Hello Friends!! Thanks for coming back to the place I share my obsession with handmade soap with you guys. This week, I'm walking you through the cold process method of soap making. This post is not intended to be instructional on soap making, but to give you a little insight on how I make soap. If you would like to make soap, send me a message or leave a comment. I am happy to suggest resources that have great tutorials on soap making:

Making Soap

First thing is safety! I get ready in goggles & gloves. This is preparation to work with the Sodium Hydroxide (lye).
Next, the distilled water, buttermilk, coconut milk, whatever liquid I'm using is mixed with the lye.

After the lye solution is mixed and left to cool to 120 degrees... it's time to move onto measuring the oils and butters. I combine them into one bowl and melt them together over a double boiler.
After the lye solution has cooled to 120 degrees and the oils, fats, and butters are also cooled to around 120 degrees, it is time to combine them.

The lye solution and oils, fats, and butters are blended with a hand blender. I mix them until they reach a pudding-like consistency, called trace.

Finally, if additives or colors are going to be added it is done now.

The soap is then poured into a mold. This is the best part because it is where I create the designs in the soap.

The soap is now covered in plastic wrap and wrapped in a towel for insulation. It will sit in the mold like this for 24 - 48 hours.
After the soap has set in the mold for 24 - 48 hours, it is time to unmold and cut the soap.