An alternate method to making soap without using an external heat source would be the cold process. This process involves making the soap from scratch using distilled water, fats, and lye and is considered to be the most basic and purest form of soap. Adding extra fragrances and conditioners by formulating the soap to hold essential oils, also known as superfatting, is easily done using this method.
Whether you use the hot process or cold process to make soap, the one common requirement you will need is a good quality oil. At first, the best oils to use were in the form of animal fats, such as, lard or tallow, but now with the rise of vegetarianism and the use of more non animal based products, the more popular oils are vegetable oils. The favorites among soap makers being olive oil, palm and coconut oil. Keep reading for an extended list of more oils you can use.
Another vital requirement for Cold Process Soap Making is a lye calculator. This will enable you to determine the precise quantity of lye required for a given amount of each type of fat used. Just remember to read the instructions and warnings listed on the lye container, in the wrong hands lye can be a very dangerous chemical.
To avoid having the lye getting too hot to handle you can do one of the two following things:
1. Instead of using luke warm water use cold water
2. Mix the lye solution one day ahead of time
If you decide to use option 2, just keep in mind that the lye and fat needs to be a similar temperature about 100 F, so you may then need to re-heat the lye solution. The next step is to carefully combine the lye solution with the fats.
Is there an alternative to using only water to dissolve the lye you ask? The answer is absolutely! Below is a list of other options you have to create unique soaps that you can sell or just give away as sensational gifts:
1. Milk
2. Infused Herbs
3. Vegetable Juices
4. Fruit based juice
As a cautionary measure, soap makers typically add up to 10% extra oil to prevent extra lye from remaining in the soap. Then, in 30 days, the lye will have completely combined with the oils and the result will be good quality homemade soap. In a finished soap, all the oils are saponified and no longer contain any lye, only soap and glycerin.
Here's a list of commonly used oils for soap making. The first two are the most widely used. 3 through 6 are the best to use:
1. Coconut
2. Palm oil
3. 100% Olive Oil
4. Almond Oils
5. Canola Oils
6. Sesame Oils
So....Why use natural soap? How does natural handmade soap differ from commercially made soap? A bar of handcrafted soap is good for the skin, natural, and versatile. If your soap is handmade it tends to be fresh and contain more natural elements.
The adding of natural ingredients like fruit juices, vegetable juices, and natural herbs is what makes your soaps more unique and better quality. Using ingredients like these results in the formation of natural glycerin being formed in the cold process that is extremely less drying to the skin. It's for reasons like this that using homemade and hand crafted soaps with natural elements that will leave your skin feeling soft and looking healthy.
The cold process method of soap making is often avoided and ignored by most soap makers because of the potential dangers of handling lye, but if the proper precautions are taken there is little risk and the resulting soap that is created is unique and delightful and can be offered for sale or can be given away as really nice gifts.
Whether you use the hot process or cold process to make soap, the one common requirement you will need is a good quality oil. At first, the best oils to use were in the form of animal fats, such as, lard or tallow, but now with the rise of vegetarianism and the use of more non animal based products, the more popular oils are vegetable oils. The favorites among soap makers being olive oil, palm and coconut oil. Keep reading for an extended list of more oils you can use.
Another vital requirement for Cold Process Soap Making is a lye calculator. This will enable you to determine the precise quantity of lye required for a given amount of each type of fat used. Just remember to read the instructions and warnings listed on the lye container, in the wrong hands lye can be a very dangerous chemical.
To avoid having the lye getting too hot to handle you can do one of the two following things:
1. Instead of using luke warm water use cold water
2. Mix the lye solution one day ahead of time
If you decide to use option 2, just keep in mind that the lye and fat needs to be a similar temperature about 100 F, so you may then need to re-heat the lye solution. The next step is to carefully combine the lye solution with the fats.
Is there an alternative to using only water to dissolve the lye you ask? The answer is absolutely! Below is a list of other options you have to create unique soaps that you can sell or just give away as sensational gifts:
1. Milk
2. Infused Herbs
3. Vegetable Juices
4. Fruit based juice
As a cautionary measure, soap makers typically add up to 10% extra oil to prevent extra lye from remaining in the soap. Then, in 30 days, the lye will have completely combined with the oils and the result will be good quality homemade soap. In a finished soap, all the oils are saponified and no longer contain any lye, only soap and glycerin.
Here's a list of commonly used oils for soap making. The first two are the most widely used. 3 through 6 are the best to use:
1. Coconut
2. Palm oil
3. 100% Olive Oil
4. Almond Oils
5. Canola Oils
6. Sesame Oils
So....Why use natural soap? How does natural handmade soap differ from commercially made soap? A bar of handcrafted soap is good for the skin, natural, and versatile. If your soap is handmade it tends to be fresh and contain more natural elements.
The adding of natural ingredients like fruit juices, vegetable juices, and natural herbs is what makes your soaps more unique and better quality. Using ingredients like these results in the formation of natural glycerin being formed in the cold process that is extremely less drying to the skin. It's for reasons like this that using homemade and hand crafted soaps with natural elements that will leave your skin feeling soft and looking healthy.
The cold process method of soap making is often avoided and ignored by most soap makers because of the potential dangers of handling lye, but if the proper precautions are taken there is little risk and the resulting soap that is created is unique and delightful and can be offered for sale or can be given away as really nice gifts.
About the Author:
Want to learn more on how Dawn Washelski uses the cold process and other methods to make soap? Find more articles along with step-by-step videos to help you create your own homemade soap
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