Making homemade soaps is such a rewarding craft. While there are plenty of tutorials and videos online that show you how to make DIY soap from scratch, sometimes you want a physical copy of a great soap making guide that you might have on your shelf. We’ve rounded up the 10 best books for soap making, from beginners to advanced soapmakers.
Don’t waste your hard-earned money on low-quality books. We have reviewed many books on how to make soaps and these were the best!
You are reading: Books on soap making
We’ve organized the following books into categories: best for beginners; ideal for all levels; intermediate; and advanced soap making.
Let’s get started!
best soap making books for beginners
When you’re new to soap making, all the new terms and instructions can be overwhelming. there is so much new information to digest and sort through.
Fortunately, these fantastic comprehensive beginner’s books present basic techniques and detailed information and give you the knowledge (and inspiration) to keep going.
1) The Natural Soap Making Book for Beginners: Homemade Soaps with All Natural Herbs, Spices, and Essential Oils by Kelly Cable
length: 220 pages
here is an excellent guide to soap making for beginners. Like so many others, if you are drawn to home soap making because you want to reduce your use of chemicals and use natural ingredients, this book is for you. With many full-color photos, author Kelly Cable (of Simple Life Mom) explains the basic soap-making process and shares her vast knowledge of natural ingredients.
You will gain a solid foundation of knowledge in working with natural colorants, herbs, soap-making clays, salts, and essential oils. This comprehensive guide strikes a good balance between explaining the science behind soap making and the creative side. she presents sap values in a way that is easy to understand and offers over 55 cold process soap recipes to choose from from absolute beginners to more experienced soapmakers.
2) the complete photographic guide to soap making by david fisher
length: 176 pages
This book is a bit underrated, in my opinion. The title of the book says that it is a photographic guide, and that is exactly what this book offers. The old saying, a picture is worth a thousand words, applies here. If you’re looking for a step-by-step tutorial to make natural soap, you won’t be disappointed.
fisher goes into more detail than many other soap books in certain areas, like exactly how to work with additives and what each additive adds to the finished soap. It also talks about how to store and package handmade soap.
This is a good reference book that you will come back to.
3) alicia grosso’s all about soap making book
length: 288 pages
This book is one of the first I read about soap making, and one I still refer to from time to time. is a comprehensive book that covers many topics novice soapmakers want to know: common soap-making terms, bleach/superfat discounting, and basic recipes you can adapt to make your own. there is also a practical table of essential oils and their properties.
just a warning: the book is mostly text. So if you are looking for a photo-heavy soap book, this is not the place. Still, I highly recommend this book, as Grosso goes over the ins and outs of everything from hot process, cold process, melt and pour, and hand milled soap making. in addition, it also mentions where to sell soaps.
4) Natural Soap Making: 45 Melt & Pour Recipes Using Herbs, Flowers & rebecca ittner essential oils
length: 128 pages
when you want to make a batch of soap, but don’t want to handle lye, then the melt and pour method is a great place to start. simply melt a soap base, add your favorite additives and pour into soap molds. This book focuses on the use of natural, plant-derived and eco-friendly materials (this means no synthetic or petroleum-based ingredients).
With lots of full-color photos to inspire you, this book has easy-to-follow tutorials for 45 recipes. ittner reviews natural additives, colors, and flavors that can spice up your melt-and-pour soap recipes. also organizes soap recipes by their final properties: cleansing, exfoliating, mild or smooth and luxurious soap.
best soap making books for all stages
Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, these books offer something for everyone.
5) simple and natural soap making by jan berry
length: 192 pages
jan berry (also known as the nerdy farmer), explains everything you need to know about the safety of soap, oils and fats, and provides many recipes for the true beginner to the most advanced. this book strikes a good balance between full color photography and detailed information.
there are 50 recipes for shampoo bars and natural soap. I love this book and how it is organized into categories like “soaps from the apiary” or “soaps from the herb garden” and “soaps from the farm”. if you’re looking for palm-free recipes, she has some.
You’ll also find great tips for making herbal teas. towards the end, he delves into more advanced soap-making techniques. highlights the natural color guide that compiles all the colors of nature.
My only complaint is that I found the font smaller and a bit hard to read (but maybe that’s just me!).
6) The Complete Guide to Natural Soap Making: Create 65 All Natural Cold Process, Hot Process, Liquid, Melt & Pour, and Handcrafted Soaps by Amanda Gail Aaron
length: 294 pages
from lovinsoap, aaron has compiled 65 all natural soap making recipes with easy to follow instructions and attached photos. she also has a great selection of vegan soap recipes! This book covers all the major soap making processes and also includes recipes for liquid soap.
You will find everything from simple recipes for bath soaps to more complicated recipes and techniques for the advanced soap maker.
best intermediate soap making books
These books are best for those who have a few batches of soap under their belt.
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7) making transparent soap: the art of making, molding, perfuming & coloring by catherine failor
length: 144 pages
Making clear soap using a hot or cold process is a bit more involved than the average recipe, so this book is not recommended for beginners. alcohol is the key to making clear soaps in your own kitchen. failor explains the science behind soap making and provides easy-to-follow instructions.
Please note that the recipes in this book are for large batches. so remember to open your calculator if you want to make adjustments. Bonus: This book includes a blueprint for making your own wooden soap mold for all types of tinkerers.
8) natural milk soaps: goat’s milk, cow’s milk, almond milk, coconut milk – hot and cold process & melting techniques of pouring soaps colors, aromas & skincare by molly barrett
length: 141 pages
If you’ve ever made milk-enriched soap, you know it can be a tricky ingredient to use. however, once you get the hang of it, you’ll love the nourishing qualities of milk soap for dry or sensitive skin.
More than just a cookbook, Barrett provides a detailed guide to different types of milk, including their history, benefits, fat content, and how to incorporate them into your bar of soap. You will also find other milk-based body care products. It’s an ode to milk soaps!
best books for advanced soap makers
there is always more to learn! even seasoned soapmakers will discover something new in these books.
9) Advanced Soap Making: Taking the Mystery Out by Alyssa Middleton and Mary L. humphrey
length: 174 pages
Whether you’re looking to up your cold process soap making game by learning more advanced techniques, or hoping to formulate your own soap recipes, this book has you covered. Learn how to mix natural scents and calculate the correct batch size of soap to fit any mold. Find out about exotic butters and oils.
There’s a helpful glossary on the back as well as a resource guide on the best places to stock up on soap making supplies and packaging. While there is a lot of good information in this book, I think it could be better with more pictures.
10) Scientific Soap Making: The Chemistry of the Cold Process by Kevin Dunn
length: 432 pages
kevin dunn is a chemistry teacher who loves making soap and all the science behind it. If he wants to delve into the whys and wherefores of saponification and try some science experiments yourself, this is one of the best soap making books for those with a curious mind.
Not for the faint of heart, this 432-page technical tome will provide a comprehensive understanding of the entire soap-making process. armed with all this knowledge, your next batches of soap are sure to be great!
New to soap making? 🧼❓
here we have a fantastic overview of the entire soap making process 👉 read our timeless guide to soap making if you want to see our soap making posts organized by topic type 👉 check out our soap making main page