Doing Nothing?

Hey Y'all -

I hope this post finds you doing well. A tweet came through my stream last week that is the inspiration for this post.

The Safe Cosmetics Act 2010 was released last week. If this bill passes, the cosmetic industry will change which will trickle down to you, the consumer. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group are proponents of this bill. They are telling any and everyone that will buy into their propaganda that cosmetic manufacturers are putting anything they want in cosmetics because the industry is not regulated. That is so far from the truth and typical of these organizations. The FDA regulates the cosmetic industry.

The Safe Cosmetics Act 2010 will not benefit consumers or the small cosmetic manufacturer. People who buy into what the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group are peddling are in for a huge surprise if this bill passes. Consumers need to get involved with this proposed legislation draft. This brings me to the quote.

Never act until you have clearly answered the question: "What happens if I do nothing? ~ Robert Brault

If we do nothing, this bill may pass and some of your favorite personal care products could disappear. Cactus & Ivy would surely close up shop because I could not afford the additional costs this proposed bill would place on my company. Many small businesses would be in the same boat as me.

Variety is the spice of life. Don't you want to have that same variety in your choices for personal care products? There are so many talented companies on the market now and the small cosmetic manufacturers are bringing a great deal of innovation to the table. That innovation would no longer exist. Big box manufacturers would be the only choices you would have.

Take time to read the bill. Also, visit my other company, Personal Care Truth for a wealth of information on personal care products. We can't afford to do nothing. We need to fight this with every inch of our being. Cactus & Ivy opposes the Safe Cosmetics Act 2010. Will you join me?

Thanks for stopping by y'all. Have a great day!





Chief Guinea Chick
Cactus & Ivy

The Colorado Safe Personal Products Act | How Will It Effect You?

Hey Y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. Proposed legislation in the state of Colorado could change your life drastically and your state could be next!

I was a compact signer of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CFSC) until they formed a petition in favor of the FDA Globalization Act of 2008, which would have more than likely been the end of Cactus & Ivy. I could no longer support an organization that was for legislation based on their beliefs and not concrete evidence that has been in place and continues to work. Our industry is and always will be concerned about safe cosmetics.

Instead of giving you my take on this proposed legislation, I have been given permission to use content from other industry leaders in regards to this dangerous bill. Please take the time to read each one. The Colorado Safe Personal Products Act, if passed, will have a huge impact on you, the consumer.

Donna Maria Coles Johnson, CEO/Founder of The Indie Beauty Network has this to say....

Oppose the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act
In November, I shared my views as leader of IBN on the FDA Globalization Act of 2009. This post was followed by a second trip to Washington, DC to meet with Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officials and staffers in the House Energy & Commerce Committee. I have also shared my views on President Obama’s initiatives to earmark additional funds to support small business owners as our nation faces the challenges of a recessionary economy....read more
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Kayla Fioravanti, VP, Chief Formulator, ARC Registered Aromatherapist and Co-Founder of Essential Wholesale and Essential Labs has (2) posts as follows....

Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act :: Take Action Immediately
If you live in Colorado or sell cosmetics into Colorado it is time for you to speak up. Colorado has a proposed a bill before them during this session known as The Colorado Safe Personal Products Act. This Act is so broad and vague that if it passes in this form the personal care shelves in stores would go bare. You can read the entire bill here. To follow the bill as it is updated click here and change the range to House Bills 1201-1250 and then scan down to 1248....read more

The Slippery Slope of Bad Science
I live and do business with green practices. Organic is part of our business and how we eat and shop. Natural medicine is a major part of my life, beliefs and history. My husband and I got into the natural cosmetic industry because of my own allergies and chemical sensitivities. I am telling you all this so that you understand that I believe in green, natural and organic in all things. My stance against the Colorado Safe Personal Care Products Act is due to the fact that even completely safe cosmetics using organic, natural and organic materials will be banned in Colorado with this bill....read more

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Two other great posts on this proposed legislation are:

Tunnel Vision by Robert Tisserand, Founder of The Tisserand Institute and Tisserand Aromatherapy

You Can Die From Salt Too by Anne-Marie Faiola, CEO of Bramble Berry, Inc.

I cannot stress enough how important this legislation is to you and I urge you to take the time to read more at the above links. Please post your comments here and/or at any of the other sites. I'd love to know what you think!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and have a great day!





Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

Cosmetic Label Requirements

Hey Y'all!!

I hope this post finds you doing well. Yep.....it's still raining and I feel like a broken record. That's all I've been saying for 6 days. My brain is so soggy that I thought Monday was Tuesday and today would be Wednesday. Confused? I am! Anywho.......

Do you know what is required on your bath and body products? The following information was taken from the FDA website:

The following (2) two factors must appear on the front panel of the label:

• An identity statement, indicating the nature and use of the product, by means of either the common or usual name, a descriptive name, a fanciful name understood by the public, or an illustration

• An accurate statement of the net quantity of contents, in terms of weight, measure, numerical count or a combination of numerical count and weight or measure
  
  

The following must appear in an information panel of a label:

• Name and place of business. This may be the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.
  
  
• Distributor statement. If the name and address are not those of the manufacturer, the label must say "Manufactured for..." or "Distributed by..."
  
  
• Material facts. Failure to reveal material facts is one form of misleading labeling and therefore makes a product misbranded. An example is directions for safe use, if a product could be unsafe if used incorrectly.
  
  
• Warning and caution statements. These must be prominent and conspicuous. The FD&C Act and related regulations specify warning and caution statements related to specific products. In addition, cosmetics that may be hazardous to consumers must bear appropriate label warnings. An example of such hazardous products is flammable cosmetics.
  
  
• Ingredients. If the product is sold on a retail basis to consumers, even it it is labeled "For professional use only" or words to that effect, the ingredients must appear on an information panel, in descending order of predominance. Remember, if the product is also a drug, its labeling must comply with the regulations for both OTC drug and cosmetic ingredient labeling, as stated above.

Take time to visit the FDA site and look around at the various topics as well as industry resources. Cactus & Ivy is registered with the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP), which is a post-market reporting system. We believe in the FDA and its mission to protect consumers, while also helping cosmetic manufacturers and distributors make informed decisions. Our registration #E1002787

Thanks for stopping by y'all!! Have a great day and hope you are dry!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy

**The information contained in this post was taken directly from the Cosmetic Labeling Guide on the FDA website.

The FDA Globalization Act 2009

Hey Y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well. To start off this post, I would like to say a big "thanks" to Jennifer at Eco-Office-Gals. Now, I am pretty handy when it comes to the computer and have "some" graphic skills but designing "ad buttons" is not one of them. Jennifer designed the handy dandy "shop" button to the right, which is a direct link to the Cactus & Ivy website. So, if you are in need of a Virtual Assistant, then please visit Eco-Office-Gals. You'll be glad you did! You ROCK Jennifer!

Now, I would like to say thanks to all who went to the Indie Business Blog last year to read and sign the petition to stop the FDA Globalization Act of 2008. Your voices were heard! The old draft would have put thousands of "indie" businesses out of business with mountains of paperwork and outrageous fees.

Thanks to the efforts of Donna Maria Coles Johnson of Indie Beauty, Lela Barker of Bella Lucce, Kayla and Dennis Fioravanti of Essential Wholesale, Anne-Marie Faiola of Brambleberry, Marie Gale of the Handcrafted Soap Makers Guild and the thousands of signatures to the petition, the future of the indie business owner looks much brighter. Read the latest letter submitted to the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

If the FDA Globalization Act of 2009 is passed, the only thing that has not changed is mandatory registration of our business and ingredients to the FDA. I am proud to say that Cactus & Ivy was already registered with the Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP).

"The Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program (VCRP) is an FDA post-market reporting system for use by manufacturers, packers, and distributors of cosmetic products that are in commercial distribution in the United States. The VCRP helps FDA in its mission to protect consumers, while also helping cosmetic manufacturers and distributors make informed decisions. The greater the participation by the cosmetic industry, the better this program works."

I believe in the FDA and its mission to protect the consumer, while helping me make informed decisions as a manufacturer. This is great news and I thank y'all for hearing my call last year to let your voice be heard!

Thanks for stopping by y'all and I hope you have a great day!


Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy