An Atelier Journal
Busy hands, calm minds, and happy hearts.
Handcrafted Soaps
Cold process artisanal production
A craft learned step by step, in the atelier
In the Atelier
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From time to time we prepare small batches of soap in the atelier.
Made slowly and carefully with plant based ingredients.
Each bar is a little different.
Some become gentle soaps for the face, others simple bars for the kitchen.
Soap making is never rushed.
Soap matures in its own time.
Cold Process
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One of the traditional methods used in soap making is the cold process.
In this method, plant oils and a lye solution are combined at specific temperatures.
As the mixture thickens, it is poured into molds.
After a while the soap is cut and left to cure for several weeks.
The soaps we prepare in the atelier follow a similar process.
A small note: when a soap bar is kept dry between uses, it lasts much longer.
Olive Oil
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The olive oil used in our soaps
comes from our olive grove in Dikili, İzmir.
In this small grove, which we call Black Pearl,
we grow our olives as a family.
The extra virgin olive oil we produce there
(with an average acidity of about 0.5%) forms the base of our soap recipes.
Olive oil brings softness and gentle care to soap,
which is why it has been one of the essential oils of Mediterranean soap making for centuries.
Ingredients
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Alongside olive oil, other plant oils also take part in the soap recipes.
Coconut oil,
shea butter,
cocoa butter
and castor oil are among them.
In some soaps, natural clays, minerals such as spirulina,
and various botanical additions are also used.
For scent, essential oils are usually preferred.
Lavender, bergamot, patchouli or cedarwood give each soap its own quiet character.
The Cold Process Method
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Cold process soap is made by combining oils and a lye (sodium hydroxide) solution without applying heat.
The mixture slowly turns into soap through a natural chemical reaction called saponification.
For the curious,
we also share the basic steps of soap making below.
Perhaps one day
you may try making your own soap.
In this method:
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- The oils are not heated, so they keep their nourishing qualities.
- Naturally formed glycerin stays in the soap, making it moisturizing.
- Usually, natural ingredients like plant oils, essential oils, clays, and herbs are used.
- Soaps are poured into molds one by one, cut, and cured over 4-6 weeks to mature.
🌿 In short:
Cold process soap is the purest form of gentle, eco-friendly, and handmade natural soaps
A Few Soaps from the Atelier
Handcrafted Botanical Press
Slow days, patient drying
An old way to keep flowers.
Botanical Press Kit
1
A handmade flower press
for slow days and busy hands.
Everything you need
to preserve your favourite flowers
is included in this handmade press kit.
Sometimes a daisy gathered on a walk,
sometimes the memory of an unforgettable day.
Made for slow days, quiet occupations and wandering thoughts.
While the hands are busy, the mind finds its own path;
flowers slowly and quietly turn into a small story.
Using the Botanical Press
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Choose a fresh, dry flower.
Clean the leaves and the stem.
Place the flowers between cardboard and drying papers.
Apply pressure using the screw or binding system.
Leave in a dry and shaded place for 3–14 days.
After Pressing
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Once dried, the flowers are ready to be used
in collages, craft projects
or a small herbarium.
A Small Tip
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Thin and delicate flowers
press much more easily than thick and moisture rich ones.
Pressed Botanicals from the Atelier
Handcrafted Iron Gall Ink
Slow brewed, rich with history.
An old craft that turns into writing.
Gall, Iron and Time.
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Born of ancient recipes, shaped with patience and lasting care.
It settles between grimoire pages and hidden notes.
Small Bottles, Big Stories
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Each bottle is like a small elixir,
inspired by traditions of botanical dyeing and writing.
The idea is also loosely inspired by Jane Austen.
According to a story, a friend once prepared ink especially for her.
Now we have our own version.
Only in limited quantities.
If you like, you can get a bottle from us.
We cannot guarantee literary success, but it may lead to a pleasant writing experience.
Or, if you prefer, you can make your own ink.
We have also included the recipe below.
The Recipe
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The oak galls we gather from our garden and nearby woods
are prepared using a slow brew method,
resting in a beer solution for about 8–10 weeks.
We stir the mixture from time to time.
The scent is a little strange at first, we admit :)
Slowly the galls release their essence.
A dark brew forms.
We strain the liquid
and add iron sulfate, turning the gall essence into ink.
A little gum arabic and a few drops of clove oil
stabilize the ink
and help it endure for years.
Materials
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At every stage of production
we try to choose natural and sustainable materials.
Whenever possible, we reuse what we already have.
And what comes out of it?
Small pleasures in a bottle
for those who love handwriting,
keep notebooks,
and enjoy slow, natural making.
From the Bottle: The darker the colour, the stronger the story. :)
Materials
The Making Journey
The Making Journey
The oils, clays, and charcoal used in the workshop
quietly take on their roles.
Olive oil softens the texture, coconut oil cleans and clarifies.
Shea and cocoa bring a steady warmth to the soap.
Each material shapes the character of what emerges.
The Making Journey
The Making Journey
The Making Journey
Two soaps took shape.
A small Black Magick for the face,
and a plain solid soap for the kitchen.
The workshop kept its slow rhythm.
Heat, pouring, curing,
each found its place without haste.
Every stage moved forward
within its own quiet order.
Small Observations
The Making Journey
Small Observations
The sudden line of trace,
the first matte surface of freshly poured soap,
the texture settling as it cures…
In the workshop, time is read through these small signs.
Each one quietly signals that the process is moving as it should.
Watching without touching,
noticing while waiting,
allowing the soap to gather itself.
✧ Black Magick Face Bar
✧ Black Magick Face Bar
✧ Black Magick Face Bar
Olive oil + shea butter + cocoa butter + castor oil • 5 percent superfat • activated charcoal
Technical Process Notes
• Oils
Olive oil, shea and cocoa butters are gently melted and kept, together with castor oil, within the 35–45°C range.
• Lye solution
Lye is always added to the water, never the other way around.
Once mixed, it is left to cool to 35–45°C.
• Combining
The oils and lye solution are blended when they are at similar temperatures.
The stick blender is used in short pulses to avoid accelerating trace.
• Adding charcoal and clay
Activated charcoal is added at light trace.
A spatula is preferred for better control of the mixture.
• Adding essential oils
Added between light and medium trace.
No blending at this stage to prevent sudden thickening.
• Molding
The batter is poured into the mold at light trace.
A fine mist of 99 percent alcohol is sprayed on top to reduce ash formation.
• Curing
Unmolding occurs after 24–48 hours.
Full cure takes 4–6 weeks.
✧ Solid Dish Soap
✧ Black Magick Face Bar
✧ Black Magick Face Bar
100 percent coconut oil • 0 percent superfat • strong cleansing formula
Technical Process Notes
• Oils
Coconut oil is fully melted and kept within the 35–45°C range.
• Lye solution
Lye is added to the water, never the reverse.
The solution is allowed to cool to 35–45°C before combining.
• Combining
The oils and lye solution are mixed at similar temperatures.
Because the formula is 100 percent coconut oil, the batter reaches trace very quickly.
• Trace control
The stick blender is used sparingly.
If the mixture thickens too fast, a spatula is preferred to regain control.
• Scent or color (optional)
Added at light trace if desired.
Most solid dish soaps are left unscented.
• Molding
The batter thickens rapidly, so it should be poured without delay.
A fine mist of 99 percent alcohol helps prevent ash on the surface.
• Curing
The soap hardens within 6–12 hours.
A full cure requires 2–4 weeks.
✧ General Safety Reminder
✧ General Safety Reminder
✧ General Safety Reminder
Cold process soapmaking involves working with lye,
so gloves, eye protection and good ventilation are essential.
Oils and lye solution should be kept at similar temperatures,
and all mixing should be done with care and proper tools.
Spraying the surface with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol (IPA) after molding
helps reduce the formation of soda ash.
Soaps should not be used before they are fully cured.
✧ Disclaimer
✧ General Safety Reminder
✧ General Safety Reminder
The formulas and processes shared here are based on personal workshop practice.
Working with lye carries inherent risks;
anyone who follows these recipes assumes responsibility
for their own safety and for the results obtained.
Quiet moments from the winter atelier