About
About our Cold Process Soaps
Our handmade vegan soaps are made using the cold process, commonly known as CP soap by artisan soap makers. CP soap is created through a chemical process called saponification, by which a fat (such as vegetable oil), is attached to an alkali (in this case, sodium hydroxide, also know as lye) and water. Our recipes are carefully formulated to create a perfect bar of soap. There is no lye left in the finished soap - it breaks down and gets completely used up in the soapmaking process.
Plant-based oils, essential oils, water and in some cases, herbs and/or super food botanicals are the final ingredients in the soap. The mixture is poured into a wood mold and allowed to sit undisturbed for 24 to 36 hours. Once unmolded, it is hand-cut into individual bars and left to cure for 4 weeks in room temperature. This wait time is crucial for each bar to naturally harden, as it allows the bar to dry.
Root & Bloom soaps contain no added chemicals. This is quite different to other liquid and bar soaps—which often contain parabens, sodium lauryl sulfates, phosphates, mineral oils, petroleum by-products and other preservatives that are not healthy for the skin.
Give Love, Get Love
Back in the fall of 2016, I decided that I would make natural soaps and give them as Holiday gifts for my family and friends. I was excited for the challenge of making soap completely from scratch using all natural ingredients. This was when I dove into the intriguing world of soap making and taught myself how to make soaps using the cold process.
After learning more about the process of making soap, I was disappointed to learn that for many years I had been unknowingly buying "natural soap" that contained animal fats, artificial fragrances, and other not-so-natural additives. So even after the holiday season, I continued making soaps for my family and friends.
Now, after sharing my soaps for several years, Root & Bloom Soaps was born in 2018. I hope that you enjoy my soaps as much as I enjoy making them!
~Tatiana Montealegre
Soap-maker and Owner of Root & Bloom Soaps
About Tatiana
Tatiana was born and raised in Costa Rica, and lives with her husband and their two daughters in Twain Harte, California... at the heart of the Sierras. When Tatiana is not making soap, she is teaching Math at a local middle school. To relax she enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, and cooking wholesome meals for her family.
She has a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. The combination of Tatiana's love for natural ingredients, creative nature, and mathematical background result in unique recipes that yield high-quality bars of soap.
You can contact Tatiana via email at tatiana@rootandbloomsoaps.com