What is
Cold Process Soap

Wild Māra soaps are made using the cold process soap technique, which is based on an ancient traditional art going back years & years ago, but with some modern technology added in.

Unlike hot process soap, cold process soap relies on the natural heat produced from the saponification reaction. The lack of heat helps to preserve the beneficial properties of the plant oils & butters, essential oils, and any other additives, giving a superior nourishing soap.

Soap making involves a bit of basic chemistry, creative artistry & time, all rolled into one.

Basic Soap Chemistry

Alkali + Acid + Water = SOAP + Glycerine

So the alkali (sodium hydroxide or lye) is combined with the water (any liquid) and added to fatty acids (cold-pressed oils such as olive, avocado, coconut, etc), a chemical reaction occurs called saponification thus creating SOAP!

I use a “superfat” in all my soap formulas, this is a soapy technical term basically meaning that I add extra oils & butters that will not be saponified or transformed into soap.

This ensures that all the lye is transformed and none is left in the final soap. It also ensures that you are left with a soap that is nourishing, softening and naturally kind on your skin.

Video on the making of Pink Grapefruit Himalayan Salt Soap

Once the soaps are made, they are hand cut & stored on my curing racks for 6 weeks. This ensures that the soap is mild, fully hard & all the excess water has evaporated.

Leaving just the moisturising, nourishing benefits of the plant oils & butters and the amazing healing & therapeutic powers of nature.

My soaps are handmade with love & intention in small batches using quality natural ingredients including plant oils & butters, mineral-rich clays, homegrown medicinal botanicals infused into plant oils, botanicals & pure therapeutic essential oils. I don’t use Palm Oil in my soaps.

Simple Naturally Kind No Nasties

  • Homegrown Medicinal Botanicals infused in plant based oils

    Botanical Oil Infusions

    Once I harvest my botanicals, they are placed on drying racks for a few days to remove any moisture that could spoil the oil. I use a process where I macerate the botanicals & put them into the plant oils, mainly olive or sunflower. After about 6-8 weeks, I strain the botanicals from the oils. Now the oils are ready to be made into soaps, balms & bath salts.

  • Cocoa butter, Shea butter, Coconut oil

    Butters

    I use several different butters but mainly Shea Butter, Mango Butter & Cocoa Butter. I always buy Fairtrade & organic where possible. These are what makes cold-process soaps hard, creamy, silky & luxurious.

  • A variety of natural clays & botanicals

    Clays & Botanicals

    I use a variety of natural mineral-rich clays that are not only used for the colours they provide but also for their therapeutic & skin-loving properties. These clays are sourced from mainly France, Brazil & Australia for the highest mineral quality.

    Not only are the botanicals that I grow in my garden used for oil infusions but they are also used for making up a tea or for decoration. The botanicals that I grow are: Lavender, Calendula, Chamomile, Arnica, St Johns Wort, Comfrey, Yarrow, Aloe Vera, Rose, Cornflower, Echinacea, Spearmint, Peppermint, Kaffir Lime, Lemon Balm, Orange Balm, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Bay Laurel.