The course starts with an introduction to what soap is, giving you a practical definition and a little history of soap. You’ll learn the most common processes in soap making and be provided with a useful glossary of terms.

Ingredients! You need to know the specific ingredients used in making good soap. The Soap Making Business Diploma Course covers the materials you’ll be using and how to work with them safely, before going on to explaining the four most popular soap making methods among serious handmade soap-makers: the cold process, the hot process, the melt and pour method and rebatching.

You’ll learn how to get creative with the kinds of additives you can add to your soaps, including natural and synthetic scents, botanicals (such as herbs and flowers), therapeutic ingredients, and more. You will learn the different fragrance notes and how to use them in your soap creations; you will also be advised on the best botanicals to include. There are also a couple of related soap recipes for you to try out.

You’ll be guided through various techniques for adding colour – creating layers, swirls and stripes in your soap bars. You will also learn the difference between pigments, micas and natural colourants that can be found in the foods that you eat and the flowers that you grow.

With your soap making skills honed, now is the time to match your creativity with business acumen. The Soap Making Business Diploma Course guides you through creating your own feasibility study so that you can determine exactly what to expect from building and running your business and what you need to do to ensure that it grows and succeeds.

With the foundations laid, you will go on to learn how to set up your business – deciding on its structure, obtaining insurance, choosing a name, and joining industry groups and associations that will provide support as you build your business up. You’ll also learn about trademark and copyright protection and the best ways to source suppliers.

When selling a product such as soap, there are legal considerations that must be met. We take the worry out of this by guiding you step-by-step through what must be done to comply with EU cosmetic legislation, particularly when it comes to labelling your products. You’ll also learn how to follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), in relation to production processes and procedures, all of which is crucial in ensuring an efficient and effective business.

Branding and marketing your soap correctly is incredibly important to the success of your business. The Soap Making Business Diploma Course explains why, before guiding you through what should go into your marketing plan and the different tactics you can use.

Finally, you will learn how to price your products, find the various places that you can sell your soaps, and discover how to go about raising your profits and expanding your business.

By the end of the course you will:

• Have been introduced to the history of soap
• Be familiar with the four most popular ways to make handmade soap
• Understand how to use additives in soap making
• Have an in-depth appreciation and knowledge of how to blend scent
• Know how to use exciting layer and swirl design techniques in your soap creations
• Have a number of recipes to start you off on your soap making journey
• Have a comprehensive overview of the legal aspects of selling soaps in the UK and EU
• Understand the importance of creating a brand and know how to do it
• Know how and why to write a feasibility study about your business
• Have the tools to market your products effectively
• Be able to price your products confidently and accurately

Who Would Benefit from This Course?
If you want to run a creative business in an industry that has been around for hundreds of years but is still growing, then soap making may be for you and with this course in hand, you’ll have all the tools you need to make it a success. Not only does the Soap Making Business Diploma Course teach you how to make the best possible soap creations but also how to set up and run a viable business.

With no previous experience required in either soap making or running a business, this course could well be your first step into a new career.

What will I learn on the course?

Certified Course
Accredited Course

Module 1: Understanding Soap Making
4 parts
Introduction
Part 1: What is Soap?
Part 2: Glossary of Soap-Making Terms
Module 1 Assessment

Module 2: What You Need
4 parts
Part 1: The Importance of Lye
Part 2: Soap-Making Equipment
Part 3: Oils in Soap Making
Module 2 Assessment

Module 3: Soap-Making Processes
4 parts
Part 1: Cold Process
Part 2: Hot Process
Part 3: Melt and Pour Process and Rebatching
Module 3 Assessment

Module 4: Soap Additives
5 parts
Part 1: How to Choose the Right Additives
Part 2: Blending Essential Oils
Part 3: Botanicals and Other Natural Additives
Part 4: Recipes
Module 4 Assessment

Module 5: Colour and Soap-Making Techniques
5 parts
Part 1: Soap Colourants
Part 2: Natural Soap Colourants
Part 3: Soap Colourants: For Adding Colour Swirls
Part 4: Soap Layering Technique and Top Decorations
Module 5 Assessment

Module 6: Just How Feasible is Your Business?
4 parts
Part 1: The Popularity of Handmade Soap Businesses
Part 2: Creating a Feasibility Study
Part 3: Developing a SWOT Analysis
Module 6 Assessment

Module 7: Getting Down to Business – Setting Up
4 parts
Part 1: Deciding on a Business Structure
Part 2: Insurance and Trademarks
Part 3: Suppliers and Trade Associations
Module 7 Assessment

Module 8: Legal Considerations and Labelling
5 parts
Part 1: The Importance of the EU Cosmetic Regulations
Part 2: Safeguarding Public Health
Part 3: Addressing Latest Technology Advancements
Part 4: Good Manufacturing Practice
Module 8 Assessment

Module 9: Branding and Marketing
3 parts
Part 1: The Importance of Branding
Part 2: Creating a Marketing Strategy
Module 9 Assessment

Module 10: Sales and Selling
4 parts
Part 1: How to Price Your Products
Part 2: Where to Sell Your Soaps
Conclusion
Module 10 Assessment