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Making handmade soaps can be very rewarding, but when first starting out, it can be a little intimidating as well. For all you interested soap makers out there, here is an introduction to the different soap processes.
Soap is a by product of a chemical reaction between fats and oils and caustics, usually lye. It comes in a wide variety of options and when you are making your own you can add different fats or oils, as well as different additives. However, understanding the different processes of soap making will make it easier for you to decide what you want to do.
Melt and Pour. Melt and pour soaps are already made soap that is melted and reformed. You can buy a large block of soap and cut this up. To it you can add all of your extra ingredients such as colorants, frangrances, herbs, extra oils, and other fancier ingredients that makes soap beautiful and fine. This is sometimes called milled soap as well and can have a wide range of options available for making beautiful soaps. You can do this with any finished soap, so you can use homemade soaps instead of buying a soap base.
Cold Process. Cold process soap involves heating and melting the oils and fats so that they are all liquid. Mixing the lye with water and letting it cool down and then adding the two ingredients when they are about 100 to 130 degrees. Then the soap will cool down and after it has thickened up can be placed in a mold. It will take several weeks of curing (resting time) before the soap should be touched and used. With this process it takes that long for all of the lye to be chemically altered into soap. If used early the lye can burn. However, this soap is the easiest to get a lovely smooth texture and color.
Hot Process. Hot process is similar to cold process, but once the lye and oils are added together they are cooked for three or four hours. This removes all traces of lye and makes it so that this soap can be used right away, though it should still rest to harden up. This soap is harder to get smooth, often softer in texture, and more difficult to color. However, it has its advantages.
Many people work with melt and pour projects and never advance beyond that. There are advantages to doing this. It is safe for people about eight and above. Lye can be dangerous and sometimes difficult to work with. There are a wide variety of fun projects and it doesn't take long before you have a great project that you have made.
On the other hand, those that work with the cold and hot processes to make their own soap often feel like the melt and pour varieties are cheating. You can't control your own ingredients if buying a soap base. You don't know what oils and fats were used or how much was used. This makes cold and hot processed soaps a huge advantage allowing you to control just what you want to go into it.
No matter which option you choose it is a fun and exciting project. Over time you will develop skills that will make it easy for you to make soaps for yourself, your family, as gifts, and maybe even for sale.
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