Home Page
   Articles
       links
About Us    
Traders        
Recipes            
Latest Articles
Selling soaps, lip balms etc

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Trading Post
Author 
 Message
earthsoul



Joined: 10 Feb 2011
Posts: 320
Location: Ceredigion West Wales
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 11 3:49 am    Post subject: Selling soaps, lip balms etc Reply with quote
    

I have started selling my home made lip balms, soaps and body products, some are vegan, some are vegetarian and some are not (all labelled accordingly!!!)
Also selling incense burners and bits and bobs....please email me if your interested!








a number of the products are integrating my beeswax into them!

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 11 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

um, not to wish to put a downer on things, but you have had them all certified by a cosmetic chemist and are registered as a cosmetic producer under the current regulations haven't you? Sadly, if not, you are breaking the law and there can be fairly steep penalties.

I'll dig you out the relevant regulations if you aren't already fully familiar with them

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 11 8:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

here's the main bit of the legislation, it applies just as much to small craft show producers as it does to the large high street manufacturers. It looks a bit scary at first, but if you know you have a good product and are certain you won't be wanting to alter the recipe in any shape or form, then its perfectly possible to get certification done
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/1284/contents/made

In addition to compliance with this, you need to register as a cosmetics manufacturer with the DTI, (thats just a letter, easy to do), make sure you use 'stamped for trade' scales when making your products and weighing the finished item, and comply with all currently packaging and labelling requirements as advised by your local TS people.

Expect to spend about a fortnight getting the paperwork together the first time, unless you are good at maths (I'm not) its the equations and proof of ingredients percentages that gave me a headache when I had mine certified, but from then one once you have a friendly cosmetic chemist lined up its not too hard to add new items to your range.

I think it took me about 2-3 years to recoup the cost of certification though, so do factor that in when you plan your range and sales strategies. Sadly cosmetics aren't a good area to just make a bit of pocket money

earthsoul



Joined: 10 Feb 2011
Posts: 320
Location: Ceredigion West Wales
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 11 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I will do all that,
the soaps though are bought in so have certification? would that be enough as nothing from here has gone into them.....
I can access the relevant technical details online for them, and the chemical compositions and analysis

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 11 8:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

earthsoul wrote:
I will do all that,
the soaps though are bought in so have certification? would that be enough as nothing from here has gone into them.....
I can access the relevant technical details online for them, and the chemical compositions and analysis


It depends, if they are 'pre-certified' they will come with a wodge of paperwork and you may still need to register premises and scales and labelling compliance and all that side of things. You may possibly also not be able to claim they are hand made or home made, as if they are commercially prepared bases all you have done is repackage them- but thats something to discuss with your supplier and with your own understanding of what your customers will be expecting. I'm not as familiar with the subtleties of pre-certified commercial soap bases, but do your research, because its just not worth the headache of getting it wrong

earthsoul



Joined: 10 Feb 2011
Posts: 320
Location: Ceredigion West Wales
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 11 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I will, thank you...in the meantime I shall just carry on selling my wood bits and carfts
ta
x

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Downsizer Forum Index -> Trading Post All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1
View Latest Posts View Latest Posts

 

Archive
Powered by php-BB © 2001, 2005 php-BB Group
Style by marsjupiter.com, released under GNU (GNU/GPL) license.
Copyright © 2004 marsjupiter.com