Published Sept 14, 2025. Last updated Sept 14, 2025.
Curious about how our soap is made? Read on!
On this page you will find information about the history of soap, how we make our soaps, and an overview of our ingredient structure. Click the links below to skip directly to each section.
A Brief History of Soap-Making
Our Process
Ingredient Overview
A Brief History of Soap-Making
The earliest records of “soap” date back to the Sumerians, who originally used a slurry of ash and water to remove grease from wool and cloth in preparation for dying. This mixture may have also been used by priests and temple attendants to purify before sacred rites.
Though harsh, the mixture cleaned because the alkali of the ash reacted with some of the grease on the object and created soap, which in turn cleaned better as more grease combined with the alkali and created more soap. Eventually, the Sumerians noticed this effect and began adding melted animal fats and oils to the alkali mixture prior to using it for cleaning.
Soap-making cropped up in various places throughout the ages and was still largely used for preparing materials for dying. Over time, other ingredients like olive oil and various types of plant ashes and fragrances were introduced and the types of soap available expanded, and soap began to be used more widely for personal hygiene.
It was not until the late 1700s that soap was developed into the gentler, skin-friendly version we still use today. By paying close attention to the purity of the ingredients, soap makers were able to perfect soaps (at various levels of industrialization and manufacturing) that cleaned effectively without the harsh side effects to the skin of previous iterations.
Although this gentler, more fragrant soap was initially only available to the upper classes, through industrialization and globalization, this type of soap became the standard in commercial and cottage soap-making.
Our Process
The soap-making process today remains largely the same as it was historically, even more so when looking at the small-batch, cold process soap we make here at Soladera Soaps.
Cold Process vs. Hot Process:
Cold Process soap means that the soap undergoes “saponification”, or the binding of the alkali substance to oils, naturally without any additional heat to accelerate the process. All Soladera Soaps are cold process.
Hot Process refers to the type of soap-making that uses additional heat to create the saponification. Glycerin soaps (clear soaps) are made through hot process.
Step 1. Assemble & prepare
With recipe in hand, each ingredient and stage of the recipe is checked and assembled. Ingredients are often pre-measured to ensure accuracy and efficiency; timing is crucial to produce proper results.
In addition to ingredients, it is important to gather and stage all requisite safety gear, tools, and molds to ensure smooth flow and proper handling.
Step 2. Make the lye water
The base of all soap is the combination of water and an alkaline substance (lye in our case). The water and lye are measured and weighed to the proper ratio, and then combined carefully.
Lye is a highly corrosive chemical that can cause severe damage if handled improperly, so it is very important that a) proper PPE is used when handling and b) the ratio of water to lye is not too strong. Since we make soaps for direct use on the body, we take this stage of the process extremely seriously.
Once the water and lye are combined, it is set aside until the next step is complete.
Step 3. Weigh & heat triglycerides
Once again measured by weight, the oils, fats, or butters are mixed and heated to 90-115°F. At this point, any fragrances, essential oils, exfoliants, or colorants may be added as well. Depending on the soap, the temperature to which the “grease” is heated varies, but does not typically rise above 115°F.
Step 4. Combine mixtures
Now, with an eye on the temperatures of each mixture, the lye water and oils, can be carefully combined.
Once combined, the whole mixture is blended until it is “trace”, meaning the lye water and soaps have emulsified. This can happen at vastly different speeds and blending amounts depending on the ingredients used.
However, no matter the ingredients it is crucial to achieve the correct trace. Without proper binding between the lye water and oils (emulsification), the soap will fail to set properly (saponification).
Step 5. Pour into mold(s) and cure
Depending on the recipe and type of mold used, it can take anywhere from 1-6 weeks for fresh made soap to cure and be ready for use.
Curing is the process of the soap hardening and completing saponification, or the binding of the mixture together to create a cohesive and effective cleansing substance. Soap is perfectly safe to be used before it is fully cured, but it may be very soft and not hold together with use.
Step 6. Unmold & prepare for use or sales
Once soap has cured, it is removed from the mold and either cut and stamped (for loaf molds) or simply removed and trimmed (for individual molds).
Ingredient Overview
Soladera Soaps is environmentally conscious and eager to source sustainably. Whenever possible, we will opt for for Certified Organic, Fair Trade, and vetted sustainable ingredients. Jenifer constantly researches her sources and seeks to choose the best quality with the best impact.
At the same time, Soladera Soaps is a small, home business and must balance cost considerations and ingredient quality. For example, in cases where a source is not organic but is high quality and sustainably harvested, Jenifer will choose that source over an “organic” source with dubious quality and sustainability.
Whenever possible, ingredients are sourced locally in Colorado or within the USA. Once again though, there is consideration to the sustainability and quality of the ingredients, and if a better option is available internationally, that will be the source chosen.
As trade, tariffs, and global supply are constantly shifting, so is Soladera Soaps’ ingredient sourcing. Soap-making is also an ever-learning process, and Jenifer is constantly re-figuring and creating new recipes that are simpler, more effective, and more allergy-friendly. We believe in transparency, so every soap comes with a complete ingredient list.
We welcome questions and feedback, so if you have something to say, say it! Feel free to contact us here, or when you pick up your soaps in person.
We are committed to making the purest, highest quality soaps that you can feel good about using on your body every day. We are not perfect, but we are always looking to improve.