Why cold process soap? - Sweet Cedar & Co.

Why cold process soap?

We make our soap with simple and clean ingredients, using the cold-process method. Cold process soap is made with heat generated by the chemical reaction between the fatty acid (plant oils) and the base, as opposed to a heat source like many commercial mass-produced bars. 

To make soap, oils and a base are combined, and through heat and friction, the oil and the base are neutralized into soap. The sodium hydroxide (base) is completely neutralized and none remains in the finished product. This process is called saponification.

BENEFITS OF COLD-PROCESS SOAP

  • During saponification, glycerin, a natural byproduct of making soap, is produced. Glycerin pulls water into the outer layer of your skin and traps it there. So basically, it helps to hydrate and moisturize your skin. Large soap companies extract glycerin for use in cosmetics, resulting in extremely harsh, drying soaps. We of course don't do that, so each bar is made up of 5-10% glycerin!
  • We “superfat" our soap, which means 6% of the oils are left unsaponified during the soap making process, making the finished bars super hydrating. 
  • Cold processed soap is known for its silky smoothness. In our case, this is mostly due to the large percentage of olive oil that we use. This is something that you will be hard pressed to find in commercial soap. Our bars also provide a super bubbly lather, a benefit of using unadulterated oils like coconut and castor.
  • Washing your hands with cold processed soap is healthy for your skin. Soaps with synthetic ingredients strip your skin of natural oils. Ours cleans your skin and leaves it feeling moisturized and soft.
  • Bar soap is as equally effective as liquid soap. According to studies, soap and water reduce the presence of bacteria to 8%. Despite the rumors, bar soap does not transfer bacteria from person to person and bacteria cannot grow on a bar of soap. As far as antibacterial soap is concerned, studies show, that antibacterial soap is no more effective in reducing bacteria than regular soap.
  • Cold process soap allows for a bit more creativity and visual appeal, and produces a bar that is both a work of art, and functional.
  • From an environmental perspective, bar soap production requires significantly less chemical raw materials, and is packaged without the use of plastics as opposed to liquid soap bottles. Researchers have also found that when washing, we use six times more liquid soap than bar soap. Liquid soap has a large carbon footprint as it is less efficient to transport and typically comes in a plastic container which is not completely recyclable. When it comes to the environment, bar soap is the clear winner!

 

OUR SOAP INGREDIENTS ARE SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE

We us six simple, but effective vegetable oils in all of our soap recipes. We find that keeping it simple is sometimes best. Our recipe is a tested and loved blend of olive oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, shea butter, responsible sourced palm oil, and castor oil, which helps provide a great lather. We use cruelty free and eco-friendly tussah silk fibers in our bars too, as it provides a smoothness that is unmatched. 

And finally, the star in our bars is the local mountain spring water. Each batch is made with the crystal clear, pure water that pours out of our springs, and we believe it makes a huge difference.

Our soap selection changes from month to month, with some classics always available, and some special edition scents and designs as well. Each one will leave you wondering why you haven't switched to bar soap long before now!

Check out our collection of artisan soaps here.

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