Ask Anne-Marie: Formulating Cold Process Soap Recipes | Bramble Berry

Formulating cold process soap recipes can be intimidating. We asked what questions you had about formulating cold process soap, and you delivered! Questions include how to make soap harder, how to avoid soap scum and soda ash, how to substitute oils, how to make facial soap and more.
Have a question that you'd like Anne-Marie to answer in a future video? Leave a comment below!
Find all the ingredients for cold process soap at Bramble Berry Handcraft Provisions:
www.brambleberry.com/
Questions:
- @00:21 @3wildoils asks “How to make soaps harder? Sometimes using sodium lactate, but not completely happy with the results. Using also stearic acid up to 0.5% and making recipe where hard oils are around 60-65% and still want soaps to be harder and prevent my sink from soap scum!! My soap leaves some soap scum... What is the best oil, butter proportion?”
- @02:42 @bathematics101asks “What is the most important property you consider when deciding which oils to use during your recipe formulation? Is it better to work backwards by deciding what you want the use of the bar to be before choosing any oils?”
- @03:39 @nanhdi_jahari asks “Is there a 100 percent to avoid soda ash?”
- @05:47 @artsavon_asks “What are your tips for making a long lasting bar without using palm oil nor animal fat.”
- @07:16 @viviane_ito asks “How do you make facial soap? How is it different from other cold process soap?”
- @09:21 @untarnished_talons says “Hi Anne-Marie. Please guide me about oils that give slow moving recipes. I struggle with quick tracing all the time.”
- @11:11@danyemmerich says “The hardest thing for me is substituting oils. What do you recommend?”
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Thank you for watching! Have a question that you'd like Anne-Marie to ask in a future video? Leave it in a comment below! If you have any questions, feel free to contact our customer service team at [e-mail] or 877-627-7883 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. PST, Monday-Friday. You can also live chat with customer service on BrambleBerry.com from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. PST, Monday-Friday. For more tutorials, tips and tricks and business advice, visit our blog www.soapqueen.com/. For soapmaking supplies, visit our website www.brambleberry.com/

[@taylorsl83]

Hi, thanks for all your videos and answering questions! My question is what (if anything) do you recommend as a preservative in your soap and what shelf life does that preservative give the soap?

[@ms_maggie]

Hello,please is it safe to add cocobetaine to a cp soap recipe. And if yes, when should it be added?

[@brujachingona2175]

Y'all... She LITERALLY gave us instructions on how and where to ask questions. Hint: not in the comments. 😆😆😆

[@MichaelWilliams-go8gz]

Yes, please make more like this on a monthly basis. 99% of us miss seeing you do videos. There are to far and in between. Maybe drop 3 videos a week, and question and answer session monthly. I would rather watch you here than on the hallmark channel.

[@taylorah6409]

🙌👏👏👏👏

[@qbert5009]

Agreed!

[@davidahandcraftsoap]

I so appreciate you taking time to answer question. Thank you even more for the lye and fragrance calculator it's a lifesaver!!

[@dodsfalle7412]

I just started making soap this year and your videos have been so informative and inspirational. I'm a stay home mom with 2 toddlers and soapmaking has helped me so much mentally and emotionally. Coming across your videos have truly made my life better.

[@f1r3p4w]

Saaaaame!

[@kaywiththevibes]

Dodsfalle Keep pushing Mama!❤️

[@wiupset6666]

Im really proud of you! :)

[@ameenescence]

So glad to see another new video from you, Anne Marie! I hope all is well and I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving tomorrow!

[@ahha1834]

I have been a customer for YEARS...I love BB! Thank you Anne-Marie, you're amazing!

[@Greenfairy65]

Thanks Anne-Marie, your sharing of information is so so invaluable to those of us new to soap making and inspirational to people mulling over the idea of trying it out. I think you are such a joy to listen to and my goodness I think so many would feel kind of lost without your input.

[@annebonny4870]

Love your videos Anne Marie. I'm a new soaper of just several months. I use your book all the time and am constantly watching you on KZbin. Thanks for all you do to help newbies like me. I know my friends and family will be very happy with the gifts I've made for them this year. I couldn't have done it with out your help.

[@xariagigi]

Thank you so much Anne-Marie, all the information in this video was very helpful. It answered many of my questions. I look forward to more of your videos.

[@catcatdogdijon]

anne marie you are a gift. thank you for this and all that you have shared! 💗

[@Aelidiil]

OMG i'm new to soap making and I didn't know you had your own book AnnMarie! I just went and bought it cant wait for it to get here. More and more i find you are one of the best sources of solid information on the wild world of soap! Thanks for all your work!

[@SoapAuthority]

So much excellent information packed into a fun video! Thank you! I hope there are more like this to come. :)

[@lisalist206]

Thank you Anne-Marie for sharing your knowledge and secrets for successful soapmaking! I learned to make cold process in 2008-2009 by watching your videos exclusively way back when they were on Vimeo. I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you! You are our soaping angel 😇

[@sarassoap]

Thank you Anne-Marie, brilliant as always. I am using the BB lye calculator and the fragrance calculator and i love it !

[@jesseniaarboleda9911]

Love these videos! Please continue this series!! I know all of us upcoming soap makers need all the information they can get 🤳🏻

[@debmaclyman2547]

Thank you Anne-Marie, very helpful info. Keep videoing please.

[@chrisdarry-roseelrod4481]

Thank you Anne-Marie. This was insightful. I've been sticking with just melt and pour. I may just break out the stick blender and try the cold processed soap.

[@heidicakessoapco5343]

Thank you so much for all your sage advice. I have and LOVE your Pure Soapmaking Book as a wonderful reference tool! Also, Bramble Berry's lye calculator... invaluable!

[@elle-xe8wy]

i don't make soap nor have plans too but her videos are so satisfying and i actually love her personality, she's so knowledgeable abt soap

[@keki8388]

YES! Please make more!!! So helpful!

[@amysumek5088]

I really enjoyed this. I would love more videos like this. I’m not gonna lie, I started out thinking “wow, this is like a sales pitch for the book” and by the end...I added the book to my amazon cart. I can’t wait to get it!

[@angelaluther8184]

I love this! Keep them coming!

[@alaael-sayed2284]

Thanks for that video, you're really answering many questions on my mind, thanks for your inspiration ♥️🌸

[@mrswray]

I’m reading your book now! It is so thorough and easy to understand for beginners. Thank you so so much for writing it, I can’t wait to make my first batch ❤️❤️

[@elohelreh]

OH YES this is such a GREAT idea, Brambleberry!!

[@HollywoodMGB3]

Thank you for another great video full of information!

[@nasreena2759]

You are amazing !! I can not Thank you enough for your amazing videos and recipes. !!!!

[@carolprosseda6802]

Thanks for your instructions very helpful.

[@relivestaybeautiful7632]

Love brambleberry their fragrances are just amazing!

[@TheSeaWitchsGarden]

Thank you for all your help!

[@sricube]

Extremely helpful!!! Thanks so much!!!!

[@sylviagray4206]

Very helpful. Please do more videos and thank you

[@carolineplourde9565]

Wow! Thanks very instructive 😊

[@bluelot7546]

great video i have learned so much from you and bought 2 of your books!!

[@tammyrosebrugh4871]

This was really helpful! Thanks so much!

[@bebita58]

Loved this! More please!

[@big4metalbabe]

I have your book and loved this video. More please. Thank you.

[@rosehavenfarm2969]

Excellent video, thank you. I learned a lot.

[@buttermilkbaysoap9416]

Definitely would like to see more videos like this💕

[@StarTiffany]

Thank you for the question and answer on the facial soap. I’m definitely going to up the superfat!

[@techanswerguy8820]

Thanks for all your great advice.

[@mykelmikel]

I'm just about to start soap making and you have helped me alot I'm going out to get your book to see if it'll help me thank you so much

[@cathywright4133]

Very helpful... Would love to hear more

[@jesllingonzalez216]

Thank you guys , this helps me out so much 😀

[@rhondanelson463]

GREAT VIDEO. THANKS FOR THE LEARNING TIPS

[@whatupderr]

Love this! Thank you!

[@nasreena2759]

Hi,, I bought you book, I can't wait to try the recipes in the book. Thank you !!

[@dranitacaprice]

Thank You so much! This is a Great tutorial! :-)

[@erindevine1979]

So informative. Thank you.

[@naturegirl175]

thank you, very helpful

[@tracie8619]

Wonderful video and thank you

[@genesisnewman4099]

I got excited when she answered my question! :)

[@RavenVargas27]

Thanks this is very helpful

[@Preetimehta-100]

Very informative... Thx.

[@jaisparks6091]

My soap google:) Miss these videos, definitely want more of them

[@aluniebylbartist700]

Great video!!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@amberbeltran9450]

Thank you so much taking time out of your busy day to answer questions! I'm not a new soapmaker but I think the info you shared was valuable to soapmakers at any stage! Would love to see more of these Q & A's! For future ones to come (hopefully!), I have a question... Luxury oils & butters: When it comes to CP soapmaking, are they worth it? I feel like unless one can specifically control which oil or butter is going to be their superfat, it's impossible to know which oil (or fat) those lye molecules will bond to (ie: What the "lye monster" is going to eat up!). With the more expensive, luxury oils, do they truly make a difference in one's recipes? Oftentimes I see these more "luxurious" oils & butters used in lower percentages (possibly due to their cost), and wonder if there's any considerable benefits? I've been curious to try some of these more "exotic" oils in my own recipes, but wonder if it's really worth it to do so? I'd love to hear your wisdom on the subject! Thank you for your time, and thank you again for this insightful Q&A!

[@eseleikuenobe3942]

Thanks a lot for your tutorial.Kindly make a video on how to make soap with sodium lactate.Thanks.

[@rachwilson2009]

Great information Ann-Marie

[@anachronism88]

Anne-Marie is so chill and cool.

[@lucillebeckford2067]

Thanks for doing this! Can you talk next about doing a lye master batch?

[@wendyblair8755]

I would love that too

[@jackiesranch]

love your video's

[@adypou8600]

Waoo.. very interesting

[@jannettecouperus3826]

which fragrance oil is best if you want to slow down trace, and which dyes work best for this or which should you avoid , thanks

[@chilkakanika1456]

Thank you for the very useful tutorial. Please tell me what do I do when a soap I made is taking ages to harden. I had used olive oil and castor oil only. Please answer

[@mi-snow9191]

Hi Ann-Marie, great work and lovely soap recipes too. Please can sulphonic acid(which is a foaming agent) be added to any of the soap recipes?

[@parisfree4864]

Thank you, I always enjoy the videos. You mentioned bees wax. What does Bees wax do for soap? And what can I use for my soap to have a glossy look? Thanks

[@TheTutyfruty2]

Thank You ,My question , How I contrlo the PH in the process soap

[@jdog4534]

What should I use as an emulsifier in my homemade laundry detergent?

[@catrionaaldridge654]

Hi Ann Marie . I made my first batch of Lavender cold process soap yesterday. Didnt cut it yet but I checked on it and it looks perfect. Can I add oats to it next time ? .And do I just add to the same recipe or do I need to calculate?And thank you so much .

[@lornashandmadesoaps7034]

Ann-Marie will you ever make the baby oneise in a silicone mold. Love your videos. Thanks

[@staceyleacornell]

What is the best palm oils to use in soaps?

[@yoliyoli23]

I cannot thank you enough

[@josephinegibson7392]

A lot of people that I know is allergic to coconut oil, what is a good substitute?

[@exoticinstinct8242]

Hi how do I make the soap be moisture like to not leave my face dry after using it. Do I need to use 1% super fat or higher

[@ShermtaF]

Hi, I was wondering how to stop additives from separating in liquid soap? I used sodium coco Sulfate noodle & cocamidopropyl betaine as my surfactant. My additives are Kaolin Clay, Allantoin & Colloidal oats. I mixed it with Vegetable Glycerin & honey but it still separated.

[@pankajchakravarty8877]

For Dry skin which will be the perfect recipe Madam ? Can you advised Me please!

[@moiratomescu]

Hello new friend and mentor! Could you please tell me what are the known notorious essential oils that affect tracing and natural colors? Thank you!

[@ettenadra]

Hi, I watched some of your vids/read some of brambleberry articles/recipes about using fruit purees. Had a bad soaping result so I thought of trying out fruit extracts for a change. I couldnt find any recipe online as a guide though. How should I treat the fruit extract? Like oil? Hope you can point me in the right direction

[@089261135]

Hello! I was wondering if putting all of thees Wonderfull ingredients like aloe, clays, vitamins, minerals, humectants actually stay on the skin after rinsing off the soap? For me it's counter intuitive - why put nourishing ingredient in soap? Wouldn't they wash away without staying on the skin? I mean...soap gets dirt, mud and oils - how is that different from the nureshing ingredients we add? Wouldn't the chemical reaction be the same when using the soap? Thanks for your Wonderfull videos! Super informative and fun!!

[@elisabethspicer2995]

How do you know what oils to pick and how many and how to get the %?

[@Skylightatdusk]

I notice that sodium lactate does in fact create a hard bar. However, does the bar get soggy once in use (like the case of salt brine soaps)?

[@linalee6030]

Anne thank you very much for sharing lots of your very precious knowledge .I learn a lot. My question is if I make a soap good to treat fungus skin acne like that,that seem itchy in skin. If I boil medicinal herbs.,let it cool and use to dissolve lye will I get a result to make a good soap ?thank you .

[@pankajchakravarty8877]

How to added sodium Lacted in Cold process soap making? Any percentage you suggest Madam

[@rebb4352]

Can you talk about recommend percentages for certain oils like if I want to add a few different oils how would I know what percentage of each I should use

[@bramble-berry]

We have a great article on this already! You can find it on our blog at this link here: www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/free-beginners-guide-to-soapmaking-common-soapmaking-oils/

[@kriscabaies]

How can I lower the pH in cold processed soap? Would like to make dog organic soaps in controlled 6-7 pH but am not sure how to go about it. I am in a dog grooming business and I would like to make my own grooming soaps.

[@jackiesranch]

I must be lucky I never have a problem with fast trace, well unless it is Tar soap

[@samihage1223]

Can I use regular sea salt instead of sodium lactate? What about stearic acid does it have same features as sodium lactate? Someone told me that he has sodium lactate as powder and it’s used as food preservative! Can I dissolve in distilled water is it the same

[@libertymicrofarm6032]

In creating my soap recipe, I am using your calculator, I’m getting a sufficient suffusing ratio, but I’m finding all of my recipes are in a really low cleansing range. I want my recipe to be primarily tallow (47%) herbal infused sunflower oil (37%) and some castor oil (16%). With a 2% or less super fat. What oils should I be adding to make it more cleansing? Or what ratios should I change?

[@v.n.k4911]

Hi, how to reduce ph of cold processed soap to neutral..all the soaps whic i made are of ph 9..i fell it will make my skin dry

[@SeedKreations]

is there any posible way to speed up the curing time in cp soap. any creative thing? time is money, waiting 4-6 weeks for me does not do it, with all respect, my opinion.

[@simmy6495]

I once used a teaspoon of table salt and it hardened, lactate is just liquid salt.

[@MNB71285]

Hi..I have read in some ingredients of lush soaps and scrubs the ingredient "propylene glycol "can we add it at the end of soaping..or adding glycerin is better?? If OK how much can we add

[@rhondam883]

I like Brambleberry lye calculator but I can't find where it allows me to choose my water discount ratio. Could you direct me to that , and if it's not there, can you adjust your calculator to include it. When I formulate some of my recipes, I need that option. Thank you.

[@SoapAuthority]

Calculating a water discount is definitely a necessity! I am always adjusting the water discount to fit my soaping needs. There's an article about it on the Soap Queen blog: www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/water-discounting-cold-process-soap-how-why/ Also, Kenna from Modern Soapmaking has a great breakdown of how to calculate it along with a cheat sheet to quickly calculate what you need: www.modernsoapmaking.com/lye-solution-in-soapmaking/ I agree, it would be a nice addition to the Brambleberry fragrance calculator. :)

[@qbert5009]

Soap Authority ~ Thank you for that helpful information! Agreed! That would be helpful!

[@qbert5009]

Rhonda M ~ Agreed!

[@juliamcdonough1698]

Are you going to make any videos and recipes for us hot process soap makers?

[@nathanerinphillipsaustrali1418]

Hi Anne-Marie, I'm loving discovering your videos, they're so helpful, thank you. I'm wondering how you can formulate a lower pH level soap, say 7 to 7.4. I have horses and want to create my own soap that is the kind to their skin, cleanses and nourishes and is the same pH level as their natural skin/coat. Do I decrease the lye and increase the superfat? Or does the ingredients have more influence over the end pH level? Thanks, Erin :)

[@jessiehermit9503]

I read somewhere that if you try to lower your ph too much it can destabilize your soap. I'm gonna try to find that article for you.

[@gul4470]

Hi, After the usage of cold process soap, the soap turns into a paste like consistency. How can I avoid this?

[@gopikpm1650]

Good morning madam I am Gopi from India in Tamil nadu, I want to some idea cool process soap ingredients, and what's different hit proccessing

[@samihage1223]

Hi Anne Marie, do you have a book about how to create shampoo soap bars and conditioner shampoo bars and 2 in 1

[@bramble-berry]

Not yet! Though that would be a great idea!

[@Skylightatdusk]

If sodium lactate helps to prevent soda ash ... and it is a salt, does that mean that brine soaps should not have soda ash?