Diploma in Soap Making
The most comprehensive online soap making course.
Learn how to confidently make your own cold process, hot process and liquid soap.
Are you new to soap making and looking forward to an exciting new hobby, but want expert guidance and reassurance to get started the right way?
Are you a keen soaper ready to learn advanced soap making techniques and make stunningly beautiful soap bars but are struggling to find higher-level instruction?
Are you passionate about a zero waste lifestyle, and perhaps even dream of creating soap to sell?
Introducing the Diploma in Soap Making
The most comprehensive online soap-making course available for learning to make cold process, hot process and liquid soap as well as advanced soap swirling techniques.
In this comprehensive course, you'll gain the skills and knowledge to:
- Make soap bars using two different methods: cold process and hot process soap making.
- Use a wide range of natural ingredients to create nourishing soap – carrier oils, plant butters, milk, yogurt, beer, honey, sugar, salt, botanicals, clay, charcoal and more!
- Design beautifully patterned soap with 10 soap swirling techniques and color your soaps with pigments and botanical colorants.
- Learn hot process soap making, for very quick-to-make and super nourishing soap bars.
- Create liquid soap for use on the hands and body, plus make a household cleaning soap for dish washing.
- Follow our recipes and formulate your own soap recipes. Create palm oil-free, vegan and/or organic soap if you wish.
Ready to make your own advanced natural and organic soaps for yourself or to sell?
Join us on the journey today!
Find out more
Master the science of saponification and stand out from the crowd by learning advanced soap making skills.
Move beyond creating basic bar soap to confidently create extra nourishing hot process soap, gorgeous swirled soap and versatile liquid soap knowing you’re learning from expert soap makers and experienced cosmetic scientists.
Understand the chemistry of soap making and formulate your own soap recipes by learning how different oils function in soap, how to use a soap calculator, how to control the superfat, and how to add advanced ingredients.
Just imagine how good it would feel if you could:
Create a complete range of soap using ingredients chosen by you
Release your inner scientist as you become a master at saponification and create a range of varied and advanced soap customized to your values. Explore your creative side as you use a wide range of natural, organic, and/or vegan ingredients that reflect your values.
Become the go-to soap making expert in your community
Become an expert in a whole new area of cosmetic science, and delve deeper into the subject than your average soaper with professional instruction and skilled support each step of the way.
Empower yourself with skills that will last a lifetime
Take care of your health and hygiene, and that of your family, by making all the soap you’ll ever need. You’ll even be able to make household cleaning soap, too. They’re the perfect gift for friends and family or an ideal addition to your beauty brand range.
Learn to make a wide range of nourishing soaps:
Cold process soap making
- Simple nourishing soap bars
- Palm-free soap bars
- Castile soap bars
- Exfoliating soap bars
- Colored soap bars
- African Black Soap-Inspired Soap bars
- Milk soap
- Honey soap
- Charcoal soap
- Beer soap
- Cupcake soaps
- Lace soap
Soap swirling techniques
- Drop swirl
- In-the-pot (ITP) swirl
- Taiwan swirl
- Hanger swirl
- Secret swirl
- Column pour
- Pipe divider swirl
- Peacock swirl
- Simple swirl
- Mica swirl
Hot process soap making
- Basic Nourishing
- Soap with Shea Butter
- Cocoa Butter Soap
- Oatmeal Honey Soap
- Milk and Yogurt Soap
Liquid soap making
- Classic Olive Oil Castile Soap
- Duel-lye Olive Oil Castile Soap
- Universal Soap
- Household Cleaning Soap
Your journey on the Diploma in Soap Making
Theory
Discover the science and art of soap making
Cold process soap
Make successful soap bars following tried and tested recipes
Special ingredients
Incorporate exfoliants, colorants, moisturizers, and more!
Techniques
Pipe and lace your soap for that extra touch of luxury
Liquid soap
Explore simple ingredients to create liquid soap, fast
Hot process soap
Make nourishing zero waste soap using different techniques
Swirl designs
Learn different soap swirl techniques and get artistic!
Formulate
Create your own soap recipes using a soap calculator
Theory
Discover the science and art of soap making
Cold process soap
Make successful soap bars following tried and tested recipes
Special ingredients​
Incorporate exfoliants, colorants, moisturizers, and more!
Techniques
Pipe and lace your soap for that extra touch of luxury
Formulate
Create your own soap recipes using a soap calculator
Swirl designs
Learn different soap swirl techniques and get artistic!
Hot process soap
Make nourishing zero waste soap using different techniques
Liquid soap
Explore simple ingredients to create liquid soap, fast
Meet your instructors and tutors
Learn from and be supported by cosmetic scientists and professional formulators.
Tina Svetek
Tina is a cosmetic formulator, formulation consultant and safety assessor, who leads new product development for natural skincare and wellness brands.
Dr Nicole Voster
Nicole is a cosmetic formulation consultant and senior lecturer with extensive experience teaching chemistry and cosmetic formulation at South African universities and aiding brands in new product development.
Gail Després
Gail is an award-winning entrepreneur and author of the A-Z of Natural Cosmetic Formulation. After creating her natural skincare brand, Gail moved into education, founding the School of Natural Skincare in 2010.
Gareth Després
Gareth qualified as a certified aromatherapist in 2010 and enriches the content of our online courses with his specialist knowledge of essential oils.
Is the Diploma in Soap Making right for me?
This course is perfect for…
Beginners
Passionate beginners
Go from beginner to expert with professional guidance.
Read more
Open to learning new skills, you are enthused about making soap and are ready to start at the basics and progress to advanced soap making all in one course.
Intermediate – advanced
Experiened soapers
Take your soap making skills to the next level and stand out from the crowd.
Read more
Formulate your own recipes, work with advanced ingredients, and master new, creative techniques like soap swirling, hot process and liquid soap making.
Entrepreneur
Beauty brand owners
Create beautiful, nourishing, and zero waste soaps to sell.
Read more
Soaps are the perfect low-cost addition to your existing natural and organic cosmetic range.
Student testimonials
Now, I feel confident and creative, thanks to the helpful recipes and videos.
- LÃdia PonsatÃ,
- Spain
I am a biologist with a love for natural products but before taking the course, I didn’t grasp how fatty acids worked in saponification or the importance of the SAP index. Now, I feel confident and creative, thanks to the helpful recipes and videos. I’m excited to explore more courses with you and to continue learning!
- LÃdia PonsatÃ,
- Spain
The instructors are extremely knowledgeable and teach at an excellent pace.
- Annette Ashby,
- USA
The information is detailed and extremely easy to follow and understand. The cost is extremely reasonable compared to other schools/online cosmetic formulation courses. Thank you School of Natural Skincare!
- Annette Ashby,
- USA
Why learn to formulate your own advanced soaps?
Make zero waste products. Soap bars don’t require any packaging, so they’re good for the environment.
Cost effective, time-efficient and preservative-free. Natural soap bars are inexpensive to make, don’t require any preservatives and last up to two years. This is an easy and affordable route to pursuing something you love or even fulfilling your dream of creating beautiful soaps to sell.
Prioritize your health and hygiene. Soap is the cornerstone of good hygiene that helps to boost health and wellness. Learn to create your own cold process soaps to a professional standard that are perfect for your skin.Â
Expand your product range. If you are already formulating natural skincare products, making your own soaps is the perfect way to take your formulation skills up a level and expand your product range. After all, we all use soap multiple times every day!
Want to try before you buy?
Sample a selection of our course material inside our online classroom.
How does the Diploma in Soap Making work?
Our proven system for teaching formulation skills, developed over more than a decade of training provision, means when you study with us, you’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and support to succeed at formulating.
Knowledge
You don’t need a scientific background; our courses cover everything you need to know.
Skills
We start with more straightforward products and progress to the more complex or challenging ones so you can build your skills and confidence.
Support
You can rest assured that you are learning from qualified and experienced professionals and are not misled by inaccurate, poor-quality and unsafe information often found online.
We’ll teach you to formulate by providing the following resources for each type of product:
More than just a course our Diploma in Soap Making includes the support and community you need to truly thrive in your formulating journey
You’ll receive:
19 in-depth modules and four detailed textbooks with step-by-step instructions and beautiful photographs.
21 practical demonstration videos that show you exactly how to make a wide variety of soaps.
Guidance on formulating your own soap recipes.
Join our supportive, vibrant community of like-minded students and graduates across the world.
Easy-to-use online classroom, quizzes, and activities.
23 ready-to-use soap recipes to practice with.
Assignments marked personally and a course completion certificate.
Detailed ingredient, equipment and supplier information.
Be supported by cosmetic scientists
Get your questions answered
each week in our dedicated Tutor Q&A
Expand your understanding
with our monthly Formulators Forum, a LIVE learning and discussion session on Zoom
Have your end-of-course assignments personally marked
by our cosmetic scientists
Plus
Receive an invitation to join our private student and graduate online community.
Connect with like-minded formulators around the world inside our friendly student community. It’s the perfect place to discuss, support and inspire each other.
Student testimonials
It showed me how to confidently create healthy soaps safely.
- Leticia Lebron,
- USA
I had no experience at all but this course was so well put together and it showed me how to confidently create healthy soaps safely. I loved that this course included lots of great videos as I am more visual. I also enjoyed reading the course materials as it gave very important information. I am looking forward to more courses and classes with you!
- Leticia Lebron,
- USA
Enjoy learning anytime, anywhere
All our training is completed through our easy-to-use online classroom.
Study from anywhere in the world at your own pace.Â
Why study with the
School of Natural Skincare?
Be part of our accredited, globally acclaimed, award-winning online formulation school that’s seen over 25,000+ students from 150 countries enjoy mastering the art, science, and creativity of making natural and organic skincare.
Learn from and be supported by professional cosmetic scientists.
Tried and tested formulations.
Formulate your way – natural, organic, vegan, sustainable – and customized to your skin type, tone and concerns.
Multi-award winning and accredited school, established in 2010.
Study with us for your own enjoyment and learning or to create a beauty brand.