Soapmaking Studio

Attend online classes or in person classes at the A+ Soapmaking Studio in Lemon Grove, San Diego County, California. Learn how to make soap, sell soap, and how to make cosmetics and sell cosmetics. A private vocational school, crafting and business school, where the public may purchase soapmaking supplies locally or online.

Our Soapmaking Supply Store is Open and Classes are in Session!

Our physical store location is open and classes are in session. Check the Soapmaking Studio hours. View the schedule of classes.

Closed:
Tuesdays, Thursdays, holidays, and dates below.
Additional Closures:
Wednesday, December 25, 2024—closed (Christmas Day)
Wednesday, January 1, 2025—closed (New Year's Day)

Lip Balm Making Class

Sunday, December 1, 2024, at the Soapmaking Studio

Learn to Make Lip Balms and Intensive Oil Treatments to Protect and Soothe Skin from Winter's Harshness

Handmade Lip Balm and Intensive Oil Treatments

This pre-holiday Lip Balm Making Class focuses on simple lip balm making procedures for consistent and effective lip products, including lip tubes and balms in pot style jars. Techniques include how to create a twist tube of lip balm without problematic "sinkholes." Lecture information includes vegan alternatives to bees wax, natural ingredients to make a shiny lip gloss, and oil phase vitamins and nutrients for lips and skin. Material relates to other tube products, such as solid lotion sticks for softening stretch marks, elbows, and heels and solid menthol rub sticks. Attend in person or online. Register for Lip Balm Making Class.


Melt and Pour Photo Soap

Sunday, December 8, 2024, at the Soapmaking Studio

This is a New "Melt and Pour" Class with No Prerequisite!

Melt and pour natural soap with special photo paper embed.

Soapmaking 100 is a beginning-level melt and pour soapmaking class to teach students to make bars of soap embellished with personal photos. Detergent free melt and pour soap base allows crafters to make a truly natural soap with endless sales possibilities, when topped with a personal photograph. Learn to create stunning, personalized gift soaps with images of wedding parties, newborn babies, or company logos. Students must email a photograph in JPG or GIF format that is at least 4 inches square or 300 pixels square to info@soapmakingstudio.com no later than 4:00 pm the evening before the class. A student who fails to submit a personal photograph by the deadline may receive a generic printed image to embed in soap during the class. Each student receives a bar of soap made during the class with the student's personal, submitted photo. Attend in person or online. Register for Soapmaking 100.


Shampoo Bars and Conditioner Bars Class

Sunday, December 15, 2024, at the Soapmaking Studio

An Informative Hair Care Lecture and Making Demo!

Kerri Mixon teaches the class on making shampoo bars and conditioner bars for luxurious hair. DIY shampoo bar needs no plastic packaging.

Shampoo soap bars and synthetic detergent shampoos have different effects on hair. Learn which ingredients are commonly added to cold process soap to make shampoo bars. Understand the chemical and physical effects of natural and synthetic shampoos, how the effects vary by ethnic hair structure, and the added benefits of using a conditioner. This Shampoo Bars and Conditioner Bars Class focuses on hard scientific facts, not subjective perspectives or opinions. After the scientific comparison lecture, watch as both a shampoo bar recipe and a conditioner bar recipe are formulated and made. Students take home handouts with the recipe, a shampoo bar, and a conditioner bar. Attend in person or online. Register for Shampoo Bars and Conditioner Bars Class.


Beginning Cold Process Soapmaking

Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the Soapmaking Studio

Learn How to Make Cold Process Soap with No Cure Time!

Cold Process Soap Batter in the Soap Pot Pouring Cold Process Soap into Wooden Molds

Soapmaking 101 is a beginning-level soapmaking class designed to teach students to make soap by hand at home. The main focus of this class is the "cold process" soapmaking method; although the class does briefly describe "melt & pour" soap crafting. After learning soapmaking safety, students learn to formulate soap recipes and calculate lye quantities without using a "lye calculator." The objective of Soapmaking 101 is to have students understand saponification values and be comfortable creating their own soap recipes at home. Students make cold process soap during the class session and take home a bar. Attend in person or online.

This class is also available online: Description of Online Soapmaking 101.


Soapmakers' Luncheon

Sunday, April 13, 2025, at Marie Callender's Restaurant

Donate Soap Before the Soapmakers' Luncheon!

To have your company advertised on Soap Donation Center's prestigious Donated Soap list, bring a tax-deductible donation of homemade soap at 1:30 pm, before the soap meetup luncheon. View details on how to Donate Soap to Soap Donation Center.

Flyer for Soap Makers' Luncheon PDF

Network with Southern California Soap and Cosmetic Crafters!

Soapmakers Luncheon, 2nd Sunday of April and October in San Diego, California

This luncheon is open to all soapmakers and makers of personal care products, whether professional or novice, whether cold/hot process method or "melt and pour." The Soapmakers' Luncheon is open to the public and attendance is free, just pay for anything you order from the menu. Our friendly soap meetup group is casual and provides a means of networking with local soapy artisans. Attend this creative handmade soaps and DIY bodycare meetup group luncheon at any level: Professional soapmaker, hobbyist soaper, or beginning crafter. The soap lunch venue is Marie Callender's restaurant on Alvarado Road in San Diego at 2:00 pm. Map & Directions. View the Soapmakers' Luncheon Agenda.

Marie Callender's Restaurant
6950 Alvarado Rd
San Diego, CA 92120


Soapmaking Classes

Soapmaking Classes are Fun, Understandable, and Affordable!

Learn how to make soap at the Soapmaking Studio in San Diego County, California!

Soapmaking 101 Beginning Cold Process Soapmaking has been a huge success and fills weeks in advance; the next class will be Sunday, January 12, 2025! The next Soapmaking 210 Advanced Cold/Hot Process Soapmaking will be soon. Soap Garden 224 Cultivating, Drying, and Adding Herbs to Soap and Soapmaking 220 Coloring and Scenting Soap are both available and open for registration. Our popular Soapmaking Supplies are available for Standard Shipping or free Store Pickup.
Please check back because classes are added and website sections are updated on a regular basis. Email info@soapmakingstudio.com with any questions.

Soap Swirling Techniques Soap Bars Drying on the Soap Rack

View soapmaking classes, the schedule, or store hours.

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.