We Love Cold Process Soap

If you’ve browsed our soaps or followed our process for a while, you already know that at MAR Essentials, we’re proudly devoted to the cold process method and here is why.

Let’s start where all good things begin: with oils, lye, and intention.

What Cold Process Soap Actually Is

Cold process soapmaking is the traditional, chemistry-and-craft method that transforms oils and lye into soap through natural saponification. No applied heat, no shortcuts. Once the batter reaches trace, we pour it into molds and allow the magic to happen slowly over several weeks.

This slow cure isn’t a marketing gimmick — it’s a crucial phase where the water evaporates, the bar hardens, the crystalline structure forms fully, and the soap becomes milder and longer-lasting.

Cold process is also highly adaptable: it allows us to work with a wide range of butters and specialty oils, finely tune superfat levels, incorporate delicate botanicals, and create visually intricate designs.

What Hot Process Soap Is

Hot process soap relies on external heat — often from a slow cooker — to push saponification to completion more quickly. Think of it as soap “stewing” until the reaction finishes. The result is ready to use much sooner and has a rustic, textured appearance.

Hot process is a solid, reliable method. Many makers love its practicality and the control it gives for adding heat-sensitive oils at the end.

The Main Differences

For anyone already familiar with soapmaking, here’s a clear breakdown of how the two methods diverge:

1. Texture and Aesthetics

Cold process produces smoother, denser, silkier bars.Hot process creates thicker, more rustic textures.

If you’ve ever seen a soap with an intricate swirl or crisp, clean layers — that was almost certainly cold process.

2. Design Possibilities

Cold process offers the precision and fluidity needed for advanced techniques: hanger swirls, drop swirls, marbling, ombré layers, sculpted tops, and more.Hot process, due to its thick, mashed-potato consistency, limits fine detail work.

3. Fragrance and Color Stability

Because cold process avoids high heat, essential oils and natural colorants maintain their integrity more effectively.Hot process can dull certain fragrances or botanicals, though it does allow some sensitive additives to be incorporated after the cook.

4. Cure Time

Cold process requires a proper cure — 4 to 6 weeks for optimal mildness and longevity.Hot process is technically usable sooner, though it still benefits from a short cure.

5. Finish and Skin Feel

Cold process bars tend to be harder, longer-lasting, and exceptionally mild once fully cured, with a creamy, stable lather.Hot process bars are perfectly good but often have a slightly rougher, more “handcrafted” aesthetic.

So Why MAR Essentials Chooses Cold Process

There is no “wrong” method. Soap is soap — and both techniques involve real chemistry and real craftsmanship. But we choose cold process at MAR Essentials because it aligns with what we value:

• We can fine-tune every ingredient, from the fatty acid profile to the superfat percentage, ensuring each bar serves a purpose — whether moisturizing, cleansing, exfoliating, or soothing.

• Cold process is essentially a painter’s medium. The fluidity allows us to create distinctive designs that match the MAR Essentials aesthetic: clean, intentional, and beautiful.

• We work with high-quality oils, essential oils, clays, herbs, and botanicals. Cold process protects these materials better than heat-based methods.

• Once cured, a cold process bar has a dense, refined structure that produces a gentle but rich lather — one that feels luxurious without any additives we don’t believe in.

• Good soap takes time. Cold process allows the bar to evolve naturally, without rushing, which feels aligned with the way we want to create: slowly, intentionally, and with respect for the materials.

Final Thoughts

Both cold and hot process soaps have their place in the maker’s toolkit. But at MAR Essentials, our heart belongs to cold process. It gives us the creative freedom, ingredient purity, and long-lasting quality we want to share with our customers.

It’s traditional, it’s meticulous, it rewards patience — and the end result is a bar that feels like something genuinely crafted, not just produced.

If you’re already familiar with soapmaking, we hope this gives you a deeper look into why we choose the method we do. If you’re curious how this method translates into real products, you’re invited to explore our collection — each bar is crafted with the same patience and intention described above. Explore MAR Essentials Scrub Soaps

Seabreeze Scrub Soap

CHF 14.00

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