Tips, tutorials, and guides for soap makers and candle makers
Compare soap and candle making businesses side by side. Understand startup costs, profit margins, market demand, and time requirements to choose the right craft business for you.
Learn essential lye safety for soap making. Covers proper handling, protective equipment, emergency procedures, and storage guidelines for sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.
Learn candle making basics with this beginner's guide. Covers essential supplies, step-by-step instructions, common mistakes, and tips for making your first successful candles.
Learn how to use coconut oil in soap making. Understand optimal percentages, why it creates great lather, potential drawbacks, and how to balance coconut oil in your recipes.
Learn how to turn soap making from a hobby into a profitable business. Covers legal requirements, pricing, marketing, and operations for handmade soap sellers.
Understand SAP values for soap making. Learn what saponification values mean, how to use them for lye calculations, and find SAP values for common oils and butters.
Learn how to select the correct wick size for your candles. Includes wick size charts by diameter, wax type recommendations, and testing procedures for perfect burns.
Learn everything about soap curing: why cold process soap needs 4-6 weeks, how to cure properly, what happens during the cure, and signs your soap is ready to use.
Learn how to calculate essential oil amounts for soap making safely. Includes usage rates by oil type, maximum percentages, and formulas for scenting your handmade soap.
Learn how to track soap batches professionally. Includes what information to record, tracking systems, and why batch documentation matters for quality control and business growth.
Understand the differences between hot process and cold process soap making. Learn which method is right for you, with pros, cons, and detailed process breakdowns.
Learn how to calculate the exact amount of wax needed for your candle containers. Includes formulas, charts, and tips for measuring wax accurately every time.
Learn how to price handmade soap profitably. Includes cost calculation formulas, pricing strategies, and real examples to help you set prices that sell while making money.
Learn how to manage soap making inventory effectively. Track ingredients, supplies, and finished products to reduce waste, control costs, and never run out of key supplies.
Learn how to calculate fragrance load for candles. Includes fragrance percentages by wax type, maximum loads, and formulas to get the perfect scent throw every time.
Learn how to scale soap recipes up or down accurately. Includes formulas, examples, and tips for maintaining perfect ratios when changing batch sizes.
Learn how to calculate superfat for soap making. Understand what superfat percentages to use, how they affect your bars, and when to adjust your lye discount.
Looking for alternatives to SoapMaker 3? Compare features, pricing, and platform support for the best soap making software options available today.
Looking for soap making software that works on Mac? Compare the best recipe calculators, batch trackers, and business tools for macOS users who make handmade soap.
Learn exactly how to calculate lye (sodium hydroxide) for cold process soap making. Includes SAP values, superfat calculations, and a step-by-step guide for perfect soap every time.