CPSR by product type
CPSR for soap
Cold process, hot process and melt and pour soap are all cosmetics, so each soap recipe you sell in Great Britain needs a signed safety assessment first. Most standard soap recipes are straightforward to assess. Here is what we look at, and what to send.
At a glance
Soap at a glance
This page covers: Bar soap, cold and hot process, melt and pour, soap on a rope, solid hand soap.
Typical for this type of product, not an assessment of your recipe. Skip to what to send
Documents
What to send us
- Your full recipe with exact percentages, including oils, lye, water and superfatNeeded to start
- Your lye calculator result (a screenshot is fine)Needed to start
- Supplier specifications and safety data sheets, including the sodium hydroxideNeeded to start
- IFRA certificate and allergen breakdown for each fragrance or essential oilIf it applies
- Melt and pour base: the supplier's full INCI list and specificationIf it applies
- Draft label and packaging detailsNeeded to start
- pH or free alkali test results, and your cure timeHelpful extra
Missing something? Send what you have and we will tell you what else is needed. See the full checklist
Which package
Does it fit our fixed prices?
Usually yes
Most handmade soaps with straightforward recipes fit Essential, Filed or Range of 5. Each scent must be covered by a safety assessment. Where several scents share one base, they can often be assessed together: an extra scent on an assessed base is from £25 + VAT, subject to review.
Essential £99 + VAT (£118.80 inc VAT), Filed £139 + VAT (£166.80 inc VAT, we submit your SCPN), Range of 5 £595 + VAT (£714 inc VAT). See prices
Good to know
- Soap marketed for babies under 3 is not taken at launch.
- Germ-killing claims can bring soap under biocides rules, and claims to treat eczema or acne can bring it under medicines rules. Check before using them.
- Liquid soap needs its own microbiological assessment. Depending on its pH, water and packaging, a preservative or challenge test may be needed.
What we check
What makes soap different
Lye and superfat
We check your lye calculation, superfat and cure time. Too much sodium hydroxide (lye) left in the bar makes it harsh on skin.
pH and free alkali
Traditional soap is alkaline, so a high pH is normal. We look at the measured pH, any free alkali (unreacted lye) and whether the finished bar suits how it is used.
Essential oils and fragrance
We assess each fragrance and essential oil against GB ingredient restrictions, relevant IFRA standards and the evidence for safe use. Fragrance allergens that must be declared are named on the label when they exceed 0.01% in a rinse-off product.
Melt and pour bases
For melt and pour, the supplier's full base ingredient list and documents matter as much as your own additions.
Colours, clays and exfoliants
Colourants must be permitted for this use. Plastic microbeads are banned in rinse-off products, and some plastic glitters meet the legal definition. We check what yours is made of.
Rancidity and shelf life
High superfat or delicate oils can go rancid and cause the dreaded orange spots. We look at antioxidants, storage and the shelf life you give.
Questions
Soap: common questions
Is handmade soap a cosmetic?
Yes. A bar used to wash the skin is a cosmetic product under the UK Cosmetics Regulation, so it needs a Responsible Person, a signed CPSR, SCPN notification and a compliant label before you sell it, including at markets and craft fairs.
Does each scent need its own CPSR?
Each scent must be covered by a safety assessment. Where scents share the same base and only the fragrance changes, they can often be assessed together, so an additional scent may qualify for a lower price (from £25 + VAT, subject to review).
Does cold process soap need a challenge test?
Usually not. A properly cured bar has very little available water and a high pH, so the assessor can normally justify a low microbial risk in the report. Liquid soaps need their own assessment.
What goes on a soap ingredient list?
The INCI names of the finished soap, for example Sodium Olivate for saponified olive oil, plus any fragrance allergens that must be declared (above 0.01% in a rinse-off product). We check this when we review your draft label.
Ready to get your soap assessed?
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