Skin Care Formulation Volume 7 Cold Process Soap

Module 8 covers Cold Process (CP) soap making. Over 9 days, you will formulate 4 artisanal soaps from scratch, mastering saponification chemistry, SAP calculations, fatty acid profiles, trace management, and the 4-6 week curing process.
Core Science
Saponification: Cold Process soap is made by mixing oils/fats with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The NaOH cleaves triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acid salts (soap). Unlike Melt & Pour, YOU perform the saponification.
The SAP Value: Each oil has a unique Saponification (SAP) Value-the exact grams of NaOH needed to saponify 1g of that oil. You must calculate the precise NaOH amount using the formula:
NaOH=Oil Weight×SAP ValueNaOH=Oil Weight×SAP Value
Superfatting: We deliberately use 5-8% LESS NaOH than required. This leaves unreacted oils (the "superfat") in the finished bar, providing conditioning and moisturizing benefits.
Trace: Trace is the point where the oil-lye mixture emulsifies and thickens.

• Curing: CP soap requires 4-6 weeks of curing. Water evaporates, the crystal lattice hardens, pH drops slightly, and the bar becomes milder and longer-lasting.