Have you been in one of those specialty stores that sell specially made soaps? These don’t only look really good, they also smell good. Some have excellent designs such as donuts, flowers and cakes. Or you see simpler yet still great designs in hotel bathrooms when you go on a vacation. These soaps may seem hard to make, but once you get to know how soap is made, you will realize how easy it is and that you can also make soap like those right at your own home.

Soap is made from a fairly easy process called saponification. It is basically done by mixing the two basic ingredients in water and letting them undergo a reaction that will produce soap. And if you think these two ingredients are very hard to find, think again as you will only need some fats and lye and you can already start with your soap making process.

There are two ways on how to go about the saponification process. The first process is the hot method, wherein heating of the fat and lye mixture is needed. This method is generally used if the lye that you have is not pure and you don’t have the exact measurements of your ingredients. The soap produced in this process is not as hard as that in the next process but it can still be used for decorative purposes.

The other method of saponification is through the cold process. This method requires precise ingredients or it will not produce the soap that you desire. When lye and fat are mixed in water, heating is no longer required as this method relies on the heat produced by mixing water with lye. This method produces harder soap with better quality if done correctly.

For you to be able to make soap similar to those that you have seen in specialty stores and hotel bathrooms, you will first have to learn and practice the basics of soap making. Once you get the hang of making the basic soaps, you can then move on to making soap with more advanced designs.

The more advanced designs would of course require more ingredients and new techniques. You would need dyes, scented oils and other ingredients that you would like to add to your soap, such as moisturizers. This way, you will be able to control the color, smell and properties of your soap. In addition to these, you may need several molds and knives so that you can shape and mold your soaps however you please.

One precaution that you should take when making soap is during the handling of lye. Even though this is a fairly easy process to make, lye is a dangerous substance and should always be handled with care. Wearing protective equipment such as gloves and goggles will protect you from its harmful fumes and corrosive effects.

Don’t be intimidated or amazed with those soaps that you see on stores. One day, with patience and a lot of practice, you will be able to start making soaps like those. You might even make soap that is better than those sold in stores and you may want to sell your creations.

Jen Hopkins has worked in the skin care industry for years. She maintains websites about make homemade soap, and hot process soap making. If you want to contact her, you can use the contact form at one of her sites.