How natural soap is made (cold process explained)

Cold‑process soapmaking is one of the oldest and most traditional ways to create soap. It's a slow, careful method that preserves the natural benefits of oils, butters and botanicals.

These ingredients are gently warmed, combined with lye, and stirred until they reach “trace”, the moment the mixture thickens and becomes ready to pour. 

Most of our soaps are scented with pure essential oils added at trace, but not all. We’ve created a bar especially for those who prefer to avoid essential oils. From the Hive is completely essential‑oil‑free and ideal for sensitive skin. Thanks to the raw honey in the recipe, it carries a naturally warm caramel‑honey aroma without anything added.

Once the batter has been poured into moulds, the soap rests for 24–48 hours before being cut by hand into bars. It then cures for up to 6 weeks, allowing excess water to evaporate and the bar to harden naturally. This curing stage is essential: it creates a longer‑lasting bar with a creamy, gentle lather.

Cold‑process soap retains the natural glycerin created during saponification, making it more moisturising than commercial soaps. It also allows us to add botanicals, clays, oats, honey, charcoal and essential oils without damaging their properties. 

The result is a bar that feels honest, simple and close to the ingredients it’s made from... exactly how soap should be. You can read about the history of soap and the various methods here.

Explore our range of cold processed botanical soaps.