Welcome to our cold process soap making guide. If you’re interested in learning how to make nourishing skin-loving soap, you’re in the right place. This free guide will walk you through the steps to make your own handmade soap! You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment and you don’t need a complex process or recipe. Making soap isn’t difficult at all! It is a bit like baking in a sense.
I do have to warn you…soap making is addictive! Your house will soon be filled with wonderfully scented soaps and every last nook and cabinet will be packed with soap making supplies.
Each topic below is linked to an article. If you read the articles in order, you will have a great overview of the process.
I hope you enjoy your journey into soap making and I’m grateful that you’ve started here! Enjoy!
Before You Get Started
A Brief History of Soap Making – Learn quickly about some of the early records of soap making.
Benefits of Using Handcrafted Soap – This article talks about why handcrafted soap is so great to use!
Soap Making Terms and Abbreviations – Learn common terms and abbreviations used in the soap making world. You’ll soon be talking “soap speak” like the rest of us ol’ timers.
Lye in Soap Making – Learn about lye, where it comes from, storage and the safety precautions to take when working with it.
Getting Started in Soapmaking Without Spending a Ton of Money – You don’t have to break the bank to get started. This article will help you choose the necessities if you’re on a budget.
Let’s Make Soap!
Choosing a Mold for Soap Making – What will you pour your soap into to mold it? This article talks about finding the perfect mold.
Using Lego’s to Build a DIY Custom Soap Mold – Do you have a ton of Lego’s lying around? You can build your own soap mold!
How to Pick Containers for Soap Making – Lye reacts with certain metals. This article will walk you through what you can safely make soap in.
How to Make Cold Process Soap – This article walks you through the steps of making your first batch of cold process soap.
Scenting Your Soap
Essential Oil and Fragrance Oil Usage in Soap – Learn how much EO and FO to use in your soap.
Top 10 Essential Oils for Soap Making – These are my favorite essential oils for soap.
Essential Oil Blends for Soap – Here are some great essential oil blends for soap making.
Essential Oils for Soapmaking – My Sources – Here I talk about some of my favorite places to purchase essential oils. Read the comments for more sources.
Coloring Your Soap
Visit our sister-site How to Color Soap for detailed information about coloring soap. Check out the quick-start guide to get started.
Advanced Topics in Soapmaking
Superfatting and Lye Discounting – Learn about what it means to superfat your soap.
Cleaning Up After a Soapy Session – How to clean the dishes after making soap.
Calculating Your Water Amount for Soapmaking – Learn how to use different water amounts in soap.
Troubleshooting Cold Process Soap
Oops, I forgot to add an oil to my soap! How to Rebatch Soap
Soap is too Soft: Troubleshooting a Soft Batch of Cold Process Soap
My soap seized, what can I do? Hot Process It, Rebatch It or Chunk It!