Do you know about soda ash on soap?
As you look at some of the final photos of my soaps, or perhaps upon receiving your own bars, you may notice a white layer on the tops or even sides. In some cases it’s very thin but in the case of some of my face soaps, such as the brightening turmeric bars, it appears rather thick. This substance is known as soda ash and has no effect on the soaps quality.
Soda ash forms when the lye in cold process soaps react to cool air, among other reasons. I live and work in an old country home that tends to be too hot or too cold, which creates an environment that encouraged this little chemical reaction to occur on my products.
It is easy to see soda ash on soap and feel concerned that it may be mold, however I want to assure my customers that I take extra care with my soaps to ensure that they are of the highest quality. Cold processed soaps, very different from the melt-and-pour style, is created from a chemical reaction and heats up to extreme temperatures that would kill any mold risks in its ingredients.