Process
The oils and a lye/water mixture are carefully stirred together along with the other ingredients (preservatives, conditioners, etc) to saponify (turn into soap "mix"). This process uses up all the lye, so that no actual lye is left in the final product. It is transformed when it mixes with the oils. This process is also what creates glycerin, an important, moisturising property that many commercial soaps actually remove, making the products drying and harsh on your skin. (Of course, those same companies then add the glycerin to their other products, so they can sell them to you to repair the damage done by the harsh soaps and detergents!)
Next, the soap mixture is poured into large molds, covered, and insulated to harden and cure for a day or few.
Once the initial curing has taken place, the soap is removed from the mold and placed on curing racks with air flow, where they cure for several weeks.
During the curing process, the PH level of the soap drops to a nice, mild level, making the soap ready to use!
Obviously, this is a much simplified description. If you want to know how to actually do it all yourself, just search "how to make cold process soap" on the internet!
Technically, it is perfectly usable as is, but it isn't nearly as nice as the soaps that are made with additional aesthetic, aromatic, medicinal, and therapeutic ingredients.
Ingredients
The base recipes here at the Wolf Den have changed and evolved over time, so there are currently three different ingredient lists. All in-stock and on demand made soaps are made from one of these recipes.
Starting in July, 2025, we are transitioning over a to new (better!), all organic formula, which harnesses the natural saponification abilities of coconut oil, instead of sulfates, for the rich, sumptuous lather you expect from our soaps, as well as ditching the eco-unfriendly palm oil, and switching to different suppliers, who share our commitment to sustainable, fair trade, and environmentally friendly practices and products, for our ingredients! Accordingly, once all the old stock is sold and/or used, all soaps from the Wolf Den will start from a base that is 100% Soy, SLS/SLES (sulfate), and common allergen (soy, eggs, peanut, wheat, tree nuts, fish, and crustacean fish) free. During our transition period, if you are sensitive to any of the ingredients in the older recipes, be sure to let us know you want your soaps made with the new formula.
This page and other areas of the website will be updated once we have fully exhausted older base stock. After all, it's kind of a big deal!
NEW 2025 Ingredients
Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Sunflower Oil, Glycerin, Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sorbitol, edetic acid (EDTA)
Of course, this is just the base, and many of our blends do contain ingredients which may not be for everyone, so do pay attention to the ingredients in each variety.
2022 - mid 2025 Ingredients
Glycerin, Water, Sodium Stearate, Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Fragrance, Stearic Acid, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Palmitate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Decyl Glucoside, PEG-200Lauric Acid, Sucrose, Sodium Thiosulfate, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Disodium EDTA, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter
Pre 2022 base Ingredients:
Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Safflower Oil, Glycerin (kosher, of vegetable origin), Purified Water, Sodium Hydroxide (saponifying agent, AKA Lye), Sorbitol (moisturizer), Sorbitan oleate (emulsifier), Soy bean protein (conditioner)
