Cold process soap making is an ancient artisan method of making all natural soap that dates back all the way to the Babylonian times. We like do things the old fashioned way.
Make no mistake about it, even though it’s labeled cold, this process is all about generating some natural heat.
Traditionally in the old english soap companies, soap was poured in 1000 - 2000 blocks. This mass of saponified oils created enough heat to drive the soap through it’s process in order to create real soap.
The catalyzing agent in the soap-making process is lye, also known as caustic soda or sodium hydroxide. Although it can sound scary, it’s a completely naturally occurring change agent and powerfully transformative when used correctly. Called saponification, the cold process of soap making harnesses the alkalizing power of lye to heat up the warm oils in a safe and effective way.
Using organic oils of Olive, Sunflower, Coconut, Sustainable Palm, Castor and Unrefined, Ghana Beige Shea Butter, the saponification process produces enough heat to create a whole new molecule of soap. When cured, there is no more lye left in the soap. The saponified mixture of oils transforms into solid bar of soap that you can use to holistically nourish and cleanse your body.
While most handmade soaps made with the cold process are curated and cultivated in small batches, here at Alchemy of Sol we pour our 100 pound batches of soap into fifty pound molds that we cut into logs and bars. We cure our soaps from 2-6 weeks dependent on how much fat is remaining in the soap.
So what are the benefits of using all natural soap versus the soap you can find in your local supermarket? Naturalnews.com says it all.
“Commercial soap manufacturers make it a practice to remove the glycerine that is produced during the saponification (soap-making) process. The glycerine is a highly profitable substance, often sold to other companies who use it to make lotions and moisturizers, which your skin, now dried out from the harsh detergent 'soap,' desperately needs.”
All natural soap doesn’t just cleanse, it nourishes your skin.