Handmade Beauty Products - Are They Safe?

If you are actively involved with direct sales, you've seen the wave of new businesses crashing the scene that claim to sell handmade, affordable bath and body products. Before you purchase from, join one of these companies or consider starting your own business you should know these facts:

Risk of Contamination. Many handmade products are manufactured in someone's kitchen. In order to do so safely, several guidelines must be followed. These guidelines are set by the FDA.

Floors, walls and ceilings must be clean. They must also be smooth so they are easy to keep clean. Stainless work surfaces are idea. There must be no risk of anything falling or dripping into products as they are made. Most homes have textured ceilings. For this fact alone, most kitchens would not meet the FDA standards.

It is recommended that all utensils used in product manufacturing are stainless steel. This means stainless bowls, stainless spoons, stainless funnels, stainless measuring tools, etc. This is the only material that can be properly sterilized. Wood and plastic are porous and cannot be thoroughly sanitized. Sterilization must be done after each use and again before each use if the utensils have sat for any period of time. They must be sterilized with alcohol.

All persons manufacturing bath and body products should wear hair nets, gloves and lab coats (or something the like of) at all times when in contact with materials and even finished product and packaging.

No food or beverages should be anywhere near the area products are produced. (It's quite hard NOT to find food and beverages in the kitchen!)

Materials, finished products, packaging should be stored in a cool, dry and dark area on shelves. Nothing should be stored on the ground. Containers should be tightly closed at all times. This includes bulk supply containers and empty containers that finished products will be poured into. Improper storage may cause products to age and/or spoil rapidly.

Quality Control is a critical step to avoid problems down the road. All products must be checked upon arrival and a log should be maintained that lists the product name, whom it was purchased from, date ordered, date received, the lot number, product description as it arrived, whether it was approved or not, who checked it and who verified it. It is important to maintain thorough and accurate records. Dual control is a must. One person must quality check the product and a different person must verify it. A small sample of the product must be taken, labeled and kept for a recommended 3 years.

Standard Operating Procedures. If a company cannot provide this for you, or refuses to, let that be a red flag. SOP's ensure that products are made according to the utmost safety standards and consistency. Some things to look for are written procedures for sanitizing, required attire during manufacturing, using only quality checked materials, and taking samples.

Product testing. In addition to quality control measures, all finished products should have samples drawn and tested prior to shipping to consumers. This can be a time consuming step, but it ensures the shelf life of the product and tests for fungal or bacterial growth or other concerns that may pose health risks to the consumer.

Products that are not tested for safety and stability ARE REQUIRED to contain this warning statement: "Warning--The safety of this product has not been determined" Would you use a product with this label? Chances are the answer is no. Manufacturers know this too and some may opt to omit this label even though they do not test. Don't be afraid to ask a company what their testing procedures are and what types of preservatives they use. Any product containing water should contain preservatives. Water is a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria.

Questions to Ask

-What are your standard operating procedures?

-Are you insured? Can this be verified?

-What are your procedures for product testing?

-Is your manufacturing facility registered with the FDA? Note: Registration for cosmetic manufacturing is voluntary and is not a product or company "seal of approval". However, it lets you know that the company is aware of the guidelines. Registered companies also receive updates from the FDA regarding products or ingredients that may be harmful or not safe for use. Registration is not necessary for handmade products that are used as gifts, for personal use, or for sale to family and friends only.

In conclusion, companies that follow strict standard operating procedures and comply with the standards set forth by the FDA will proudly state this on their website and will not hesitate to answer your questions. Remember, knowledge is not power until it is put to use. Don't be afraid to ask questions for fear of offending someone. If you don't, your health and safety may be at risk. If you represent a company with questionable practices, your name and reputation will be at stake. If you considering a bath and body home business, following these guidelines will ensure your products are high quality and safe for consumers. Not to mention that you will be protecting yourself from potential action against your company.

Facts for this article were gathered from the Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practices Guideline established by the US Food and Drug Administration. For more information, or to read the complete guideline, visit http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-gmp.html

For more information on the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program, or to apply, visit http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-regn.html