FDA guidelines

by Wenona
(Ravena, NY)

Hi,

First I want to say : I love your site, and am so thankful to have stumbled across it months ago!!!!! I have asked a few questions here and there, and you have ALWAYS answered my questions kindly, professionally, and honestly. I come to your site on a regular basis, so I am turning to your wisdom yet again, :).

I am going to my first craft fair, and I am worried about the "rules" the FDA has for soaps(cosmetics vs soaps). Have you or any other soap makers been confused by their "rules"? I read that if you make the statements that your soap is "moisturizing" or anything like that, you have to follow their cosmetic "rules".

I make my soap in my kitchen, probably like 90% of soap makers, so I can't really follow all that they want.

My question is : Does any one know how to market/label home made soap with out having to fall under the FDA's strict guidelines for "cosmetics"? Can I make statements like "olive oil is said to be moisturizing"? Since I am not saying my soap is, just that olive oil is? Or am I reading their "rules" wrong?

Thank you for any information or suggestions any one can give me!!!

Thank you so much! Happy soap making everyone!
Wenona

Answer:

In order to comply with the FDA or Health Canada labelling laws soap cannot claim to do anything other than clean the body.

Sad and unfortunate but not much we can do about it. From what I gather, even if the label does not state that the soap will do something other than clean but the result is implied, the soap will be considered a cosmetic.

I'm afraid that adding the phrase that olive oil is said to be moisturising would fall under the implied rule.

Here at home, most crafters do not follow Health Canada's rules to the 'T'. I have found that most do not make claims on their labels but do verbally tell of the possible benefits of the ingredients used.

Cathy