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Do you have trouble deciding which soapmaking method to use? Don't worry, and you're not alone; many soapmaking fanatics face this dilemma at some point in their life. The cold and hot processes are always the most popular of all soapmaking procedures.
You should be aware of a few commonalities and important differences between each strategy. When making hot process soap, you must heat or 'cook' your soap mixture until neutralizing the lye. There is no need for additional heat while making cold process soap.
Both hot and cold process soaps offer the most personalization options. These two approaches are for you if you want to be able to manage every oil, scent, colour, and add-in along the route.
Cold Process Soap Making
Cold process soap is created by mixing oils with sodium hydroxide lye, which induces saponification, a chemical reaction. You get to choose the oils, scents, colourants, and other elements during the process. It's a fantastic way for someone to learn how to make soap.
Soap can be made in a variety of ways. Cold process soaps are gentle soaps that are cured for 4 to 6 weeks to produce a long-lasting bar with maximum moisturization. This cold-processed soapmaking technique allows you to utilize only the finest natural ingredients and essential oils to create a gentle soap for even sensitive skin.
Pros
- A creamy lather is created by cold process soap formulated with all-natural components like plant oils and butter for thorough moisturization. Unlike other forms of soap, cold process soaps seep deep into the skin to help reduce dry, irritated skin.
- Natural soapmaking components like coconut oil, shea butter, and olive oil can lose their properties due to the heating process in hot process soap procedures; however, the cold process approach ensures that these natural nutrients are better kept.
- Natural essential oils like lavender and jasmine and fragrance oils like chocolate and apple are commonly used to scent cold process soaps. Because cold process soap takes many weeks to cure completely, the aroma develops over time.
Cons
- Cold process soap necessitates sodium hydroxide lye, which can be hazardous if handled improperly.
- The cure time for cold process soap is 4-6 weeks.
- Some colourants, particularly mica-based colourants, morph in the high pH environment of cold process soap.
Hot Process Soap Making
The hot procedure involves heating the soap using an external heat source until it reaches the gel phase, after which it is poured into the mould.
On the other hand, the cold process does not involve external heat; instead, heat is generated internally during saponification, and the soap may or may not enter the gel phase. The saponification process is considerably accelerated by this forced heat/cooking.
Pros
- When it comes to hot process soapmaking, faster curing is a benefit that many people know. Hot process soaps are entirely saponified before being poured into the mould, but they must be allowed to harden before being packaged. The length of time depends on how much water you use in your recipes. I find that two weeks of curing is sufficient for my hot process soaps. That's a lot less time than the usual four to six weeks for a cold process cure. If you make single-colour hot process soap, you can water-discount even more and have your soap ready to use in less than a week (i.e. no swirls).
- The lye is an equal opportunity saponifier in cold process soapmaking: it doesn't care what super fat you want it to be; it will choose for you. During the hot phase of soapmaking, you can add specific super fat oils once the soap has been properly saponified. You can use a SMALLER amount of smell because it is usually added after saponification and fades less.
Cons
- Some swirls and techniques, such as overlaying, are difficult to achieve because of the thick texture of hot process soap.
- The bars have a less smooth texture than the cold process and have a "rustic" appearance. It's entirely up to you whether or not you like this style.
Cold Process VS Hot Process (Decision Time)
Manufacturing Cold Process soap takes longer than making Hot Process soap. Cold process soap takes roughly 24 hours to create, while hot process soap takes about 30 minutes. Cold process soap takes many more materials, such as oils, lye, and perfumes than hot process soap.
- The cold processed soap of lye and oils needs to cure for three days before it can be used, whereas hot process soap is created in a similar method to Cold Process soap, except instead of heating the soap, you add boiling water to the oils and lye solution. This makes making larger batches of soap much easier. Hot process soaps are ready to use in about 24 hours, but they have a shorter shelf life than cold process soaps because of their lower pH levels.
- Cold process soaps have a smoother appearance. On the other hand, Hot process soaps have a more textured rustic finish. This is because the ingredients are applied at different times in both soaps. The additives are added after the cooking time in hot process soaps.
- Hard soaps, such as hot process soaps, are used to remove difficult stains, whereas cold process soaps are used for bath soaps and cosmetics.
Conclusion
Choosing one over the other is neither wise nor practical, as each has its own set of uses, advantages, and drawbacks. If you're a newbie, we recommend starting with cold process soap and then moving on to the hot process. Choose VedaOils for the best soap making supplies at the most affordable prices. For more information and discounts, go to VedaOil.com.
