How to Make Spruce Resin Soap (Using Real Spruce Sap From the Forest)

March 10, 2026

Spruce resin soap is one of the oldest traditional forest soaps used in northern cultures.

Long before commercial detergents filled store shelves, people made soap using simple ingredients gathered from nature — oils, lye, and botanicals.

True soap is created through a natural chemical reaction called saponification, where oils react with lye to form a cleansing bar.

When done correctly, the final soap contains no active lye. The lye is fully transformed during the process, leaving behind a gentle bar that cleans and nourishes the skin.

Unfortunately, many modern store-bought “soaps” are not true soap.

Many commercial bars are actually synthetic detergent bars containing artificial fragrances, chemical foaming agents, dyes, stabilizers, and preservatives designed for shelf life and scent rather than skin health.

At Alberta Wildcraft, we take a very different approach.

Our soaps are made using only a handful of ingredients:

extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil
organic coconut oil
wildcrafted botanicals and tree resins
lye and water

We do not use essential oils, fragrance oils, colorants, or additives.

The colour and aroma of our soaps come naturally from the plants and tree resins infused into the oils.

The result is a soap that truly reflects the forest it came from.

Why Real Soap Requires Lye

There is a lot of confusion online about lye in soap making.

The truth is simple:

Real soap cannot exist without lye.

Every traditional soap recipe requires sodium hydroxide (lye) to transform oils into soap.

Without lye, oils would simply remain oils.

During the process of saponification, the lye reacts completely with the oils to form soap and glycerin. When the recipe is balanced correctly and the soap is allowed to cure properly, no active lye remains in the finished bar.

This process has been safely used for centuries in traditional soap making.

The Problem With Many “Spruce” or “Pine” Soaps

Many soaps marketed as spruce or pine soaps do not actually contain real spruce resin.

Instead, they rely on spruce essential oils, pine essential oils, or synthetic fragrance oils designed to mimic the scent of the forest.

While these scents can smell pleasant, they do not contain the natural compounds found in real tree resins.

Another ingredient often used in pine soaps is pine tar.

Pine tar is created by slowly heating pine wood in a low-oxygen environment. This produces a thick, dark tar historically used in wood preservation, veterinary care, and certain medicinal soaps.

Pine tar soaps have a strong smoky scent and have traditionally been used for skin conditions.

However, pine tar is not the same as pure spruce resin.

How Spruce Resin Soap Is Different

Real spruce resin soap uses pure spruce sap harvested directly from spruce trees.

Spruce resin has been used traditionally across northern cultures for generations as a natural skin remedy.

To capture its properties, raw spruce sap is slowly infused into oils. This allows the resin’s natural compounds to dissolve into the oils.

After the infusion is complete, the oils are filtered using a two-stage filtration process to remove bark and forest debris.

Using a generous amount of resin allows the natural scent and colour of the spruce to remain present in the finished soap.

This produces dark, rich bars of soap with a natural forest aroma.

No perfumes.
No fragrance oils.
Just the forest.

The Skin Benefits of Spruce Resin

Spruce resin contains several natural compounds that have been studied for their antimicrobial and skin-supporting properties.

Research on conifer resins, including Norway spruce (Picea abies), has identified resin acids and phenolic compounds that exhibit antimicrobial activity.

A clinical study conducted in Finland examining Norway spruce resin salve found it demonstrated strong antimicrobial properties and supported healing in chronic wounds.

These natural compounds contribute to:

antibacterial activity
antifungal activity
protection against certain microbes
support for healthy skin environments

These compounds are part of how spruce trees naturally protect themselves when damaged.

When infused into oils and incorporated into soap, spruce resin contributes both its natural aroma and its traditional skin-supporting qualities.

Enhanced soap shavings with premium background

A Simple Spruce Resin Soap Recipe

If you enjoy making soap, you can experiment with a basic spruce resin soap at home.

Oils

30 oz total oils consisting of:

extra virgin olive oil
organic coconut oil

The ratio can be adjusted depending on the type of bar you prefer.

More coconut oil creates:

more lather
stronger cleansing

More olive oil creates:

a gentler bar
a more conditioning soap

Lye Solution

9 oz distilled water
4.78 oz sodium hydroxide (lye)

Spruce Resin Infusion

Infuse the oils with pure spruce resin.

There is no strict measurement required. Add as much resin as desired depending on how strong you want the infusion to be.

Once infused:

filter the oils thoroughly
re-weigh the oils after filtration
top up oils if necessary to maintain the correct total weight

Maintaining the correct oil weight ensures the lye balance remains accurate.

Lye Safety and Proper Handling

Sodium hydroxide is a powerful alkaline substance and must always be handled carefully.

Follow these safety practices when making soap:

work in a well-ventilated area
wear gloves
wear eye protection
avoid breathing vapors when mixing lye with water
keep children and pets away from your workspace

Safe Containers for Lye

Use only materials that are safe for lye:

stainless steel
heat-safe glass
heavy polypropylene plastic (#5 plastic)

Never use aluminum containers, as lye reacts with aluminum and produces harmful fumes.

Step 1 — Infusing the Spruce Resin

Measure the oils and place them in a crock pot set to low heat.

Add the spruce resin directly to the oils.

Allow the oils and resin to slowly warm together so the resin can dissolve into the oils.

A slow infusion allows the natural compounds of the resin to properly incorporate into the oils.

Step 2 — Filtering the Infused Oils

Once the infusion is complete, the oils must be filtered.

First strain the oils through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl.

Then strain again through another mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove smaller particles.

After filtering, weigh the oils again and adjust if necessary.

Return the oils to the crock pot on low heat.

Step 3 — Preparing the Lye Solution

Measure distilled water into a heat-safe container. Use eye protection and gloves.

Slowly add the lye to the water while stirring.

Never pour water into lye.
Always add lye to water.

The mixture will heat rapidly and release steam.

Allow the lye solution to cool for about 20 to 30 minutes before combining with the oils.

Step 4 — Combining Oils and Lye

Slowly pour the lye solution into the warm oils.

Pour close to the surface of the oils to prevent splashing.

Stir gently first and then use a stick blender in short bursts while stirring gently.

Within a few minutes the mixture will emulsify and begin to thicken.

Once no oil separation remains, the soap is ready to cook.

Step 5 — Cooking the Soap (Hot Process)

Place the lid on the crock pot and cook the soap on low heat.

Check the soap periodically and use a stick blender every 5–10 minutes to redistribute heat.

As the soap cooks it will change texture.

It may first appear grainy like applesauce, then thicken to a mashed-potato-like consistency.

Eventually parts of the soap will appear glossy or translucent as it enters the gel phase.

When the soap becomes thick and cohesive, the saponification process is nearly complete.

Step 6 — Placing the Soap Into Molds

Hot process soap is thicker than cold process soap.

Instead of pouring, it is usually scooped or pressed into molds.

Now lightly tap the mold on the counter to remove air pockets and for an even loaf

Allow the soap to cool and harden before removing it from the mold.

Although hot process soap can be used sooner, allowing the bars to cure for a few days improves hardness and longevity.

Common Mistakes When Making Spruce Resin Soap

Not Filtering the Resin Thoroughly

Spruce resin contains bark and forest debris.
A two-stage filtration process produces smoother soap.

Not Re-Weighing Oils After Filtration

Filtering can remove small amounts of oil.

Always re-weigh oils after filtering to maintain the correct recipe balance.

Overheating the Oils

Too much heat can cause the soap mixture to expand rapidly and volcano out of the pot.

Keeping the crock pot on low heat helps maintain control.

What To Do If Your Soap Volcanoes

If the soap begins rising rapidly:

turn the heat down or switch off the crock pot
remove the lid to release heat
stir the mixture right in the middle

The soap usually settles once the temperature stabilizes.

Rushing the Resin Infusion

Tree resin takes time to dissolve into oils.

Allowing the resin to slowly infuse ensures the oils capture the natural properties and scent of spruce sap.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spruce Resin Soap

Is spruce resin soap good for skin?

Spruce resin contains natural compounds studied for antimicrobial activity and traditional skin-supporting properties.

Does spruce soap smell like the forest?

When real spruce resin is infused into oils, the soap develops a natural forest aroma without needing fragrance oils.

Is spruce resin the same as pine tar?

No. Pine tar is produced by high process heating pine wood, while spruce resin is the natural sap produced by spruce trees.

A Craft Rooted in the Forest

Working with tree resins and wild plants is something our family has spent years learning and refining.

Harvesting spruce sap, slowly infusing it into oils, and transforming it into soap connects us directly to the boreal forest around us.

Every batch begins the same way — walking forest trails, collecting resin by hand, and bringing those ingredients back to our workshop.

Soap making is both science and patience, but it is also a way of preserving traditional knowledge that has been used for generations.

For us, spruce resin soap isn’t about fragrance or trends.

It’s about working with what the forest gives us and transforming it into something simple, useful, and natural.

If you would rather experience spruce resin soap without making it yourself, you can explore our wildcrafted spruce soap made with real forest-harvested spruce sap.

Shop Spruce Resin Soap

Mastering Spruce Resin