The Handmade Spa: Natural Soaps

Create your own sumptuous range of skin-kind, eco-friendly artisanal soaps.

Whether you're a seasoned soap maker or a complete beginner, learn to create stunning and sustainable soaps to keep or to gift. Delve into the science behind soap making and gain a deep understanding of the chemistry involved; learn about the properties of different oils and additives and discover how to formulate recipes that result in 16 luxurious, skin-friendly soaps.

This comprehensive guide, written by artisanal soap-maker, Amélie Boué, founder of the French soap company Savon en Bullant, is your ticket to creating gentle, eco-friendly soaps from the comfort of your own home. With Amélie's expert guidance, you'll gain confidence in experimenting with ingredients and creating blends that are explicitly tailored to your preferences. Ingredients include almond, peppermint, lavender, honey, beeswax even coffee; ensuring that bathtime becomes an olfactory treat!

With a focus on natural and eco-friendly ingredients, this book teaches you how to harness the power of nature to create soaps that are not only beautiful but also kind to your skin and the environment. Explore a wide range of botanicals, essential oils, clays and colourants and learn how to incorporate them into your creations to add fragrance, texture and visual appeal.

Unleash your creativity and discover various techniques for swirling, layering and moulding soaps, allowing you to craft stunning designs that make each bar a work of art. With detailed step-by-step instructions, accompanied by beautiful photography, you'll be able to follow along easily and make soaps that are as visually captivating as they are nourishing.

Book Contents

Foreword
Creating your soap
What is soap?
Soap is made using... a bit of chemistry!
The history of soap
The different types of soap
Cold-process soap making
Timeless, multi-purpose, zero waste: soap versus the rest
Ingredients
The base
Additives

Let’s get started!

You will need, Safety gear, Handling lye safety advice, Developing the recipe, Basic production step by step, 10 keys to success

The recipes

Simply olive oil, Soft almond milk, Peppermint cordial, Honey and beeswax, Inspired by the sea, Lavender dreams, Glowing with health, Summer garden, Quick caffeine boost, At the coalface!, Green spirulina shot, Creamy full-fat milk, Marigolds for baby, Sweet Liège waffle, Herb-scented bouquet, Marbled shea butter

Further information
Glossary
Troubleshooting
Index