Cold process soap is made by combining oils and sodium hydroxide lye, which causes a chemical reaction called saponification. Cold process soap making intentionally reduces the oil and lye solution temperatures to slow the chemical reaction. Heat energy increases reaction rate, by not applying heat, using lower temperatures, and only mixing to trace, cold process soap makers are able to create a recipe consistency that allows for intricate soap designs such as swirls and other patterns, without the fear of rapid saponification or solidification due to temperature cooling. The lye solution is dangerous and can react to various ingredients so it is vital for soap makers to learn to measure to accuracy and often use a lye calculator when creating a recipe. The wonderful oils and butters that are used to create a cold process soap are actually heated and temperatures must be coordinated with the lye temperatures (which heats up when added to water) prior to mixing.
Even after a huge learning curve in measurement accuracy, recipe creation, chemistry, learning a proper trace as well as colours and essential oil and fragrance training.....the soap maker learns to time everything just right hitting that moment when it is perfect to do the pour. After the pour, the soap is wrapped up and goes through a chemical process prior to the soap maker un-molding the soap. This process can take anywhere from 24 hours to 3 to 4 days depending on the percentage of oils in the soap recipe. When the soap is unmolded then it is time to cut it. After cutting, soap bars are set on a curing rack and are dated with a batch number and turned regularly. In four to six weeks the soap can be used. Did you know this is how much work is behind every bar you use? Lots of work - isn't it?
Well, to me the benefits of cold processed soap are endless, but here are a few that Kawartha Lakes Wellness Co believes are worth the work.
1. CREAMY RICH LATHER Cold process soap is made with all-natural ingredients like plant oils and butters and creates a creamy rich lather for deep moisturization. Kawartha Lakes Wellness Co has a focus on Shea Butter and olive oil in all cold process soaps as well as other wonderful ingredients.
Unlike other soap types, cold process versions penetrate deep into into the skin to help minimize dry and itchy skin. Cold process soap has amazing bubbles and a luxurious lather that actually helps to wash away germs as well make your shower and bathing time most enjoyable.
2. SQUEAKY CLEAN FEELING Your skin will feel squeaky clean after using cold process soaps and you will definitely notice the difference than using a commercial bar - that legally isn't even soap....because all soap that uses the name soap has to go through the saponification process - commercial bars are created with heat and not the same way cold processed soap is made.
3. PH is 9 to 10 A naturally saponified soap is what we term as ‘ soap’ - not a commercial named product trying to act like soap. Did you know that all naturally saponified soaps, that undergo no further modification, have a pH of 9 to 10.
Commercial bars, and many other soap-like products are often essentially a collection of surfactants and emollients. These ‘commercial made products’ tend to have a balanced pH, down to around 5.5, so they match the pH of our skin. Generally this is considered to be a good thing as it closely matches your skin’s natural pH and maintains your skin’s natural biome, but guess what .....it doesn't clean you and you could be doing harm to your body as your skin absorbs many chemicals from the preservatives in the commercial products - as for actually killing bacteria it isn’t ideal -a ph of 5 just won't kill anything!
When you pH balance a soap-like product you then need to add strong preservatives because when the pH is set at 5 it will mold, rot or grow fungus. . This is not a good thing when you consider the trade off for a ph soap the same as your body's PH - you will not be clean - you will be cranking chemicals into your body through your skin.
Washing with products that have a pH lower than 8 or 9 is not being kinder to the skin because you are not getting clean and it is ineffective at killing germs, as the pH of the skin when washing remains unchanged. Also the quantity of preservatives they use in these products are designed to preserve it for shelf life - really - do you want to put that on your skin? While handcrafted cold process soap is the alkali salt of a fatty acid it is alkaline and it typically measures between 8-10 on the pH scale - I know it sounds high and you are wondering why you would put this on your skin when you have been taught to use a PH 5 -cold process soap is different. The reason is unlike harsh detergents, well-formulated cold process soap is as mild as it comes. When "super fatted" it contains "free oil/fatty acid" that replace moisture and fatty acids lost while washing dirt away. Furthermore, what's amazing is that after bathing with a cold process soap the skin begins re-secreting the acid mantle immediately and it returns to it’s normal pH!
4. Healthy Skin The well-formulated secret cold process recipe at SXY Soaps found at KLWC.ca are super-fatted cold processed soaps having the mildest cleanser that you can use on your body. Being alkaline, it will remove some of the skin's dirt bearing oils however, it gently cleanses and doesn't strip the skin but leaves behind moisturizing oils, lipids and fatty acids.
In conclusion, the best part of purchasing your cold process soaps from KLWC.ca is that they work in a sterile and clean environment abiding by the strictest of guidelines to bring you a supreme product. I cannot rave enough about the cold process soaps and urge you to be ready July 15th for the release of the summer line of Cold Process SXY SOAPS.