Whether you are making products for personal use or for family and friends or whether you are starting on a journey to sell your products, it is a good idea to follow good sanitary practice. There are strict guidelines in the industry for following Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) that is very involved.  As home crafter's you won’t need to be so strict but there are some basic good practices that you need to follow to ensure your product is safe and of good quality. It is not expected that you have to work in sterile conditions, but it is expected that you work in sanitary conditions.  Below is a little guide to help you.

STORING RAW MATERIALS

1. Store your raw materials in air tight containers or follow suppliers advice.

2. Store your container off of the floor.

3. Keep your vegetable oils, essential oils, butters and other liquid materials in the fridge or a cool dark cupboard.

4. To keep powders fresh and free of moisture, store with silica gel pouches/bags.

5. Refer to the MSDS (material safety data sheet) to know how to store and handle your raw materials.

6. Label and Date your raw materials as soon as you receive them.

CLEANING

1.Clean all of you utensils with soapy water and rinse well.

2. Spray all of your utensils and pots with alcohol solution (70% isopropyl alcohol) and dry with a with a clean paper towel or leave to air dry before you start to make your product.

3. Clean all of your surfaces down and spray with alcohol solution

4. If you use a dishwasher, do not wash your cosmetics making equipment with your food making equipment.

5. Choose a stick blender with a detachable head,  you will may be able to put the blade in the dishwasher.

6. Wash your hands and use a hand sanitiser. Use surgical gloves if you have some.

7. When cleaning your stick blender, soak it in a steriliser like Milton (baby bottle steriliser) and then give it a whiz so as to clean the blade and stick thoroughly.

8. Don’t use utensils that have lots of grooves as this is a hub for microbial growth – don’t use spatula with a detachable silicone head for the same reason.

9. Use a hair net and lab coat or apron to protect the product from you and you from the product!

10. Do not eat, smoke or drink in the area that you are making your products. HEALTH AND SAFETY

11. Always wear protective clothing – wear an appropriate mask when dealing with powders, wear goggles when appropriate and a protective coat or apron.

12. Make sure you read the MSDS to find out how to handle, store, dispose of, and deal with any accidents/spillages.

GMP FOR SELLERS/MANUFACTURERS

Follow FDA recommendations for GMP OR THE EU DIRECTIVE (WHO REFERS TO THE ISO 2216: 2007* FOR GUIDANCE) *THE ISO 22716:2007 (INTERNATIONAL STANDARD OF ORGANISATION GMP) WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOLLOWED BY MANY COMPANIES AND ORGANISATIONS.