Both triple-milled soaps and handmade soaps are some of the most popular soaps in the market, but how are they different from each other, and which should you choose?
The most significant difference between triple-milled soap and Handmade soap is that handmade soap can never be triple-milled; it can only be rebatched. Triple-milled soap also lasts longer and is harder than handmade soaps. Lastly, triple-milled soaps have a shorter curing time compared to handmade soaps.
Whether you’re seeking a fun hobby, saving money, or pursuing a new business venture, our step-by-step guide makes crafting spa products enjoyable and easy, perfect for hobbies, saving money, or starting a business. Explore 126+ recipes, from soaps to lotions, with our beginner-friendly Quick Start Guide. Ditch store-bought products with unknown chemicals and embrace personalized, high-quality creations that cater to allergies and sensitivities using The Handcrafter’s Companion.
Rebatching can be performed at home. During a rebatch, soap is shredded into small chunks, melted, and reformed into new soap. However, in this process, no heavy-duty machinery is involved, and no pressure is applied. But when we look at triple-milled soaps, their process is a whole other level.
What does triple-milled mean in soap?
Triple-milled soaps originate in France, which is why they are alternatively known as French-milled soaps.
Triple-milling is steadily rising in popularity among soap manufacturing companies. It’s not hard to see why — the process is reliable, ethical, and produces consistent results.
Triple-milled soap vs. handmade: What’s the difference? (Explain the main differences here pls)
Handmade soap manufacturers often label their soap as triple-milled. However, the term cannot be used for all handmade soaps as it involves an industrial process.
Triple-milling requires heavy-duty machinery. On top of that, professional expertise is a must to produce the desired outcome.
So, how is the process of manufacturing triple-milled soap different from that of regular handmade soap? Let’s take a look.
The Manufacturing Process of a Handmade Soap:
Handmade soap manufacturing involves the saponification of oils and fats. During this process, fats and oils are heated to the point where they melt and react with liquid alkali to produce soap.
Once the mixture starts taking a thick consistency and a creamy color, the desired fragrances and colors are added. The mixture is then poured into molds until it hardens, after which it proceeds to the curing process.
And rebatching — or hand milling — can be added as the last step typically performed in homes. No machinery is involved here except for stick blenders. The final output is what is commonly known as cold process soap.
While this process is simpler, cold process soaps are inferior in smoothness and quality to triple-milled soaps.
The Manufacturing Process of a Triple Milled Soap:
The basic saponification process is closely identical to that in handmade soap manufacturing. However, for triple-milled soaps, fragrances and dyes are added right at the start of the process. The ingredients are mixed equally and set to harden.
Once the ingredients have taken a solid shape, the mixture is cooled and shredded into smaller particles of different sizes and a gritty texture. These particles are then milled through stainless steel rollers to form a paste.
This process is repeated three times, which is where the term triple-milled comes from. An extreme degree of control is necessary during this process as repetitive milling causes excessive dryness in the soap.
If the soap mixture is pressed more than three times, it loses most of its moisture and becomes hard and dry.
Because specialized equipment and professional expertise are required in triple-milling, this process can only be performed in manufacturing plants or factories. This clearly shows that it’s impossible to make triple-milled soap at home.
Is rebatching in soap making same as triple milling:
Rebatching is a process in which old soap is grated, melted, and poured into the molds. If the soap maker wants to include additional ingredients such as colors or fragrances in the mixture, they rebatch the soap and make a new one with the preferred fragrance.
While rebatching can be used to improve upon handmade soaps, the results are still significantly different from milled soaps. In triple milling, extra water, lye, and air are taken out of the soap batch with the stainless steel rollers. Rebatching, on the other hand, does not involve removing these elements.
Is triple-milled soap better? If so, why?
Triple-milled soaps are advertised as premium quality soaps made from high-quality ingredients and precise industrial procedures.
However, the cost of operation makes them significantly more expensive than ordinary soaps, which begs the question:
Why choose triple-milled soaps when there are so many cheaper alternatives available in the market? Are they that better than handmade soaps? For this, we would need to take a look into the benefits of using triple-milled soaps.
Benefits of using a Triple Milled Soap:
When the soap mixture is squeezed between the rollers, impurities like extra moisture, air, and lye are removed.
Because of this, soaps produced through the triple-milling process contain minimal amounts of air and moisture. Triple-milled soaps are considered the purest for this reason.
Is Triple Milled Soap good for Skin?
Triple-milled soap is better for people who have sensitive skin or suffer from skin allergies. As free lye is often present in handmade soaps, it may irritate the skin. This doesn’t happen with triple-milled soaps.
On the other hand, as in most commercial soaps, glycerin is extracted out from triple-milled soaps. This means that you may feel skin dryness when you use French-milled soaps. This can easily be countered by using moisturizers.
Does Triple Milled Soap last longer?
Triple-milled soaps give you the best value for your money. A triple-milled soap of average quality can last up to six months even with daily usage, which is longer than other commercial and homemade soaps. Ordinary soaps tend to form messy clusters in soap dishes, causing them to appear unpleasant and dissolve quickly.
Additionally, triple-milled soaps are denser than homemade ones as they contain less moisture. As previously mentioned, the extra air and moisture are effectively squeezed out during the milling process, which results in a denser and more robust product.
Is triple-milled soap convenient?
Triple-milled soaps produce a rich lather, last for long periods of time, and have a premium feel. They are also remarkably easy to use and store, which means you don’t have to worry about messy soap dishes.
The essential oils, dyes, and fragrances are also very well-blended. They are more homogenous and sturdier than homemade soaps. Triple-milled soaps that are made from high-quality ingredients provide great customer satisfaction, which justifies their bigger price tags.
Triple Milled Soap vs. Homemade Soap – which one should you prefer?
If you don’t want to spend your money on expensive soaps, there is no need to worry. While below triple-milled soaps in terms of quality, there are handmade soaps that offer good value for your money depending on their manufacturing process and quality of ingredients.
Homemade soap contains natural glycerin:
Glycerin is retained in homemade soap manufacturing. This natural glycerin prevents excessive skin drying, an issue that is fairly common when using commercial soaps.
Using a homemade soap may result in a softer and moisturized skin. On the other hand, a triple-milled soap may cause skin dehydration.
Homemade soap does not contain harsh chemicals:
Some homemade soap makers may opt to add extra chemicals to improve the quality of their products. However, homemade soaps should ideally only contain organic and natural ingredients. It is, therefore, always a good thing to check the label before buying.
If you make the soap yourself, you have more control over the ingredients you use, which means you can avoid those that can cause you skin problems.
In contrast, triple-milled soaps are commercial products often laden with harsh chemicals that are meant to increase their lifespan and lathering efficiency. Just like most commercially made soaps in the market today.
Some people claim that triple-milled soaps may contain traces of lubricants that are present in the stainless steel rollers. These are the same lubricants required to keep the machines in good working condition.
Homemade soaps can also last longer:
Given time to cure properly, some homemade soaps can last longer than triple-milled soaps. Triple-milled soaps typically last longer because the repetitive milling process eliminates the moisture in them. The same happens when handmade soaps are left to cure for a longer time.
Homemade soaps give greater control over ingredients:
Making your own soap gives you the freedom to use whatever ingredients based on your needs or preferences. You can handpick fats, essential oils, and other constituents. In other words, you’ll be producing a soap that’s tailor-made for yourself.
The Final Verdict:
If you are looking for particular characteristics like high moisture content, making homemade soap might make sense for you. That is, of course, if you are prepared to put in the effort to source ingredients and perform the manufacturing process.
On the other hand, triple-milled soaps are excellent if you’re simply looking for something you can rely on for a long time. Even triple-milled soaps are specially made for people with sensitive skin or certain allergies, which means that you might easily find one that suits your own needs.
Between the two, triple-milled soaps will almost always be the smarter choice, as they offer a huge variety of options and require no manual work.
Here’s the bottom line: unless you have very particular needs and are willing to invest the time and effort into making handmade soaps, triple-milled soaps are the better option.
