Traditional Soap Making

Traditional Soap Making Class: Crafting Soap Through the Ages

Explore Three Timeless Techniques: From Pioneer to Present Day

Overview:
Join us for a full-sensory, hands-on journey through the history and evolution of soap making. In this immersive workshop, you’ll learn how to make your own soap using both traditional and modern methods—each with distinct ingredients, techniques, and results. Perfect for beginners, hobbyists, history buffs, or anyone who enjoys creating natural, handcrafted products.

Leave with more than just soap—leave with skills, confidence, and a deeper appreciation for a craft that’s been passed down through generations.

Class Dates: Saturday  March 21, 2026
Class Length: 1 Day – Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM
Location: Seven Hills, Ohio (10 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio)
Prerequisites: None
Skill Level: Beginner – No prior experience is needed. We cover everything from safety to formulation and finishing touches.
Price: $95

What You’ll Learn:

1. Old-Fashioned Lye & Animal Fat Soap (Colonial-style Hot Process)

Step into the shoes of early settlers as you create soap the pioneer way. Using rendered animal fat (lard or tallow) and lye water (sodium hydroxide), you’ll cook your soap over heat in a hot process method that results in a rugged, usable bar by the end of the class.
Key topics covered:

• Rendering animal fat: how to purify and prepare it

• Lye safety and mixing techniques

• Cooking and curing hot process soap

• Historical uses and significance

• Natural additives used in pioneer days (ashes, herbs, salt, etc.)

2. Cold Process Soap with Lye & Vegetable Oils (Modern Traditional)

Next, we’ll make soap from scratch using nourishing plant-based oils such as olive, coconut, palm, castor, and shea butter. This cold process method allows for greater customization with colors, scents, textures, and skin-loving ingredients.
Key topics covered:

• Understanding the chemistry of saponification

• Calculating oil-to-lye ratios (with a soap calculator)

• Creating balanced recipes based on skin type

• Adding essential oils, clays, botanicals, exfoliants, and more

• How to safely handle lye and trace timing

• Curing and aging for optimal hardness and pH balance

3. Melt and Pour (Glycerin Soap Base – Beginner Friendly & Creative)

Finally, explore the most accessible method of soap making. No lye handling is needed, making this perfect for kids, families, or anyone wanting a creative outlet. You’ll work with a pre-made soap base that can be melted down and poured into molds.
Key topics covered:

• Types of melt and pour bases (clear, white, goat’s milk, shea, etc.)

• Embeds, layers, swirls, and soap art techniques

• Coloring with natural vs. synthetic colorants

• Fragrance blending and design inspiration

• Wrapping, storing, and gifting ideas

What’s Included:

• All materials and ingredients

• Custom soap recipes for each method

• Step-by-step printed guides for home use

• A generous assortment of soaps you made to take home

• Access to  supply links