Over the years, I’ve collected several soap-making books, but there are three that I keep going back to. Some books are just so good that you have to hold on to them forever.
I own all three of these books, and I can tell you they’ve been well used. Some of the pages have oil stains, the covers are worn, and they’ve spent plenty of time sitting beside me while making soap.
I don’t pick them up nearly as often as I used to, but I’ll always keep them in my soap-making library.
Whether you’re just learning how to make handmade soap or have been making it for years, a good reference book can be incredibly useful. I still think there’s something nice about having a book you can flip through when you’re trying a new recipe or looking for information about an ingredient.
If you’re just getting started with soap making, you might also enjoy my guide to 10 Questions Every New Soap Maker Asks, where I answer some of the most common questions beginners have about making their first batches of soap.
These are my three favourite soap-making books and why I recommend them.
My Three Favourite Soap-Making Books
The three books I recommend are:
- Soap Naturally by Patrizia Garzena and Marina Tadiello
- The Natural Soap Book by Susan Miller Cavitch
- The Soapmaker’s Companion by Susan Miller Cavitch
Each book offers something a little different. Some focus more on ingredients and recipes, while others go deeper into soap-making techniques and the business side of making soap.
If you’re completely new to soap making, you might also enjoy my Soap Making Recipes collection, where I share some of the recipes I’ve used over the years.
1. Soap Naturally by Patrizia Garzena and Marina Tadiello
Soap Naturally: Ingredients, Methods and Recipes for Natural Handmade Soap
Of all the soap-making books I own, this is one that I particularly treasure.
Written by Patrizia Garzena and Marina Tadiello, Soap Naturally is a detailed reference book covering just about everything a person needs to know about making natural handmade soap.
What I especially like about this book is that it doesn’t stop at basic soap recipes. It explains ingredients, different soap-making methods, troubleshooting, and even other handmade skincare products.
This 316-page book covers a wide range of subjects, including:
- The history of soap making
- Differences between industrial and handmade soap
- Sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide
- Soap-making oils and fats
- Superfatting and calculating recipes
- Infused oils and botanical ingredients
- Essential oils and fragrance oils
- Natural and synthetic soap colourants
- Additives such as aloe vera, seaweed, and silk
- Antioxidants, preservatives, and ingredient storage
- Cold process and hot process soap making
- Rebatching and recycling soap
- Liquid soap making
- Troubleshooting common soap-making problems
- Creating your own soap recipes
- Rendering animal fats
- Making balms, salves, lotions, and creams
- Soap labeling and business considerations
- Useful reference tables, including saponification values and INCI ingredient names
One of my favourite parts is the large recipe section. There are approximately 62 pages dedicated to soap recipes and information about creating your own formulations.
If you’re interested in experimenting with different oils, understanding why ingredients behave the way they do, or developing your own recipes, there’s plenty to learn.
You can also read my guide to the best oils for soap making for more information about choosing oils for your recipes.
Who Would I Recommend This Book To?
I’d recommend Soap Naturally to someone who wants more than a beginner’s introduction.
It’s especially useful if you’re planning to make soap regularly, experiment with your own recipes, or eventually turn soap making into a small business.
This is an older book and may be difficult to find new. Used copies sometimes appear through online booksellers.
Look for Soap Naturally on Amazon Canada
2. The Natural Soap Book by Susan Miller Cavitch
The Natural Soap Book: Making Herbal and Vegetable-Based Soaps
Susan Miller Cavitch has written some excellent books about soap making, and this is one of my favourites.
The Natural Soap Book is a wonderful introduction to making handmade soap using vegetable oils, herbs, and other ingredients.
What I like about this book is how the information is organized. It takes you through the basics before moving into more detailed techniques.
The book is approximately 182 pages and is divided into four main sections.
Understanding the Basics
The first section introduces different types of soap and explains some of the fundamentals of soap making.
It’s a good starting point for anyone who wants to understand how handmade soap differs from commercially manufactured products.
Learning About Soap-Making Ingredients
The second section covers ingredients used in handmade soap, including:
- Vegetable oils and fats
- Sodium hydroxide
- Fragrance and essential oils
- Natural colourants
- Herbs and other additives
- Ingredient storage and preservation considerations
Understanding your ingredients is one of the most important parts of making good soap.
If you’re interested in adding natural scents to your recipes, my article on the best essential oils for soap making is another helpful resource.
Making Your Own Soap
The third section explains the actual soap-making process.
It includes information about equipment, preparing ingredients, following recipes, diagnosing problems, and cutting and trimming finished soap bars.
One thing I always recommend to beginners is learning the basic process before experimenting with complicated recipes or decorative designs.
Beyond the Basics
The final section explores additional soap-making topics, including soap chemistry, suppliers, wrapping finished soap, and some business considerations.
Something I particularly enjoy about this book is the personal stories from other soap makers. They add a nice touch and make the book more interesting to read.
You’ll also find useful tips and warnings throughout the pages.
Who Would I Recommend This Book To?
I think The Natural Soap Book is a good choice for beginners who want to learn traditional soap-making techniques.
It’s also useful for anyone who enjoys making soap with vegetable oils, herbs, and natural ingredients.
Find The Natural Soap Book on Amazon Canada
3. The Soapmaker’s Companion by Susan Miller Cavitch
The Soapmaker’s Companion: A Comprehensive Guide with Recipes, Techniques & Know-How
The third book on my list is another excellent reference by Susan Miller Cavitch.
The Soapmaker’s Companion is a book I would recommend to anyone who wants to understand the soap-making process in greater detail.
This book contains approximately 281 pages and covers everything from setting up your work area to experimenting with different soap recipes and techniques.
What You’ll Learn
The book begins with the basics, including:
- Working safely with sodium hydroxide
- Choosing soap-making equipment
- Preparing your workspace
- Selecting soap molds
- Mixing and pouring soap
- Understanding soap-making temperatures
From there, it moves into more advanced subjects.
You’ll find information about vegetable-based soap recipes, special techniques, transparent soaps, fragrance ingredients, natural colourants, and troubleshooting.
There are also sections about using resins in soap, decorative techniques, and common questions soap makers have when getting started.
If you’re interested in making soap using different methods, you can also read my Hot Process Soap Making Instructions for a step-by-step explanation of that method.
Troubleshooting and Improving Your Soap
One reason I like keeping reference books around is that even experienced soap makers occasionally run into problems.
A recipe that worked perfectly before might behave differently when you change a fragrance, oil, or temperature.
Having a book that explains what might have gone wrong can be helpful.
For example, if your soap batter suddenly becomes too thick to pour, my guide on How to Fix a Seized Soap Batch explains some common causes and what you can do when a batch starts thickening too quickly.
Soap Making as a Business
The Soapmaker’s Companion also includes information about selling handmade soap.
It discusses subjects such as business planning, taxes, insurance, and regulations.
However, remember that this is an older publication. Business laws, tax requirements, labeling rules, and cosmetic regulations can change.
I would use these chapters to understand the general business considerations, but always check current government requirements before selling soap.
Who Would I Recommend This Book To?
I think this book is a good choice for beginners who want a comprehensive reference they can continue using as their skills improve.
It’s also useful for soap makers who are ready to try different techniques or begin developing their own recipes.
Find The Soapmaker’s Companion on Amazon Canada
Which Soap-Making Book Should You Buy?
All three books are worth having, but the best choice depends on what you want to learn.
| Book | Best For |
|---|---|
| Soap Naturally | Understanding ingredients, experimenting with recipes, and exploring different handmade skincare products |
| The Natural Soap Book | Beginners interested in traditional vegetable-oil and herbal soaps |
| The Soapmaker’s Companion | Learning soap-making techniques, troubleshooting, and developing your skills |
If I were choosing just one for someone who wants to learn about natural ingredients and eventually create their own recipes, I would probably choose Soap Naturally.
For someone completely new to soap making, The Natural Soap Book is a good starting point.
And if you’re looking for a reference that covers both beginner and more advanced techniques, The Soapmaker’s Companion is an excellent choice.
Are Older Soap-Making Books Still Worth Buying?
I think they are.
The basic chemistry behind soap making hasn’t changed, and older books can still teach you a great deal about oils, lye, saponification, soap-making methods, and recipe development.
However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Always verify soap recipes before making them. Even published recipes can contain errors, and recommended lye amounts may depend on the specific oils being used.
Use a reliable soap calculator to check the amount of sodium hydroxide required for your recipe.
If you’re new to soap making, learn how to handle lye safely before attempting your first batch.
Also, some older books contain advice about ingredients, skincare claims, or business regulations that may no longer reflect current standards.
Treat these books as valuable learning resources, but verify important safety and legal information using current sources.
What About Selling Handmade Soap?
One thing I appreciate about these three books is that they all discuss the business side of soap making to some extent.
When I was selling handmade soap at craft fairs, I learned that making a good bar of soap was only one part of running a soap business.
You also need to think about pricing, labeling, packaging, keeping records, and understanding the rules that apply to the products you’re selling.
If you’re planning to sell your handmade soap, I recommend reading my guide to making your own soap labels for ideas about creating labels for your products.
For current regulations, refer to official government information:
- Canada: Health Canada – Cosmetics
- United States: FDA – Cosmetics
Remember that how a product is marketed and what claims you make can affect which regulations apply.
My Final Thoughts on These Three Soap-Making Books
I have owned these books for years, and even though I don’t use them nearly as often anymore, I wouldn’t part with them.
They helped me learn more about ingredients, understand different soap-making methods, and become more confident in creating my own recipes.
There’s something special about a book that’s been used so often that the pages are worn and stained with oil. To me, that means it’s done its job.
Whether you’re making your first batch of soap or have been making soap for years, having a few good reference books on your shelf is always worthwhile.
And if you already have one of these books, I’d love to know which one is your favourite.
Affiliate Disclosure
This article contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Soap-Making Safety Reminder
Always use appropriate protective equipment when working with sodium hydroxide, follow current safety recommendations, and verify recipes with a reliable lye calculator before making soap. Older reference books may contain information that should be checked against current safety and regulatory guidance.
© 2018 – 2026, Tes. All rights reserved.
Making soaps can be a very fun hobby, while I’m not big on this type on craftsmanship, I think my sister does so I will tell her about these books.
I like the fact that some of the books you mentioned also teaches you how to sell these. Do you have a simple post on how you can get started on making soaps so I can learn about how difficult it is, and if I can do it?
Thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Anh
Hello Anh,
I do have a page that gives step by step instructions on soap making. It should give you a pretty good idea whether or not it is something you want to get into. Here is the link “How to make soap”
You have some great books recommended here for soap makers, but if you had to choose one, which one would you start with.
You seem to prefer the first one in your post called Soap Naturally, but you say it is out of print. I personally like the look of the last one entitled ‘The Soapmakers Companion.’
I do really like the first one, but The Soapmakers Companion is a very good book. It is well laid out and easy to read with lots of tips and information. I think you will really like this one.
I see so many gorgeous pictures of hand made soap, so I have always wanted to try it! These look ,like awesome books to get started with. Is the soap making process hard to do? I am going to have to get the book ‘The Natural Soap Book’ that seems right up my alley. Thank you for all the great information!
–Rina
Hi Rina
The soap making process is not hard to do if you follow instructions and use recipes.
The Natural Soap Book is an excellent one to start with. It will teach you everything you need to know to get going.
You might want to check out these pages
Step by Step Instructions on making soap
Recipes for making soap
Teresa,
I love when I run across homemade soaps. I have often thought about making some of my own. But have never been sure about where to start or if it would be something I could actually do. I bought a scent many years ago and only bought one because I had never used homemade soap before. Which is bad for me because I loved the scent and have never been able to find it again. I like that you give your readers the three books you really love, too bad the first one you list is no longer in print. That is the one that I found the most interesting from your post. I will have to go to some local resale bookstores in my area which are now few and far between or local library to find it. Thanks for the great information.
Monica
Hi Monica, I didn’t realize the first book is no longer available. It really is a good one. Hope you can find one at a second hand book store. Or check on-line sometimes those old ones come up for sale as used. Saying that the other two are also very good books.
if i can remember the first time i made soap was when i was in high school in chemistry lab with my friends and teacher so it’ll be great to learn how to do it again. Out of the three books, the natural soap book seems best for me since its concise and still offers great value at an amazing price!!
Nice and awesome post. Thanks for sharing!!
I too started making soap back around the time of high school, back then we were not so artistic with soap, it was pretty plain. I love adding scents and colors and creating new soaps, these books give you the knowledge to be able to do that.
I am always looking for home made gift ideas and it is always fun learning something new. Even though I have no soap making experience it looks like one of these books would be able to teach me exactly how to do this!
The Soap Makers Companion probably excites me the most because it also tells you how to turn soap making into a business. I am a sucker for interesting business ideas and I love the thought of selling beautiful hand crafted soaps.
The soap Makers Companion really is a great book. If you are planning on starting a business there is lots of great information there. Just remember the labeling requirements and such. You may want to have a look at this post as well
Organic and Natural Product Labelling Rules
Thanks for your book reviews for soap making. These 3 books contain lots of information. With these 3 books, We will be able to make our own soaps.
I like the Soapmaker’s Companion. There are recipes for vegetable based soaps and transparent soaps. They even teach you how to sell soaps as a business!
These 3 are great books, even with the internet I still like to have books to refer to. You should see my library lol