Cold-process Soapmaking in Pictures

Our Cold Process Soapmaking in Pictures guide gives you a clear visual snapshot of each step. It’s a great starting point for beginners, or anyone who prefers to learn by seeing the process in action.

Before you begin, make sure you’ve read through the full cold process soapmaking instructions carefully. Once you start, things move quickly.

1. What to prepare before you start

Weigh and measure all ingredients in advance.

For this recipe:

• 230g organic palm oil
• 230g RBD coconut oil
• 230g pomace olive oil
• 104g sodium hydroxide
• 230g cold water
• 30ml fragrance or essential oil

Equipment:

• Silicone loaf mould
• Thermometer
• Stick blender
• Heatproof glass jug (for lye)
• Large stainless steel pot
• Spatula
• Baking paper
• Gloves and protective eyewear

If you’re not using a silicone mould, line your container with baking paper and lightly grease it.

Take a moment to read through everything again before starting.

2. Melt the solid oils

Add the palm oil and coconut oil to a large pot and gently melt.

Once melted, remove from heat and add the olive oil. This helps bring the overall temperature down more quickly.

3. Prepare the lye mixture

Put on gloves and eye protection.

Slowly add sodium hydroxide to cold water (never the other way around). This creates your lye solution, which will heat up rapidly and release fumes.

Work in a well-ventilated space and avoid breathing in the vapour.

Allow both your oils and lye solution to cool to around 40°C before moving on.

4. Combine oils and lye

Once both mixtures reach ~40°C, pour the lye solution into the oils.

Stir gently with a spatula, then switch to a stick blender. The mixture will begin to thicken.

5. Add your scent

When the mixture starts to thicken (but is still pourable), add your fragrance or essential oil.

Be aware:
Some fragrance oils can cause the mixture to thicken very quickly (this is called “seizing”). Make sure your mould is ready before adding fragrance.

Continue mixing until you reach “trace” — when the mixture leaves a visible trail on the surface.

6. Pour and insulate

Pour the mixture into your mould, scraping out the pot with a spatula.

Cover with baking paper, then wrap the mould in towels to insulate it (a “soap burrito”).

Leave undisturbed for 24 hours while saponification takes place.

7. Remove from mould

After 24 hours, the soap should be firm enough to remove.

Gently pull the mould away from the soap and turn it out.

8. Cut into bars

Cut into bars using a knife or soap cutter.

Separate the bars and allow them to dry and cure.

9. Cure time

Leave your soap to cure for 4–6 weeks.

This step is essential — it allows excess water to evaporate and ensures the soap is mild and ready to use.

A note on colour changes

Some fragrance and essential oils can affect the final colour of your soap.

For example, vanillin-containing fragrances (like chocolate) can darken over time, even if the mixture starts out light.

Ready to try it yourself?

If you're new to soapmaking, start with a simple, well-tested recipe.

To help you get started, here are a few useful resources:

Watch the process step-by-step
Chelsea & Megan's Video Tutorial
Cold process soapmaking video

Get your equipment ready
You'll need some cold press soapmaking equipment
Cold process soapmaking equipment

Understand your lye calculations
Before you start formulating, it’s important to know how to correctly calculate your lye and water ratios.
Calculating CP soap making recipes

Browse cold process soap recipes
Looking for inspiration? Explore a range of tried and tested formulations to get started.
Cold Process Soap Recipes

We'd love to see what you make

Once your soap has cured, it’s ready to use or gift.

If you give it a go, share your creations with us on Instagram @go_native_nz — it’s always great to see what people create.