Cold Process soap making is very addicting! I started making this method a little over a year ago. I now have soap that I have no idea what I will do
with!! This method is sometimes referred to as "The soap Grandma used to make". Although, I think when they made it over an open fire in a big kettle
it was more of a hot process soap method. But, cold process is an old fashioned way of making soap, now with a more modern twist!! What I mean by
that is that stick blenders are now used to do the mixing, to bring the soap to "trace". This is very complicated to explain. Cold Process soap making is
when you take, fat, water and lye and combine them to make soap. I know when I pour my lye water into my oils, I use my stick blender, and there is
nothing like watching that all come together and see soap form!!! This soap method needs to "cure" for at least 4 weeks, sometimes longer before the
soap should be used.

This method is a lot more complicated than the melt and pour. Here you are making the soap base from scratch and will be using lye. Before you
attempt making soap using this method PLEASE READ AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ON THIS SUBJECT! I don't want to frighten anyone, but you are
working with LYE! This is caustic!!

LYE SAFETY TIPS


Always wear safety glasses and gloves. Lye can cause severe burns including blindness.

Lye should be added to water. (NEVER water to LYE!)
If water is poured onto lye, it will cause a volcano of lye water and serious injury.

Avoid breathing fumes.

Label your containers.

Never leave lye unattended & keep away from children & pets.



Ok, now with that said, I will add some links to wonderful informative sites that have a ton of wonderful information on cold process soap making. I
have not been making it long enough to feel that I can give instructions or advice on it other that the basics as stated above.

One other thing, if you plan on going into soap making and selling it, PLEASE be sure you have at least a year of soap making and testing done
before you even think about selling it!!
(UPDATE: I have been making soap for a little over a year now, and I am JUST starting to venture out and sell my soaps. I still test all my soaps, and
have others test them also. I keep very details records on each batch.)

There is a lot of responsibility attached to selling your homemade soaps!!


Ok, now have fun and enjoy the "addiction" to soap making!!!

One other thing I would like to recommend is to join some soap making forums or groups!! These already have a ton of information that you can read,
and you can ask questions! There are hundreds of experienced soap makers that are members of these forums that are great at helping you along!!
Here are some links to some great informative web sites that you
can get much more detailed information from!!
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