Most people who practice the art of homemade soap making do so as a hobby. Some of these hobbyists who believe in creating their final products from natural non-animal materials, fall into the category of organic soap making. These homemade products are made the same way commercial soaps are made, except the ingredients are different, and the quantity of the batches are naturally much less.

Organic soap making has become popular among hobbyists with sensitive skin or those who do not want to use animal materials in order to create their products. Most homemade soaps use tallow, or animal fats as one of the ingredients. Though animal materials are organic in the sense that they are biodegradable, organic products often involves plant materials only. Usually a variety of oils are used in order to make up for the lack of animal fat.

This process uses the hot process method of making soaps, however, and that means that caustic soda or lye must be used in order to create the soaps. This chemical is usually the only chemical found in the final product, and is a necessary ingredient in order to preserve the product's shelf life, and so that the soap can properly saponify. Other than this chemical, organic soaps are all natural.

All natural organic products usually give no adverse effects towards those with sensitive skin because the ingredients are mild and gentle. The only chance a person may have of giving an allergic reaction is if they are allergic to the organic product itself. For example, people who are allergic to nuts may not do well with organic soaps made with oil extracts from nuts.

When organic soap making, soap makers use a variety of ingredients which give the organic soaps a unique twist. For example, dried herbs, beeswax, oatmeal, and other natural plant materials are used. Some argue that beeswax is an animal by-product, but other soap makers disregard this as nit-picking, especially since beeswax is a wonderful ingredient, and usually produces an good soap.