[print-me do_not_print=”.emoji”]French milled soap sometimes called triple milled or French triple milled soap has been around for three plus centuries. It was invented by French soap makers back in the early 1700’s. It was designed to recover or rebatch soaps that had seized, failed, weren’t quite right, etc. The process was so effective that it became a standard practice.
Okay, what does triple milled mean?
French triple milled soap uses the same age old cold processed soap that we all make but it is refined at least three more times, more than just letting it air cure for 6 weeks.
Since it’s already soap that just needs curing, why and how is it refined further?
The Process,
While French milled soap starts out as conventional cold process soap that is allowed to firm up and start curing or even go the entire 6 week curing time it is far from finished.
After allowing it to cure for at least 24 hours and up to months, it is then ground, grated or broken up. It is placed in a cooking pot with additional liquid added to help liquefy the soap. It then heated and cooked and brought to a boil until it all becomes a liquid again.
The liquid which now resembles oatmeal is removed from the heat and allowed to begin to cool. As it cools it is either hand worked like taffy or bread dough or on a larger scale it is passed through a machine with 3 high pressure rollers called a “three roll mill” or “triple roll mill”. The mill kneads, mixes, refines, disperses and homogenizes the soap.
The phrase “triple milled” comes from the process of passing the soap through three high pressure rollers but it can be more than triple if the product is passed through a second or third time. In the case of hand milling, it is hand cooked, mixed, kneaded, and homogenized to the best equivalent that can be done by hand.
This process of re-heating and kneading refines the soap and makes is more luxurious and since it is heat cured it is better than standard cold air cured cold process soap.
During the processing (usually at the end of the processing), the fragrance and other additives are put in just before the last milling or kneading but making designs, swirls and beautiful color mixes is almost impossible as the mixture is very thick and uncompromising.
After it is mixed and kneaded, or roller milled, it is poured, or packed by hand or pressure packed by machines into molds. Hand kneading and packing is difficult as the soap is still very hot and working with it by hand can be dangerous, painful and stressful. Most French milled soaps are done with the aid of the milling machine, but it can, and is still done by hand. We do it on a very limited basis!!!
The soap (in molds) is then allowed to cool for 4 to 24 hours and then expelled from the molds. If it was poured into loaf molds, it is immediately cut into bars while it is still soft. It is then allowed to cure in the open air for another 24 hours after which it is packaged for sale.
Once French Milled soap has cooled to room temperature it is ready to be used as soap. All of the chemical reactions and saponification was done by the process of heat, stirring, kneading and mixing.
Benefits of French Milled Soap
The soap is mixed together better.
The soap has fewer impurities.
The soap creates more lather, is creamier and more luxurious.
The soap is more pure and smoother.
The soap is more consistent in color, texture and fragrance.
The soap is denser (not harder) and will last longer.
When we make our French Hand Milled soap, it is done with great safety, care and physical effort but the end product is really a pleasure to use. 
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