Gather ingredients: oils or fats, distilled water, lye, optional fragrance, colorants, and additives
Wear gloves, goggles, and long sleeves
Work in a well-ventilated area
Measure all ingredients accurately by weight
Slowly add lye to water, never water to lye
Stir until the lye fully dissolves
Let the lye solution cool
Melt or warm the oils or fats
Combine the lye solution with the oils
Blend until the mixture reaches trace
Add fragrance, colorants, or additives if desired
Pour the mixture into molds
Cover and let the soap set
Unmold the soap after it firms up
Cut the soap into bars if needed
Cure the soap for several weeks before use