Yesterday I forayed into an area that I’ve never been before, soap making, using the cold process method.
I’ve made soap before (many years ago), using the ‘melt and pour’ method, where you buy a pre-made soap base and then melt it using a double boiler, you can then add any ingredients that you may want.
I’d researched the cold process method before and it just seemed very complicated, all of those thermometers and the scary caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). So I decided to learn at a workshop so that I could gain the confidence with this temperamental process.
It all began at Elder Farm, where Helen Kearney (who was taught by Dawn Ireland at Green Wyse), laid out our ingredients for the day:
- Sodium hydroxide
- Oils (castor, sunflower, rapeseed)
- Fats and butters (cocoa and coconut)
- Carnauba wax (a plant wax – vegan alternative to beeswax)
- Water
- Essential oils
We began by measuring the fats, oils and waxes into a large stainless steel pan; this mix was then melted slowly, and then allowed to cool.
The sodium hydroxide was added to the water, in a very well ventilated area (outside), as the fumes from the exothermic reaction are toxic. This mixture was then allowed to cool.
When the mixtures were cooled sufficiently they were then combined (very carefully), and mixed together with an electric whisk. At this stage the essential oil was added, in this case lavender.
Once a trace was formed (you can see a line of mixture across the mixture), it was then poured into moulds containing juniper berries.
The saponification process will continue over the next 5 – 6 weeks, the soap will turn from an alkaline mixture to a neutral mixture that is a beautiful and natural soap.
For more information about workshops at Elder Farm, take a look here or on their Facebook page.
If you want to learn more about soap making, you can find more information here.
If you too are going to venture into the magical world of soap making, please make sure you take the necessary safety precautions, and if you are unsure, go on a workshop to learn how to make soap safely.