Cold Process is the simplest method of soap making. No external heat is applied once the ingredients have been blended (as opposed to the hot process method). Soap made using cold process demands a long curing period. This can be as short as two weeks or as long as eight weeks. "With the cold-process method, soap retains the natural glycerin , which is beneficial due to its emollient (moisture retaining) and humectant (moisture attracting and retaining) qualities, all are created during the lye converting oil process, or the "saponification process..."**



** from Susan Miller Cavitch, The Natural Soap Book.