In the general books on self sufficiency, self reliance and sustainable living there will quite often be a section on soap making, candle making or both so before heading off to acquire any of these titles, as good as they are, have a look through your existing library to see what you can find first.
Soap Making
The following books are about taking the basic ingredients of fats and oils and reacting them with lye (sodium or potassium hydroxide) to form a new substance – soap. There are books on the market which are about a process called “melt and pour” soap making which is just getting ready made soap, adding colours and fragrances, melting it down and then pouring it into moulds. To me, this is not real soap making!
Soap – Making it Enjoying it – Ann Bramson – Workman Publishing Company (US) 1975 ISBN 0 911104 57 7 – very popular in the US, this book is very basic with only 17 recipes and most of those are tallow based, so if vegetable soaps are your interest this book isn’t for you. There is no mention of the use of stick mixers and no distinguishing between hot and cold process. There is a little bit on trouble shooting. No photos but some line drawings.
The Natural Soap Book: Making Herbal and Vegetable Based soaps – Susan miller Cavitch – Storey Publishing (US) 1995 ISBN 978 0 88266 – This is a good book with good info on natural colourants and perfumes as well as good basic soap making guidelines but as above, no distinguishing between hot and cold process soaps or use of the stick mixer. Only 14 recipes but each is very detailed, no photos only line drawings. There are stories of how successful soap makers got started as well.
Soap Naturally – Patrizia Garzena and Marina Tadiello – Programmer Publishing (AUS) 2004 ISBN 0 9756764 0 7 – If you can only afford one book on soap making, this is the one to get. It is very detailed with lots of information of the how and why of soap making, recipes for 23 soaps but also such an in depth description of the theory of soap making ingredients and processes that you will be able to design your own soaps from scratch. There are black and white and some colour photos and hot and cold soap making processes are covered as well as use of the stick mixer, which really speeds the process up. They have a website (see the Links tab).
Soap Makers Workshop – Dr Robert S. And Katherine J. McDaniel – Krause Publications (US) 2010 ISBN 978 1 4402 0791 4 – this one is by an American soap chemist and comes with a DVD. Lots of details from basic to more complex recipes, including how to make soap from bison fat (no kidding!). Both hot and cold process soap making is covered and the book has lots of full colour photos. The DVD gives a good tutorial on how to make basic soap.
The Handmade Soap Book – Melinda Coss – New Holland Publishers (UK) 1998 ISBN 1 85974 006 5 – Good detail on theory, materials and equipment and ingredients for soap making and 40 soap recipes, some quite unusual. There is a section on recycling and re-batching soap which is very good. Lots of full colour photos.
Making Natural Liquid Soaps – Catherine Failor – Storey Publishing (US) 2000 ISBN 978 1 58017 243 1 – This is a REALLY good one! It goes through making soap with Potassium Hydroxide rather than the more common potassium hydroxide because potassium hydroxide produces soft soaps. Lots of detail on the process and lots of colour photos. There are recipes for 21 soaps and shampoos as well as recipes for shower gels. 
Candle Making
Candle Making – Terence McLaughlin – Pelham Books (UK) 1973 ISBN 0 7207 0608 4 – This book is part of a series on crafty subjects. It is only small but covers materials and equipment, hand making candles, moulds, finishes, special effects and there is a bit about faults. Appendices cover how to select wicks, how much wax a given mould will need and melting points of some candle making waxes. There are some colour photos of finished candles but most of the process is illustrated with line drawings.
Contemporary Candle Making – William E. Webster with Clair McMullen – Farm journal Inc. (US) 1972 ISBN 0385 00775 2 – this book is pretty ‘70s and the candles are arty rather than practical although the process is well covered with lots of black and white photos.
The Book of Candles – Miranda Innes – Sally Milner Publishing (AUS) although originally published by D&K in the UK 1991 ISBN 1 86351 049 4 – This book covers decorating with candles as well as the basic candle making processes of moulding, rolling and dipping. Lots of colour photos but more a coffee table book than serious candle making text. 
