Beauty Information


Handmade and Homemade Toiletries-Buyer Beware


If you've been to a craft show or a farmers' market recently you've probably noticed that more and more people are making and selling homemade soaps, toiletries and cosmetics. Gone are the days when the neighborhood soap maker was a grandmotherly lady in a long cotton dress-today's soap makers are young, hip stay-at-home moms hawking homemade lotions, makeup and bath products. But are the products they're selling any better than store brands? More importantly, are they safe? Consider these facts before you make your next purchase:

*Commercial toiletries are manufactured in clean, modern labs which are subject to FDA inspection at any time. Homemade cosmetics, on the other hand, are often made in home kitchens where food is prepared, cleaning chores are performed and meals are consumed. Because they're so small these home-based companies often slip right under the FDA's radar and are never inspected at all.

*Commercial companies are required to follow a set of FDA guidelines known as the FDA's Good Manufacturing Practices. These practices include having dedicated work spaces, employee dress codes and specific safety procedures. Homemade cosmetics are often made in the presence of pets, children and others not wearing proper attire like hair nets or gloves. No home-based business can meet the FDA's GMPs for cosmetics manufacturing.

*Commercial companies hire skin care experts and doctorate-level chemists to formulate their products. Homemade toiletries are made by people with education varying from college degrees all the way down to high-school drop-outs.

*Commercial manufacturers spend millions on product liability insurance. Based on my experience in the handmade toiletries business I would estimate that only 25 percent of home-based toiletry makers have even basic product liability coverage.

*Commercial products go through an extensive process called "challenge testing" to determine their safety. I've never met a single home-based toiletry maker who challenged tested her products for mold, bacteria or yeast.

Before you buy that scrub with the wonderful mango scent, spend a couple of moments getting to know the person on the other side of the booth. There are some wonderful micro-manufacturers out there. You just have to know the right questions to ask.

Lisa Barger is a traditionally trained naturopath who puts her knowledge of herbal products to work in one of the oldest and most respected personal care companies on the internet. Learn more about Lisa at her website http://www.LisaBarger.com and learn why she believes in "Empowerment through Education".


MORE RESOURCES:

Tradition Counts More Than Beauty at a Pageant
New York Times, United States - 12 hours ago
And the judges also sought a special kind of beauty: those who most resembled Puerto Rico’s native Indian tribe, the Taíno, received higher marks. ...


Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, Inc. New Face of Classic Beauty
MarketWatch - 57 minutes ago
Beauty begins with beauty -- and in this environment -- one is constantly reminded and perpetually surrounded by an aesthetic of the highest order. ...
The Dr. on The Doctors MarketWatch
all 10 news articles


WCBD

Wacky beauty tips go beyond cucumbers and mud masks
WCBD, SC - 4 hours ago
Beauty sees no limits, just ask Caitlin Spargo. “The weirdest thing I have ever tried was Preparation H under the eyes to reduce puffiness,“ says Spargo. ...


Capital News 9

Danes' victory is no beauty
Schenectady Gazette, NY - 7 hours ago
By Bob Weiner (Contact) Struggling from the floor, behind the arc and at the line, the Great Danes still played strong enough defense to bounce Bryant for ...
Nothing pretty except a victory Albany Times Union
all 26 news articles


Recession-Proof Your Beauty Routine
MarketWatch - 21 hours ago
... and Improved Formulas that Leading Salon Brands Can't Beat Even in a tight economy women don't have to compromise when it comes to their beauty routine. ...


Angel Tree Beauty Pageant set Dec. 6
Jack County Herald, TX - 23 hours ago
The annual Angel Tree Beauty Pageant is Saturday, Dec. 6, at Lamar Elementary School in Mineral Wells. Children through age 35 months will be judged in ...
Shopping under way for community’s ‘Angels’ Mineral Wells Index
all 2 news articles


'Beauty and the Geek' seeks local nerds
Wicked Local Wenham, MA - 19 hours ago
The CW television reality series “Beauty and the Geek” is on the lookout for geeks from the Boston area. Single men over 21 who are intelligent and quirky ...


Nonprofit helps Richmond students learn of city's natural beauty ...
San Jose Mercury News,  USA - Nov 30, 2008
Fuller said it's the students' initial reactions to the city's places of beauty that make her smile. "We took Kennedy High to Point Molate last year, ...


Contactmusic.com

‘Benjamin’ Beauty: A Quick Commentary on ‘Benjamin Button’
RopeofSilicon.com, WA - 20 hours ago
I found the above image over at the New York Times and since I am still not entirely ready to write a full review of the film and it hadn’t been released ...
Pitt, Jolie promote "Benjamin Button" at Elmwood The Times-Picayune - NOLA.com
all 48 news articles


Brush With Crime Turns Into Visions of Beauty
Washington Post, United States - 11 hours ago
By Matt Zapotosky In each vivid green and vibrant gold brush stroke on the walls of the Charles County Detention Center, there is a piece of inmate Wesley ...

Beauty - Google News

home | site map
© 2007