Soap Making Books

From LoveToKnow Crafts

If you’re interested in learning how to make your own homemade soap, there are many excellent soap making books that can provide the information you need to get started.

Soap making books can provide a useful reference for both beginning and experienced crafters.

A Guide to Soap Making Books

As you’re deciding which soap making books fit your needs, you’ll want to ask yourself a few basic questions. For example:

What type of soaps do I want to make? Am I interested in making aromatherapy soaps or soaps that help treat a specific skin condition? Do I want to learn how to use ingredients such as olive oil, cocoa butter, and sweet almond extract?
Do I want to learn how to make candles, bath bombs, or other products that compliment my handmade soaps?
Am I interested in selling my handmade soaps?
Am I familiar with common soap making terminology?

Making Candles & Soaps for Dummies

If you can get past the title, Making Candles & Soaps For Dummies by Kelly Ewing is a great primer for the beginning crafter who wants to learn to create complimentary scented soaps and candles. This soap making book discusses topics such as purchasing supplies, creating a work area, choosing scents and colors for your projects, and beginning your own candle or soap making business. All terms are thoroughly explained and an appendix with website addresses offers a convenient source of additional information. However, since this book is not intended to be a comprehensive guide to soap making, you’ll want to choose another reference if you’re interested in learning more about recipes and advanced soap making techniques.

The Soapmaker’s Companion

If you have some basic soap making knowledge and you’re looking for a general reference to take your crafting skills to the next level, pick up a copy of The Soapmaker's Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How by Susan Miller Cavitch. This essential soap making reference covers topics such as making liquid soap, creating layered soaps, and designing exquisite stained glass soaps. You’ll even learn how to create your own homemade laundry soap! There are no photos, but the hand-drawn illustrations help to reinforce key concepts.

Making Scented Soap

If you’re interested in creating scented soaps like those from your favorite specialty boutique, Making Scented Soap: 60 Fragrant Soaps and Bath Bombs to make at Home by Linda Hamblen provides a collection of easy-to-follow recipes and beautiful illustrations to guide you through the process of making your own naturally scented soaps, including lemon sherbet, cucumber and peppermint, frankincense and myrrh, and rosemary and thyme soaps. Techniques covered include making cold-process soap bars, liquid soap, clear soap, massage melts, and bath bombs. If you’re interested in giving your creations as gifts or starting your own soap making business, you’ll also want to check out this soap making book’s special section on the packing and presentation of handmade scented soaps.

Milk-Based Soaps

If you’re interested in creating soaps that pamper your skin, Milk-Based Soaps: Making Natural, Skin-Nourishing Soap by Casey Makela will show you how to create vegetable and tallow based soaps that can help keep your skin in top condition. You’ll learn how to make a variety of classic beauty soaps, such as a milk-based oatmeal soap or a peaches and cream soap. However, this soap making book assumes that you are already familiar with basic techniques and terminology. If you’ve never made your own handmade natural soap, the recipes may be too difficult for you to follow correctly.

Additional Information

Soap making books can be found at any large bookstore or wherever soap making supplies are sold. The following websites have a number of books available for purchase:

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