At Jonah's Handcrafted Soap Co., every bar is made by hand in small batches, mostly by cold process. This guide collects the tools and notes we rely on: calculators, measurements, oils, liquids, additives and the steps from mixing to curing. Examples throughout assume cold process soap unless a section says otherwise.

Safety first. Soap making uses lye, which can burn skin and eyes. Read Lye Safety before you start, and double-check every recipe with a second lye calculator. Nothing in this guide is a tested recipe.

Start here

New to soap making? Start with Lye Safety, then follow the cold process guide in How to Make Soap, using the Lye Calculator for your recipe.

1. Lye Safety: gear, how to mix lye, first aid and storage.

2. Lye Calculator: lye and water for your oils, plus superfat and water ratios explained.

3. Measurements & Batch Size: grams, ounces and pounds, plus how much oil fills your mold.

4. Fats & Oils: what each oil does, typical amounts, and SAP values.

5. Lye Water & Other Liquids: water, milk, beer, coffee, aloe and more.

6. Additives, Fragrance & Color: clays, oats, sugar, salt, fragrance amounts and colorants.

7. How to Make Soap: a step-by-step cold process guide, plus curing, hot process and melt & pour.

8. Troubleshooting: soda ash, cracking, soft bars and other surprises.

9. Glossary: trace, SAP, gel phase and other soap words.

Want soap without the work?

See the Jonah's Handcrafted Soap Co. bars on the Soap page, or email JonahsHandcraftedSoapCo@gmail.com about a custom batch.

The information in this guide comes from the published sources listed on each page. It is for learning, not a substitute for your own testing and care. Always follow your suppliers' safety data sheets.