Glossary of Soap Making Terms

Absolute

A concentrated, highly-aromatic, oily mixture extracted from plants by way of solvent extraction.

Alkali

A compound (known as a base) with a PH greater than 7. Sodium Hydroxide (lye) is an alkali as is Potassium Hydroxide.

Allergen

A substance that can cause an allergic reaction in one individual but have no negative effect on another.

Anhydrous

A substance that does not contain water.

Antibacterial

A substance that has the ability to fight bacteria effectively.

Antioxidant

Any substance that slows or prevents oxidation in other substances. In the case of soap, an antioxident will help to prevent spoilage.

Antiseptic

Substances that are applied to the skin to reduce the possibility of infection.

Aromatherapy

The use of selected fragrant substances to affect or alter a person's mood or behavior.

Aromatic

Having a strong pleasant odor.

Astringent

A substance that constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of secretions. Cleans the skin and removes oil.

Attar

A perfume or essential oil obtained from flowers or petals. Also known as otto and is usually very expensive.

Base

The alkali used in soap making. Sodium Hydroxide and Potassium Hydroxide are bases.

Botanical

Of or relating to plants or plant life.

Carrier Oil

Any liquid plant based oil used to dilute essential oils for use on skin surfaces.

Castile Soap

An olive oil soap named for a region is Spain from where it originated. Any soap with a high percentage of olive oil is now often refered to as 'Castile soap'.

Caustic Potash

Potasium Hydroxide is another name for Caustic Potash. It is the alkali (base) used in liquid soap making.

Caustic Soda

Sodium Hydroxide (lye) is another name for Caustic Soda. It is the alkali (base) used in bar soap making.

Cold Process

A simple method of soap making that does not require an external heat sourse other than to melt the hard oils.

Cosmetic Grade

Ingredients that are approved for use in cosmetics like soap, bath and body products and makeup. These ingredients are often available in higher, more expensive grades.

CP

Acronym for 'cold process' soap making.

CPHP

Acronym for 'crock pot hot process'. Soap is brought to trace and then cooked until neutral in a crock pot.

CPOP

Acronym for 'cold process/oven process'. Soap is made in the same manner as cold process but is then placed in the oven once molded in order to force the gel stage.

Cure

Refers to the time period between making the soap and its use. Soap should be left for 4 - 6 weeks before it is used. During this time the soap becomes mild and the saponification process completes.

D&C

Abbreviation for 'Drug and Cosmetic'. Designates approved for use in drug and cosmetic products.

Decoction

An extract obtained by the process of boiling botanical matter in a watery fluid to extract its virtues. As opposed to an infusion where the matter is steeped in water and not boiled.

Deodorize

To remove scent from a product. Many oils used to make soap have an odor and some of them are deodorized before sale. This is benefical when making scented soaps so that the fragrance remains true.

Detergent

A synthetic, organic, liquid or water-soluble cleansing substance that acts similarly to soap but is made from chemical compounds rather than fats and lye.

DOS

An abbreviation for Dreaded Orange Spot. Can occur in soaps with a high percentage of oils that are prone to going rancid. Looks like small orange-beige spots.

Embeds

Shaped pieces of bar soap that are 'embedded' into soap at a light trace.

Emollient

A substance used to soften and smooth skin. Vegetable oils and glycerin are emollients that help to retain skins moisture.

Emusifying Wax

A special wax that is used to combine incompatible substances like oil and water into a blended product like lotion.

Emulsion

A blend of substances that are normally unmixable. Emusifying wax when combined with oil and water create an emulsion.

Essential Oil

A volitile oil that has been obtained from a plant for its scent, flavour or therapeudic properties.

Exfoliant

An ingredient added to soap that is intended to remove dead skin cells and dirt from the skin surface.

Expeller Pressed

A mechanical method for extracting oil from plant material. The material is squeezed under high pressure to remove the oils.

Extract

A substance, extracted from a plant by way of distillation, pressure or solvents, containing its essence in concentrated form.

F,D&C

Abbreviation for 'Food, Drug and Cosmetics'. Designates approved for use in food, drug and cosmetic products.

Fatty Acids

Compounds of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen found in fats and oils. They can be saturated or unsaturated. Of interest in soap making are Lauric acid, Myristic acid, Palmitic acid, Stearic acid, Oleic acid, Linoleic acid, Ricinoleic acid and Linolenic acid. These fatty acids are what give soap their bubbly lathers, hardness, stable lathers, cleansing and conditioning characteristics.

Fixatives

Substances used to anchor a fragrance or essential oil to slow the process of evaporation.

Flash Point

The lowest temperature at which the vapor of a combustible liquid can be made to ignite.

Fragrance Oil

Synthetic imitations of essential oils and other scents.

Gel Stage

Once soap has been mixed to trace and has been poured into the mold it will begin to heat up. If the soap is properly wrapped and allowed to heat up enough, it will undergo a change. It will become translucent and take on the look of vaseline. Most soapmakers want their soaps to gel but some prefer soap that hasn't. Either way if fine.

Glycerin

A thick, sticky, clear substance created during the process of saponification. Handmade cold process and hot process soaps retain the glycerin whereas commercial soaps often remove it. Glycerin is a natural emollient and humectant.

Glycerin Soap

Transparent soaps made in a similar manner to hot process soaps that also contain extra glycerin, alcohol and sugar.

Hot Process

A method of soap making that requires external heat to speed up the process of saponification.

HP

Acronym for 'hot process' soap making.

Humectant

A substance that attracts and aids absorption of moisture into the skin.

Hydrogenated Oil

Unsaturated oils that have had hydrogen added to them to solidify them and make them more resistant to spoilage.

Hydrosol

Fragrant water left over from the steam distillation process. Commonly known as floral water.

INCI Name

The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, abbreviated INCI, is a system of names for waxes, oils, pigments, chemicals, and other ingredients of soaps, cosmetics, and the like, based on scientific names and other Latin and English words. It is currently mandatory to use these names when labelling handmade soaps in Canada and the US.

Infusion

Very similar to making a tea. The botanical matter is steeped in water or oil for a length of time to extract it's beneficial properties.

Insoluble

A substance that is incapable of being dissolved. Fats and oils are insoluble in water.

Irritants

Substances that cause inflammation or a painful/bothersome reaction to an allergy.

KOH

The molecular formula for Potassium Hydroxide.

Litmus paper

A strip of paper containing a mixture of water soluble dyes that is used to indicate the pH level of a substance.

Lye

Another name for Sodium Hyroxide.

Lye-less

A sad state of affairs for a soap maker!

M & P

Refers to melt and pour soap bases. Pre-made soap that can easily be cut up and melted to create decorative soaps. Contains lye like all soaps do and is available in various

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid substance (oil for soapmaking) melts.

Milled Soap

A commercial process that removes the glycerin from the soap, forms it into pellets, adds fragrance, and presses the soap into shape. A home soaper can hand mill (rebatch) soap by grating it up, adding a small amount of liquid and applying heat until it reaches a translucent stage at which time the fragrance is added and the soap is molded.

MSDS

Material Safety Data Sheet. A form containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance and is intended to provide workers and emergency personnel with procedures for handling or working with that substance in a safe manner.

NaOH

The molecular formula for Sodium Hydroxide.

Natural

A material that does not contain any synthetic substances.

Nutrient

In soap making, a substance that contains properties that are beneficial for the skin.

OHP

Acronym for 'Oven hot process'. Hot process soap making that uses the oven as the heat source.

Organic

A substance that at one time was alive and has not had chemicals or synthetic materials introduced to it.

pH

pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. A substance with a pH value greater than 7.0 (alkaline) are bases; less than 7.0 (acidic) are acids with 7.0 being neutral.

Photosensitizers

Substances that cause people with particular skin types more sensitive to sunburn when exposed to sunlight.

Potassium Hydroxide

Potasium Hydroxide is another name for Caustic Potash. It is the alkali (base) used in liquid soap making.

Preservative

A preservative is a natural or synthetic chemical that is added to products to prevent decomposition by microbial growth.

Rancidity

Having an unpleasant, stale smell, as through decomposition, especially of fats and oils.

Rebatching

Also referred to as hand milling. A home soaper can hand mill (rebatch) soap by grating it up, adding a small amount of liquid and applying heat until it reaches a translucent stage at which time the fragrance is added and the soap is molded.

Refined Oils

Fats and oils that have had impurites filtered out.

Rendered

Beef fat that has been heated and melted down to remove all impurities.

RTCP

Acronym for 'room temperature cold process' soap making. The fats, oils and lye are all at room temperature when mixed.

SAP Value

Represents the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide required to saponify 1 gram of fat.

Saponification

Saponification is the chemical reaction between an alkali (lye) and a fat or oil to form soap.

Sebum

The fatty substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of mammals that protects and lubricates the skin and hair.

Seize

A rapid solidifying of the soap while still in the soap pan. Usually caused by too much fat containing high amounts of stearic or palmitic acid, waxes or some fragrance & essential oils.

Soap on a stick

A really bad case of soap seizure while trying to stir!

Soda Ash

A powdery white residue that sometimes forms on the surface of soap. Can be drying to the skin but is easily wiped off of the bar of soap with a damp cloth.

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide (lye) is another name for Caustic Soda. It is the alkali (base) used in bar soap making.

Soluble

Capable of being dissolved or liquefied.

Solvent Extraction

The process used to seperate botanical matter from essential oils using solvents.

Steam Distillation

The process used to seperate botanical matter from essential oils using steam.

Superfatted

The excess oils left unsaponified in the finished soap. This excess oil contributes to the moisturizing qualities of soap.

Surfactant

A substance (like soap) that, when dissolved in water, lowers the surface tension of the water and increases the solubility of organic compounds.

Synthetic

A substance made by an non-natural, or chemical, process.

Tallow

The fatty tissue or suet of animals (horse, cow and sheep).

Tocopherols

Any of a group of closely related, fat-soluble alcohols that are types of vitamin E, especially alpha-tocopherol.

Trace

The point in soap making where the mixed lye and oils have combined to a thick pudding like substance. When drizzled on to itself, a trail is left.

Unsaponifiables

The portion of oils that do not participate in the saponification process and remain in their natural state in the finished product.

Vegan

Not containing any animal parts or ingredients produced by animals.

Viscosity

The resistance of a substance to flow. Honey is more viscous than water.

Volatile Oils

Oils that evaporate rapidly.