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HSMG Members At Orlando ACRE Wholesale Show!

21 January 2012, 3:08 pm

HSMG Members Susan Moore, Lynn Elko and Teresa Gregory have been busy preparing to represent the HSMG and their respective businesses at the Orlando ACRE Wholesalecrafts show.   Judging from their photo their efforts paid off in displays that look both beautiful and inviting.  It is a challenge to setup three businesses in one booth!

l to r: Susan Moore, Teresa Gregory and Lynn Elko

We hope that they write lots of orders and that the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild will be more widely known.    A big thank you goes out to Wholesalecrafts.com for their gifting our members with this booth.

Julie Koenig of Kraftwerks participated last year in ACRE Orlando and decided to take advantage of the “Emerging Artist” package discount  and is again a vendor at ACRE Orlando with her own booth!   The show runs through Monday.

Kraftwerks Booth at ACRE Orlando

Lynn Elko demonstrating products

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Announcing a fantastic new benefit…

22 December 2011, 10:01 am

I know you are busier than busy as the Christmas holidays draw ever closer.   We here at the HSMG hope that it has been a good season for you and that word of the wonderful products you make continues to spread allowing your business to grow and prosper.   Success also builds of course upon solid business skills and insightful planning.   We believe that we have come upon a fabulous benefit that will help you to grow your Soapmaking business and so have partnered with Renaissance Online Business Planning Class.

The folks at Renaissance are also nonprofit and so they too share a passion in increasing the entrepreneurial capacities of you the members of the HSMG.   They even have scholarship opportunities available.   Dream big!  Consider honing your business skills  through the coming months with one on one classes and consultation with Renaissance.

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HSMG Members To Again Exhibit At The Orlando Gift Show!

6 November 2011, 3:38 pm

As you may know, the HSMG was again offered a booth at both the Orlando and Las Vegas Gift Shows in 2012 run by Wholesale Crafts and the American Craft Retailers Expo.   We are pleased to announce the names of our HSMG  members who will be representing the Guild at the upcoming Gift Show in Orlando,  Florida January 21-23, 2012:

  • Alison Cripps (www.terradolcespa.com) of Ft. Meyers, FL
  • Susan Moore (www.beachorganicsskincare.com) of Cocoa, FL
  • Lynn Elko (www.emmasfriends.com) of Tamaqua, PA
  • and alternate:  Teresa Gregory  (www.dailyblessingsfarm.com) from Hernando, MS

    Deb, Candy and Julie at the 2011 Orlando Show

This is a wonderful opportunity for the selected members to exhibit products in a major gift show without taking on the booth fee themselves.   Thank you ACRE!

The HSMG will be ably represented in Orlando and also in Las Vegas by:

  • Barb LeLosSantos (www.barbshomemadesoaps.com) from Adrian, MI
  • Tami Thornton (www.beehivesoaps.com) from South Jordan, UT
  • Sharon Czekala (www.michigansoap.com) of Canton, MI
  • Alternate:  Julie Weghorn (www.trustjust.com) of Menomonie, WI

This years participants wrote a fair amount of orders during the course of the Show and additionally as reported by Julie:  ”We are so thankful to the Guild for this opportunity.  Three strangers are now friends and have been sharing many business ideas, experiences, etc.  We have realized we have much more than just soap in common.”

Sr. Cathleen, HSMG Vice President

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HSMG Soapmaker Membership Has It’s Benefits!

4 November 2011, 1:35 pm

Membership in the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild definitely has its benefits! Some of our newest benefits are some of the BEST we offer! How many of you use some kind of software to help you in your soapmaking business? How many use a pre-made software that was made for Cooks (like CookMaster) or an accounting software like PeachTree or QuickBooks for accounting, that also track inventory or just an Excel Spreadsheet you created on your own or perhaps borrowed from someone else to help you keep track of your recipes, raw materials, and inventory?

How many of you are using the “customized” SoapMaker software that was actually created FOR Soapmakers? I, for one, do! I have been using the SoapMaker Software for several years.

NOW HSMG Members can get this incredible software at a DISCOUNT! Login to the HSMG Member Area on our website to take advantage of this special exclusive member pricing .

http://www.soapguild.org

It is available to you through Soapequipment at: http://www.soapequipment.com. If you have a computer that you use for your business, this software is fantastic and should help you

  • keep excellent records of all your vendors
  • the purchase price of your raw materials
  • your inventory for re-ordering
  • customer information
  • and even the physical properties of your soap bars for each recipe you create within the software.
  • It also will track your cost per item and profit margins!

This software is incredible! However it will require a fair amount of your time as you key in the   various bits of information that makes your business what it is:

  • Vendor Names and Addresses
  • Customer Names and Addresses – perhaps even a note about their favorite products or scents so you make sure to notify them when you are having a special on those products.
  • Once you get all your raw materials into the system including your labels and costs, you can create your recipes and the system will tell you exactly how much it cost you to make the entire batch as well as the cost “per unit” so you can better price your soaps.

Another HUGE benefit of this system is that it not only tracks inventory and recipes for soapmaking, but several other products as well, and you can also use it to make Liquid Soap and Cream Soap recipes with their Pop-Up Lye Calculator. With the economy the way it has been the last several years, many of us have had to increase our product offering to more than just soap. You can also add ingredients, bottle/container costs for other products like Lip Balm, Lotion, Bath Fizzies, Sugar Scrubs, and more!

The SoapMaker Software can convert to Metric Units, you can print reports like Purchase History, Shopping List for replenishing supplies, Production, Taxes, Sales History, and you can even get a list of all the recipes you have that use a particular ingredient (in case you get a custom order from someone who wants every product you make that has Olive Oil).

There is also something called a “Benchmark” recipe in the system for a “perfect” bar, or a soap bar that has a perfect balance of properties; Hardness, Fluffy Lather, Stable Lather, and Moisturizing are the qualities that you can use as a benchmark for all of the recipes you add into the system. I LOVE this feature!! You can create your own recipes for soap bars and then check the final soap bar properties against the benchmark recipe to determine if you want to make any changes to the ingredients in your recipe before you even make a batch. This way you can better determine the final outcome of your batches before you even use one drop of your raw materials. Batches can easily be re-sized with little thought or effort and the calculations will be correct, the SAP Values of many base oils, and so much more!

For those of you who already use this incredible software, you know how amazing it is. If you haven’t upgraded to their newest software, I highly recommend it, there are many more additions to the functionality of this software that will help you be more efficient in your business. For those of you who have not yet used this software or really have heard much about it, here is a link to their SoapMaker 3 Guided Tour to help you see all the incredible things it can do for you  http://www.soapmaker.ca/TourFiles/Tour.htm

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Legislative Update: The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011

15 July 2011, 2:44 pm

The HSMG has been actively involved in advocacy for the handcrafted soap and cosmetics industry for the past several years.  We have made tremendous progress during the past year in introducing and familiarizing our industry to Capital Hill with the assistance of our DC advocates Mary Anne Walsh and Rick Limardo. HSMG  leaders have met with Members of Congress to educate them on our industry’s businesses as well as the diverse products they produce.  Most encouraging is Congress listened and took our concerns to heart.

When the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 was introduced last year, the handcrafted soap and cosmetics industry was unknown in Washington, DC.  Many provisions in the 2010 bill would have negatively impacted thousands of small businesses throughout the United States.  Through our meetings with the staff of the bill sponsors, Representatives Jan Schakowsky, Edward Markey and Tammy Baldwin, we learned that the legislation was not aimed at the handcrafted soap industry.

Now, a year later, we have attended several meetings with the sponsors of the bill and many other Members of Congress.  They have listened to and heard our concerns.  There have been many positive changes, and we are very encouraged that we have such an open line of communication to see our way forward.

On June 24, 2011, a new bill, the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 (HR 2359), was introduced. After a detailed review of the new legislation, we  held another meeting with the bill sponsors to get clarification on some areas of concern with HR 2359 . At that meeting, held July 13th, the staff was very gracious and willing to answer our questions and, more importantly, to help us understand their intention in drafting the legislation.  We were very  encouraged to find out that many of the worries that we had were due to misinterpreting the language in the bill or not understanding the intent behind certain portions.

Based on the information provided to us and our current understanding of the bill, we support the intent of The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011.

During the week of July 24th, we will be placing a detailed summary of the bill on our website which will include the clarifications on issues of concern we have received from the sponsors. Until then, should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

This is far from over; the legislative process is long and includes committee hearings, amendments, mark-ups  and hearings all before the bill moves to the House floor for any vote.  The HSMG is very confident that with the relationships we have forged and with the guidance and advice of our legislative advocates, we are well positioned to have our voice heard throughout the process.  It is very important to stay involved, stay informed and above all, stay calm.  We have a seat at the table and we will continue our dialogue with the bill sponsors, committee members and others as the legislation moves forward.

Leigh O’Donnell

HSMG President

Filed under Legislation, Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011. Tagged 
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HSMG Advocacy Position Statement

15 July 2011, 2:40 pm
The HSMG has issued the following Advocacy Position Statement, approved by the Board of Directors on July 14, 2011.

The Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild (HSMG) is a non-profit trade association for soapmakers, small businesses hand making soaps and the handmade soap making industry as a whole. Depending on the formulation and/or claims, handmade soaps can be regulated by the FDA or CPSC.  The following principles outline the HSMG policy positions:
  1. Supports small businesses manufacturing safe soap and safe cosmetics.
  2. Supports current cosmetic regulations for the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as a means of providing consumers with safe cosmetics.
  3. Supports the current soap exemption as defined in the current cosmetic regulations for the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
  4. Supports all manufacturers having affordable and sufficient product & liability insurance.
  5. Supports small business manufacturers having access to up to date information and education.
  6. Supports positive advocacy strategies and communication as a means to affect change.
  7. Opposes new regulations which would be overly burdensome or costly to small business while not significantly increasing consumer safety.
Filed under For Members, General, Legislation, Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011, Uncategorized.
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H.R 2359 The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011 is Introduced

24 June 2011, 2:37 pm

Today, Reps. Schakowsky, Markey and Baldwin introduced The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011, H.R. 2359.

Here is the press release issued by Rep. Schakowsky’s office:  PRESS RELEASE

The full text of the bill should be available Monday or Tuesday online.  You can look for it here by searching the bill number, H.R. 2359.

We have a very open line of communication with the staff of Rep. Schakowsky, Markey and Baldwin’s offices and have been very encouraged by all of the positive changes made for small business between the 2010 and 2011 versions of this bill.  Please check back next week for a more comprehensive report on this legislation.

Leigh O’Donnell

HSMG President

Filed under General, Legislation, Safe Cosmetics Act of 2011, Uncategorized.
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Legislative Update – The Safe Cosmetics Act

22 June 2011, 12:01 am

On June 10th, I flew to Washington, D.C. to meet with Congressional staff from Representative Schakowsky, Markey and Baldwin’s offices.  I was invited to meet with them as a follow up to ongoing meetings that have been conducted over the past year and to hear the changes that they are proposing to make as a result of our active advocacy efforts.

Since our first meetings last July (after the Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010 was introduced) the Representatives’ staffs have kept the lines of communication open and have been very receptive to our input.  This meeting was no different;  I attended with our D.C. advocate Mary Anne Walsh of Roetzel and Andress who has been not only our eyes and ears in Washington, but also an advisor and strategist, introducing the industry to Members of Congress in both the House and Senate.

I can tell you now, without a doubt, that the HSMG’s voice is being heard on Capitol Hill.

After some lengthy discussions and negotiations in our recent meeting, it looks like the new draft of The Safe Cosmetics Act should include several provisions that are major victories for the HSMG and its members.  They are:

REGISTRATION

For registration of your facility or company and your products:

  • Any cosmetic company with under $2 million in gross aggregate sales per year will be exempt from FDA registration for both the company and products being made.
  • A company that makes between $2 million and $10 million in gross aggregate sales per year will register their company (facility) and their products annually.  There will be no registration fees and no change forms if you introduce a new product within that year.
  • A cosmetic manufacturer that has over $10 million in gross aggregate sales per year will register their company (facility) and their products and will be responsible for a registration fee to the FDA.  This fee will be determined by the FDA and will be based on gross sales.

LABELING

  • All botanicals will be listed as what they are on the label and will not need to be broken down into their organic compounds.  For example, Coconut Oil will be Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil).
  • Also, the legislation will NOT require additional testing for products made using already tested, approved  and labeled ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

The FDA will be charged with coming up with three categories of cosmetic ingredients:  Safe without limits, Restricted, and Prohibited.

  • All food-grade ingredients will be on the “Safe without limits list”.
  • Ingredients on the “Restricted list” may be used in cosmetics but will have restrictions on usage or quantity.
  • Ingredients on the “Prohibited list” cannot be used in cosmetics and will have a 2 year phase out period.
  • To facilitate compliance, the FDA will maintain an online site for companies to access information on the three categories of ingredients and will update regularly, including the addition of new ingredients after testing and determinations are made.

SOAP

The soap exemption will remain the same as it is in the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act. To familiarize yourself with this exemption please read this area of the FDA site.

IN SUMMARY

I am very encouraged by the proposed changes and exemptions.  Likewise, I am very optimistic that the congressional leaders will continue to work with us and hear our concerns.   In the weeks ahead, we will remain in close contact with the bill’s sponsors to keep the lines of communication open and to make sure that the proposed changes and exemptions outlined above are, in fact, included in the new Safe Cosmetics Act.

What this all means is that our industry is no longer an unknown in DC.  Through countless hours of work on the part of many individuals and the input of our DC Advocates Mary Anne Walsh and Rick Limardo, we find ourselves possibly looking at a much more industry friendly version of The Safe Cosmetics Act.  We now know that at some point — whether this year or next or even further down the road – Congress will move ahead to pass safe cosmetics legislation.  The good news is that the HSMG is now a known stakeholder and Members of Congress are not only listening, but very willing to work with us.

I would personally like to thank the following individuals for their tireless work on this over the past couple of years and hope that we can continue to make a difference together in the future.  Our industry is stronger and our voice is louder when we work together.

  • Debbie May of Wholesale Supplies Plus
  • Kayla Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale
  • Anne-Marie Faiola of Bramble Berry
  • Marie Gale – HSMG Past President
  • Donna Maria Coles Johnson of Indie Beauty Network
  • Lela Barker of Bella Lucce

Please stay tuned to the HSMG Blog for further updates on The Safe Cosmetics Act, we will post them as they become available.

Leigh O’Donnell

HSMG President

Filed under General, Legislation, Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010.
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Don’t Forget the Sunblock

16 May 2011, 2:54 pm

The Miami sun is deceptively strong. Make sure to use plenty of sunblock to avoid painful sunburn. Even if you are in the sun a lot, the tropical sun can burn very quickly.

If you brought sunblock from home, be sure to check the expiration date. Out of date sunblock may not offer the protection that its SPF number predicts. According to Dr. Rachel Herchenfeld’s article in the Washington Post, many sunblocks contain ingredients that don’t have a long shelf life.  Better be safe than sorry.

Another strategy is to cover up. Wearing light, long-sleeved shirts and sun hats can also minimize exposure.

Enjoy the beautiful, tropical weather in Miami.

Filed under 2011 Annual Conference.
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Incredible food and networking, too!

16 May 2011, 2:36 pm

There is no denying that the food at the HSMG conference is out of this world!  The picture on the left is from a dessert table from last year’s conference.

Meals at the conference are a great time to meet new soapmakers and vendors.  Take time to enjoy a meal with someone new.  You won’t be sorry.

While breaking bread, the conversation may drift to soap, supplies, shows, certification testing, and more.  The breadth of experience that our members and conference attendees have is amazing. Meal time is a great place to learn and make new friends while at the conference.

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