Superfatting – Soap-making process in which fats or oils are added to the soap
mixture in excess of what is needed to completely saponify the lye.
Trace – The point, during cold- or hot-process soap-making, when the batter
becomes noticeably thicker. When a spoonful of batter, drizzled across the surface of
the mixture, leaves a visible trace, the trace stage has begun. At this point, the
saponification process is 80-90% complete.
Triglycerides – Compound present in fats and oils; made up of three fatty acids,
attached to a glycerin. When it reacts with lye, it yields soap and glycerin.
Unsaturated Fats – Fats that are liquid at room temperature. Must be combined with
saturated fats to create a hard bar of soap. Can be used to make liquid soap.
Volatile – Adjective used to describe materials (such as essential oils) that become a
vapor at relatively low temperatures.
Warm-Process Method – Method of soap-making in which the filled soap molds are
saponified in an oven, instead of being boiled (hot-process method) or saponifying in
the molds (cold-process method).
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