There are six basic but very important points you need to take note of to be successful in makeing Cold Process Soap:

• Weigh very carefully (to the gram*) all the basic ingredients for the basic soap mix.
• Choose the appropriate mixing temperatures.
• Insulate the soap, after pouring into the mold, and make sure it goes through a thorough gel phase.
• Always always pour the Lye into the water and never never the water into the lye.
• Wear your protective gear when using lye.
• Always have white vinegar around just incase you spill lye, lye solution or caustic soap. The Vinegar will neutralize the lye. Then seek medical attention.

*I have found measuring using the metric system for weighing my fats/oils and my caustic soda or potash ended up being more reliable and accurate. But you can weigh using the US weighing system just make sure you weigh to the closest ounce or pound and have an accurate conversion.*




The Step By Step procedure for making Cold Process Soap





Step 1: Preparing to make Cold Process Soap

Gather and measure all the ingredients and additives needed to make your Cold Process soap. It is important to have all the ingredients ready so that you don’t have to leave your soap unattended.

Measure all your ingredients into your glass measuring bowls, or other appropriate containers. Make sure you measure your water into a heat resistant container and your Lye into a container that will not be used for anything else, if you are more comfortable measure your lye into a disposable container and toss it out when you are finished. Get your Essential oils or Fragrance Oils ready by using your measuring spoons or glass droppers and measure the appropriate amount needed.

If you are going to use Colorants get them ready, place some oil in a small bowl. Shave off a few pieces of solid soap dye into the oil. Heat in the microwave to melt, start at 30 seconds, Stir, and then add more time if needed. If you are using liquid or powdered colorants you can just drop from the dropper or sprinkle a little at a time.

Prepare your Cold Process soap moulds by lining the insides with heavy plastic like a garbage bag or butchers/parchment paper.

Step 2: Preparing the Lye solution for Cold Process soap

Get your protective clothing on (long sleeves shirt, full length pants, socks and shoes, rubber gloves, goggles and mask or a scarf to protect your nose and mouth).

Slowly, but steadily add your pre-measured lye to your pre-measured water while mixing with a long handled spoon (plastic paint mixers work great for this) to completely dissolve the lye in the water, never add your water to your lye it will act like a volcano and you will have hot lye solution everywhere.

Once you have dissolved all the Lye in the water cover the jug with its lid or cover with a piece of cardboard and place in the sink to cool down.

You can now take some of your protective gear off to proceed to the next step.

Step 3: Preparing your oils and fats

Add your solid and liquid fats/oils to your stainless steel pot (soap pot); if you are using beeswax add it in as well. Place your pot on the stove and heat on low heat until the beeswax (if using) is melted, beeswax takes longer to melt then the rest of the oils, stir occasionally and avoid overheating. Check the temperature with one of your thermometers to monitor the temperature.

While your oils/fats are warming place your soap molds on a flat surface covered with newspaper and make sure your molds are prepared with plastic or butchers paper if it is needed. Some soap molds don’t need plastic or parchment paper, it just makes for easier clean up if you use it.

Step 4: Adding your lye solution to your oils/fats

Check the temperature of your Lye solution using your other thermometer (if you only have one thermometer, clean it on a paper towel before placing in the lye solution and rinse it under cold running water before placing it back in the oils).

When the temperature of both the oils/fats and lye solution are at or around 45°C (113°F), wearing your protective gear, slowly but steadily pour the lye solution into the soap pot. You will need to keep your protective gear on from now on.

With the long handled spoon (or paint stirrer) you used for the lye solution, slowly and carefully stir the lye solution into the oils/fats. When your Cold Process soap mix turns completely opaque, set aside your stirring spoon, and grab the stick blender.

Place our stick blender as close to the bottom of the soap pot as you can and then turn it on. Slowly move your stick blender around the soap pot for about 2-5 minutes, then turn it of and stir manually with it off for a couple of minutes. Alternate the on and off stirring technique until trace to avoid overheating your stick blender.

Step 5: Bring your Cold Process Soap to trace

As you are stirring your soap mixture with the on and off technique you will notice that your soap mix is becoming denser, lighter in color, and more and more opaque. Your soap mix has gone from totally liquid to a cream like consistency and will eventually reach what is called the “Trace stage”.

To understand if your Cold Process soap is at trace, turn your stick blender off and lift above the soap mix. If the droplets falling off the blender stay on the surface of the soap mix before sinking in, or drag a spoon across the surface of your mixture. When a visible trail is left behind that lasts for at least a few seconds, this is similar to what happens when gravy or a white sauce is ready and starts thickening, (in other words leaves a trace on the surface) then your Cold Process soap is at trace and is ready for your additives and pouring in the molds.

Generally stirring and trace times vary from a few minutes to a couple of hours, depending on the fats/oils used, stirring speed, and tool type. Unsaturated oils, liquid at room temperature, require longer stirring times while saturated oils, solid at room temperature, require less stirring times. Just hand stirring will require a longer stirring time typically about a half an hour, while trace can be reached within a few minutes when using an electric blender.

Step 6: Adding your fragrance and other additives to your Cold Process soap mix

Now that your soap has made it to the trace stage your lye isn’t as reactive so you can add your more delicate additives such as your essential oils, fragrance oils, colorants, Herbs and Botanicals , and any superfatted oils you may want to add. You should still wear your protective gear because the soap mix is still caustic with active lye until it has passed thru the gel phase.

Blend in your additives stirring carefully and quickly. Note if you want a somewhat marbled look don’t fully incorporate the color.

Your soap is now ready to be poured into the molds, pour carefully so not to spill.

Step 7: The Gel Phase and Curing of Cold Process soap

After you have poured your Cold Process soap into the molds the soap will need some heat for the saponification reaction to complete the metamorphosis into soap. If your cold Process soap mold came with a lid place the lid on it, if not place a layer of cardboard over the top of your mold. Then fold an old blanket or towel and place it on top of the mold so that there is a least two layers of material, don’t forget to also wrap the sides of your molds to stop the heat from escaping to early. Now leave your molds undisturbed for a few of hours.

While your Cold Process soap is setting up, clean up your work area, and store all your tools that are “dirty” with soap in a safe place, after 24 hours, the tools can be cleaned and all the leftover soap can be reclaimed and used in your hand-milled recipes. After cleaning up your workspace and only then can you take off your protective safety gear.

If your mixing temperatures and your insulation were properly applied your soap should go through what’s called the “Gel Phase”. Your soap will increase in temperature and take on a jelly-like translucent appearance and will be quite darker than it was at trace. During this gel phase the heat will radiate from the center of your Cold Process soap to the sides of the mold. Insulating your soap helps to keep the extra heat in and allows the gel phase to reach the sides and the corners of the mold. The presence of the gel phase indicates that the saponification reaction is producing natural heat which helps in converting lye and fats/oil into soap.

Occasionally you can lift the corner of your cover to check your soap, this is recommended if you are using a log or slab mold as the larger mass of soap generates a hotter gel phase than the individual Cold Process soap molds.

Controlling the gel phase is a skill that you will gradually become proficient at as you get more and more experienced. Some of the soapmaking ingredients such as sugars, milks, palm oil, rice oil, and some fragrance and essential oils for instance will tend to push the soap into a very hot to too hot gel phase, in these cases it might be advisable to reduce or take the layer or insulation off. However that said if the temperature drops too quickly during the gel phase, the saponification can slow down or completely stop altogether. Therefore causing your soap to need a longer curing time before it is caustic free (free of lye).

After about 8-48 hours from pouring your soap, if it was measured, mixed and insulated correctly, will be set and ready to unmold. Please keep in mind that your fresh soap, especially if the gel phase did not develop might contain live lye, and therefore be slightly caustic. Always handle fresh Cold Process soap with gloves and periodically test it by washing your hands with a small piece or by using a Ph strip.

Once your soap has been unmolded it can be cut and will need to be stored for the compulsory “curing time” of about 4 weeks in a cool, dry, and airy room. Curing racks can be made by covering a shelf with paper or cardboard, or you can use plastic or plastic covered wire racks. Curing time is needed to get rid of excess water and turn your soap into a milder, harder and longer lasting bar, during this time your soap will also acquire its final color and texture. The longer the curing time the harder and richer your soap will become. The Cold process soapmaking is now complete.

Step 8: Storing and Packaging your cold process soap

Your Cold Process soap must be stored in a cool dry place out of direct heat, light and humidity sources. If you choose to wrap your soaps, which is recommended if you want to preserve their scent virtually forever, choose waxed or tissue paper, natural cellophane or other materials that protects the bars from dust, stops it from going moldy or rancid but still allows your bars of soap to “breathe”.

At unmolding and during your “curing time” the surface of your soap might be covered with a thin layer of white dust most soap books have referred to this as soap ash and have mentioned scraping this dust off. However all this ash really is, is powdered soap and there really is no need to remove it, although if you are going to be selling your soap or if you don’t like the look of this slightly dusty soap I would recommend just scraping or cutting a layer off with a knife. If you are planning on keeping the soap for yourself and don’t mind the look of the dust, don’t waste your time scraping or cutting it off, you have better things to do with your time, like using your new Cold Process soap.

Beveling your soap or “paring” so to speak is usually accomplished by running a cheese or potato peeler across the edges, this is optional and is done to give the cold Process soap a more regular shaped bar. The scraps can be used in hand-milling. Lastly if you plan on selling your cold process soaps, make sure you are aware of the labeling, ingredient and packaging laws regarding handmade soap in your country, state or province, also to any place that you plan on selling to if you are planning to export your products.

Step 9: Enjoy and experiment!!!

Pour yourself a bath, lay back and relax. Wash your self with your fresh and wonderful smelling natural cold process soap.

Now all you have left to do is repeat the whole process with some different ingredients feel free to check out the recipes section of the web site for some wonderful soap recipes.

The other methods for making Cold Process soap I will be putting in shortly, they should not be attempted until you have gotten a good understanding of this method and have had a dozen or so successful batches under your belt.

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Leave Cold Process Soap and go to Melt and Pour Instructions

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