Differences in Procedures

[Linda Lee Maurer]

I'm very new but I'm confused at this point. I thought there was:

1. Melt and Pour which is where you buy the base and work from there. It has to be wrapped immediately?

2. Cold Process which is with lye and other oils . . . .It does not have to be wrapped.

3. Hot Process (I'm confused about this but working on it>. Using heat from what I understand.

I just downloaded a book called "Making Your Own Melt and Pour" which is with lye and other stuff. Technically, is this Melt and Pour or is it Hot Process since you have to heat everything up. If this is really M/P, then Hot Process confuses me.

Am I totally missing something. I will keep reading and studying but if there is an easy answer, please let me know before I pull my hair out. . . . that wouldn't be pretty.

Linda

 

[dixiedragon]

Welcome to the forum! (If I haven't already greeted you.) Take a deep breath. IT WILL BE OKAY.

Melt and Pour (MP) is a soap or soap-like product (such as a detergent bar or detbar) that can melts down (relatively) smoothly. Some people buy theirs, but you can also make it. I personally haven't done this, but there are things you can add to make it more melt-able. People also often think that melt and pour = clear/translucent bars, which isn't always the case. Making your own MP base (or making clear/transluscent soap) isn't extremely difficult, but I would call it intermediate or advanced.

CP = cold process. In cold process, your heat your oils (usually to about 100-120) and let your lye water cool to about that range. Then you mix the 2 with a stick blend, pour it into some kind of mold, and let it sit for 12-24 hrs, then unmold and cut.

HP = hot process. Same recipes as CP, but you combine your lye water and oils and cook, usually in a slow cooker.

I would say that HP and CP are processes, vs MP which is a product. So, it sounds like this:

I just downloaded a book called "Making Your Own Melt and Pour" which is with lye and other stuff. Technically, is this Melt and Pour or is it Hot Process since you have to heat everything up. If this is really M/P, then Hot Process confuses me.​

Is using an HP method to make MP.

 

[Linda Lee Maurer]

Thank you so much. I was just explaining it my hubby and of course, he says . . that lye is dangerous, yada, yada. I already knew that. But it seems to me that you can make some really cool soaps with it.

I'll continue m/p awhile and keep studying. I found that I can take a class not "that" far away from where I live so I might just do that.

 

[dixiedragon]

We often say, "Lye isn't radioactive." Respect the lye, but don't cower before it. I've been making soap for 15+ years and I've never had a serious lye injury, and none of the people I've had make soap with me have had a serious lye injury. Once I splashed a bit of soap batter on my chin and got a burn, and that's the worst of it. And confession time - I frequently soap with bare feet, no gloves and no eye protection. (Not that I recommend this, lol).

 

[jcandleattic]

Hi, hopefully dixiedragon alleviated some of your confusion. It can be very confusing at first. But once you get most of your terminology down, it does get relatively easier.
I may be repeating some of Dixie's earlier explanations, but this is my take on your questions.
Melt and Pour (M&P) is a product that has already been made into soap by someone else (normally a manufacturer of some sort) so you personally don't have to work with the lye but yet, you can still have a soap like product. M&P is a product you can use as soon as you unmold with no cure time needed.

Cold Process (CP) is the process of making soap completely from scratch by combining oils and lye together. There are several different methods of making CP and the more you read the more you will understand what those methods are. I make RTCP which is a method of using room temp oils with room temp lye to make my soap. CP will need to cure for 4-6 weeks, sometimes longer depending on your recipe.

Hot Process (HP) is the process of making soap from scratch the same way as CP but applying heat (or "cooking it" as you will) to force the saponification process to make soap, so it can be unmolded and cut faster. Both CP and HP need the 4-6 weeks (or longer) to cure.

While both CP and HP soaps (if made correctly) can be used as soon as unmolded and cut, they will not be at their best and will be very harsh to the skin when using this "young" of a soap. They also will not last very long in the shower/tub. The longer it cures, the milder it gets, and the longer it lasts.
There is a completely false myth floating around on the interwebs and other places that states HP can be used as soon as it's unmolded. Technically yes, but again, not if you want a nice mild soap.

hat lye is dangerous, yada, yada. I already knew that. But it seems to me that you can make some really cool soaps with it.

Although lye is a chemical and can have adverse affects if used incorrectly, as long as you are careful and take the correct precautions and have a healthy respect for what it can do, it doesn't have to be dangerous.

I would say always use eye protection - accidents happen that you just cannot predict and if your eyes are important to you, please wear safety goggles.
I have a story that had I not been wearing my eye protection when soaping, through no fault of my own but a true accident, I would most likely be blind. (some people here remember the story from way back then, some don't - I think it's still posted somewhere on here)

Welcome to the forum. You'll love it here.

 

[amd]

Lye isn't any more dangerous than boiling water - you know how to do that and what to do / what not do with boiling water, right? It's the same with lye. Know how to use it, and what to do / what not to do and you'll be fine. Follow safety protocol - and do not use vinegar on lye spills on skin! That is one myth that is bad news. You can read it here on the forum:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/vinegar-and-lye.55270/

 

[Megan]

We often say, "Lye isn't radioactive." Respect the lye, but don't cower before it. I've been making soap for 15+ years and I've never had a serious lye injury, and none of the people I've had make soap with me have had a serious lye injury. Once I splashed a bit of soap batter on my chin and got a burn, and that's the worst of it. And confession time - I frequently soap with bare feet, no gloves and no eye protection. (Not that I recommend this, lol).

I also am a member of the barefoot soap club...although I'm going to have to cut this out if I want to get serious and follow GMPs

I will always wear goggles though, blindness is one of my #1 fears.

 

[Zing]

Linda, welcome to the forum. There are incredibly helpful and creative people here. I did melt and pour for years and then switched to cold process soap over a year ago. I have really enjoyed making cold process soap! There is something extremely satisfying about watching plain oil transform into soap. It engages both my science mind (math, ratios, percentages!) and my artistic side (designs, colors!). And you will feel like a bad-a$$ working with lye and goggles and gloves. My kids say the kitchen and I look like a scene from "Breaking Bad."

I got my start with some super easy step-by-step cold process recipes from https://www.thesprucecrafts.com . And any video from Soap Queen on You Tube is awesome, especially her tutorial series for beginners.

And nothing against melt and pour soap, but the lather is sooo much better with cold process, just a personal preference.
Good luck to you and have fun!