Best Soap Molds of 2023! Listed are the best silicone and wood molds, with all the pros and cons plus great tips and tutorials on how to use them.
I always get excited when I buy a new soap mold. It opens up so many new possibilities to make your own soap be it with melt and pour and cold process.
I've taken a deep dive into the absolute best soap molds on the market right now. Whether you're a beginning soap maker or a seasoned veteran - here you'll find the perfect mold.
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Soap Molds for Beginners
If you're just starting out and don't want to invest in a mold right away, I've got great news: you don't have to. Chances are you already have tons of "soap molds" sitting in your house. You can upcycle anything from empty milk cartons, oatmeal containers, food containers, empty yoghurt cups and even pringles cans.
Things to look out for when using recycled soap molds:
- material has to be heat resistant (NO glass) and not made out of aluminum
- lye soap and aluminum shouldn't get in contact
- you can line a container that's made out of aluminum or cardboard with freezer paper, wax paper or plastic bags. For detailed instructions on how to turn a pringles can into an awesome soap mold see my how to make soap at home tutorial.
Pros: free, material gets repurposed, easy to source
Cons: shapes are not consistent, sometimes tough to unmold, melt and pour soap could leak through something like a cardboard box lined with freezer paper
Silicone Soap Molds
By far the biggest and (to me) most exciting category. Silicone molds come in so many different fun shapes and sizes, that you just got to have them all 😉
Pros: unique designs, affordable, gives soap glossy smooth finish, easy to clean, lightweight, easy to store
Cons: some molds will slightly bow outward when filled, cold process soap can display bubbles when too hot, insulates cold process soap poorly in order to gel
All silicone molds on this list are made of high-quality, food-grade silicone and are cold and heat resistant. They're suitable for melt and pour and cold process soap.
Even though most molds on this list can be used for making food items, I wouldn't recommend using the same mold for soap and food making. Scents, essential oils, colorants and other chemicals will transfer to the silicone and then leach into the food. You don't want that to happen. Simply keep them separate!
Tips for Using Cold Process Soap in Silicone Molds
- Use sodium lactate or salt in your soap recipe to help harden the soap for easier release
- Pour at thin to medium trace for details to shine and achieve a flat bottom surface
- Use a higher water discount
- Wait 1-3 days longer to unmold (especially with loaf molds)
- Silicone soap molds create an airlock around the soap, so make sure to always pull on all of the sides of the mold first to release them from the soap and then gently press on the bottom
- Put soap in the freezer for a couple of hours before unmolding if soap doesn't budge
- Avoid gelling to reduce formation of bubbles when overheating
The wave design is so stunning on this mold. It's sturdy, durable and the soap comes out nice and crisp.
Tutorial: Sea Salt Soap Recipe {Homemade Melt and Pour Soap Salt Bars} (countryhillcottage.com)
2. Rectangular Mold with Mixed Patterns
I love this mold and I've used it many times. The designs are all so intricate and beautiful: butterfly, heart, tree, dolphin, moon and sun - gorgeous!
Tutorial: Goat Milk Soap Recipe (with AND without Lye) , Activated Charcoal Soap (Melt and Pour), Turmeric Soap Recipe, Lavender Soap Recipe
Can we just pause here for a second? I mean: soap + massage? Heaven! The shape fits the palm of your hand perfectly and those little knobs will melt away any tension instantly.
So cheerful and cute! Whenever I make soap using this little mold, it always makes me smile. The size is perfect for a hand or face soap. You can't go wrong with this one!
Tutorial: Rose Clay & Coconut Milk Face Soap Recipe (Cold Process) , Easy Melt and Pour Sunflower Soap (Soapdelinews)
The brand "crafter's choice" is known for their high-quality soap molds and soap making supplies. This mold is very sturdy and will not bow outward. Your soap will come out perfectly round and perfectly straight along the sides. Plus, it's the perfect size for making loofa soap 😉
Tutorial: Charcoal Soap, How to Make Loofa Soap (Everythingpretty)
6. Ellipse Mold with Mixed Patterns
This ellipse shaped mold is simply elegant with its intricate design and classy shape. All those little details show up in the finished soap perfectly. Simply stunning!
Tutorial: DIY Moisturizing Soap for Dry Skin (countryhillcottage.com)
Snowflake soaps - what a great way to spread the holiday cheer. Perfect for gift giving and simply so cute. Your soap will turn out amazing with this mold.
Tutorial: Glitter Snowflake Soap (Soapdelinews)
How adorable are those little honey bees? The perfect for any soap recipes that contain honey or beeswax. The soap bars are a little on the smaller side (2oz), which makes it perfect for small gifts or party favors.
Tutorial: 10-Minute DIY Milk & Honey Soap (Happiness is homemade)
This soap mold makes really unique looking bars with the intricate symmetrical designs and the scalloped edges. Really pretty!
Tutorial: Turmeric Soap Recipe (Beautycrafter)
10. Ice Cream Cone / Cupcake Soap Mold
Ice cream? Cupcakes? Yes, please. Think about all the fun soaps you can design with this cool mold!
Another holiday themed mold that makes adorable gingerbread man soaps. Perfect for stocking stuffers that will delight young and old.
Tutorial: 15-Minute DIY Gingerbread Man Soap (Happiness is Homemade)
12. Sun & Moon Mold
How can you ever get tired of looking at these beautiful celestial soaps? Pure serenity!
13. Rectangle Mold
This mold is super sturdy and will not warp or bow outward. If you're going for a classic shape like this one, you want the sides of the soap to be perfectly straight.
Tutorial: DIY Honey Almond Soap (A Life Adjacent)
14. Cylinder Mold
Perfectly round, perfectly cute 🙂 and just the right size to give away as party favors at a bridal or baby shower.
Tutorial: DIY Rose Soap (A Life Adjacent)
15. Flower Molds
Flower, flowers - can a girl ever have enough. Each one of those is so pretty - that it's tough to choose a favorite, good thing you don't have to 😉
Tutorial: Coconut Milk Soap - Cold Process (Everything Pretty)
16. Heart Mold
This mold produces perfectly little heart shaped soaps. Great for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day or "Just because" gifts!
Tutorial: Pink Clay Soap Recipe (Lovely Greens)
17. 3D Heart Mold
This mold takes "heart shaped" to the next level. Hearts and roses - the perfect combo! And the little details come nice and crisp every time.
Tutorial: Handmade Vanilla Rose Soap (A Pumpkin and a Princess) (Make amount indicated in recipe to fill all three hearts)
18. Rectangular Mold with Rounded Corners
This mold makes the perfectly shaped soap that is very comfortable to hold in your hand. The classy, simple shape will really make your soap design shine.
Tutorial: Lemon Soap Recipe (Beautycrafter)
I love how bold this mold is. That's what I call statement soaps 😉 It makes 20 perfectly sized bars and is very sturdy.
Tutorial: I haven't found one yet, but you could fill the molds with any 49 oz melt and pour or cold process soap recipe.
20. Gemstone Mold
I love gemstone soaps - simply imagining that you're washing your hands with actual gems is just so fun. With these molds they turn out looking so really and pretty. A must have!
Tutorial: Easy DIY Crystal Gemstone Soap (Dream a Little Bigger)
21. Rose Mold
Any rose or floral themed soap will simply shine with this perfect rose mold. I'm thinking Mother's Day or birthday gifts, how about you?
22. Donut Mold
I don't know about you, but I have a serious sweet tooth. These donut soaps come out so realistic looking, that they give me sugar cravings 😉
Tutorials: Donut Soap Cold Process Recipe (Soap Deli News), DIY Donut Scented Soap (Happiness is Homemade)
23. Small Loaf Mold
I love this mold, I have two of them and I use them all the time. They're great for smaller batches, experiments and layer designs.
Tutorial: DIY Candy Cane Soap
24. 40 oz Loaf Mold
You will get 8 standard bars of soap out of this mold. It's a great mold! It allows for many different designs and the bars come out straight and professional looking.
Tutorial: Avocado Soap Recipe with Fresh Avocado and Lots of Shea Butter
Wooden Soap Molds
Wood molds are probably the most traditional kind of soap molds. Typically, they come in loaf mold or slab mold (low rim, broad pouring surface) size. They are especially useful for cold process soap making. The material insulates the soap well for it to heat up and go through gel phase.
If the mold has a silicone liner, wooden molds can be used for melt and pour soap as well.
Pros: very sturdy and durable, thick material insulates cold process soap well, perfect for very large batches and production soap making, great for traditional bar soaps
Cons: need to be lined with freezer paper (if mold doesn't come with liner), pricier, heavy and needs storage room, wood isn't easy to clean
This mold is a great budget choice! It's a little bit of a hybrid between a silicone loaf mold and a wood mold. The wood is meant to hold the silicone liner in place. The walls are a little bit on the thin side and might not insulate the soap enough to fully gel. But overall, it's a great beginner mold.
26. 2.5lb Basic Mold (Nurture Soap)
If you're looking for high quality soap molds that get raving reviews, you have to go with Nurture Soap's Wood Molds. The wood is very thick and the silicone liners strong and durable. The molds have two holes on the bottom to easily push the soap out when done.
27. 5 lb Basic Loaf Mold (Nurture Soap)
This mold is a very popular choice and just as well made as it's little brother, only, well, twice as big. A great choice for intermediate level soapers that are comfortable working with bigger batches.
28. Tall& Skinny 2.5lbs Mold (Nurture Soap)
With this mold you can create soap bars that are taller than they are wide. The tall & skinny mold gives you the opportunity to create stunning and unique designs. The silicone liner is really the game changer here, since properly lining such a deep mold with freezer paper is quite the challenge.
29. 9 Bar Slab Mold (Bramble Berry)
This is a great small slab mold allowing for interesting designs. Best of all it comes with this handy dandy divider to give you 9 perfect bars. It comes with a lid for insulation and has a sliding bottom for easy unmolding. You will have to line it with freezer paper though.
Tutorial: Sea Sponge Cold Process Soap (Soap Queen)
A Word on Plastic Molds
Plastic soap molds used to be a popular option especially for melt and pour soap. They came in all shapes and sizes and were very affordable.
The drawback was that they weren't very durable and prone to cracking when unmolding the soap. Cold process soap was almost impossible to get out of the mold.
That's why I decided not to include them in this list.
Until next time. Happy Tinkering!
Ethan Hansen
It's great to know that silicone molds are great for making soap because they are cheap and the soap doesn't stick to the liner. My wife and I are looking for new hobbies to pursue and we have explored making soap for quite some time now. After reading your article, I feel as if we're ready to take the first step in what can be our new favorite hobby! We'll be sure to find some silicone molds that are made for soaps!
Celine
Hi Ethan, glad you found this post helpful. Happy Tinkering 🙂
Barbara Pasch
I have been using silicone molds for over 6 years and have over 60 molds for all occasions and holidays. Now I am adding
different characters in the glycerin clear soaps to make them more interesting.
Most donated for Pet Rescues to raise money for animals
Sarah
nice
Doreen
Thank you so much for this article but please how can I order for this mold from where I am in Nigeria?
Celine
I'm not sure. Is there a way you could order on the internet?