Soap making history goes back many thousands years. The most basic supplies for soap making were those taken from animal and nature; many people made soap by mixing animal fats with lye. Today, soap is produce from fats and an alkali. The cold process method is the most popular soap making process today, while some soap makers use the historical hot process.
In the ancient times soap was made from animal fats and wood ashes. Today, it is produced from vegetable or animal fats and alkali. Read about ancient soap making techniques.
The chemical reaction of mixing animal or vegetable oils of fats with lye that has been dissolved in water results in a completely new substance-soap. The most popular soap making methods are cold and hot process methods.