Cold Process Soap Making
101: The Basics & More

The cold process method of soapmaking relies almost exclusively on the heat generated by saponification (the chemical reaction of fatty acids and alkali to produce soap). No external heat is applied once the ingredients have been mixed. Although it may seem complicated when you are first starting out, making your own soap from scratch (the way some of our grandparents did) using all-natural ingredients can be both fun and rewarding ~ not to mention extremely addicting!

Why are people drawn to making their own soap from scratch?

Many of us start making soap to have inexpensive, homemade, natural gifts for all the holidays and birthdays throughout the year. Also, more and more people today are looking for a second source of income that involves doing something creative that they love (isn't that the true key to success?). Or, some of us begin soaping because we have friends or family with problematic or sensitive skin that is easily irritated.

Many commercial soap companies use cheap petroleum-based ingredients (like mineral oil), animal fats (like sodium tallowate, lard, or lanolin) and synthetic detergents (like sodium laureth sulfate) that can be harsh on delicate skin. By making soap in your own kitchen, you can tailor it to suit any skin type as well as insure that only the most beneficial ingredients go into your finished soap.

Lori will cover the following as she demonstrates how to make a 4-pound
batch of soap (about 20 bars) using the cold process method:

• Brief history and basic chemistry of soap making
• Necessary materials, supplies and equipment
• Safety considerations when working with sodium hydroxide
• Choosing oils, saponification values and lye calculators
• Taking accurate measurements & proper mixing temperatures
• Coloring soap naturally with herbs, spices & clays
• Using pure essential oils to scent your soap naturally
• Preparing your molds and molding options
• Insulating, cutting, curing and storing your finished soap
• Decorating and packaging to impress
(NOTE: this class does not cover swirling, but a future CP 201 class will)

Due to the nature of making soap from scratch, this class is mainly demonstration style. You'll leave with very thorough handouts and enough information to make awesome vegetable-based natural herbal soap from scratch on your own as well as one full-size bar of soap to sample (your choice of the soap I have curing). This class uses only vegan / vegetarian ingredients.

NOTE:
This is an age 18+ class since making soap from scratch involves working with lye (aka sodium hydroxide). Also, cold process soap needs about a month to cure before using (hot process can be used within a few days and melt & pour soap can be used within a few hours). To take part in stirring the soap, please wear or bring a long-sleeved shirt. You'll also need rubber gloves and safety goggles. There will be several pairs of goggles and gloves to share, but if you prefer your own please bring them to class.