BEGINNER MAKER STARTER KIT
Free printable tools for your handmade soap & skincare journey
Ready to start making—but not sure where to begin?
I've put together a simple collection of printable tools to help you get organized, keep track of your batches, and start learning from everything you make.
Whether you're making your first batch of handmade soap or experimenting with your first body butter, keeping good notes can make a huge difference.
GET YOUR FREE STARTER KIT
Enter your email using the small form at the top of this page and you can download the free printable Maker Starter Kit immediately!
By signing up, you'll receive the free Starter Kit and occasional emails from Blue Dragonfly Handmade with helpful soapmaking and skincare tips, new resources, and product updates. You can unsubscribe at any time.
WHAT'S INSIDE?
🧼 BEFORE YOUR FIRST BATCH
A simple checklist to help you prepare your workspace, ingredients, equipment and safety supplies before you begin.
🌿 BEGINNER INGREDIENT CHEAT SHEET
Get familiar with some of the common oils, butters and additives used in handmade soapmaking and what they can contribute to a formula.
📋 BATCH RECORD
Record your recipe, ingredients, process, results and notes so you can keep track of what worked and refer to it at a glance.
🧪 INGREDIENT EXPERIMENT TRACKER
Keep track of ingredients you're testing, why you chose them, what you expected and what actually happened.
🔍 BEGINNER TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
A quick reference to help you think through some of the common surprises that can happen when making soap and skincare products.
✍️ MY FIRST PROJECTS
Keep track of what you've made, what you've learned and what you'd like to try next.
WHY KEEP A MAKER'S NOTEBOOK?
When I first started making handmade soap, there was a lot to learn.
And one of the most useful things I've found is simply writing things down.
What did I use?
How did the batch behave?
What worked?
What didn't?
What would I change next time?
Those little notes become incredibly valuable as you gain experience.
You start noticing patterns, understanding your ingredients better, and becoming more confident in your own process.
That's what this Starter Kit is designed to help you do.
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING
The free Starter Kit will help you organize your making and start thinking like a maker.
But if you're ready to go beyond simply following recipes, I've created something to take you further.
THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO HANDMADE SOAP & SKINCARE
Simple Recipes, Formulation Basics & Practical Tools to Help You Start Making With Confidence
Inside the full guide, you'll learn more about:
Choosing and understanding ingredients
Basic skincare formulation
Cold process soapmaking
Lye safety
Trace and cure
Soap additives
Customizing recipes
Scaling and modifying formulas
Troubleshooting
Water-based products and preservation
Keeping useful batch records
Taking the next step toward becoming a confident maker
And you'll get the companion Maker's Workbook, 17 printable pages to help you put what you're learning into practice.
FROM MY WORKSPACE TO YOURS
I'm Anna, the maker behind Blue Dragonfly Handmade.
I started making my own soap because I wanted something simpler and more intentional than the mass-produced products I was using.
What started as a small experiment turned into a love of learning about oils, butters, ingredients and the process of making things by hand.
I created this Starter Kit because I know how much there is to figure out when you're just getting started.
You don't need to know everything before you begin.
Start small. Make something. Write it down. Learn from it. Then make it a little better next time.
— Anna
Blue Dragonfly Handmade