Cold Process Soap Calculator The Cosmetics Lab

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Simple Wizard

Select this option if you’re new to soap making.
A step-by-step wizard will guide you through creating your soap recipe, with detailed explanations provided at each stage.
Only the essential steps are shown, with many values pre-selected to reduce the number of choices you need to make.

Full Wizard

Choose this option if you want full control but still prefer step-by-step guidance.
The wizard walks you through the entire recipe setup while letting you customize every parameter to match your preferences.

One-Page Mode

All options and parameters are displayed on a single page.
This mode is designed for experienced users who prefer quick access and direct editing without extra navigation.

New to the Cosmetics Lab Soap Calculator? See all our quick-start guides and videos

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Enter a name for your soap recipe

Are you making solid or liquid soap?

NaOH (sodium hydroxide) - check this if you are making solid soap bars

KOH (potasssium hydroxide) - check this if you are making liquid soap

Both NaOH and KOH - check this if you are making hybrid soap

% NaOH

% KOH

NaOH purity (%)

KOH purity (%)

NOTE: If uncertain about the purity of NaOH/KOH, you are advised to keep the recommended value (99.8% for NaOH and 90% for KOH).

Masterbatch NaOH?

(dynamically assigned)

How much water will you put in your soap?

The amount of water used to dissolve the lye plays a crucial role in the soap-making process. It affects how quickly your soap thickens (reaches "trace"), when you can cut it, how fast it dries (cures), and how hard the finished bar will be.

This amount can be expressed:

as a water-to-lye ratio (recommended range: 1.7:1 - 2.7:1)
as a percentage representing the ratio of water to the total weight of oils/fats in the recipe (recommended range: 22% - 34%)
as a number indicating the lye concentration (recommended range: 27% - 37%)

Note: as [water-to-lye ratio] and [water as percentage of oils] increase, [lye concentration] decreases.

If you’re new to soap making, we suggest starting closer to the upper limit of the above ranges (lower limit in the case of [lye concentration]). A larger amount of water gives you more time to work with your soap before it reaches trace and is more forgiving if errors or delays occur.

Even for experienced soap makers, a higher water content is recommended when:

Trying a new recipe for the first time.
Using a fragrance or essential oil for the first time, as some fragrances/essential oils can accelerate thickening, making it difficult to pour the soap into molds - especially if the water percentage is low.

Things to keep in mind:

Less water (higher lye concentration) leads to faster trace, harder soap bars and faster cure.
More water (lower lye concentration) allows for more working time, but results in a longer cure time and potentially softer bars of soap.

Measure water using water-to-lye ratio

Water-to-lye ratio:

(dynamically assigned)

Measure water as percentage of oils

Measure water using lye concentration

Oil quantities and preferred weight unit

Oil quantities will be entered as:

Percentages

Weights

Preferred weight unit:

What is the total weight of all the oils you will use?

Weight:

You can also adjust the batch quantity by giving the total capacity (or dimensions) of your mold. Click this button to start:

How much will you superfat your soap?

Select oils and fats

(most common fats/oils appear first, marked with a star)

Coconut Oil, 76 deg

Olive Oil

Palm Oil

Tallow, Beef

Castor Oil

Shea Butter

Lard, Pig Tallow

Avocado Oil

Rice Bran Oil

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower Oil, high oleic

Almond Butter

Almond Oil, sweet

Aloe Butter

Andiroba Oil,karaba,crabwood

Apricot Kernel Oil

Argan Oil

Avocado butter

Babassu Oil

Baobab Oil

Beeswax

Black Cumin Seed Oil, nigella sativa

Borage Oil

Camelina Seed Oil

Camellia Oil, Tea Seed

Canola Oil, high oleic

Canola Oil, rapeseed

Cherry kernel Oil, p. avium

Cherry kernel Oil, p. cerasus

Chicken Fat

Cocoa Butter

Coconut Oil, 92 deg

Coconut Oil, fractionated

Coffee Bean Oil, green

Coffee Bean Oil, roasted

Cohune Oil

Corn Oil

Cottonseed Oil

Cranberry Seed Oil

Crisco, new w/palm

Crisco, old

Cupuacu Butter

Duck Fat, flesh & skin

Emu Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

Ghee, any bovine

Goose Fat

Grapeseed Oil

Hazelnut Oil

Hemp Oil

Horse Oil

Illipe Butter

Jatropha Oil, soapnut seed oil

Jojoba Oil (jojoba wax ester)

Karanja Oil

Kokum Butter

Kpangnan Butter

Kukui nut Oil

Laurel Fruit Oil

Lauric Acid

Linseed Oil, flax

Loofa Seed Oil, Luffa cylinderica

Macadamia Nut Butter

Macadamia Nut Oil

Mango Seed Butter

Mango Seed Oil

Marula Oil

Meadowfoam Oil

Milk Fat, any bovine

Monoi de Tahiti Oil

Moringa Oil

Mowrah Butter

Murumuru Butter

Mustard Oil, kachi ghani

Myristic Acid

Neem Tree Oil

Oat Oil

Oleic Acid

Olive Oil pomace

Ostrich Oil

Palm Kernel Oil

Palm Kernel Oil Flakes, hydrogenated

Palm Stearin

Palmitic Acid

Papaya seed oil, Carica papaya

Passion Fruit Seed Oil

Peach Kernel Oil

Peanut Oil

Perilla Seed Oil

Pistachio Oil

Plum Kernel Oil

Pomegranate Seed Oil

Poppy Seed Oil

Pumpkin Seed Oil virgin

Rabbit Fat

Rapeseed Oil

Red Palm Butter

Rosehip Oil

Sacha Inchi, Plukenetia volubilis

Safflower Oil

Safflower Oil, high oleic

Sal Butter

Saw Palmetto Extract

Saw Palmetto Oil

Sea Buckthorn Oil, seed

Sea Buckthorn Oil, seed and berry

Sesame Oil

Shea Oil, fractionated

Soybean Oil

Soybean, 27.5% hydrogenated

Stearic Acid

Tallow, Bear

Tallow, Deer

Tallow, Goat

Tallow, Sheep

Tamanu Oil, kamani

Tucuma Seed Butter

Ucuuba Butter

Walmart GV Shortening, beef tallow, palm

Walnut Oil

Wheat Germ Oil

Yangu, cape chestnut

Zapote seed oil, (Aceite de Sapuyul or Mamey)

Selected Oils/Fats

Select additives

Achillea (Yarrow) (herb)

Activated charcoal

Almond milk

Aloe Vera (liquid)

Aloe Vera powder

Apricot kernel seeds

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

Baking Soda

Basil (herb)

Basil essential oil

Beer

Beeswax

Bentonite clay

Bergamot essential oil

Blueberry Seeds

Buttermilk powder

Calendula (herb)

Carrot oil

Cedarwood essential oil

Chamomile (herb)

Chamomile essential oil

Cinnamon (herb)

Cinnamon Leaf essential oil

Citric acid (anhydrous)

Citronella essential oil

Clary Sage essential oil

Clay

Clove (herb)

Clove Bud essential oil

Cocoa powder

Coconut milk

Coconut milk powder

Coffee (liquid)

Coffee grounds

Coriander essential oil

Corn meal

Cranberry seeds

Cypress essential oil

Donkey milk

Dried rose buds

Echinacea (herb)

Eucalyptus essential oil

Fennel essential oil

Geranium essential oil

Goat milk

Goat milk powder

Grapefruit essential oil

Grapefruit seed extract

Green clay

Honey

Jasmin absolute essential oil

Juniper essential oil

Kaolin clay

Lactic acid

Lanolin

Laurel Leaf essential oil

Lavender (herb)

Lavender essential oil

Lemon balm (herb)

Lemon essential oil

Lemongrass essential oil

Mandarin essential oil

Marigold essential oil

Marjoram essential oil

Mermaid blue mica

Milk

Myrrh essential oil

Myrtle essential oil

Neroli essential oil

Niaouli essential oil

Nutmeg essential oil

Oatmeal

Orange peel powder

Orange, bitter essential oil

Orange, sweet essential oil

Other essential oil or fragrance

Other ingredient

Palmarosa essential oil

Parsley essential oil

Patchouli essential oil

Pennyroyal essential oil

Peppermint (herb)

Pine essential oil

Pine tar

Pink clay

Poppy seeds

Raspberry seeds

Rose essential oil

Rosemary (herb)

Rosemary essential oil

Rosemary Oleoresin Extract (ROE)

Rosewood essential oil

Salt

Sandalwood essential oil

Silk fibers

Sodium lactate

Spearmint (herb)

Spirulina

Sugar

Tea Tree essential oil

Thyme essential oil

Titanium dioxide

Valerian essential oil

Vanilla essential oil

Verbena essential oil

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

Walnut leaves

Yarrow essential oil

Ylang essential oil

Selected ingredients

Recipe notes

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