The soap is a surfactant used in conjunction with water for washing and cleaning, which traditionally comes either in solid bars or in the form of a thick liquid. Soap consists of sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids and is gained by reacting common oils or fats with a strong alkaline solution in a process known as saponification. The fats are hydrolyzed by the base, docile alkali salts of fatty acids and glycerol. The most accepted soap making process today is the cold process method, where fats such as olive oil react with lye, whereas some soapers use the historical hot process.

Handmade soap varies from industrial soap in that, usually, the soap making involves a surplus of fat is sometimes used to consume the alkali, and in that the glycerin is not removed, parting a naturally moisturizing soap and not pure detergent. The super-fatted soap, soap which contains excess fat, is more skin-friendly than industrial soap, though if too much fat is added, it can leave users with a "greasy" feel to their skin.

Frequently, emollients such as jojoba oil or Shea butter are added to the point at which the saponification soap making process is adequately advanced that the soap has begun to condense, after most of the oils have saponified, so that they remain still in the finished soap. Super-fatting can also be accomplished through a method called super-fat discount, where rather than putting in extra fats, the soap maker puts in less lye.

The art or hobby of making soap needs a soap maker to have the proper materials for their craft. Molds for soap making and other supplies can simply be found in different places, as long as you know what it is you're looking for. In fact, a lot of new soap makers uncover that they don't really need to purchase anything new in order to start their hobby. Making soap recipe with no usage of lye completely is not viable so it's completely your desire to use lye in your soap production process or you feel like trying your hands in glycerine based soaps.

A selection of saponifiable fats and oils are used in the course such as olive, coconut, palm, cocoa butter, hemp oil and Shea butter to offer diverse qualities in soap making. For instance, olive oil provides mildness in soap; coconut oil provides lots of foam; while coconut and palm oils gives solidity. Occasionally, castor oils can also be used as an ebullient. Most common, though, are the amalgamation of coconut, palm, and olive oils. Smaller quantities of unsaponifiable oils and fats that do not defer soap are sometimes added for added benefits.