The Legend of the Lye Monster

For the sake of simplicity, we're taking a step away from our regularly scheduled whimsy, and we're going to talk turkey with you. It's all about the LYE.

We know. Lye is often associated with drain cleaning, and being caustic. In fact, it can burn you, and if ingested, it can even kill you. Lye IS SCARY. Right? Wrong.

There is only one truth associated with soap making, and sadly, it suffers disbelief, ignorance and utter ridicule. It's a scandal, I tell you! The truth of the matter is, ALL. SOAP. CONTAINS. LYE.

It is a common experience -even for me- to walk up to a local soaper at a faire or event and ask about ingredients only to be told that their soaps do NOT CONTAIN LYE. This, my friends is a lie. Either that, or they don't understnad the process.

All of the soaps from Poppy Cauldron Soap Co. are crafted through what we call "Cold Process". This process, along with "Hot Process", uses lye directly in our recipes. We'll get to what happens with the lye a little later, but for now, lets talk about "Melt and Pour" soap precessing.

"Melt and Pour" process is a method of soaping that uses glycerine based soaps that are melted down to a point where the soaper can add colorants and scents, and then simply pour them into a mold for a fun shape. This process does not use lye directly in the recipe, therefore, many soapers who choose this process mistakenly say that they do not use lye, or that there is no lye in their soap. They are partially right, as there is technically no lye in any soap once the batch is made, but they are wrong to announce that lye is not involved at all. With melt and pour, the lye is already incorporated in the products they begin with.

Once again, ALL SOAP CONTAINS LYE. Whether you are using a hard bar, a shampoo bar, a shave bar, a baby bar, or even liquid hand soap, it all contains lye.

Well....sort of.

Remember how I mentioned in the paragraph about Melt and Pour that there is technically no lye in a finished bar of soap? Lets talk about what happens to lye when you mix it with oils.

We absolutely must always think of soaping as chemistry. As you know, when certain chemicals are added to other certain chemicals, you often result in a product that is completely different from either of the first two (or more) products. Thus is the basis of soaping. The act of adding lye (mixed with water) to oils or fats creates a chemical reaction called "Saponification." Saponification is, simply put, the process in which the lye bonds with the oils and becomes soap.

Saponification is complete 24-48 hours after the soap is first mixed. At this point, if the recipe was proportioned right, there is no more lye, there are no more oils (unless you've superfatted, but that's a whole other monster) and all you've got left is good, clean soap.

What happens if you don't add lye? You get a big oily mess. Or, with the right ingredients, you might end up with bath fizzies or lotion. Just remember, you don't have to fear the lye. It's all about understanding the chemistry behind soap.

Gypsy Goods for the Wild Soul: A Word from The Faerie Soap Mother

A good bar of soap is more than just something pretty. It's an intimate part of your daily ritual. The perfect scent can imply vitality, ambition and whimsy. Poppy Cauldron Soap Co. is proud to be a part of that.

Our soap bars are made without unnecessary chemicals, involving luxurious oils, clays and botanicals for healthy feeling skin, and a little bit of eclectic essence. Choose from diverse scents and rich, colorful designs for a soap experience that is truly unique - literally. No two bars of soap are exactly alike, and you'll be enchanted with our spirited designs and colors.

Along with our luxurious ingredients and eclectic scents, every soap is inspired by magical realms and other worlds. For added prestige, we include the inspiring lore and music in the ingredients list because they're as important to us as the tangible additives.

Please follow us on Facebook and on Twitter for daily updates and exciting news. We love to hear from our friends and fans. Don't hesitate to contact us at poppycauldronsoap@gmail.com