Selling handmade cosmetics

How to sell your homemade cosmetics

Over the last year, there's been lots of new businesses appearing. With people being furloughed and having lots more time, lots of us turned our hands to new hobbies or had more time to pursue interests that we were previously too busy for. Many of these have been developed into brand new businesses, and I love seeing them grow on social media. BUT, and this quite a large BUT. I have also seen lots of new cosmetic businesses appearing, many of which are clearly not following the cosmetic regulations that have been carefully set out to ensure the safety of the consumer. I obviously notice their failings (labelling being the most obvious indicator that they're not legal) but I thought I'd share with you the regulations that have to be followed. Then you can either spot legitimate businesses for yourself, or set up your own!
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formulate your products

Carefully develop your recipes and get your friends and family to test them out, giving you honest feedback. Sort your packaging materials, and once your happy, you're ready for the next step...

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get a cosmetic product safety report

The biggest expense, and the biggest headache you'll face is your CPSR assessment. This is probably the most important piece of paperwork you'll obtain, and legally you have to provide proof you have this if anyone asks. It includes all details of your recipe, from base ingredients to fragrances, and even asks you to provide details of the appearance and packaging of your cosmetics. (Top tip - be as vague as possible when it comes to appearance and packaging to allow for alterations in the future!) They will also ask you for documents for each ingredient to ensure they are safe to use, and also the suppliers you have purchased from. These assessments are also a very lengthy process, and it can be months before the are approved and you are sent your documents. And the price? In a word, expensive! The company I use (Naturally Balmy) charges £120 for a single item. If you want a few variations of the same item (usually different fragrances) you're looking at anything up to £250! 
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more paperwork

The other documents you will need are a Good Manufacturing Process and a Product Information File. Both can be done at home, but are quite in depth. The GMP ensures that everything is made in a safe and hygienic way, while the PIF includes every little detail about each product. This includes all documentation for each ingredient used, compliance statements to make sure you're not testing on animals etc, and all recipe details.
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even more paperwork

Every batch of your product you make, has to be logged. And this log should include a unique batch code (you can find ours on the back of our products), and a full list of all ingredients used, down to the ingredients batch number! 
You also need to inform HMRC/Trading Standards so they are aware of what you're up to. They may want to see all your paperwork, or even pay you a visit!
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Moisturising Bars

£2.50 - £3.85

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​labelling

​The biggest give away that a product isn't being sold legally, is it's labelling. There are strict rules as to what has to be on cosmetic labelling, and how it should be presented. All ingredients should use their INCI name, which are the internationally recognised names for all ingredients available to use in cosmetics. Examples of these might be:
Beeswax - Cera Alba
Olive Oil - Olea Europaea
Coconut Oil - Cocos nucifera oil      ....     Catchy hey?!

And then if they're in soap, because they go through a chemical reaction, they change to sodium olivate (olive oil) or sodium cocoate (coconut oil etc... If the product you've bought simply states olive oil, or coconut oil alarm bells should start ringing!!

As mentioned before, they need a batch number on each product, in case of recalls that need to be made, they must state a weight (unless single use like bath bombs), have the responsible person's address, directions for use if required, and also safety statements such as 'For external use only', 'Avoid contact with eyes' etc...
I have spent many an hour trying to fit all this onto a label!!
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cosmetic portal

Next, you have to notify the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal... and yes, it's as fun as it sounds!! You have to log each item you make, including recipe details and pictures of labels. It's not particularly difficult, but can be time consuming.
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And finally... just a bit more paperwork

This time , in the form of insurance! There are several companies out there that provide insurance for handmade products, including cosmetics. We use Ian Wallace, who is very reasonable and seems popular with other makers.
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still want to set up your own cosmetics business?!

Yes?! That's great! This post was never meant to put anyone off! It was more to highlight why items are priced the way they are, and so you could spot people who potentially aren't selling legally. Running your own business, in whatever form, is a labour of love, but can be incredibly rewarding. It allows me time with my family, more flexibility, and more importantly I get to do what I love each and every day! Just don't forget the paperwork.... there's so much paperwork!!!

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Honeycomb Beeswax Soap

£5.00

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Queen Bee Beeswax Soap

£0.00 - £3.65

Only a few left!

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Beeswax Lip Balm

£4.25

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Oh and I almost forgot to mention, there's labelling requirements for candles and wax melts too! But that's a post for another time! Phew!!