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If so, have you had everything documented and insured? Or are you just selling without insurance? Specifically I'm thinking about bath bombs, soaps, body butters, that style of thing, rather than eyeshadow :)
And how much did you spend getting it all sorted?
Thanks in advance!
I had my local trading standards agency around when I started and as long as your products are properly labeled,dated (use by) and don't contain banned chemicals(they will give you a huge stack of papers to read on this) and come with ingredient and allergy advice and advice on what to do if you swallow it or get it in your eyes that's all you need for labeling and packaging to sell.When you make each product keep a record of the batch number of each product,date when it was made, batch numbers and msds information of each ingredient and name of suppliers of your ingredients.Also get guinea pigs to test your products and write down their findings,these can be anyone family,friends....etc(me!me! ;) ).As long as you do this and you are a fairly small business you don't need insurance yet as this information will cover you and bring you up to EU standards.If you would like to have your batches tested by a lab you can but the costs range from £58 to £150 pounds,which is why small businesses don't have to do that.Also set up a gateway with business link which is great for information for when you really get going.
So really your ingredients and equipment is all the cost you'll have to fork out.I started in my kitchen annex with £50.
Samantha.
I sell soaps but I just signed up here. I don't do cosmetics like mineral makeup or any of that.
I do hold business insurance which is always a good idea in any business especially in body products. I have never had to use it and I have been making and selling soap for over 10 years, mostly at farmers markets and craft fairs. It is always a good thing to have. I get it through an outside insurance company but it is available through the handcrafted soapmakers guild.
As far as start up costs, it depends on what kind of soap you are making, how many fragrances you want to have. It is a costly hobby and it isn't easy to make soap. You do have to figure in failed batches in your totals as well as miscuts, etc...So I really can't give you a figure on that. I know that I have spent into the thousands on materials, marketing, packaging, insurance, etc.
I also have heard the UK is more regulated than the US when it comes to handmade soap makers and there are fees associated with that, though I'm not sure what those are.
Then you also have to research your ingredients and the process and you have to make sure that your products are safe to use on skin. If you intend to use essential oils you have to do major research on those as they are not safe most of the time for pregnant and nursing women.
There are a lot of factors in making handmade items but it is also great fun and a great stress reliever for me.
Just be prepared to work hard. :)
Hope this helped.
The easiest way to keep track of your goodies is to keep up to date pifs (product infomation fact sheet.
I also have insurance.
I have had all my recipes tested and assessed by a cosmetic chemist.
All my products conform to EU regs.
TS can ask for all your details and insurance at anytime, they will give you up to 3 days to produce them.
If you label you items correctly, and add your address or contact number, there are usually no problems, its the others who give no details that everybody needs to report!
I know a soaper who sells on our Farmers market, he gives no details, no warnings eg, allergic reaction, pregnancy, skin problems etc.
He cuts and puts the soap in a white paper bag! Thats it. Goodness knows if he has insurance....?
Hope this helps
yes, I would say the main issue is clearly listing all ingredients, as some people have some odd allergies, and also different products have different effects depending on skin type.
Yes! Am allergic to mineral oil and have to read all labels. It is in so many products from antibiotic ointments to makeup.Quote:
Originally Posted by darklisruthven
I agree knowing what skin type it suits would help. Dry skin, oily etc. Might also be a reaction if wrong type is used.
Well i don't make cosmetics, but I do make bath products!