Soapmaking: A Magickal Guide

Written by Alicia Grosso
Published by New Page Books

In Soapmaking, author Grosso sets out to not only explain the exacting art of soapmaking to a general audience, but also instruct readers on how to add a spiritual element to this ubiquitous item.

Using her Earth-based spirituality as a foundation, Grosso begins the text with an introduction explaining her own entry into the field of soapmaking. Then, in Part One, the book provides basic instructions for soapmaking, from gathering and choosing the appropriate materials and tools to methods and cautions and finally making soapmaking into a ritual. Part Two is devoted to the recipes themselves, including recipes for daily use, major Pagan holidays, moon phases, special occasions such as a new baby, women’s special needs, men’s needs, and finally a chapter on presentation and nifty gift basket ideas. These final unique baskets include ideas for the holidays, baby gifts, handfasting, and friendship in the hard times.

As a soapmaker myself, one of the first things I look for in a text is appropriate safety cautions, without being needlessly alarming. Grosso has done a marvelous job of reminding readers to use gloves, goggles, etc. and to take care with the self-heating lye solution without insulting their intelligence. Further, the step-by-step directions are detailed enough for even the most inexperienced soapmaker to produce wonderful batches of soaps. Experienced soapers expect a batch here and there to go awry, if only from environmental conditions or misread thermometers, but with this book, such errors with costly ingredients will be minimized.

One of the most outstanding things about this book is that Grosso is able to remain true to her own spirituality without attacking anyone else’s. It is unfortunate that many Christians and other non-Pagans might shy away from this text, as they would find it most useful in soapmaking and quite inspirational regarding how to integrate their own faiths with their soapmaking.

It would have been nice to have had more or color images, but given the low cost of the book, such lavishness would have increased the price of the book beyond the common market. In any case, this book is designed to be used, not merely drooled over, and who would want to lug one of their expensive, $35 craft books into and out of the kitchen and risk spilling hot lye solution all over it?

In short, if you’re looking for a way to integrate your spiritual or philosophical beliefs into your daily life, Grosso’s book on soapmaking is an excellent way to do it. Not only will this book appeal to Pagans, but to savoniers of other faiths who simply want to learn some new recipes, methods, and interesting details. Other crafters and parents looking for a new and educational way to entertain their children will also appreciate this book. Far from attempting to capitalize on the recent popularity of soapmaking, Grosso has instead given us a useful and delightful resource text that most crafters will turn to often.

Grade: A

Review submitted by Dindrane