Making Natural Cold Process Soap On Wood Stove Part 2

Part two of making natural soap at home. If you missed part one, please see it here: http://youtu.be/oOyuCMv8Zj4

In this part of the process the soap is getting thicker and thicker. The soap goes through a process where the oil is being converted by lye into soap.

As you continue to stir the mixture, the soap particles want to fall to the bottom and the oil floats to the top.

Later when more oil has been converted to soap the mixture starts to look like oatmeal. First it looks like a runny oatmeal. Later it thickens and looks just like oatmeal. At this point we know that trace is not far away.

Trace is the point when you pull out the spoon and the soap no longer drips off the end but rather solidifies in contact with the cooler air and hangs on the spoon.

Just before trace you will notice that it is harder to stir the soap mixture. A lot harder. Soon you will be able to pull up the soap to one side and it stays put. It is getting really thick and the tracks from your stirring spoon remain visible in the soap.

At trace, when you lift the spoon out of the pot, you will see the soap coagulate and hang on the spoon. Now it is time to put the soap into forms.

I brought the pot of homemade soap over to the counter and started to scoop the soap into my bread forms. I made a two pound batch so I used two one pound bread forms.

When you have divided up your soap into the forms then you must insulate it so that it will not cool off too fast. This allows the mixture to continue to saponify (lye converts oil into soap) over night.

I use a bunch of towels wrapped around the soap forms and then put a box full of towels over the top of it. Then leave it over night.

In the morning you can have a look at your new homemade soap. It is still not fully mixed and will take another six to eight weeks before you can use it.

In a few days, after it hardens enough, I will cut the soap into bars and put it aside to cure. This will be another video.

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