The Maker's Library
The Maker’s Library
Start here. This page is the organized, detailed index of everything in the Maker’s Library — our own books and collected knowledge, the interactive tools and calculators, and the printable guides, instructions and downloads. Each entry below explains what it is, who it’s for, and what you’ll find inside. Everything is free to read and use.
Original work by Tel Aviv Soap Company — researched, written and illustrated in our studio.
📖 The Book — Smoke, Balm & Gold
A working almanac for soap makers & perfumers: 67 documented fragrance blends and aromatic remedies across four millennia — Temple incense to Tiger Balm — with proportions, stories, and a soap maker’s workshop chapter. Every composition is tagged documented or reconstruction, so you always know what is history and what is our informed reading of it. Read it in parts:
Chapters I–IIChapters III–VIChapters VII–VIIIChapters IX–XIMaterials Index & Sources🗺 The Chart — the whole book at a glance
All 67 entries of Smoke, Balm & Gold on one scannable timeline — date, place, materials, evidence tag — each linked to its full story. Start here if you don’t want to read the book cover to cover.
Open the Chart🌿 Resins, Gums & Balsams — Field Guide
A five-chapter field guide to the raw materials of natural perfumery and incense: what each resin, gum and balsam is, where it comes from, how to recognize quality, and how makers actually use it. The introduction page has a full index and a search tool. Read by chapter:
Introduction, Index & SearchCh. 1 — Oleo-Gum-ResinsCh. 2 — BalsamsCh. 3 — Oleoresins & TurpentinesCh. 4 — True, Hard & Special ResinsCh. 5 — Gums & Hydrocolloids⚗ Historical Fragrance Accord Manual
38 historical accords with teaching proportions — the blends behind colognes, fougères, chypres, amber and the great remedy rubs, organized for the bench. A bridge between the history in the book and practical blending work.
Open the ManualInteractive working tools — enter your materials, get numbers you can pour by. Theoretical models: always burn test before selling.
🔥 Candle Formulator
Our flagship interactive tool: blend waxes and instantly see melt point, hardness, shelf life and scent throw; get single- and multi-wick recommendations for your vessel; and watch a live burn-chamber diagram respond to your formula. English + Hebrew (RTL), metric + US units. Free to use and free to embed on your own site with credit.
Open the Candle Formulator🧩 Wick Calculator (EN/עברית)
Fast wick-sizing and formula builder: jar diameter, wax blend and fragrance load in — wick recommendation out. The quick tool for when you don’t need the full Formulator.
Open the Wick CalculatorPrintable references and step-by-step instructions — each with a watermarked PDF you can download and keep at the bench.
🔖 Candle Wick Guide
The studio’s visual poster on wicks: types, sizing logic, and troubleshooting — tunneling, mushrooming, high flames and how to read them. View it on the page or download the printable PDF at the bottom.
Open the Wick Guide⚠ Fragrance Oil Safety & Usage Guide
The essential handout for everyone who buys fragrance oils or candle ingredients from us: safety rules, workshop & children policy, emergency numbers, storage, our usage labels with recommended percentages, and quick candle-making instructions. Downloadable PDF included — print it and keep it where you work.
Open the Safety Guide🧱 Melt & Pour — Glycerin Soap Quick Guide
The method from our own studio base (as printed on the TLVSC 1.5 kg glycerin base label):
- Melt gently to 60°C max — microwave 40 sec per 250 g in short bursts, or a double boiler. Never boil.
- Add a little water (~1 tsp per 250 g) while melting. Stir well.
- Off heat: add color drop by drop, then fragrance. Stir slowly.
- Pour into molds at 55–60°C. Set ~1 hour.
Not for children under 8. Under 18 — adult supervision required. Melt & pour base and fragrance oils are in the shop.
Shop maker suppliesCompiled by Tel Aviv Soap Company · 2026