How Cold Process Soap Is Made (And Why It's Amazing!)

Introduction

Handmade soap isn't just a craft — it's an ancient art form with incredible benefits for your skin.
At LELU Soap Lab, we specialize in cold process soap making, a traditional method that preserves the nourishing qualities of natural ingredients.
If you’ve ever wondered how your luxurious bar is created, or why cold process soap is better than store-bought, this blog is for you!

What Is Cold Process Soap?

Cold process soap is made by combining oils (like olive oil, coconut oil, and shea butter) with lye (a solution of sodium hydroxide and water).
This triggers a chemical reaction called saponification, where oils and lye transform into real soap and natural glycerin.

Unlike melt-and-pour or hot process methods, cold process soap is created at lower temperatures and cured over several weeks, allowing the bar to harden naturally and retain its luxurious properties.

The Step-by-Step Cold Process Soap Making

At LELU Soap Lab, we follow a careful, time-honored process:

1. Preparing the Ingredients

We start with high-quality oils, butters, natural colorants, clays, botanicals, and essential oils.

2. Mixing Lye Water

Sodium hydroxide is carefully mixed with water (or sometimes milk!) to create a lye solution — this is the foundation of real soap.

3. Blending to Trace

The lye solution is slowly added to the oils and blended with a stick blender until "trace" is achieved — when the mixture thickens slightly, like pudding.

4. Adding Scent, Color, and Additives

Once at trace, we add essential oils, natural clays, botanicals (like lavender buds or oatmeal), or other skin-loving extras.

5. Pouring into Molds

The soap batter is poured into molds and insulated for 24–48 hours to complete saponification.

6. Cutting and Curing

After unmolding, the soap is hand-cut into bars and left to cure for 4–6 weeks.
This hardens the soap, evaporates excess water, and results in a luxurious, long-lasting bar.

Why Cold Process Soap Is Better

There’s a reason cold process soap is the gold standard among soap makers and natural skincare enthusiasts:

• Rich in Natural Glycerin: Handmade cold process soap retains glycerin, a powerful humectant that attracts moisture to your skin.

• Customizable Formulas: You get real botanicals, essential oils, and nourishing butters — no synthetic detergents or fillers.

• Gentler on Skin: Cold process soaps cleanse without stripping your natural oils, making them ideal for sensitive or dry skin types.

• Artisan Craftsmanship: Every bar is made with care, attention, and creativity — not mass-produced on an assembly line.

Conclusion: Experience the Magic of Cold Process

When you choose cold process soap, you're choosing a luxurious, skin-loving experience that's worlds apart from chemical-laden commercial bars.
At LELU Soap Lab, every bar is made with intention, love, and a little bit of magic.

✨ Ready to treat your skin to something extraordinary? Explore our handmade soap collection! ✨