Making soap from scratch: natural handcrafted soapmaking methods

When I started making soap, there were basically only two methods available: CP (cold process) and a "rudimentary" hot process, carried out on direct heat (DHHP). It was therefore relatively simple for soapers to decide which one to use - it was enough to try both these methods, and decide which of the two was preferrable for the type of soaps they had in mind.

With handmade natural soap becoming increasingly popular and sought after, more and more adventurous soapmakers have been researching new techniques for obtaining reliable results in a shorter time. Currently, a number of different soap making methods are available, most of them as variations of Hot Process, where soap is cooked to speed up the saponification reaction.

Step-by-step instructions for basic and advanced soapmaking methods, including the revolutionary Discounted Water Cold Process and a truly natural method for liquid soap, are comprehensively covered in the new book, Soap Naturally - Ingredients, methods and recipes for natural handmade soap.

Orders for the new soapmaking book, Soap Naturally - Ingredients, methods and recipes for natural handmade soap, by Patrizia Garzena and Marina Tadiello, can be placed at the Soap Naturally Book Website.

All these methods were developed as a result of several soapmakers sharing opinions and experiences with each other, and are an ongoing testimony of the spirit of "working together" that characterises the oldest (and the best) Internet soapmaking mailing lists, such as Soap Naturally for instance.

This ongoing exchange of experiences and information, and the vast popularity that natural soap is enjoying, have of course advantages and disadvantages.

So, while it is true that increasing the number of possible methods can offer a better choice to experienced soapmakers in search of the optimal result, it is also true that beginners are somewhat at a loss when it comes to deciding which way to make soap - and the relatively large number of methods and techniques is often source of greater confusion. Soap Naturally - Ingredients, methods and recipes for natural handmade soap is the ultimate reference book for those who would like to approach natural soapmaking, as well as for experienced soapmakers in search of new inspirations.

For those who are already familiar with making soap from scratch, I am including here links to modern soap making methods that have gained some sort of "legal standing". For those who consider themselves "newbie soapers", I am also providing my personal version of the classic CP (cold process) method:

My version of the classic cold process soapmaking method (CP)
My versions of double boiler and oven hot process soapmaking methods (DBHP, OHP)
My version of the discounted water cold process soapmaking method (DCWCP)
From the Soap Naturally Web, a long list of sites describing other soapmaking methods, including microwave and crockpot HP, CPOP etc.
For background information on traditional techniques, I suggest a visit to the soapmaking history section of Soap Naturally Web.

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last update 24 sep 2011