We welcome you to our soapmaking shop. If you are new or unfamiliar to soapmaking, we hope to give you some insight as to what goes into our soapmaking process. 

     If you have any questions about Pure Purrfections or how our soap is made, please contact us at info@purepurrfections.com 

     When making handmade soap, there are many different processes involved, as well as planning. There are different types of soap and different ways of making soap. At Pure Purrfections, we generally use what is called Cold Process Soapmaking.

     Cold Process soap making is basically taking fats (carrier oils) and blending them with Sodium Hydroxide (lye) until they saponify (chemical reaction between the fats and lye) to make soap.  Soap can also be made by melt and pour, hot process and glycerin melt and pour.  Soaps are sometimes handmilled (shaved and reheated) after initial processing to create another twist on soap.

     In cold process soapmaking, once we have blended the fats and oils, we continue to blend (without adding additional heat) until our soap begins to trace. Trace is where our soap is beginning to saponify and looks a bit like pudding.  Once our soap reaches a nice trace, different ingredients can be added throughout the rest of the process to create our soap.

     In early trace, depending on our ingredients and soap receipe, we start adding in super fatting oils and butters, or herbs.  The temperature of our soaps has to be monitored because if the temperature drops too much, we will have to reheat the soap. If the temperature is too high, some of our add-in ingredients my disipate and become of no use to the soap. Different oils and colorants may have different flashpoints so these have to be taken into account before mixing.

     After all ingredients, colors, scents and butters have been added to our soap, we stir until we reach a full trace. Trace is where the soap is thick, and lines and grooves will appear. If those lines and grooves cannot be blended away, we have our trace.

      The soap is then poured into an prepared mold, usually wood here at Pure Purrfections.  The molded soap has to be insulated for several hours (depending on batch size) until the soap reaches a gel phase. Gel phase is where our once opaque soap begins to take on an transluscent appearence. Once we can visibly see the gel phase, we have reached our soapmaking point.  After about 24-48 hours of molding and decresing insulation, our soaps are to be unmolded. Cutting is usually done with in 3-4 days to beat the hardening of the soap.  

     Our soap loaves, bars and balls are left to cure for 4-6 weeks while the pH of the soap adjusts and becomes ready to use.

     After curing, each batch is tested for quality, consistancy and pH before being labeled for sale.

     Browse our soaps and see some of these creations for yourself!