Handmade soap by wikipedia

Here is a piece about handmade soap, directly from wikipedia.org. the free online encyclopedia. It's always interesting to see what the academics thinks of people like us... Here it is:

Handmade soap

Some individuals continue to make soap in the home. The traditional name "soaper", for a soapmaker, is still used by those who make soap as a hobby. Those who make their own soaps are also known as soapcrafters.The most popular soapmaking processes today is the cold process method, where fats such as olive oil react with lye. Soapmakers sometimes use the melt and pour process, where a premade soap base is melted and poured in individual molds. This is not really to be considered soap-making though. Some soapers also practice other processes, such as the historical hot process, and make special soaps such as glycerin soap.Handmade soap differs from industrial soap in that, usually, an excess of fat is used to consume the alkali (superfatting), and in that the glycerin is not removed. Superfatted soap, soap which contains excess fat, is more skin-friendly than industrial soap; though, if not properly formulated, it can leave users with a "greasy" feel to their skin. Often, emollients such as jojoba oil or shea butter are added 'at trace' (the point at which the saponification process is sufficiently advanced that the soap has begun to thicken), after most of the oils have saponified, so that they remain unreacted in the finished soap.

Soap - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Introduction to Soap Making

Hey Everybody,
I though I might as well kick things off with an Introduction to soap making. That's what we are here for...I visit this great site (www.colebrothers.com) that has lots of original how to make soap recepies and other info. Here's what they said about the basics:

Soap is made by mixing lye and water with fats or oil. Through a complex chemical reaction lye which is also called sodium hydroxide (a base) converts Fats or Oil (an acid) to soap. This process is called saponification. When oil or fats (acid) come into contact with the lye or sodium hydroxide (base) the saponification process begins with the lye turning the oil/fat into a completely new substance that we know as soap. The process changes the two substances into a thicker and more uniform solution. The point at which the solution begins to thicken is called a trace. Any oils/fats or other ingredients added at this point will not be substantially converted and will basically remain in the soap in their original form. At the trace stage the soap can be poured into molds where it will continue to harden. The chemical reaction will continue for about 3 weeks at which time the soap is hard and ready to use.

Thanks for that, Cole Brothers. Read more here:

How to make soap plus free soap formulas

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Hello Soap Enthusiasts!

Making soap is tons of fun! I look forward to bringing you only the best of soap making updates.

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Soap Maker