Read this before making anything described on this site.
Last updated: [DATE]
Lye is dangerous
Sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide — lye — are caustic chemicals. They cause severe chemical burns to skin, permanent damage to eyes, and serious internal injury if swallowed. Lye solution also releases fumes that can irritate the lungs.
If you make cold process or hot process soap, you are handling a hazardous substance. You are responsible for doing so safely. That means, at minimum:
- Splash-proof goggles and chemical-resistant gloves, every time, including the batch where you are only making a small amount
- Long sleeves and closed shoes
- Good ventilation, and never leaning over the container while mixing
- Always adding lye to water, never water to lye
- Children and pets out of the room for the entire process
- Never using containers, utensils, or surfaces that will later be used for food
If lye contacts skin or eyes, flush with cool running water immediately and continuously, and seek medical attention. Do not attempt to neutralise it with vinegar or any other substance. If lye is swallowed, contact emergency services or your local poison control centre immediately.
Verify every recipe yourself
Recipes on this site give oil percentages, not lye weights. This is intentional. You must enter the formulation into a reputable lye calculator along with your own batch size to determine the correct sodium hydroxide and water amounts.
Do not make soap from a formulation you have not personally calculated. An incorrect lye amount produces either a caustic bar that burns skin, or a batch that never becomes soap. Typographical errors are possible on any website, including this one.
Use at your own risk
All content on StillBath is provided for general information and educational purposes. You make anything described here entirely at your own risk. [YOUR NAME OR COMPANY] accepts no liability for injury, property damage, loss, or any other harm arising from use of this site or from following any instruction, recipe, or suggestion published on it.
No medical or skin-care claims
Soap is a cleansing product. Nothing on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical or skin condition, and no statement here has been evaluated by any medical or regulatory authority.
Where an article refers to skin types or conditions such as dry skin, oily skin, eczema, or acne, it describes what soap makers commonly report about how a bar feels — not a therapeutic effect. If you have a skin condition, speak to a doctor or dermatologist. Do not substitute anything read here for medical advice, and do not delay seeking treatment because of it.
Patch-test any new bar before regular use, particularly if you have sensitive or reactive skin, or known allergies to any ingredient.
Selling soap is regulated
Articles about selling handmade soap describe general commercial practice. They are not legal, regulatory, tax, or financial advice.
Rules covering cosmetic labelling, ingredient declarations, safety assessments, insurance, and permitted claims vary considerably between countries and sometimes between regions. It is your responsibility to determine and comply with the rules that apply where you sell. Consult a qualified professional in your jurisdiction before selling anything.
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Accuracy
We make a reasonable effort to keep content accurate and current, but make no warranty as to its completeness or reliability. Soap making techniques and supplier products change. If you spot an error, please tell us.
External links
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