What is handmade soap?  Mixing water, fat, and lye results in a solid composed of soap and glycerin through a process called saponification. In times gone by, lye was leached from wood ashes. It was an inexact process which sometimes resulted in soap that was mushy and harsh. Now lye is made in a standardized process, so we can get perfect soap every time. Once saponification is complete, there is NO lye present in the soap. You cannot make handcrafted soap without lye, if someone tells you their soap was not made with lye, then they are probably trying to sell you detergent! Cold process begins with a lye and water mixture. Once this mixture and the oils have cooled to the same temperature, they are then combined and stirred vigorously till they begin to thicken like pudding (which is called "tracing"). At this time, the botanicals, herbs and essential oils are added. Soap is then poured into molds and allowed to harden overnight. While the soap hardens, it's normal for it to go through a "gel phase" where the opaque soap will turn clear (like glycerin soap) for several hours before turning opaque again. The soap will continue to give off heat for many hours after trace. Once the soap is hard, typically after 48 hours, it can be removed from the molds and is then hand cut into bars and placed on a curing rack for a few weeks to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Contrary to popular belief, perpetuated in several popular crafting books, the soap is perfectly safe to use before curing—no excess lye will be present if the soap was properly formulated.. This cold process lets the chemicals do the work. For successful cold-process soapmaking, one needs to be able to measure the exact amount of lye to be used and know the saponification values of the oils in the soap. Excess unreacted lye in the soap results in a very high pH and will burn skin. Not enough lye, and your soap is a greasy mass of goo. What about other kinds of soap you can buy? Soap is an unusual product in that manufacturers are not required by the FDA to list ingredients, so it can be very difficult to know what you are putting on your body. Many "supermarket soaps" are not even soap at all, they are detergents made from synthetic chemicals. Those that are actually soap are often made with undisclosed ingredients and have their naturally-occurring glycerin removed, which results in soap that can be harsh and drying to your skin. So-called "Glycerin Soaps" are generally detergent "soaps" and chock full of chemicals. Read the labels (if you can find them!), ask questions, and you will be amazed at what is out there. Is there Lye in my Soap? No. When Handcrafted Soap is properly made and cured, the soap no longer contains lye, as the chemical reaction has converted the alkali (lye), water, and oils and fats into saponified oils and fats and glycerin. The end result is mild, pure Handcrafted Soap. What’s so special about my Soaps?   I am proud to list every thing that is in my soaps. I use quality vegetable oils, distilled water, genuine essential oils, herbs, flowers, and spices, among other quality ingredients.  I create my soaps in small batches using the cold process method to preserve the natural glycerin and to maintain strict quality control.  I age the soaps for at least one month to be sure you will get a perfect bar. I also use a large percentage of Castor Oil, which makes them a superior multi-purpose soap, good for washing your face and body, and also excellent for use as a Shampoo. Handcrafted soap lasts -  if you keep it dry between uses a bar should last you for weeks, and you can use up every scrap of soap, they will not crack or splinter at the end like detergent bars.   REAL HANDMADE SOAP -- FROM OUR HANDS TO YOURS!

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