why cold process handcrafted soap

Soaps were first made around 2800 B.C by the Babylonians. Animal fats were boiled with ashes to form soap.  However, soap was not made as a body cleansing or hygiene product. Rather, they were made for medical purposes and to clean wool and cotton used in textile manufacturing.

It was not until 1550 BC that the Ebers papyrus detailed how soaps were made and used for  cleansing and washing of skin; especially on sores and other skin diseases. Over the years, soap making started to become popular, the Greeks, Romans and even Ancient Germans started to make their own soap. 

​hot and cold process method

Soap making can be categorized as hot process method or cold process method.
The main difference between these two methods is that in hot process, added external heat is introduced to the soap making process, whereas in cold process as the name indicate, no external heat is introduced and thus, cold process is able to retain all the natural goodness and benefits of its ingredients.

handcrafted soap also known as glycerin soap

glycerin in the soap allows light to pass through, even for opaque soap bar

When an exact amount of fats and lye are mixed together in cold process , a natural chemical reaction called "saponification" takes place.  During soponification, glycerin is formed. Handcrafted soap is also known as glycerin soap.

Glycerin is humectant and hygrosopic and therefore has the capability to retain, attract and preserve moisture in itself. Glycerin soap can be a very good face cleanser to help remove dirt and oil that clogs your skin. Regular use of glycerin soap keeps your skin constantly moist, hydrated, soft and supple. 

Unlike their handcrafted counterpart,  many commercially manufactured soap uses synthetic chemicals that contain harmful and toxic chemicals that are harmful to our skin and can cause dryness and other skin irritation and reaction. It is also common for commercial manufacturers to have glycerin separated from the soap to be resold and used in other areas such as personal care product, pharmaceuticals, chemical intermediates and food processing.

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benefit of cold process soap

Benefits of cold process soap:

• does not have added chemical additives that strip way the body's natural oil.
• retains all the glycerin within the soap, cleanse your skin and keep it moist, hydrated, soft and supple.
• cold process soaps create rich, thick and creamy lather that gives a luxurious shower experience, providing deep cleansing without drying out the skin.
• the absence of high external heat preserves the proprieties of natural ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter and essential oils that are used in the soap making.  the scents of essential oil develop and intensify as the soap cure over time.
• cold process soap are also environmental friendly