The Handmade Soap Book

As a professional soapmaker I own just about every soapmaking book published. "The Handmade Soap Book" by Melinda Coss is my favorite and I highly recommend it. The photographs by Emma Peios are sensual and entice you to want to make each and every soap in the book. The recipes are for small batches which works well while you are just learning and when you've found your favorites you can double or triple the recipes. The recipes are well written and pretty much fail-proof. Coss is not a soap snob or purist, rather she uses color freely to produce delightful results. Coss features both vegetable soap and animal-based materials for those who would like to experiment and choose for themselves rather than have the decision made for them which is done in many soapmaking books. Yes, the book is a bit pricey but it is hardcover so it is durable, the photographs are inspirational and the recipes make "The Handmade Soap Book" worth every penny.

This was the first soap book I read and I keep coming back to it! The recipes are easy to follow and the author encourages you to experiment with different ingredients. I have had tremendous success with these and have become a total soap addict! The pictures are exquisite and inspiring. The list of suppliers and internet links were also very helpful.

This book is THE ONE to inspire you to start making soap. It has the most gorgeous pictures in it and also gives a lot of ideas and tips how to decorate and package your newly made soaps. If you are interested in this craft , buy the book and give it a try.

As a person who had never considered soap making I was easily encouraged to try it. After reading through the book I felt ready and excited to get started. The book was very informative and the author's comments were refreshing in their honesty about each situation. She gave me the courage to try soapmaking, using things I have in my kitchen and adding fragrances and spices for colors. I originally got the book from the library, but now plan to order my very own copy.Mrs. David Aprahamian

I really liked this book for the wonderful recipes and ideas for making personal gifts for everyone on my gift lists! I used several recipes for my Christmas baskets that family and friends receive. They were a big hit! The soaps were fun and easy to make, with various scents, textures and colors. There were recipes for women, men, kids and gardeners, as well as many other ideas. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes to make homemade gifts.