for fun and profit) that since it is "soap" you do NOT have to list ingredients. Is this still the case? I share those ingredients with pride! :-D

FDA rules state that if you claim it is anything more than soap (that it does anything other than clean), then it is a cosmetic and therefore needs to follow the FDA rules for cosmetic labeling. So if you say your soap is moisturizing, its considered a cosmetic. However, if you say that it treats acne or any other condition, then it is considered a drug and falls into other categories. Personally, my mother is allergic to some items so I won't buy soap that doesn't list ingredients.

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceCo ... 074201.htm

As far as the address goes... legally, street address is required unless the business is listed in the current phone book with an address. Then you can do just city, state on the labeling. Of course, I'm not a Crazy, so if I have a problem, I'm either going to email you or just leave bad reviews elsewhere rather than waste my time hunting someone down

thanks for the info and for posting that link!