How to Make Cold Process Soap

Making homemade soap can be daunting for some people given the various methods presented to them. One of the most popular, cold process soap, is an ideal way to do it for beginners since it allows you to make soap right from scratch! Learn about this method, how you can do it with ease, and have what it takes to be a soapmaker.

What is Cold Process Soap?

This uniquely created soap is produced by the chemical reaction that takes place with a mixture of alkali and oil. The fixed oils involved in the process are typically Olive, Palm and Coconut, which is mixed with Sodium Hydroxide or Lye. It then goes through saponification, where oil composition transforms into a bar of soap. The entire process involves a curing time of around 4-6 weeks.

Basic Ingredients, Materials, and Precautions

This method of soapmaking empowers you over the ingredients, and you can even personalize the recipes to call it your very own creation. A basic recipe entails the use of 30% each of Palm, Coconut and Olive Oil, and then 10% of Sweet Almond Oil, and different amounts of lye is needed for each type of oil.

The things you need would be a stainless steel pot, a heat-resistant glass bowl and measuring bowl, rubber stirring utensil like spatula, an accurate scale, thermometer (preferably two, for the lye and the oil), the recipe and its ingredients, and your choice of molds.

Wear rubber gloves and goggles, and do so throughout your soapmaking venture. Sure enough, this is for your own protection and safety. Though it's unlikely to get splashed with it, you may want to put on long sleeves as an added measure. This activity is not for kids since it involves handling lye, and pets should not be allowed in the crafting area too. As long as you observe the necessary precautions, you would be able to successfully complete all the steps without worries.

How to Make Soap through the Cold Process

Making homemade soap is both exciting and fun as you get creative and come up with exquisite handcrafted soaps right in your own home, and here's how:

1. Fill your glass measuring bowl with the right amount of water based on your recipe. Too much can result to a soap that's too soft, while too little may result to a dry and caustic soap.

2. Carefully add lye to the water, slowly but surely, then stir it until the water becomes clear once again. Take note that it's adding lye to the water and not the other way around, since this may cause bubbling such that of a volcanic reaction. Be wary of breathing in lye fumes and that the solution can get really hot. Once done, set aside to cool down and for later use.

3. Weigh and combine your fixed oils, melt in the pot if needed, then set the stove on medium heat. When both lye and water solution and the oil has reached the same temperature, slowly stir in the lye and water solution into the pot which contains the oils. This creates your soap mixture.


4. Stir the soap mixture continuously and thoroughly for about 15 minutes until it thickens. This is referred to as the trace stage, where the soap has emulsified and reached the consistency similar to a pudding. This can be achieved faster with the use of an electric stick blender.


5. Incorporate your essential oils, herbs, or fragrances into the soap mixture and stir well.

6. Now, you're ready to pour it into the molds, ensuring that the soap mixture is distributed evenly throughout each mold. Stash them in a warm place for curing and hardening, typically for 24-48 hours. Aside from covering the molds, it is best to wrap them in a towel or blanket for keeping the soap mixture warm, therefore speeding up the curing step of this method.

7. Finally, you come up with your hardened soap, which you can then remove and cut into bars. However, it still holds high water composition. The soap must be allowed to cure and dry out for 4-6 more weeks, flipping them over ideally once every week. It is definitely worth the wait once you take pride and joy in your very own homemade, beautiful cold process soap!

Making homemade soap can be daunting for some people given the various methods presented to them. One of the most popular, cold process soap, is an ideal way to do it for beginners since it allows you to make soap right from scratch! Learn about this method, how you can do it with ease, and have what it takes to be a soapmaker.