Cold process soap making can be a very rewarding process because you will know exactly what is included in your mixture. Because of this, you will not have to worry about chemicals irritating your skin because you will be responsible for everything that is in the soap.
The first thing you will want to do when making your soap is weigh out 32 ounces of cold water. You must be very careful and make sure that the water is cold enough because the lye that you will be using does not react well with hot water and it could be dangerous.
If you are looking for a comprehensive guide on making handmade soap I would recommend you check out Soap Making Fun: Your Visual Guide to the Cold Process. It’s a video that walks you through the cold process soap making method. Perfect for the visual learner.
Click here to visit the Soap Making Fun: Your Visual Guide to the Cold Process website.
Also keep in mind that the lye will react with the cold water and will get very warm. It will also give off some gas, so make sure that you do not breathe this in because it can be very harmful to your health.
You will want to make sure that your lye and water mixture has enough time to cool off before it is handled and this will take about three hours. Make sure that this is kept in a safe place because ingesting lye can potentially be fatal.
Once the lye is back to room temperature, you can begin the actual cold process soap making. You will want to carefully measure out the fats that you will use because this is how to shape the soap.
Heat these fats in a pot, but make sure that you keep a close eye on it because once it reaches about 130 degrees, it is ready to come off the stove.
You will need a thermometer to keep track of the temperature because once the fat reaches the desired temperature, it must be removed from the heat and poured into the lye solution.
Stir these two solutions together very carefully, while ensuring that you do not splash yourself during this cold process soap making.
Once these two solutions have been mixed, you will want to blend them in together for about five minutes.
You will end up with a thick soapy substance at this point and it will continue to thicken as time goes on. This is how the cold process soap making is finished, as the two solutions will bond together and will slow turn into a solid, as long as you have the correct amount of everything.
Once the soap is extremely thick, which will take about an hour of mixing, you can add your own scent. You can purchases these scents separately and it will definitely allow you to customize your soap.
Once this has been completed, it is time to pour your soap into a mold and wait for it to solidify.
It will take about 24 hours for your cold process soap making to be completed and for your soap to turn into a usable substance but once that time is up, you will be able to remove the bar from the mold.
You can then cut the soap into any shapes that you want and use it to wash your body. This is an extra gentle soap recipe, so it should be very kind to your skin and will allow you to shower without skin irritation.
If you are looking for a comprehensive guide on making handmade soap I would recommend you check out Soap Making Fun: Your Visual Guide to the Cold Process. It’s a video that walks you through the cold process soap making method. Perfect for the visual learner.
Click here to visit the Soap Making Fun: Your Visual Guide to the Cold Process website.
