Happy Holidays from Rainbow Cammo!
As a small business specializing in handcrafted cold process soaps, candles, wax melts, and other personal care products, we wanted to take a moment to share a bit about the soapmaking process and wish you all a happy holiday season.
Soapmaking has a long history dating back to ancient civilizations, when people first discovered that mixing fats or oils with an alkali such as lye resulted in a substance that could cleanse the skin. Today, the cold process method is a popular method for making soap at home or in small batch production.
To make cold process soap, you will need a few basic ingredients and equipment. These include:
- Lye (sodium hydroxide)
- Water
- Oil or fat (such as olive, coconut, or palm oil)
- Fragrance or essential oils (optional)
- Colorants (optional)
The first step in making cold process soap is to carefully measure and mix the lye and water. It's important to handle lye with caution, as it can be caustic and cause burns. Once the lye and water are mixed, they will begin to heat up and produce a chemical reaction known as saponification. Next, the oils or fats are measured and heated until they are liquid. The lye mixture and the oils are then combined and stirred until they reach what is known as "trace." This is the point at which the mixture thickens and begins to resemble a thin pudding. At this point, fragrances, essential oils, and colorants can be added if desired. The soap mixture is then poured into a mold and left to harden for three to four days. Once the soap has hardened, it can be removed from the mold and cut into bars. The soap is then left to cure for at least four weeks before it is ready to use.
There are many factors that can affect the quality and appearance of your soap, such as the type and ratio of oils used, the temperature and humidity of your workspace, and the length of the curing time. Rainbow Cammo soaps feature high quality organic oils and premium plant-based butters to provide a luxury at home spa experience.
We hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about the soapmaking process. From all of us at Rainbow Cammo, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!
