Going back to where it started with cold process soap making

Going back to where it started with cold process soap making

April has had me thinking about where all of this began for me. Before the labels, the stockists and the events, it really was just me learning and making soap the old fashioned way for my family and friends.

I still make my soap in exactly that way now and it is a big part of why I love what I do.

I make all of my products including my handmade soaps down in the soap cellar of my Georgian home, which I shared a little more about in a previous blog. It is a space that really suits the way I like to work, quiet, practical and set up for small batch making.

A method that has been around for a very long time

Soap making has been going on for thousands of years. The earliest records go right back to around 2800 BC in ancient Babylon, where people were mixing fats with ash and water to create a basic form of soap.

These early soaps were simple and practical, often used for cleaning wool and cloth rather than for skin at first. Over time, different civilisations started to refine the process using animal fats, plant oils and alkaline salts.

The method we now call cold process developed much later, with records of it being used in Europe around the 1700s. It allowed soap to be made without external heat, using the natural reaction between oils and lye.

That is what I love about it. It is still based on the same simple idea that has been used for centuries.

Soap tax history

In England a soap tax was introduced in 1712. The tax made soap so expensive that it became a luxury item that most people could not afford. The industry was strictly controlled, with soap‑making equipment locked up when not supervised and makers required to produce large quantities at once. This tax lasted for many decades and was only repealed in 1853, after which soap became much more widely available to the general population. 

How I make my soap

I use the cold process method for all of my handmade soap. It is not a quick method and that is part of the reason I like it.

I blend everything together and then stir by hand. Once it reaches the right trace, I pour it into the mould and leave it to go through the saponification process.

I leave my soap in the mould for around 48 hours. After that, I cut each slice by hand. This is one of my favourite parts as every bar is slightly different.

Once cut, the soap goes into my curing room for four to six weeks. This part cannot be rushed. The bars need time to harden and fully develop so they are ready to use.

Only after that do I label them and prepare them for sale under The Stable Soap Company.

Ingredients matter

It is really important to me that I use excellent ingredients from a responsible source. I put a lot of care into what goes into each batch.

I also make sure that everything is done properly behind the scenes. I have all of my documentation in place including my CPSR assessments and follow the UK guidelines so that my products are safe as well as natural.

Working with essential oils and clay

One of the parts I enjoy most is creating my essential oil blends. It is something I have learned over time and still really enjoy.

Before I add them into my soap, I mix my essential oils with my clay if it is a solid bar or I divide between each of my clays if I'm using more than one. I find this helps make sure the clay is evenly distributed through the soap.

It also helps the scent hold for longer, which makes a noticeable difference once the bar has cured.

It is a small step but one I always include.

Why handmade soap feels different

When I am talking to customers, I often say that I am trying to be as natural as I can be.

Handmade soap is very different to the detergent soap or factory made soap you often find in supermarkets. My artisan soaps are made with skin loving oils and butters.

You do not get that tight feeling after washing. Your skin still feels really clean and looked after, which is what I always aim for.

Still keeping it simple

Even now, after three years, I’m still keeping things simple. My soaps may not be brightly coloured or heavily fragranced, but that’s intentional.  Each bar is a true artisan product, It is still small batches, made by hand, with time and care given to each stage, using honest, natural ingredients that are chosen to gently care for and nourish your skin.