The Royal Creative

Academy
Basic Beginner Soap Making
Checklist, Recipe, and Tips

By Katie Carson
A Note from Katie

The Royal Creative Academy started because I want to help others achieve their dreams and try the
craft I love the most! After mapping out a beginner kit in collaboration with a third-party
distributor and the cost reaching over $175, I knew it would never be the best deal for the
customer to buy everything pre-bundled. I talked with my family and it was suggested that I sell a
PDF guide and video course to offset the cost of my time to compile, research, and film everything.
But I wanted to do this for free, absolutely free and…well….as you can see they all eventually
grasped my vision, heartily agreed, and here we are!

Soap making can be used as art, therapy, a creative outlet, a means to support a family, and a
lifelong passion. I think everyone, no matter their budget, should get to try it if they want to!

This beginner course focuses primarily on the process and creative aspect of soap making. The
science of soap making is not my strong suit but for those interested in the fascinating intricate
details of chemistry, I recommend doing a quick Google search and reading some of the many
articles written on the subject! The more educated you are about the craft before you dive in, the
more likely you are to get amazing results right from the beginning!

My goal with this course is twofold. Firstly, I want your bars to be beautiful from the beginning of
your journey and secondly, I want this to be as inexpensive as possible. That way, after making 30
bars, if you decide it isn’t for you, you haven’t drained your bank account and you can use your
equipment for other household tasks!
 Before You Begin…
Before you jump in, let’s do a little homework! I want you to familiarize yourself with some soapy terms,
how to use a lye calculator and why it’s so important, and just some general knowledge about creating a
recipe. The recipe we will be using will harden pretty quick because it doesn’t have much water, will be
soft on your skin because it’s 80% olive oil, and is cheap to make because it only has two ingredients!
However, as you go on, you might want to add more luxury additives, oils, and butters and I want you to
have the tools to change it up!

Look over some of the terms and abbreviations!

Nature’s Garden has a super comprehensive list, so give it a quick browse and see if you can decode the
abbreviations in this PDF!
READ IT

What does it even mean to have “discounted water”?

Adding more or less water to your soap can have a pretty big effect! Read how and why in Kenna’s article
at Modern Soapmaking!
READ IT

Do the Soap Quality numbers on the lye calculator even matter?

If there is one thing I see soap makers of all skills do, it’s misinterpret, misapply, and therefore misinform
others about the Quality Numbers on SoapCalc. I don’t want you to make the same mistake, so let’s allow
Kenna to educate us one more time!
READ IT

All done? Let’s get crackin’!

Gather all the supplies on the following pages after making sure you have enough room to soap and a
place to put all your supplies. I have made soap in sheds, garages, kitchens, studios, and even carpeted
guest bedrooms! My current table is 5 feet long by 2.5 feet wide and it’s the perfect size for me, but I have
worked in a 2x2ft space when necessary. Be sure to follow all the safety protocols in the lye safety video
and keep pets, children, and other adults who aren’t suited up FAR away from you.
 Ingredients
• Olive Oil – 6 lbs
We are making three loaves of soap and olive oil is the
heavy lifter! It’s over 80% of the recipe! The best deal I
have found is at Walmart for 3L at $17.50 ($0.17 an
ounce)! Make sure you get regular olive oil and not extra
virgin as it will make your soap much greener!
• Coconut Oil – 2 lbs
I love to use coconut oil in my recipes, it makes bars hard
and adds tons of fluffy bubbles! LouAna Coconut Oil is
cheap and readily available at many stores in the USA!
• Sodium Hydroxide – 1 lb
Remember, not all lye is created equal so get it from a
reputable supplier. See if it’s cheaper to purchase 2lbs
from Nature’s Garden with your fragrances or if Amazon is
• (3) 1 Liter Pitchers
Get these at the Dollar Store too! They may look
going to be the best deal! Bonus if you can find it in your
a little different than mine but it doesn’t matter
hardware store! I prefer flake over bead because of static!
as long as it holds enough liquid!
• Royal Beginner Color Collection
The one stop shop for all the colorants we will be using in
this series. At less than $1 per sample, there is no other
supplier I could find offering micas this cheap!
• Nature’s Garden Orange Soda FO
Snap up a 1 oz bottle of this!
• Nature’s Garden Hot Pink Lime FO
Snap up a 1 oz bottle of this!
• Nature’s Garden Hawaiian Sea Mist FO
Snap up a 1 oz bottle of this!
• Water
Get some water from your tap and ice cubes too! You will
be preparing your water as detailed in the lye safety
video! If you prepare your lye water solution with ice, you
will not encounter irritating chemical steam or super hot
containers. For the 3 batches we are creating, you will
need a combined water/ice total of 30.6 oz (1.91 lbs)
Equipment
• Silicone Spatula
They have these at Walmart and the Dollar
Store! Any spatula will do, just make sure it has a
silicone or plastic handle so the lye doesn’t eat it!
• Digital Scale
This must be able to weigh both grams and
ounces, up to 11 lbs. The one I have used from
Amazon is reliable and inexpensive!
• Stick Blender
You’ve seen me use this in every soap video, I
have the pink and copper one and they have
lasted me more than a year!
• (1) Large Pitcher
I would suggest something wider rather than
taller. Just make sure your stick blender can be
fully submerged!
• Wooden Mold with Silicone Liner
This is about $12 on Amazon but you can get
them a few dollars cheaper on Aliexpress. You
will have to wait longer to get them, though!
• Plastic and Fork and Spoon
You can save these from any fast food meal, no
need to buy them!
• Basic Soap Recipe
It’s attached to this PDF, so just print it out! :D
• Container with Lid for Lye Water
This container needs a screw top lid and a recycle
code of 2 or 5. I still buy mine from the dollar
store!
 Soap Outfit
• Long Sleeved Shirt
I know it’s hot, I know it’s bothersome, but you are far
more likely to spill a bit of raw soap on you at the
beginning and it’s good to start off with safe habits!
• Long Pants
Oh, you thought your legs were safe from the soap
batter? I’m afraid not. Some of my worst lye burns were
on my legs and would have been COMPLETELY avoidable
if I had worn pants.
• Closed-Toed Shoes
Thank me when a tiddly bit of soap drips on where your
toe would be.
• Nitrile Gloves
I prefer nitrile because I have customers allergic to latex
and I also find they last longer. You can get them at
Walmart!
• Protective Eyewear
Don’t even think about forgetting this one! Your eyes are
precious! PRECIOUS, I TELL YOU!! Guard them with your
life…..and anti-fog goggles. They are mandatory,
grasshopper.
• Hairnet (optional)
Now, sure. Maybe you’re just making soap for you and
your best friend, but hair in your soap is GROSS. I’ve found
both animal hair and human hair in soaps I have
purchased and it just kinda ruins the experience. Don’t be • Knife & Cutting Board
the hairy soaper. Use a hairnet. lol
Equipment
• Small Cups for Color Blending
Empty yogurt cups, film canisters, plastic or
paper shot glasses, empty baby food jars, etc.
See what you can find! Just no styrofoam.
• Mixing Utensils
Popsicle sticks, chopsticks from takeout, the
handle of a spoon, coffee stir stick, etc.
• Paper Towels or Junk Rags
You can use regular paper towels, old junk rags,
or any other piece of material you don’t need
any more to wipe down your blender or
countertop.
• Countertop Protection
Having a thicker, plastic tablecloth to protect
your surfaces is a something I highly recommend
if you don’t have a plastic/stainless
steel/concrete workspace. The kind with a felt
lining is best. Pro Tip : If you are short of counter
space, folding tables are a great option!
• Infrared Thermometer
This is absolutely necessary for a beginner! As
you get better and better at reading your soap
batter, you may find you don’t need it. I would
not recommend a candy thermometer; they
aren’t nearly as accurate and break so easily!
You’re going to have to cut your little soap loaf
and the cheapest way to do it is with a knife and
cutting board. If you want the bars super
straight, make marks with a ruler!
Basic Beginner Recipe
Copyright & Disclaimer
Copyright Royalty Soaps LLC 2020

All rights to this PDF are reserved by Royalty Soaps LLC. Any and all parts of this PDF may not be
copied, reproduced, and/or published through any means (including digital avenues such as
Facebook Groups or YouTube Videos) without the permission & authorization of a legal
representative from the above-mentioned company.

The reader of this PDF has permission to sell products made with the recipes featured in this PDF,
however it is the responsibility of the reader to manufacture said products in a clean, sanitary
environment SAFELY, following all the laws and regulations regarding the sale of detergents in your
country of residence. Royalty Soaps LLC. Is not responsible for the outcome of soap batches or
products manufactured outside of their facilities. The reader of this PDF assumes full responsibility
for their own soap making safety and is advised to take the utmost precaution when dealing with
hazardous materials.

This course is intended for individuals age 18+. Parental guidance is advised for minors. Please keep
in a safe place away from children and pets. Do not heat any caustic substance in the microwave.
Follow all instructions listed on MSDS safety sheets and have fun.

This PDF contains affiliate links . It doesn't cost you anymore to purchase the products through
these links, I simply make a small commission on each sale. I think of it as a virtual tip jar!