Guides & Tutorials
11 guidesLearn soap making from beginner basics to advanced formulation techniques.
Recommended Learning Path
Beginner12 min
Cold Process Soap Making for Beginners
Everything you need to know to make your first batch of cold process soap, from equipment to curing.
Read guide →
Science8 min
Understanding Fatty Acids in Soap Making
Learn how lauric, oleic, palmitic, and other fatty acids determine your soap bar qualities.
Read guide →
Technique6 min
Superfatting: What It Is and How to Choose Your Percentage
Why we discount lye, how superfat affects your bar, and how to choose the right percentage for your recipe.
Read guide →
Technique10 min
Hot Process Soap Making: A Complete Guide
Learn the hot process method — how it differs from cold process, what equipment you need, and a step-by-step walkthrough of every cook stage.
Read guide →
Science8 min
Water Discount & Lye Concentration Explained
Understand the two ways to calculate water in soap making, why discounting water speeds up unmolding and curing, and how to choose the right amount.
Read guide →
Technique9 min
Natural Colorants for Handmade Soap
A comprehensive guide to coloring soap naturally with clays, botanicals, charcoal, and infusions — including usage rates and color stability tips.
Read guide →
Beginner8 min
How to Make Palm-Free Soap
Why some makers avoid palm oil, which substitute oils to use, and how to reformulate recipes for hard, long-lasting bars without palm.
Read guide →
Beginner11 min
Troubleshooting Common Soap Making Problems
Diagnose and fix the most common cold process soap issues — from dreaded orange spots and soda ash to false trace, seizing, and soft bars.
Read guide →
Technique9 min
Fragrance and Essential Oils in Soap Making
How to choose, measure, and incorporate fragrance oils and essential oils into cold process soap — including usage rates, acceleration risks, and scent longevity tips.
Read guide →
Science7 min
Reading and Interpreting Soap Quality Metrics
A deep dive into the 8 quality metrics that the SoapIndex calculator shows — hardness, cleansing, conditioning, bubbly lather, creamy lather, longevity, iodine value, and INS — and what they mean for your bar.
Read guide →
Technique6 min
Soap Curing: Why It Matters and How to Do It Right
What happens during the 4–6 week curing period, why you cannot rush it, how to set up a proper cure space, and how to know when soap is ready to use or sell.
Read guide →