The hot process method of soap making is very similar to the cold process and even uses the same recipes. The difference is in the heating, which causes the gel stage to happen much faster. More water is evaporated and the result is that the soap becomes harder, faster.

If you attempt cold process soap making, you first need to choose an area that is a suitable location; close to an oven, and area that has easy access to water, as well as an area with a long flat work surface. Somewhere that is free from distractions and is well ventilated.

A protective layer for the worktop is another consideration or with vinyl being easy to find, cheap to buy, easy to clean, can be reused and is highly resistant to oil. A rubber back carpet can protect the floor should you have the misfortune of a spill. Other equipment is a crock pot and hand blender, commonly known as a stick blender.

As you familiarize yourself with the process, it is best to limit the number of additives. Inaccurate measurement can produce results destined for the trash can. Put on your protective clothing.

Measure out your lye and with great care; pour it slowly into your water. Never add water to lye as this can cause the lye to splash into your face or can result in a mild explosion. You might recognize this reaction as it is the same when you combine vinegar and baking soda.

Slowly stir until your lye crystals are completely dissolved. It not unusual to have fumes come up from the mixture and you should consider working in a well ventilated area while combining these ingredients. With your crock pot on a very low heat add your mixture of oils. You will follow the instructions in your recipe that will tell you what degree of heat they should reach. It will be close to the temperature of your lye/water mixture.

The next step is to pour your lye mixture, as slowly as possible, into the pot of oils stirring continuously as you pour. You should maintain a strong and steady stirring motion. You want your oil mixture to blend well with your lye/water mixture. If done correctly you should see the mixture reach trace. Be sure to thoroughly stir all parts of the pot. The mixture will become creamy, opaque and thick. To know if you have reached trace, simply dip a spoon into the mixture and let it dribble back into the pot. It should then form a blob that slowly dissolves back into the original mixture.

Put the lid on your crock pot and then leave it on a low heat. The mixture will heat up and start to bubble around the edges. If it begins to show signs of bubbling over then stir it ad few times. Your mixture should soon become clear, similar to Vaseline. When your entire mixture looks like this then take a small piece of the soap and rub between your fingers. You should experience a slight waxy feeling. Continue to cook the mixture, occasionally testing it to see if it zaps on your tongue or tastes like soap. If it zaps then continue to cook until it has a soapy taste to it.

Once you mixture is “done” you can then add your colors and essential oils. Some people like to use Mica or even Oxides to help color the soap. You can use as much as 1 tbsp per pound of glycerin or warm oil in order to make it blend into the mixture more easily. It is advisable to wait until your soap mixture is near a temperature that is below the flash point of the essential oils. Flash point is the temperature at which your oils ignite and vaporize. You will need to work quickly so that your soap doesn’t become too cool to place in a mold.

Hot process soap is very much like rebatching soap in that it doesn’t pour but is mushier. I would liken it to being like mashed potatoes. You will need to scoop it into your molds very quickly. Tap or bounce the mold on your counter top in order to help rid it of air pockets. Usually within 48 hours you will remove the soap from the mold. If the soap does not pop out of your mold simply put the soap in the freezer for about 10 minutes and try again.

Your soap is now ready to be cut into bars. A soap cutter facilitates this process but if you do not have one, purchase a thin guitar string and use that to cut the soap. The bars should be cured for a couple of weeks. The longer you cure your soap the milder it will be. A cure time of four weeks is a good time even though they often are the options vary with each recipe. At this point you are ready to start the next game, now that you started to learn how to make soap, and made your first batch completed successfully. Visit our website for more informative articles.