I usually make hot process soap, following the method in Handcrafted Soap by Dolores Boone, but this week I made cold process soap. I had been given a wooden soap mold and I was itching to experience the pouring of soap-brought-to-trace-but-not-fully-saponified into a prepared mold. Well, I experienced it. Can’t say that my life is any different now. The soap surely turned out the same, whether it cooked in the crockpot (hot process) or in the mold (cold process).
I don’t turn out beautifully molded bars of soap. I just don’t get molds, really. I had visions of smooth, shapely bars coming out of the wooden mold with this batch. Nope. They look just as rustic as my other bars. (Actually, I like rustic, so don’t think I’m complaining.) I like a bar that has the character of its simple mold and straight-forward cutting.
These are three bars of plain castile soap (olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil), about 3 ounces each. Instead of listing them for sale in my etsy shop, I am going to list them for sale right from here using a paypal button. Not quite yet, but soon.
I’m with you, Wardeh. I’ll stick with my crockpot. I only do cold process when I want to test fragrance oils. I’m so behind in my own soapmaking, that I’ve been buying it from my customers! Maybe I’ll have to take a look at what you have at Etsy.
Hi, Wardeh:
I would love to try your soap, and so will have to buy some one of these days! You’ve also inspired me to try making some soap, and I found out that my local library carries the book you recommend. I have a question that maybe you can answer, too. I have been wanting to make some citronella soap to help ward off mosquitoes, which for some reason really plague my husband more than me or any of our children. He gets bit quite a lot during mosquito season here in Arizona, and the rest of us do occasionally. We are concerned about contracting the West Nile virus, but equally (if not more) concerned about using any of the DEET-containing insect repellants. Our chiropractor suggested citronella soap, and I found a recipe online that calls for grating up castile soap and melting it in a pot, then adding citronella and pennyroyal essential oils, and finally cooling it and molding it back into soap. What I wanted to know is whether I couldn’t just make some castile soap and add the essential oils in place of or in addition to some of the other ingredients. What do you think? By the way, I like your rustic bars, too!
Love,
Sonya
Sonya, how exciting that you’re going to try to make your own soap! When you get the book, it will explain just when to add fragrance oils — after the soap has cooked in the crockpot and before pouring into the mold. So, yes, I believe you could just make castile soap and add the essential oils at the appropriate stage of the soapmaking. Have fun! Please let me know how this works for you. I am excited at the thought of you making a citronella soap! Love, Wardeh
Making different types of soaps didn’t change me, either,
, but I sure enjoyed the experience of it. 
I’m glad you got to try Cold Process at least once before going back to your beloved CHP soap. Tee hee!
I’ve spent the day researching soap making. The MMS blog talks about tracing and pouring into molds. You use the crock pot for an hour. Cold press vs hot press. So you think there is no difference? I’m getting ready to make soap this summer to eliminate our dry, itchy skin in the winter. Just trying to get all the info straight. I’m looking forward to using your method, but what is the difference?
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