How Selling Homemade Cosmetics Can Get You Into Trouble With The Law
The U.S. cosmetics industry is expected to generate revenue of $62.46 billion for the year 2016. If you have a knack for making people look beautiful, you may decide to get a share of this lucrative industry by making and distributing cosmetic products from home. It can be profitable, but it can also get you into trouble with the law, especially if you do any of these things:
Use Injurious Substances
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) prohibit the use of poisonous or harmful substances, such as chloroform, in cosmetic products. This is something you should think about carefully if you plan to make your own cosmetics. You must only use ingredients that have been tested and approved as safe. This can be costly, which is why many people who want to distribute cosmetics from home join direct sales organizations, and deal in their products, instead of making their products from scratch.
Use Unsuitable Packaging
It's not just the ingredients that you have to be careful with; even the packaging must be right for your products. For example, the packaging should be pilfer-resistant so that your clients can easily identify those that have been tampered with. The material of the packaging should be chemically inert so that it doesn't react with the cosmetics inside it. As a hint, it's generally advisable to stay away from metallic containers since they are generally reactive and can contaminate your products.
Use Misleading Labeling
Finally, you should also be careful with the labeling of your products because misleading labeling of cosmetics is also a crime. The labeling must not be false and should contain all the required information. This is not just a fancy requirement; mislabeling can endanger other people's lives, which is why it's illegal. For example, some people are allergic to different cosmetic ingredients, such as fragrances, dyes, or preservatives; this means proper labeling may save their health.
Work In Unsanitary Conditions
Finally, you must also ensure that your cosmetic products are processed under sanitary conditions. You may use the best packaging and the healthiest ingredients, but your products may still be harmful if they are contaminated during processing.
Therefore, think carefully before turning your hobby into a home-based business. Do your research well to ensure your products satisfy the legal requirements so you don't get into a mess. Consult a criminal defense lawyer for legal defense if you do get accused of breaking any of the laws regulating the cosmetic industry.
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