Festive Soap Making Workshop

Festive Soap Making Workshop

£67 per person | 10:30am–1:00pm | Maximum 6 people | Adults 18+ only

Come and spend a festive few hours in the Purple Sage Soap Barn and discover the traditional craft of cold-process soap making.

During this hands-on workshop, you'll make your own full batch of festive soap using the Purple Sage soap recipe, then personalise it with your choice of fragrance, colour and festive botanical decoration.

You'll work with 1.5kg of base oils and divide your finished soap between two square moulds, giving you around 15 individual bars of soap, depending on how thickly you choose to cut them.

Make It Your Own

Although we'll all work from the same Purple Sage base recipe, you'll be able to personalise your festive soap. You'll choose from four specially selected essential-oil blends, add colour using cosmetic clays or micas, and finish your soaps with a selection of festive botanicals and decorations. I'll guide you through the process step by step, from preparing and combining your ingredients through to blending, colouring, fragrances and decorating your finished soap. No previous soap-making experience is necessary. All ingredients, equipment, moulds and PPE are included in your workshop price.

What You'll Take Home

You’ll make a full batch of cold-process soap using 1.5kg of base oils, divided between two Tetra Pak moulds. At the end of the workshop, your freshly made soap will still be in its moulds and will be taken home with you to finish curing for approximately 4 weeks. You’ll receive clear instructions explaining when and how to remove your soap from the moulds, cut it into individual bars and leave it to cure safely at home before use.

Your batch should produce around 15 bars of soap, depending on how thickly you choose to cut them. Cold-process soap requires a curing period before it is ready to use, so your soap must not be used immediately after the workshop. Full curing and storage guidance will be provided.

Workshop Dates

Saturday 17 October 2026 – 10:30am–1:00pm
Thursday 29 October 2026 – 10:30am–1:00pm
Saturday 7 November 2026 – 10:30am–1:00pm
Saturday 21 November 2026 – 10:30am–1:00pm

£67 per person
Maximum 6 participants per workshop
Adults aged 18+ only

Held at Purple Sage, Sage Cottage, near Hawick in the Scottish Borders.

Advance booking is essential.

Before You Come – Clothing & Safety

Cold-process soap making involves working with sodium hydroxide (lye) and raw soap batter. Appropriate safety procedures must therefore be followed throughout the workshop.

All necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) will be provided and must be worn when instructed. Full safety guidance will be given before we begin, and participants must follow the instructions provided throughout the workshop.

Please wear comfortable, practical clothing that covers your legs and arms, together with closed-toe, flat shoes. Avoid loose or trailing sleeves, scarves or other clothing that could interfere with the soap-making process. Long hair must be tied back.

The Purple Sage Soap Barn is a converted working barn and can be cold during autumn and winter. Heaters will be on, but please come dressed warmly and bring an additional layer.

This workshop is strictly for adults aged 18 and over.

Allergies & Ingredient Sensitivities

During the workshop we'll be working with ingredients including plant oils and butters, essential oils, cosmetic clays, botanicals and sodium hydroxide. Some ingredients may be derived from nuts.

If you have a nut allergy or any other known allergy or sensitivity to cosmetic ingredients, essential oils, fragrances, botanicals or other relevant substances, please tell Purple Sage in advance.

If you don't advise us of any allergies or sensitivities before attending, we'll presume that you have no known allergies or sensitivities relevant to the workshop.

Refreshments & Dietary Requirements

Light refreshments and hot and cold drinks will be provided.

Please advise Purple Sage in advance of any food allergies, intolerances or dietary requirements so that suitable arrangements can be made.

If we haven't been advised of any dietary requirements before the workshop, we'll presume that you do not have any that we need to accommodate.

Cancellation & Booking Policy

Places are limited to six participants and ingredients and materials are prepared in advance for every booking.

If you need to cancel, please give at least 7 days' notice.

For cancellations made 7 days or more before your workshop, you may transfer your booking to another available Purple Sage workshop date or request a refund.

Cancellations made less than 7 days before the workshop are non-refundable. You may, however, transfer your place to another person aged 18 or over. Please let Purple Sage know the name of the person attending in your place before the workshop.

If Purple Sage has to cancel a workshop, you'll be offered an alternative available date or a full refund.

By Booking This Workshop

By completing your booking, you confirm that you are aged 18 or over and have read and understood the workshop information above, including the safety and clothing requirements, allergy information, dietary requirements and cancellation policy.

It is your responsibility to tell Purple Sage in advance about any relevant allergies, sensitivities, food allergies, intolerances or dietary requirements.

Images used to promote this workshop are for illustration purposes only. The appearance of individual soaps, colours, botanicals and decoration may vary.

All orders are processed within 3 to 5 business days (excluding weekends and holidays) after receiving your order confirmation email. You will receive another notification when your order has shipped. 

Please note that due to high volumes of orders or postal service problems that may be outside of our control, we reserve the right to delay your order.  Where possible we will always notify you.