Teach Soap

Hello, I am new to TeachSoap.com,
but I was hoping I could get an answer to one of many questions I have.

I am very confused about how to label my ingredients on the back of my soap packaging. What order do I put the ingredients and which ingredients are required to label? Thank you as such for any reply.

You list the ingredients from most to least including lye (sodium hydroxide). Think of what goes into a cake, not what comes out.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Thanks so much for your help! I am glad this is such a helpful community.

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.:Shadows:.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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"I refuse to belong to any organization that would have me as a member." Groucho Marx, with some poetic license.

I used to use "saponified oils of". I was told by the FDA that that is incorrect. There are many soapmakers that sell to stores. Just because they list it that way, doesn't make it right. Some also list it as "saponified" because they are scared that listing lye on the label will turn people off. It hasn't for me.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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"I refuse to belong to any organization that would have me as a member." Groucho Marx, with some poetic license.

I list it on my label and have never had anyone ask about it. Sodium Hydroxide is used in a ton of skin care products to adjust the pH of the product.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

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"I refuse to belong to any organization that would have me as a member." Groucho Marx, with some poetic license.

I list my lye as Sodium Hydroxide in my ingredients. I have had a few people ask what it is or if it's lye. I tell them, and I use the opportunity to educate on how soap is made. I've never had anyone not buy my soap after explaining the ingredients, and I've had some people thank me for teaching them something.

Unless you had the soap actually tested, there is no way to know the exact % of which oil(s) completely saponified and which didn't. So listing the ingredients (ie) sodium tallowate, sodium olivate etc... is not the correct way to list your ingredients. The exception to this would be a premade MP soap base.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

The chemical shorthand for sodium hydroxide is NaOH. I wonder if it were listed on a label like that if it might scare people or they would just read right past it.

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"I refuse to belong to any organization that would have me as a member." Groucho Marx, with some poetic license.

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"I refuse to belong to any organization that would have me as a member." Groucho Marx, with some poetic license.

There are many people who label their soap improperly. Take a look at etsy. I get FDA updates via email. From what I understand, FDA will start tightening their regulations starting in 2015. I have a feeling that FDA will shut down some of the listings due to improper labeling and making medical claims. So if you sell on etsy, take a look at your listing and change them if need be.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.