Hot Process

Another near sell-out at the farmers market today on the incredible new Herbal Body Wash. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. Seriously. This stuff is crazy good. I can't even believe that it comes out of my own kitchen.

I am certified in cold process soap making. I am not yet certified in hot process soap making, which is the only way to make natural liquid soap. The term 'liquid soap' covers a broad spectrum of products. My luxurious, thick, concentrated, herbally delightful product that I call 'body wash' could easily become shampoo or conditioner or could even go in another less luxurious direction, like all-purpose GREEN kitchen/bath cleaner. I'm so excited about this stuff, I can hardly contain myself.

Thank you, Susan in Alaska, for sharing your excitement with me as we shared the airport shuttle in Palm Springs last May. I am now addicted to the hot process soapmaking method resulting in the most incredible liquid soap I've ever used.

It's science
It's chemistry
It's math
It's cooking
It's pure joy
And it's hard work

Luxurious bar soaps can be made, using the cold process method, in about two hours from start to finish (poured into the mold, waiting 18 hours to cut into bars and then waiting another three weeks to cure). But a batch of liquid soap takes all day....an entire day filled with the mystery of science, chemistry, math, cooking, joy and hard work. Using the hot process method, it is ready to use as soon as the soap paste has cooked and is diluted. You cannot imagine how fun clean up is when every utensil, pot, and tool is soapy clean already.

What you see here is the soap paste, the color of the oils used (olive, castor, and jojoba), slowly diluting in a huge pot on my stove. When it cools I will pour it into large glass jars to sequester for a week or so, then it will be bottled and sold at the next farmers market. This is my passion.

And here it is BIG!