I’m Jessica, the hands behind Bubble & Squeak. I started making soap at home as a way to create something simple, practical, and long‑lasting for my family. My daughter’s nickname, “Squeak,” became part of the name because this little project grew right out of our everyday life. I make hot‑process bars in small batches using ingredients I trust and recognize. My goal is to create honest, unscented soaps that feel steady and familiar in the hand—something you can use every day without thinking too hard about it. 

Natural soap is made by combining oils or fats, water, and lye. When these ingredients come together, they go through a chemical reaction called saponification, which turns them into real soap. Nothing from the original lye remains in the finished bar — it’s all transformed into soap and natural glycerin. 

What is Hot Process Soap Making

Hot process soap is made by gently heating the oils, lye, and water together so the soap fully saponifies right in the pot. The oils are warmed until they melt into a smooth base, then the lye water is blended in to begin the transformation into soap. As the mixture cooks, it gradually thickens and becomes glossy, showing that the reaction is moving through its stages. The steady heat completes saponification, meaning the oils and lye have fully turned into soap and natural glycerin. Once it reaches this point, the mixture is pressed into molds, where it cools and firms into solid bars. This results in a bar with a simple, traditional feel. 

Soap vs Detergent

Natural hot‑process bars use simple, recognizable ingredients like tallow, castor oil, water, and lye. These ingredients transform into soap without needing fillers or synthetic additives. In contrast, many commercial bars include:

• Synthetic detergents (like sodium lauryl sulfate)

• Hardening agents

• Preservatives

• Synthetic fragrances

• Colorants

• Stabilizers and foaming boosters

These ingredients create a uniform, mass‑produced bar but move it away from traditional soapmaking.

Hot‑process soap keeps its natural glycerin, a byproduct of saponification that helps the bar feel gentle and conditioning. Commercial manufacturers often remove the glycerin to use in lotions and other products, then replace it with cheaper fillers. This is one reason store‑bought bars can feel drying. 

Natural hot‑process soap offers a simple, traditional wash made from whole ingredients. Store‑bought bars offer consistency and long shelf life but rely on synthetic detergents and additives to achieve it. The difference comes down to craft versus manufacturing, and whole ingredients versus engineered formulas.