Privacy Policy, How Your Private Information is Protected
Coronavirus Policies
We care about the health and safety of our customers and students.
An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present.
COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
older adults and people with severe underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable.
By attending a Soapmaking Studio class you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.
Please familiarize yourself with our Temporary Modifications to Classes.
Our store remains open and compliant with
San Diego County Health Orders.
Our store offers free pre-paid carry out service for those who wish to remain in their vehicles.
Simply choose "store pickup" during online checkout or call during business
hours to place and pay for your order.
If you have any questions, please telephone the Soapmaking Studio:
(619) 668-1435.
Registration Policies
Class registration is first come, first served.
Each class' maximum attendance is four (4), ten (10), or twelve (12) students, in order to provide students more dedicated personal attention.
If a class has been filled, the registration page will show "Class Full" instead of a payment option.
Class registration fees must be paid before the start of class.
Credit card or debit card payment through the website is immediate and highly recommended.
The Soapmaking Studio also accepts money orders in the mail and cash payment before the start of class. Do not mail cash.
Some class fees are taxable, most material fees are taxable, and no online fees are taxable. For a description of applicable sales tax and rates, refer to taxable-classes.pdf.
Registration by Credit Card or Debit Card
When registering with a credit card or debit card through the website, your spot in the class is immediately secured.
The website securely processes credit cards through PayPal but a PayPal account is not required.
Our company name appears on credit card statements as "ACUTE SOAP."
Registration by Check or Money Order
Checks are accepted through the website as eChecks processed by PayPal. A PayPal account is not required. Paper checks are not accepted.
If paying by paper money order, you must complete a Registration Form.
Make the money order payable to "Soapmaking Studio."
Telephone or email info@SoapmakingStudio.com to let us know you've mailed a money order and for which class, date, and time.
When your money order is received at the Soapmaking Studio, if the class has not filled and is still open, we will email you to confirm receipt of payment.
If the class has filled and is closed, we will call you immediately and you may decide to either take the class at a later date or have your money order returned to you by mail.
Mail completed Registration Form and money order to: Soapmaking Studio
7301 Mount Vernon St
Lemon Grove, CA 91945-3122
Registration by Cash
To pay with cash, telephone (619) 668-1435 or email info@SoapmakingStudio.com to let us know which class, date, and time you'd like to attend.
Complete a Registration Form to bring with you and arrive 15 minutes early before the start of class to register and pay.
Keep in mind, a verbal statement you intend to attend is not binding. Your spot in the class is not guaranteed until you have paid for the class.
Some classes fill to capacity weeks before the class date.
Age Policy
All minors, adults, and seniors in attendance must register and pay for classes.
Children under age 14 may not attend classes.
Adults age 18 and older may attend classes unaccompanied.
Minors between ages 14 and 18 may attend classes while accompanied by an adult over age 21, detailed below.
Minors
Minors between ages 14 and under 16 must be accompanied by an adult over age 21 creating a ratio of one adult per each student age 14–16.
Minors between ages 16 and 18 must be accompanied by an adult over age 21 creating a ratio of one adult per four (4) students ages 16–18.
The adult accompanying a minor assumes full responsibility for the minor, including the minor's actions, behavior, health, and safety.
Seniors
The Soapmaking Studio gladly accommodates seniors and students with special needs.
Bilingual Policy
Although most of the instructors and staff speak Spanish, no classes are taught exclusively in Spanish.
Instructors are frequently able to offer one or two sentences of supplemental instruction in Spanish for clarification
but instructors do not teach whole classes in Spanish. Classes are taught in English.
Aunque la mayoría de los instructores y el personal habla español, no las clases se imparten exclusivamente en español.
Los instructores son a menudo capaces de ofrecer una o dos frases de suplemento de instrucción en español para aclaración,
pero los instructores no enseñan clases enteras en español. Las clases se enseñan en inglés.
All payments are non-refundable. No refunds, period.
Registration fees may not be transferred to another person nor used toward a different class.
If you have committed to a class and cannot attend (for any reason whatsoever) contact the Soapmaking Studio by
emailing info@SoapmakingStudio.com or telephoning (619) 668-1435 as soon as possible. The sooner you contact us, the better.
Five (5) or More Days Advance Notice of Cancellation
If you notify the Soapmaking Studio five (or more) days prior to the class, you may choose to pay a $20 rescheduling fee and attend the same class at a later date.
If the class or materials fees have increased since the original registration date, the student is required to pay the difference in fees in addition to the $20 rescheduling fee. For recent fee increases, refer to the Classes Overview PDF.
To be eligible to attend the same class at a later date, you must complete the rescheduling
(including paying the rescheduling fee) within 30 days of the missed class date.
Four (4) or Fewer Days Advance Notice of Cancellation
If you notify the Soapmaking Studio fewer than five days prior to the class, you may choose to pay a $30 rescheduling fee and attend the same class at a later date.
If the class or materials fees have increased since the original registration date, the student is required to pay the difference in fees in addition to the $30 rescheduling fee. For recent fee increases, refer to the Classes Overview PDF.
To be eligible to attend the same class at a later date, you must complete the rescheduling
(including paying the rescheduling fee) within 30 days of the missed class date.
If you do not contact the Soapmaking Studio prior to missing the class for which you've committed, you will be considered in "no call, no show" status.
If you registered for a class to attend in person, did not notify us of cancellation and are in "no call, no show" status, within 30 days of missing your class, you may choose to pay the discounted re-take fee to attend the same class at a later date.
Refer to Student Registered for a Class to Attend in Person but neither Canceled nor Attended, below.
If you registered for a class to attend online, did not notify us of cancellation and are in "no call, no show" status, within 30 days of missing your class, you may choose to re-pay the online fee to attend the same class at a later date.
Refer to Student Registered for a Class to Attend Online but neither Canceled nor Attended, below.
If a person in "no call, no show" status fails to re-register within 30 days following the missed class,
the person will not receive any type of refund, rescheduling option, nor credit toward a future class.
No refunds.
Rescheduling Policies
To reschedule a class, you must telephone the Soapmaking Studio: (619) 668-1435.
Student Made Contact to Cancel Prior to Class Date
If the student notified the Soapmaking Studio of cancellation in advance of missing the class,
then the student qualifies to reschedule and attend the same class at a later date.
Rescheduling policies and fees are the same, regardless of whether the student originally registered to attend in person or attend online.
Rescheduling (including paying the rescheduling fee) must be completed within 30 days of the missed class.
If you notified the Soapmaking Studio 5 (or more) days prior to the class, the rescheduling fee is $20.
If you notified the Soapmaking Studio 4 (or fewer) days prior to the class, the rescheduling fee is $30.
If the class fee or materials fee has increased since the original registration date,
the student is required to pay the difference in fees in addition to the rescheduling fee.
A "no call, no show" (person who did not call to cancel and did not attend) is not eligible for these rescheduling fees
but may be eligible to re-register by paying the class re-take fee, as described in the next section.
To better understand the difference between rescheduling a class, re-taking a class, and re-paying an online fee,
refer to the Reschedule Form PDF.
No refunds.
Student Registered for a Class to Attend in Person but neither Canceled nor Attended
A person who fails to notify the Soapmaking Studio to cancel class attendance and does not show up for class
is in "no call, no show" status and may be eligible to pay the class re-take fee to attend the missed class at a later date.
This re-take fee is exactly the same for students who attend a class and want to re-attend the same class
at a later date for a discounted registration fee. Both scenarios are using the "Soapmaking Studio Class Passport"
(received with the materials in the workbook) to qualify for the discounted re-take fee.
The difference is a student who attended has 1 year to pay the re-take fee,
while a person who did not call nor attend has 30 days to pay the re-take fee.
If the class fee or materials fee has increased since the original registration date,
the student is required to pay the difference in fees in addition to the rescheduling fee.
A person in "no call, no show" status is NOT eligible for the rescheduling fees described in the previous section.
A person in "no call, no show" status must both contact the Soapmaking Studio and pay the class re-take fee
within 30 days of the original missed class date.
To better understand the difference between rescheduling a class, re-taking a class, and re-paying an online fee,
refer to the Reschedule Form PDF.
No refunds.
Student Registered for a Class to Attend Online but neither Canceled nor Attended
A person who fails to notify the Soapmaking Studio to cancel online class attendance and does not attend the online class
is in "no call, no show" status and may be eligible to re-pay the class online fee to attend the missed class at a later date.
Online students have paid more fees than students who attend in person.
Online students pay an additional online fee to cover the cost of mailing materials and paying a technician to run the camera and
attend to the online student during the live broadcast of the class. Because the student did not cancel and was expected to attend online,
the technician showed up for work and was paid. Therefore, the "no call, no show" person must re-pay the online fee of $25
to attend the same class at a later date. After re-paying the online fee,
a technician will be re-assigned to assist the online student during the live class.
If the class fee or materials fee has increased since the original registration date,
the student is required to pay the difference in fees in addition to the rescheduling fee.
A person in "no call, no show" status is NOT eligible for the rescheduling fees described in the previous section.
A person in "no call, no show" status must both contact the Soapmaking Studio and re-pay the class online fee
within 30 days of the original missed class date.
To better understand the difference between rescheduling a class, re-taking a class, and re-paying an online fee,
refer to the Reschedule Form PDF.
No refunds.
Attendance Policies
Arrive a few minutes early because the class will start on time.
If you need to pay cash and submit your completed Registration Form arrive 15 minutes early.
If you have a specific question about a failed batch of soap, bring the exact recipe and a bar of the failed soap with you to the class.
Bring a mobile device or camera to take single-frame photos during the class. Video recordings and other motion picture recordings are strictly forbidden and grounds for expulsion from class. As private property, the Soapmaking Studio shall prosecute anyone making an audio and/or a video recording, as set forth in the Wiretap Act of 1968 (18 United States Code § 2511) and California Penal Code § 632. PDF
of written permission to take single-frame photographs and "No Audio Recording, No Video Recording Policy."
The Soapmaking Studio is home to a pet cat, so if you suffer from allergies remember to bring any medication you may need.
When you arrive, park on our property, off of the street.
Do not bring guests or people who are not formally registered as paying students.
Do not bring pets to class.
If you cannot attend the class, contact the Soapmaking Studio as soon as possible and review the Cancellation Policies (above).
Online Attendance
Online Registration
Most (but not all) classes are available online. Online availability is subject to the instructor's discretion. To register for an online class, visit the Classes page and click the hyperlink name and class number (e.g. Soapmaking 105) to go to the registration page for the class.
When on the class registration page, choose the "Add to Cart" button from the honeydew greenattend online row.
Contact the Soapmaking Studio to verify the online availability of a class if the class registration page does not have a honeydew greenattend online row.
Online classes (except Soapmaking 101) require an additional online fee to cover the cost of mailing materials and camera operation. If registration is completed six (6) days or more before the class, the online fee is $25 and includes USPS First Class Mail. If registration is completed
five (5) days or fewer before the class, the online fee is $38 and includes USPS Priority Mail Express expedited service for mailing the class workbook. For more information about the supplemental online fee and material mailings, review the PDF of Online Policies.
Change to Online Attendance
If a student has already registered to attend a class in person, the student may choose to attend online (instead of in person).
The student must pay the additional online fee to cover the cost of camera operation and two (2) mailings by choosing the appropriate shipping service with the following button. The student must inform the Soapmaking Studio of the class date, class name, and class number to attend online. Either include the class information in the comment field during checkout or telephone the Soapmaking Studio (619) 668-1435.
Instructors access a microphone to communicate and answer questions from online students. Online classes include the audio and video feeds of the live class via Google Meet. Online classes begin 15 minutes before the start of the live class to ensure online students are connected and have sufficient audio and video capabilities. All times are listed in Pacific Time (PT).
The week of the class, an invitation to view the class online is sent to students through an email hyperlink. Registered online students may alternatively connect to their class by accessing the Soapmaking Studio Google Calendar, locating the class by date, opening the "more details" page for the class, and clicking the meet.google.com/xxx-xxxx-xxx link after "Joining info."
Online Materials
Online classes (except Online Soapmaking 101) include the mailing of a hardcopy workbook and/or access to an online workbook during the time of the class via an email hyperlink to
Google Drive copyrighted documents.
Online Soapmaking 101 does not incur an additional online fee. The registration fee for Online Soapmaking 101 includes access to the online workbook; it does not include hardcopy materials. A hardcopy of the Soapmaking 101: Beginning Cold Process Soapmaking class workbook is available for purchase
from Amazon Soapmaking 101: Beginning Cold Process Soapmaking (Workbook)
or from our Books in stock.
In addition to camera operation, the online registration fee includes two (2) mailings*. The first mailing (pre-class) contains the hardcopy workbook and any supplemental handouts. The second mailing (post-class) includes the product(s) made during the class and a certificate of completion.
*To minimize fees, online international students outside the United States will have temporary online access to view digital materials during the class and will receive only one (1) mailing (of the hardcopy workbook, supplemental handouts, products made during class, and a certificate of completion) after attending the online class.
Recommended Connection Procedures
Because the online workbook and video/audio feed are both served via Google products, computers and laptops work best with the free
Google Chrome Internet browser or other modern browsers, such as Edge, Firefox, or Safari. If using
the Internet Explorer browser, install the free Google Video Support Plugin.
Mobile devices, such as android phones, iPhone, and iPad, require installation of the Google Meet App.
Desktop computers, laptop computers, and mobile devices work best immediately after being fully charged
and re-booted (shutdown and re-started).
The day before your online class, fully charge your device.
15 minutes before the start of your online class, freshly re-boot your machine and go online to the Soapmaking Studio Google Calendar. After locating the class by date, open the "more details" page for your class, and click the meet.google.com/xxx-xxxx-xxx link after "Joining info."
Telephone the Soapmaking Studio (619) 668-1435 if you have any difficulties.
Class Re-Take Policies
It is the objective of the Soapmaking Studio to provide precise, accurate, comprehensive, memorable instruction.
Because students learn at varying rates and because students excel in different fields of study,
students may choose to re-take most of the classes offered by the Soapmaking Studio for a discounted re-take registration fee.
Students in possession of a valid "Soapmaking Studio Class Passport" are eligible to re-attend
for the discounted re-take fee and the passport must be presented at the time of the class.
A person in "no call, no show" status will receive a passport (if the class includes a passport) when issued materials;
the passport is dated with the original date of the missed class.
Classes taught by guest instructors may not be eligible for the re-take discount.
The option to offer a discounted price to students who return to re-take a class is at the discretion of the instructor.
Past students may not register to re-attend a class already filled to capacity.
A student who originally attended online may re-take the same class in person for the discounted re-take fee.
Online classes are not eligible for a discounted re-take fee.
If the duration of time between when the student originally attended the class and the date of re-registration is greater than one year,
then the student is not eligible for the discounted re-take fee. To be eligible for the re-take discount,
re-registration (including paying the re-take fee) must be completed within 1 year of the original attendance date and the
student must submit a valid "Soapmaking Studio Class Passport."
A person who does not call to cancel and does not show up for class is in "no call, no show" status and
(similar to students who attended the class) may choose to pay the class re-take fee to attend the class at a later date.
A person in "no call, no show" status must both contact the Soapmaking Studio and pay the class re-take fee
within 30 days of the original missed class date.
The discounted re-take registration fee does not include materials.
Past students who re-take a class must either bring materials (such as the class workbook) to the class or re-purchase materials before the class.
For a few classes (i.e. Soapmaking 100, Soap Business 335, and Aromatherapy Natural Perfume Class),
materials are mandatory because the majority of classroom time is spent making products. For these few classes,
the materials fee is added to the re-take fee, and the student will receive materials to make products during the class.
For specific re-take fees for these few classes, refer to the Classes Overview PDF.
If the class fee or materials fee has increased since the original attendance date, the student is required to pay the difference in fees
in addition to the re-take fee. For recent fee increases, refer to the Classes Overview PDF.
If eligible, the discounted registration fees are:
$35 re-take fee for eligible classes totaling (class fee + materials fee) $59.99 or less.
$50 re-take fee for eligible classes totaling (class fee + materials fee) $60.00–$89.99.
$65 re-take fee for eligible classes totaling (class fee + materials fee) $90.00 or more.
Students receive access to a list of student discounts and online discount codes from various soapmaking supply vendors.
In the email confirming class registration, students receive a PDF file of current discounts offered exclusively to students and graduates of the Soapmaking Studio.
Past students and graduates may request the PDF file of the available student discounts via email.
When at the Soapmaking Studio, students may request a printed hardcopy of the student discounts.
The student discounts are provided by various outside vendors. The Soapmaking Studio is not affiliated with these vendors and is not responsible for unsubstantiated claims by vendors.
Facility Policies
The Soapmaking Studio is wheelchair accessible.
The Soapmaking Studio makes every effort to accommodate physically-challenged students, including students suffering physical injuries.
Students are allowed to sit, stand, or stretch as needed during classes.
Maximum student occupancy for the classroom is twelve (12) students.
If necessary, upon the request of an adult (21 years or older) student, a common OTC
drug medication (e.g. acetaminophen, aspirin, ibuprophen, antihistamine) may be issued to the student, free of charge. To receive an OTC medication an adult student must first complete and sign the Medication Release Form PDF.
The Soapmaking Studio is a green facility powered by solar panels. We collect rain water and greywater for use in our aromatic plant gardens.
Our facility features natural lighting from Solatube sky lights in key work areas. We reuse, re-purpose, recycle, and compost.
Smoking is not allowed inside the Soapmaking Studio. Students may smoke on the property outdoors during breaks.
During classes and business hours, the Soapmaking Studio runs air purifying machines with a HEPA filter, PlasmaWave air cleaning system, and UV-C air sanitation.
Classes longer than 2½ hours include a 15-minute break.
An Energy Star-certified refrigerator is available for students who bring their lunches to full-day classes.
The Soapmaking Studio cannot be responsible for loss of items from the student refrigerator.
A restroom facility is available for students.
Merchandise Exchange Policy
We invest in the purest and safest ingredients.
To protect our high standards of purity and safety, sales of all ingredients are final.
We do not accept exchanges or returns of ingredients.
Molds and tools may be exchanged only if they have not been used.
Classes are held at a private home occupied by a pet cat.
If you are allergic to cats, please contact info@soapmakingstudio.com prior to enrolling in a class.
The Soapmaking Studio is wheelchair accessible.