Lye | Naturalpedia

Lye

We’re old fashioned when it comes to soap making.  As part of the cold process method of making soap, we mix lye with coconut and olive oil.  Lye is sodium hydroxide and creates a chemical reaction with the oils to produce soap.  The reaction between these ingredients is known as saponification and results in all the lye being used up.  Lye is a bit of an unsung hero because while it is integral to our soap making process, there is none in our finished products and so doesn't get credited on the ingredients list.