What is Cold Process Soap? And Why it is Better for You!

My journey into the world of soap making began with a simple desire: to create a truly natural and gentle soap for my own family. What started as a hobby quickly blossomed into a passion, and now, at Sage Acres Soap Co., I'm excited to share my handcrafted cold process soaps with you.

Fresh batch of sliced Sage Acres Soap Co. bars

But what exactly is cold process soap? Unlike the mass-produced bars you often find in stores, cold process soap is made through a fascinating process called saponification. This involves combining fats or oils with lye (sodium hydroxide), which transforms them into soap and glycerin. The 'cold process' method means we don't apply external heat, allowing the reaction to occur naturally over time. This gentle process preserves the beneficial properties of the oils and creates a milder, more moisturizing soap. It's a delicate balance of science and art, and the result is a bar of soap that's truly something special.

But what about the bars of 'soap' you find in most stores? They're often labeled as 'cleansers' or 'cleansing bars,' and there's a good reason for that. The FDA requirement for something to be labeled as a soap is that it contain fat. Cleansers sold in stores are typically just chemicals and preservatives disguised with artificial fragrance, no naturally occurring fats of any kind. This likely allows commercial manufacturers to produce cleansers cheaply and quickly, without using healthy, skin-nourishing fats like olive oil or tallow.

Cold process soap making is truly a labor of love. From the careful selection of natural fats and oils to the precise mixing with lye, every step is done with care. The mixture is then poured into molds, where it rests and sets for 1-2 days. After unmolding and slicing, each bar is placed in a clean environment to cure for 4-6 weeks, rotated daily to ensure you get a quality product. At Sage Acres Soap Co., we believe this dedication to quality and craftsmanship is what makes our soaps so special.

Your skin is your largest organ - give it the love it deserves with natural soaps from Sage Acres Soap Co. Visit our shop at etsy.com/shop/SageAcresSoapCo and find your favorite natural soap today.