Getting Started
New to Maker Studio AI? Start here.
What is Maker Studio AI?
Maker Studio AI is a business management platform built specifically for handmade product makers — especially soap makers. It connects your ingredient inventory, recipe formulation, batch production records, and financial tracking in one place, so you can stop juggling spreadsheets and start making decisions with confidence.
Who is Maker Studio AI for?
It's built for soap makers, cosmetic formulators, candle makers, and any maker who creates products from recipes. Whether you're a hobbyist who wants to understand your formulas better, or a small business owner who needs to track costs and plan production, Maker Studio AI was designed with you in mind.
Do I need to know soap formulation to use it?
No. The app guides you through the process. You can enter your ingredients and the system calculates the lye, water, fatty acid profile, and quality scores automatically. If you're new to formulation, the AI Recipe Generator can even suggest a starting formula based on the type of bar you want to make.
Can I analyze recipes I found online?
Yes. You can enter any percentage-based recipe into the recipe builder and the system will calculate the full soap profile — hardness, cleansing, conditioning, bubbly and creamy lather scores, iodine value, and INS score — so you understand exactly what kind of bar that recipe will produce before you make it.
Does Maker Studio AI replace SoapCalc?
It does everything SoapCalc does and much more. Maker Studio AI includes a full lye calculator, fatty acid profile, quality score analysis, and printable recipe sheets — plus it connects your recipes to real ingredient costs, batch records, and business finances. There's also a free public Soap Recipe Calculator at /calculator that anyone can use without an account.
Can I import my existing recipes?
You can manually enter your existing recipes into the system — it only takes a few minutes per recipe. A CSV import tool is on our roadmap. Once your recipes are in, they're connected to your ingredient costs and batch history automatically.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. You get a 14-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card required to start. After the trial you can choose the plan that fits where your business is right now.
Recipes & Formulation
How the recipe calculator, fatty acid analysis, and AI tools work.
How does the lye calculator work?
When you enter your oils and their percentages, the system looks up the saponification value for each oil and calculates the exact amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH) needed. You set the superfat percentage and water discount, and the system handles the math. The result is the same calculation a professional soap chemist would do.
What are quality scores?
Quality scores predict the properties of your finished soap bar based on the fatty acid profile of your oils. The system calculates hardness, cleansing, conditioning, bubbly lather, creamy lather, iodine value, and INS score — and shows you whether each score falls inside the ideal range for a balanced bar.
What is a fatty acid profile?
Every oil is made up of fatty acids — lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, ricinoleic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. Each acid contributes different properties to your soap. The fatty acid profile shows you exactly what percentage of each acid is in your recipe, so you can understand why your bar behaves the way it does and how to adjust it.
What is the INS score?
INS (Iodine Number Score) is a single number that summarizes the balance of your soap formula. The ideal range is generally 136–165. A score in that range suggests a bar that is hard, long-lasting, and has a good lather. Scores outside that range don't mean the recipe is wrong — they just tell you something about how the bar will perform.
How does the AI Recipe Generator work?
The AI Recipe Generator works in two ways. In Build from Ingredients mode, you select the oils and butters you have on hand and the AI proposes a balanced recipe using only those ingredients. In Swap an Ingredient mode, you pick a recipe and an ingredient you want to replace, and the AI suggests 2–3 substitutes with an explanation of how each swap will change your bar's qualities.
Can the AI substitute ingredients?
Yes. The Swap an Ingredient tool lets you type the name of any ingredient in a saved recipe and get AI-powered substitution suggestions. Each suggestion includes the recommended percentage, why it works as a substitute, what will change in the finished bar, and any formulation cautions to be aware of.
Can I print my recipe?
Yes. Every saved recipe has a Print Recipe Sheet button that generates a formatted sheet with your ingredient list and weights, lye and water amounts, superfat and water discount settings, quality scores with ideal range indicators, and the full fatty acid profile. It's designed to be used at your bench.
Why does my recipe show Ingredient 10 instead of a name?
This was a bug that has been fixed. The AI now returns full ingredient names in all generated recipes. If you see a numbered placeholder in an older recipe, you can edit the ingredient row and select the correct ingredient from the dropdown.
Production & Inventory
Batch records, inventory tracking, and production planning.
What is a batch record?
A batch record is a production log for a specific run of a recipe. It records the date made, batch size, actual ingredient weights used, cure date, notes on the process, and any photos. Batch records are how you track what you actually made versus what the recipe says — and they're the foundation of MOCRA-compliant cosmetic manufacturing records.
Does Maker Studio AI help with MOCRA compliance?
Yes. The batch record system is designed to capture the information required under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), including ingredient records, batch identifiers, and production dates. You can print batch records for your files. Always consult a regulatory professional for full compliance guidance.
How does inventory tracking work?
When you record a batch, the system automatically deducts the ingredients used from your inventory. When you receive new supplies, you log a purchase and the system adds them back. You can see your current stock levels, set low-stock alerts, and track the true landed cost of each ingredient including shipping.
What is landed cost?
Landed cost is the total cost of an ingredient including the purchase price, shipping, and any other fees. Maker Studio AI lets you log the full landed cost for each ingredient purchase so your recipe cost calculations reflect what you actually paid — not just the list price.
Can I track multiple suppliers for the same ingredient?
Yes. You can log purchases from different suppliers for the same ingredient and the system keeps track of each purchase's cost and quantity. This lets you compare supplier pricing over time and see how your costs change.
Shows & Sales
Planning craft shows, markets, and recording sales.
How does the Show Planner work?
The Show Planner lets you create an event (craft fair, farmers market, pop-up) with a date, location, booth fee, and sales goal. You can build a product list for the show, generate a production checklist based on what you need to make, and record your actual sales after the event. The system calculates your net revenue after booth fees and expenses.
Can I track which products sell best at shows?
Yes. When you record sales at a show, the system tracks which products sold and at what price. Over time you can see your best-selling products, your average revenue per show, and which shows are most profitable for your business.
Can I record online sales too?
Yes. You can record sales from any channel — craft shows, online stores, wholesale orders, or direct sales. The sales module is channel-agnostic so your financial reporting reflects your full business.
Marketing Companion
AI-powered content generation for your handmade business.
What is the Marketing Companion?
The Marketing Companion is an AI tool that generates marketing content for your handmade products. You describe a product, choose a content type (social media post, product description, email, blog intro), and the AI generates copy in your brand voice. It's designed for makers who want to show up consistently online without spending hours writing.
Can the AI write product descriptions?
Yes. The Marketing Companion can generate product descriptions optimized for your sales channels. You provide the product name, key ingredients, and any benefits or scent notes, and the AI writes a compelling description that highlights what makes your product special.
Does it generate social media content?
Yes. You can generate Instagram captions, Facebook posts, and short-form content for any product or batch. The AI understands the handmade product market and writes in a voice that resonates with customers who value artisan goods.
Finance & Pricing
Understanding your costs, margins, and pricing your products correctly.
How does the pricing calculator work?
The pricing calculator uses your actual ingredient costs (from your inventory records) to calculate the true cost of goods for each recipe. You add your labor rate, overhead percentage, and desired profit margin, and the system tells you the minimum price you need to charge to be profitable — and what price point hits your target margin.
What is the Finance Dashboard?
The Finance Dashboard gives you a business-level view of your revenue, cost of goods sold, and gross profit across all your sales channels and time periods. It pulls data from your batch records, inventory costs, and sales logs to show you whether your business is growing and where your money is going.
Can I track expenses that aren't ingredients?
Yes. You can log business expenses like packaging, labels, booth fees, equipment, and supplies. These expenses are factored into your overhead calculations and appear in your financial reports.
How do I know if I'm pricing my products correctly?
The pricing tool shows you your cost of goods, your break-even price, and your price at different margin levels. If your current prices are below your cost of goods, the system flags it. Many makers discover they've been underpricing once they see their true landed costs reflected in the numbers.
Account & Access
Subscriptions, data, and getting help.
What plans are available?
Maker Studio AI offers a free 14-day trial and paid plans starting at $19/month. Plan details and current pricing are on the pricing page at makerstudio.livesoapschool.com/#pricing.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings. You'll retain access until the end of your current billing period.
Is my data safe?
Yes. Your recipes, batch records, and business data are stored securely and are never shared with third parties. You can export your data at any time.
Can I use Maker Studio AI on my phone?
Yes. Maker Studio AI is a responsive web app that works on any device — phone, tablet, or desktop. No app download required. Open it in your mobile browser and it adapts to your screen size.
How do I get support?
You can submit a support request directly from the Help page using the Contact Support button. You can also visit the knowledge base at help.makerstudio.livesoapschool.com for detailed guides and tutorials.
Where can I learn more about soap making?
Live Soap School (livesoapschool.com) offers courses, tutorials, and resources on cold process soap making, cosmetic formulation, and running a handmade product business. Maker Studio AI was built by the same team.
Still have questions?
Visit our knowledge base for detailed guides and tutorials, or contact our support team.
Visit Knowledge Base