Just what is soap? and How is it Made?

What is Soap?

•To understand the cold process soap making method, you must first understand what soap actually is. 

•Chemically speaking, soap is a salt.  An acid and a base react with one another and are neutralized to form a salt or soap.  A more basic explanation is: oils or fats combine with Sodium Hydroxide or “Lye” in a process called saponification to produce soap.

•Fatty Acid (oil) + Base (lye) =

“A Salt” (soap)

•Often described as a “dance” the term “saponification” refers to the process in which one lye molecule hooks up with one fat molecule.  They do their thing and we get soap. 

Our Soap Making Process begins with…
Water and lye combined in one container and set aside to cool
In another container, various oils are combined and heated gently until they are melted.
When both combinations reach the predetermined/ matching temperature they are combined into one container………………
The ‘process’ continues
The new mixture is stirred until it is thoroughly blended together. A thickening or ‘tracing’ will occur and this is when it is ready to pour into a mold.
Tracing: term used in cold process soap making that refers to the point  at which you can dip a spoon into the liquid soap mixture, pull it out and then drizzle a few drops onto the top of the soap. The drizzled liquid will leave a ‘trace’ of itself before disappearing back into the mixture.
What’s Next?
We add essential oils, botanicals, oatmeal, herbs, and/or natural exfoliants to some batches of our natural handmade soap.
The blend is then poured into molds, set aside, and insulated for warmth to prevent rapid cooling and possible cracking. During the next 24-48 hours, the fusion will continue to saponify.
After a day or two in the mold, the soap is removed and trimmed into bars. Soap is then set aside to continue the neutralization process.
When the soap is ready we are left with a product that is gentle and 100% natural because it does not contain any detergents or harsh chemicals.
At www.southernheartsoaps...
Our products are not tested on animals, unless of course you count family and friends.
Our volunteers are rewarded with free soap and product samples.