Frequently Asked Questions

Lye, also known as sodium hydroxide, is a highly alkaline compound. It was traditionally derived from wood ash. Ashes were added to water and then boiled until the water was spent. Lye crystals were skimmed from the water or scraped out of the pot. Modern methods have made the process much more efficient and involve “pulling” lye crystals from salt water using electrified graphite rods. 

Pure lye is caustic and can cause irritation and burns. However, during the soap making process a chemical reaction occurs which changes all lye into soap and renders the finished product completely skin safe and loaded with benefits.

Lye is required for making soap. You cannot have soap without it. Most commercially made soaps aren’t actually soap; they are synthetic detergents. 

Traditional soap makers combine lye with animal and/or plant derived fats and oils. This mixture undergoes a chemical reaction called saponification. Saponification is a chemical reaction in which free hydroxide (lye) breaks the ester bonds between the fatty acids and glycerol of a triglyceride (fats/oils). This process results in free fatty acids and glycerol (soap).

Properly made lye soap does not actually contain any lye in the finished product, because it has undergone this chemical change.

Cold-process soap is made using the chemical reaction of saponification, in which no outside heat source is used to accelerate or enable the reaction. The chemical reaction that occurs when the lye and oils mix, however, does generate quite a bit of heat on its own.

It is true that our handcrafted soap may offer several benefits that synthetic detergents do not. Many find cold-processed soap’s natural ingredients and mild properties less irritating to sensitive skin and its higher glycerin levels moisturizing to dry and irritated skin. It is important to discuss with a healthcare professional prior to using any new products on your skin. This is especially true if you have a chronic skin condition.

Cold-processed soap is best stored in a cool and dry location. Direct sunlight will also degrade the quality of these handcrafted soaps. Because our cold-process soap is free of artificial stabilizers and synthetic detergents, it is best to place them on a soap tray that allows them to sit above pooled or standing water.

Our handcrafted bars all include an exfoliant. This is, in part, why our soaps provide such a satisfying bathing experience and skin freshening clean. The level of felt exfoliation will be determined by the ingredient used.  Poppy seeds, strawberry seeds, and cranberry seeds provide the most invigorating experience. Stone-milled oats, jojoba beads, and shredded loofah provide a milder experience. Powdered pumice and bamboo extract provide the mildest experience.

If you would like to place a custom order with special colors and fragrances for your special event or holiday gift giving, we would love to discuss this with you. Please use our contact form ( https://soap-works.com/contact-us ) and specify that you are interested in a custom order; we will be in touch quickly. Please keep in mind that our curing process is an important step in producing our high quality soaps. As such, there is absolutely no way to rush a custom order. Depending on our current custom order list, we will need a lead time of a minimum of eight weeks to deliver your custom soaps.