Spring Craft Fair_ Keep my Mouth Shut Nope

Big Bust if I had to depend on just selling soap. This again is a craft fair I have been doing for 5 or 6 yrs and the manager keeps bring in more and more soapmakers. One other soapmaker has done this one for at least 15 yrs. We were up against 5 other soapmakers in a smallish craft fair. Fortunately my husbands golf accessories sold well.
I just could not keep my big mouth shut when I saw one of the soapmakers sell soap that CURES eczema, psoriasis, Herpes, etc etc. Unwrapped, unlabeled soap. I told her it is interesting she sells an unlabeled Drug. Ah yes she is working with FDA...and I am a ***** that would believe it. Also she did not seem to like to advertise her business name. Wonder why new bills are trying to pass. I hate selling against such people

Gosh Im sorry - that must be insanely frustrating. I guess I wish the people in charge of the craft fair were more discerning. Oh and that people like that soap maker would stop acting like snake oil salespeople.

I was at a craft fair recently where a woman was sellings 'eczema and psoriasis cream' advertised on a big banner. Actually I see people selling things on Etsy that violate FDA rules and nobody stops them.....
What really 'takes the biscuit' for me though was seeing a local health food store selling a local brand that claims their pineapple, coconut and plumeria lotions are scented with essential oils (and they don't list a preservative). This is a company that has sales of over $750 K per year! I have been aware of their dishonest labeling for a long time and plan on reporting them to the FDA/FTC.....if I ever find the time. They are everywhere in Hawaii and I'm sure they are 'inspriing' other people here to follow suit.

Carolyn I am sorry you had to deal with that situation, this weekend I attended a community garage/flea market, I had no expectations, and it was a nice day much better that I thought. But I can't keep my mouth shut either, a woman came up to my table and wanted to take pictures of everything so she could buy items just like mine to sell. What is wrong with people, she let me know that she could 'import' for less than I was charging. I told her to go ahead and do it then, and that mass produced are not the same as handcrafted.

Yep. . .these are the careless, irresponsible people who are going to trigger a bunch of regulations so burdensome that it'll ruin it for the rest of us.

Carolyn, I too have seen the same thing at shows and markets. I'm done keeping my mouth shut for those who are flat out ignoring regulations. Especially those who tell customers that have purchased my soap with FO's and colorants that they are dangerous. There's aren't colored and will cure all sort of ailments. I'm done!!!

I just made a soap for my granddaughter for her acne, I also my grandson an eczema cream. I know they work on my grandchildren so your saying legally I can't say that it helps with eczema or acne?

If you make any therapeutic claims, your soap is no longer soap and is now considered a drug. Here's a link to the FDA's website, complete with descriptions for soap, cosmetics, and drugs: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/GuidanceRegulation/LawsRegulations/ucm074201.htm

Had a similar situation these past two weekends. The first weekend I had a honey bee farmer next to me who makes soap and lotions as well. So I got to hear her whole speel about how the honey does this and that medically as well as her soaps. She actually ended up being at the same show I did this weekend but was far away from me this time. From what my younger sister said there was another soap and lotion person there who tried to tell my sister that get stuff would help with my sister's fibromyalgia. Once she heard that she just turned around and walked away.

I do bend the rules a touch talking up my lotion sticks and tell people how great they work on the heels of my feet but that's it. I would never tell someone they can be cured of something using my products.

I would have loved to have said something to the honey lady but unfortunately she is in good with the people that I just did my last two shows with

I do think it is people like them that make it hard for those following regulations to make a decent profit because the general public believes all they hear (I also blame Dr. Oz for this, too).

That is very frustrating. :sad:

I'm trying to be legal and that is VERY hard in florida. I'm almost to the point where I will just label my products correctly and abide by the FDA rules but still sell a little bit of salve here and there (cant sell cosmetics in florida w/o umpteen licenses).

My mother wants to help me sell my soaps/salves in her area (she told her teacher co-workers that I would sell my salve to them, even though I explicitly told her it is illegal) and on top of that she made claims that it "will completely heal your cracked feet and works wonders for eczema". I actually scolded her in front of her co-workers because she was saying this right in front of me.

I said to them that even if it helps with their eczema or heals their skin, I can't make those claims as I am not legally allowed to. They took to it well and actually respected me for my honesty. Hopefully there will be more customers like that. I have to tread a very fine line even with just soaps. She wants to sell my goats milk oatmeal castile soap as being a cure for eczema and other skin issues... :neutral:

ETA: I does kinda suck b/c my brother who has eczema really does benefit from my products but I don't think my mom (or a lot of people) realize how stern the law is on this. My mom still doesn't believe me when I tell her how much money it would be to start selling lotions or labeling my soaps as cosmetics or that I can't make them in my home. I've read the entire statute multiple times and the FDA definitions to see if I can find loopholes but... I cant.

I just made a soap for my granddaughter for her acne, I also my grandson an eczema cream. I know they work on my grandchildren so your saying legally I can't say that it helps with eczema or acne?

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That is *exactly* what the law says. All the FDA regs in connection with soaps say this, without any gray areas. The only thing you can say if you want to sell your soap as soap is that it cleans, period.

shunt2011 said:

Carolyn, I too have seen the same thing at shows and markets. I'm done keeping my mouth shut for those who are flat out ignoring regulations. Especially those who tell customers that have purchased my soap with FO's and colorants that they are dangerous. There's aren't colored and will cure all sort of ailments. I'm done!!!

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And I was doing so good at not saying anything...but when I saw the Cures Herpes on her signage that was the final straw
@ Cjchrissy I make a killer Avocado Argan that my daughter uses for my granddaughters severe diaper rash and it heals it fantastically, but I cannot and do not state it is healing. I used it on my elbow this weekend that was really cracked and chapped from my eczema and it was actually 80% better the next day. I do my very best to follow labeling rules and do not make claims. People that do this hurt every lotion/soapmaker in the market

I make tinctures and salves and I , but I don't sell, I just give away, say that people have suggested that lemon balm might help anxiety, or this salve might help with your burn. I thought that wasn't crossing the line or do I just say..here try this soap..it might help..

Cjchrissy said:

I make tinctures and salves and I , but I don't sell, I just give away, say that people have suggested that lemon balm might help anxiety, or this salve might help with your burn. I thought that wasn't crossing the line or do I just say..here try this soap..it might help..

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As I understand things (and please someone correct me if I am wrong), if you are only making things for yourself or for giving away to family and friends and telling them that such and such salve might help with this or that problem, as opposed to actually making and labeling products for sale that have healing claims on the packaging, then you are fine and have not run afoul of the FDA regs. In other words, I believe the regs apply only to those who sell (at least in the USA). Hopefully someone will chime in and confirm that since I myself don't sell.


IrishLass

I do think it is people like them that make it hard for those following reshuffle regulations to make a decent profit because the general public believes all they hear (I also blame Dr. Oz for this, too).[/QUOTE]

Why is Dr.Oz to be blamed for this ?????

Lion Of Judah said:

I do think it is people like them that make it hard for those following reshuffle regulations to make a decent profit because the general public believes all they hear (I also blame Dr. Oz for this, too).

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Why is Dr.Oz to be blamed for this ?????[/QUOTE]

I don't believe the things that he says have any merit. I think he makes this world more sensitive to things and puts ideas in to peoples heads that everything is harmful (and I am not saying he is 100% to blame for this, just one piece of the puzzle. I was also half asleep and ranting when I shouldn't have been :crazy

Lion Of Judah said:

Why is Dr.Oz to be blamed for this ?????

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Because he is a fairly famous paid shill for a bunch of questionable 'medical' supplements. Green coffee extract being the best known example.

IL, I think you're fine. I'm pretty sure the FDA regs only apply to labeling products for sale.

I can check if you want me to, but I wouldn't worry in your case at all.

Re: Dr. Oz - Apparently medical professionals are now beginning to call him to task as reported on national news a few days ago. I agree he's nothing more than a salesman for anyone/anything promising a fantastic cure for one thing or another--none of which he offers any real proof of.

I understand that in the states you are not allowed to make any claims just that soap is soap and cleans.

However if you are selling at a fair and someone approaches your stall asking if you sell anything for eczema etc are you allowed to tell them a particular soap has worked for your daughter/niece etc as long as you state whilst it has worked for them you cannot guarantee it will work for everyone?

It must be extremely frustrating for the EU sellers as well as the legitimate ones come up against those that do not hold safety certificates, these will be the sellers pricing their soap cheap as they have not gone to the expense of obtaining one and can purchase the cheap oils that do not have traceable batch numbers.