What is Homemade Lye Soap?
Like many other hobbies, soap making is filled with terms and expressions only soap makers understand. Many times, these terms are created through discussions between the hobbyists. Sometimes the terms don’t seem to make sense! Such is the case with homemade lye soap. Most beginners are confused when they hear the term. When someone talks about homemade lye soap, they are talking about one of two things. The first is soap that is made with homemade or handmade lye. This means that the lye being used is caustic potash (potassium hydroxide) instead of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which is what commercial lye is made of. Is there a difference between caustic potash and caustic soda? Some say yes because the former is what was originally used by soap makers and that it’s more natural while the latter is an innovation of science and is less natural. Others say no because in both cases the caustic ingredient is simply used as a catalyst to create the final product and is not even found i
