~HOW SOAP IS MADE~
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From all-natural, raw ingredients to a beautifully crafted bar of soap, take a peek behind the scenes at our soapmaking kitchen to learn about the art and science behind soapmaking.
SAPONIFICATION
The Science of Soapmaking.
A handcrafted bar of soap is definitely a beautiful work of art. In order to make a high-quality bar of soap, that has wonderful skin nourishing qualities, is long lasting, lathers well, and smells great, requires quite a bit of science. The cold-process method of soapmaking is an exciting and fragrant lesson in hands-on chemistry.
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STEP I:
Developing a Soap Recipe.
Making a successful batch of handmade soap begins with a carefully calculated recipe. All of the ingredients in a soap recipe must be measured accurately and combined in exact proportions to achieve a successful chemical reaction, which is called "saponification". High quality handmade soap is achieved by using a recipe that balances different oils, each one contributing unique characteristics to the finished bar of soap. It is also extremely important to measure precisely because each oil requires a different percentage of lye in order to fully saponify, turning the oils into gentle, creamy soap. Made-from-scratch soaps require the use of lye (sodium hydroxide) to turn the oils into soap. You do not want any extra lye left in the finished bars of soap, and that's just another very important reason for needing a precise recipe.
STEP 2:
Measuring and Preparing the Basic Ingredients.
The first thing I do before I begin my soapmaking adventure is gather all my supplies and ingredients and prepare the soap mold. I like to start by measuring out my lye solution and then slowly add the carefully measured lye to the pitcher of water (this is something I like to do outside). The lye solution generates a lot of heat as the lye disolves into the water, so I leave the pitcher outside (on a wintery day) or place the pitcher in a sink full of cold water and ice to lower the temperature. Liquid oils such as olive oil are measured directly in my stainless steel soapmaking pot. Solid oils like coconut and palm oil are scooped into a separate pot and melted over gentle heat before they are added to the soap pot. While patiently waiting for the lye and oil to reach the same warm temperature of about 100-110 degrees I measure out any ingredients like the essential oils, herbs, shea butter, jojoba oil, oatmeal, honey, seeds, etc. so they are all ready when it's time to add them later in the soapmaking process. Now that all that is done, I'm finally ready to start making soap!
STEP 3:
Let the Soapmaking Begin - Saponification!
With gloves and safety goggles on to protect my hands and eyes from any possible splashes of lye, I begin by slowly
pouring the lye solution into the base oils. Immediately, you can see the mixture beginning to change, which means the saponification has begun! (You can see this in the above pictures). No additional heat or equipment is required, just a little bit of time and lots of
stirring! The ingredients begin to combine with each other continuing the saponification process. Triglycerides, which are found in vegetable oils, are broken down into two parts; fatty acids and glycerol (glycerin). Lye (sodium hydroxide) is also broken down into two parts – sodium ions and hydrogen ions. The fatty acids from the vegetable oils combine with the sodium ions from the lye to create a new product - soap! The glycerol from the oil also combines with the hydrogen ions from the lye to create glycerin. Glycerin is a wonderful natural moisturizer that softens your skin and helps it retain moisture. Naturally, handmade soap contains about 25% glycerin, which is one of the things that makes it so good for your skin. Finally, the soap mixture begins to thicken into an opaque, pudding like consistency. When the consistency is just right and you can see trails on top, it has reached "trace", which means I am ready for the next step.
STEP 4:
Adding skin loving extras and essential oils.
Once the fresh soap mixture has reached trace, it's time to add any
nourishing extras like the herbs, and essential oils, etc. depending on which ones are included in the particular recipe.
STEP 5:
Pouring the finished soap into the mold.
The warm, beautifully scented soap mixture is then poured into the chosen soap
mold, which has been lined in freezer paper- which makes it pretty easy to get out and clean up.
The fresh soap is then covered and placed in a warm, dry area to continue the saponification process and to thicken and set up for the next 24-48 hours or until it is solid enough to unmold and cut into bars.
STEP 6:
Cutting the soap.
After taking the soap out of the mold, it is cut by hand using a special cutter or knife used specifically for soapmaking.
STEP 7:
Minimum of 6 weeks to cure.
No, it is not done yet! Even though the fresh batch of soap looks ready to use as
soon as it is cut, it is still a bit soft and needs more time to "cure". The bars of soap are set on wooden trays lined with freezer paper and set aside to naturally air cure on the curing shelf (that my husband made) for a minimum of 6 weeks, where they will continue to harden and finish up the rest of the little bit of saponification that will take place, making them a wonderfully gentle bar of soap. After they've fully cured, the beautiful bars of soap are nice and hard and are ready to be individually hand-labeled in beautiful, soft colored, stylish labels.
_Some people think soapmaking is complicated and a whole lot of work, but I think you'll agree - It's definitely worth it!