Top Lye Brands for Soap Making Enthusiasts

Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is an essential component in many industrial applications, including soap making and paper production. Finding a reputable brand of lye ensures both quality and safety in your projects. Among the top brands that have gained trust in the market are Red Crown High-Test Lye, recognized for its purity and reliable performance, and Boyer Corporation, which offers consistent quality and is well-regarded in the soap-making community. For a comprehensive look at the best lye brands available today, read on to discover options that suit your specific needs.

Illustration of lye

Best brands of lye in 2025

Red Crown Lye

Red Crown Lye is a highly regarded brand in the soapmaking industry, known for its high-quality sodium hydroxide (lye) with a purity of 100% or 99%+, making it ideal for soap makers. This brand is available on Amazon and is preferred over chemical grade lye due to its consistency and reliability. Red Crown Lye is part of the broader sodium hydroxide market, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2024 to 2034, with North America holding a significant market share. The product is also subject to strict safety regulations, such as child-resistant packaging requirements, to ensure consumer safety. Red Crown Lye's red label is a distinctive feature, helping users identify the product easily.

Boyer Corporation

The Boyer Corporation is a reputable producer of lye, particularly known for its Red Crown brand, which is widely used in soap making and other applications. Their lye products are packaged in safe, child-resistant containers, although there was a recall in 2020 due to non-compliant packaging. The company adheres to stringent safety and regulatory standards, including those set by the US Department of Transportation and the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA). Their products are available in 2lb cans, with bulk shipments requiring special hazmat labeling and fees. The Boyer Corporation ensures that their lye meets high standards, including food-grade quality for certain applications.

Essential Depot

Essential Depot is renowned as one of the best producers of sodium hydroxide (lye) for soap making, offering a product with a minimum strength of 96% and typically ranging between 98% and 99.9%. Manufactured in the U.S.A. by a reputable chemical company, this food-grade lye is critical for achieving consistent batches, especially with hard-to-saponify oil blends or sensitive essential oils. With over 1,000,000 orders fulfilled for soap makers, Essential Depot enables artisans to produce over 500,000 bars of natural soap per week. Their high-quality lye has helped many artisans generate hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. The company's commitment to quality is backed by detailed Certificates of Analysis available for all product sizes.

Duda Energy

Duda Energy is a reputable brand in the biodiesel industry, known for providing high-quality lye catalysts such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) with purity levels of up to 99.1% for NaOH and 90% for KOH. These catalysts are crucial for the biodiesel production process, especially when converting waste vegetable oil (WVO) which requires additional catalyst amounts determined through titration. The precise calculations, such as using 5g of NaOH per liter of oil for clean oil and adjusting for purity, highlight the brand's commitment to accuracy. Duda Energy also emphasizes the importance of minimizing moisture absorption by methanol to prevent soap formation, ensuring a more efficient and pure biodiesel product. Their detailed guides and material safety data sheets (MSDS) further underscore their expertise.

Belle Chemical

Belle Chemical LLC is a reputable, family-owned distributor known for providing high-quality chemicals, including food-grade sodium hydroxide (lye) with a minimum purity of 99%. This inorganic chemical, also known as NaOH or caustic soda, is highly caustic and widely used in soap making, food preparation, and cleaning. Belle Chemical offers various packaging options, such as 1-pound and 2-pound jars, making it convenient for both home and industrial use. The company ensures efficient and cost-effective delivery of its products, making it a preferred choice for those seeking reliable chemical supplies. With a focus on customer satisfaction, Belle Chemical also offers a 30-day return policy.

Soapgoods

Soapgoods is renowned for its high-quality lye, a crucial ingredient in soapmaking, ensuring precise saponification values and safe handling. For instance, soapmakers often use a lye discount of 5% to prevent excess lye, a practice that Soapgoods supports through their accurate lye calculations and safety guidelines. In recipes, the lye concentration can vary, such as the 26-27% concentration recommended by Bramson and Cavitch, or the higher concentrations of 33-38% used in later books like Robert McDaniel's Essentially Soap published in 2000. For more detailed information on lye usage and best practices, visit their dedicated webpage on lye soap.

The Lye Guy

The Lye Guy is a reputable brand in the sodium hydroxide market, known for its high-quality lye products that cater to various industries, including soap making, water treatment, and chemical manufacturing. The global sodium hydroxide market, which includes brands like The Lye Guy, is projected to grow from USD 45.52 billion in 2024 to USD 70.89 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of 4.50%. The demand for lye is driven by its essential role in sectors such as pulp and paper, textiles, and soaps and detergents. The Asia Pacific region, where significant industrialization and urbanization are occurring, accounts for over 45% of the market share and is expected to continue its rapid growth. The Lye Guy's products, like those from other major manufacturers, are crucial for these industries due to their purity and reliability. For more insights on the differences in lye products, visit the Soap Making Forum.

Sciencemadness

Sciencemadness is not a brand that produces lye, but rather a community forum where users discuss and share methods for creating and using various chemicals, including lye (sodium hydroxide). The forum provides detailed discussions and recipes for making lye, such as using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide or sourcing it from drain cleaners. Users share their experiences and tips, including safety precautions and yield percentages. For example, some users mention sourcing 100% pure lye from drain cleaners like Roebic brand, available at local hardware stores. The community is known for its in-depth chemical discussions and practical advice.

Comstar Pure Lye

ComStar Pure Lye is a leading brand in the market, renowned for its industrial-strength, environmentally safe, and biodegradable sodium hydroxide formula, which is 99% pure. This bead-sized lye is preferred for both drain opening and soap making due to its unique properties, such as not clumping together, creating static, or emitting odors. It effectively clears clogged drains, grease traps, and septic systems without harming bacteria activity. ComStar Pure Lye is safe on fine fixtures, chrome trim, and metal or plastic pipes, making it a favorite among homes, schools, hospitals, and commercial establishments. With its non-acid formula and quick dissolution, it stands out as a top choice in the drain cleaner market. For more information, visit their official website.

Natures Garden

Nature's Garden is a reputable brand known for its high-quality lye products, particularly sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH), which are essential for soap making. When purchasing from Nature's Garden, customers receive lye packaged in 2-pound bottles, regardless of the total quantity ordered. The company emphasizes safety, providing an MSDS sheet for detailed usage, first aid measures, storage, and disposal instructions. Lye from Nature's Garden is shipped via ground to the lower 48 United States due to its hazardous material classification. The brand ensures that all lye is handled and shipped with strict safety protocols.