Hello friend!,

Have you ever wondered what was involved with making all-natural soap, from scratch in your own kitchen? By learning how to make soap in your own kitchen, you can tailor it to suit any skin type as well as insure that only the most beneficial ingredients go into your finished bars.

Read on for free tips on what gel phase is, how to avoid a soap volcano, and a video for beveling soap for a cleaner, more professional feel.

Haven't learned to make soap yet? Check out our Video eClass- it's $10 off right now!

Enjoy!

~ Lori & Cassie
TheNovaStudio.com

Gel Phase is often a normal part of the soap making (from scratch) process where the soap heats up on its own & gets hot enough that it starts to turn a little translucent and gel like. As the lye in your soap batter reacts with the oils/fats you’ve chosen, they combine and transform into molecules of soap (and glycerin). Saponification – the making of soap from lye and fats – is an endothermic reaction. This means it absorbs energy from its surroundings. That’s what you’ll notice if you touch your soap mold – it’s hot! It can get well over 100°F, even when using the “cold process” method.

Read about why you might want to put your batches through gel phase or avoid it altogether (and how to do both) on the blog.

Factors that contribute to soap seizing & in extreme cases could cause a soap to volcano are …

1) combining temps too high (oils and/or lye solution) [note: we recommend not any higher than 120 degrees F,

2) any ingredients that contain sugar (honey, juices or milks, or alternate liquids like beer/wine/alcohol where the alcohol hasn’t been completely boiled out), and

3) some fragrances & essential oils (for example, EOs like clove that contain Eugenol).

To see more pictures & find out what went wrong in this batch, check out the blog.

Have you ever considered taking the time to bevel soap, but wondered if it’s worth the effort? Lori recently went live on Facebook so you could see how she does it. Now you can compare the before and after results so you can decide if it’s a fit for your bars!

Check out the video on the blog.

The cold process method of soapmaking is probably the #1 choice among soapmakers. It’s called “Cold” Process because it relies almost exclusively on the heat generated by saponification (the chemical reaction of fatty acids & alkali to produce soap). Although it may seem complicated at first, making your own soap from scratch using all-natural ingredients (the way some of our grandparents did) can be both fun and rewarding ~ not to mention addicting!

We have two excellent options for learning to make soap for the first time.

Ruth's Video eClass

Get Lori's classic & trusted Class Handouts, plus Ruth's thorough video. You'll get instant & unlimited access. Review the eClass as often as you wish, with no expiration to your access. If you learn to make soap now, you'll have plenty of time to practice & perfect your craft in time to give beautiful soap for the holidays! Her eClass is $10 off right now - it's the perfect time to jump on this opportunity.

Lori's "New Soapmaker" Bundle

If you're looking for design techniques, coloring info, and two other methods (hot process/crockpot soap making and melt & pour soap crafting) then Lori's New Soapmaker Bundle is perfect for you. This is the perfect opportunity for people who aren't sure which type of soap making they want to go with yet - and it's half off! PLUS, for $50 more, you can get some quality time with Lori over the phone to discuss your future in soap making and decide what's right for you!

Looking for something different? Check out our survey & we'll send you links to exactly which of our resources are right for you.

Have more questions? Reply to this email or use our Contact form. We can't wait to go along with you on your journey to becoming a pro soap maker.