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

Our physical store location is open and classes have resumed. Check the Soapmaking Studio hours. View the schedule of classes.

Closed Tuesdays, Thursdays, and holidays.

Additional Closures:

Sunday, October 11, 2020 (Close at 1:00 pm for Soapmakers' Luncheon)
Monday, October 12, 2020 (Columbus Day)
Saturday, October 31, 2020 (Halloween)

Coronavirus Policies

We Care About Customers' and Students' Health

We care about the health and safety of our customers and students. In accordance with https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/, which forbids gatherings without safety modifications, the Soapmaking Studio classes have undergone temporarily modifications to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. 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, including the public posting of our Social Distancing and Sanitation Protocol and Safe Reopening Plan.

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.

Soap from Ashes

Sunday, September 13 at the Soapmaking Studio

Learn to Make Old-Fashioned Soap without Lye!

Soap from Ashes is complete lecture with detailed instructions and photographs for making soap from plant ashes. This presentation includes information on how to extract the naturally-caustic solution from any type of plant ashes (combusted hardwood, softwood, grasses, or leaves) and how to concentrate the solution for maximum effectiveness. Learn how to collect and filter rain water, how to render and prepare animal fats for soapmaking, how to test the soap for harshness, how to adjust the soap for gentleness, and how to cook the soap over a wood fire—all without using electricity, for a true pioneer experience. Attend in person or online. Register for Soap from Ashes.

Lotion Making Science

Saturday, September 19 at the Soapmaking Studio

Understand How to Make Perfect Lotions, Creams, and Other Emulsions!

In this beginning-through-advanced Lotion Making Science class, take a scientific, hands-on approach to learning different methods and techniques for making lotion. Students learn to make small, test batches of lotion and how to increase the recipe to make larger batches. Gain confidence by learning how a batch of lotion that has separated or gone wrong can always be salvaged. Understand the importance of emulsifiers and emulsification systems: what they are and how they work. Perform scientific test experiments to prove whether or not common lotion ingredients (such as lecithin, polysorbate, and stearic acid) act as emulsifiers. In this Lotion Making Science class, students compare four (4) different emulsifiers in performance challenges to determine which emulsifiers cause soaping (white streaks during application), which emulsifiers are better for the face (non-comedogenic), which emulsifiers are water miscible (and better for use in hair conditioner), and which emulsifiers are considered natural ingredients (and widely accepted by modern consumers). This class also briefly covers labeling requirements, preservatives, and professional lab testing. Students make lotion in class and receive four (4) different lotions to take home. Attend in person. Register for Lotion Making Science class.

Melt and Pour Photo Soap

Sunday, September 20 at the Soapmaking Studio

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

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.

Beginning Cold Process Soapmaking

Happy National Soapmaking Day!

Sunday, September 27 at the Soapmaking Studio

Celebrate National Soapmaking Day by Learning How to Make Cold Process Soap with No Cure Time!

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.

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

Soapmakers' Luncheon

Sunday, October 11 at Marie Callender's Restaurant

Network with Southern California Soap and Cosmetic Crafters!

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

Scrub Making Class

Sunday, November 29 at the Soapmaking Studio

Learn to Make Decadent, Spa-Quality, Handcrafted Salt and Sugar Scrubs!

Learn how to formulate effective spa-quality scrubs. In this Scrub Making Class, understand the difference between salt scrubs and sugar scrubs and when one is preferred over the other for easily achieving safe and natural skin exfoliation. Learn how to add beneficial vitamins and learn why preservatives should be used in oil based products. For those opposed to oil based products, learn how to create oil-free scrubs. Students take home three types of scrubs. Attend in person or online. Register for Scrub Making Class.

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 on National Soapmaking Day, which is Sunday, September 27, 2020! The next Soapmaking 210 Advanced Cold/Hot Process Soapmaking will be Sunday, August 30, 2020. 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 now 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.

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.