Pure Soapmaking

The single best introduction to making soap at home. Anne-Marie Faiola wrote this book to take a complete beginner from zero to confidently crafting beautiful, skin-nourishing bars. It contains over 30 recipes organized by complexity, starting with simple bars and progressively introducing new techniques like swirls, natural colorants, and specialty additives.

Why Start Here

“Pure Soapmaking” teaches the cold-process method from the ground up. Faiola starts with a thorough explanation of saponification, walks you through every piece of equipment you need, and gives you a clear safety briefing on working with lye. The progressive recipe structure means you build skills naturally rather than trying to do everything at once.

What truly sets this book apart is the photography. Every step of every technique is photographed in full color, so you can see exactly what your soap should look like at each stage. For a craft where visual cues matter enormously, this guidance is invaluable.

What to Expect

A beautifully photographed, progressively structured guide to cold-process soapmaking. At 239 pages, it covers safety, equipment, the science of saponification, more than 30 recipes, and detailed troubleshooting. The tone is practical and supportive.