Teach Soap

What do you think of vendors who sell bars of soap with no labels at all? The soapmaker that was next to me at the market this morning had some very pretty CP soap that she said was made with EO's, but none of it was labeled - no ingredients, nothing. Whenever she sold a bar she would just put it in a plastic bag with one of her business cards. I thought this was rather strange...

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

I want to know what I'm buying. I'd prefer to have a label. Besides, what about people's allergies. You have to be careful about that.

I think that would go against the FTC regulations to sell unlabeled soap.

As a consumer though, I will only buy soap or any other product if it has the ingredients labeled.

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Genny

The FDA does not regulate labeling of soap as long as no claims other than, "it gets you clean" are made. So selling CP soap (and some M&P soap) without a label is technically OK. However, if the customer thinks that the soap does anything more, like doesn't dry your skin (moisturizing), then it is considered a cosmetic, even if it wasn't advertised that way.

Check out for more details. She is the leading expert on soap and cosmetic labeling.

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You can sell it without a label if it's just pure soap and no claims are made. With that said, most of us are proud of the ingredients that we use, so we label our soaps. Maybe she didn't make it herself.

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

Thanks. I didn't think it was a problem to sell it without a label but wanted to be sure. She wasn't making any claims (that I know of). I wouldn't buy a soap without a label - I want to know what's in it, not to mention that I probably wouldn't remember what kind it was if I didn't use it right away!

I had a lady ask me if I had any soap that would be good for itchy skin and I explained to her that by law I couldn't make any claims about my soap other than it will get her clean. But I did direct her to a nice unscented goat's milk soap.

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

I wouldn't buy anything unlabeled, especially something that I planned to use on or in my body! If I'm going to shell out the money for something nice and hand crafted I really want to know -exactly- what it has in it. I've seen a lot of "hand crafted" "all natural" soaps that are full of SLS, detergents, polysorbates, even things like hydroflouric acid. Why the heck they'd add that is beyond me, it terrifies me! That was in a mass marketed "hand crafted and all natural" soap I found at a big name craft store. At least I have a few batches all ready to use now, and only have to buy my face soap (Clinique 3 step set, nothing I can make for myself)!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Sappo Hill soap is sold at my grocery store. It has no label or wrapping, even. It comes in a long cardboard sleeve, and you take the unlabeled rounds from the box.

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

Products without labels always make me wonder what the company is trying to hide.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I do not label my soaps, or package them. I do have printed handouts that has a list of ingredients of each soap, how long I've been making soaps (over 40 yrs!).
When someone asks why I don't label and package each bar, I reply " I could, but then I would charge more for my soaps!"
I charge 75 cents an ounce, for a plain granny lye bar or a 4 oil, 3 butter bar.
Have to add, I make soap for "De-Stressing", and enjoyment! So getting rich off my Therapy is not at the top of my list!

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

I've been offered $2 an ounce (well, $8 for a 4 oz bar). 75 cents seems very low!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

My bars cost me about 65 cents each to make, more depending on what butters I use. Especially now with the prices of a lot of oils going up. Castor and shea for example have gone up 10-15% in the last month from my supplier. Will have to recalculate my costs soon!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I'm really confused now. But since soap is a consumable commodity, don't they have to follow the FTC regulations when it comes to labels?
http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fpla/outline.html

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Genny