Basic soap making

The importance of soap today is unquestioned. It is used everyday by everybody. For a simple cleaning agent around the house, the normal soap has gotten a very long way. It even gave birth to today’s Soap Opera.

History has been a bit vague when it comes to the origin of the soap. One legend has it that rain water from the slopes of Mount Sapo washed animal tallow and ash onto the clay soil of the banks of Tiber. People then used this material to clean textile. But this legend is very questionable since nobody knows where Mount Sapo actually is.

In 981 A.D. Persian chemist Al-Razi left a recipe for making soap. He stated that when you boil sesame oil, potash, alkali, and some lime together and then letting them cool. You actually get hard bars of soap as the result.

Today, soap is manufactured by big companies and small entrepreneurs. There are novelty companies that specialize in soaps that heal the soul and promote relaxation. Some also claim to clean, whiten, and remove acne from your skin. But soap, no matter what type of packaging and the claim that comes along with it, are made from almost the same basic materials and have 2 major properties. Soap is both hydrophilic that allows it to be dissolved in water, and hydrophobic, giving it the ability to dissolve non polar grease molecules.

Today, soap is being manufactured by large companies promoting anti bacterial and skin whitening slogans that accompany their products. Smaller soap makers and soap enthusiasts label their soap with healing qualities. A particular example for this type would be a soap that actually heals your soul. But no matter how the soap is packaged or marketed, they are all made of the same basic ingredients.

The second way to make soap is the “Cold Process”. Basically you start out with the basic ingredients like oil (hemp and olive oil are good examples), water, and lye. The short version of the instructions would be to mix lye and water together. Allow to cool for a bit. Then add your chosen oil. Mix thoroughly, and then pour them unto your molds.

 

Jen Hopkins has worked in the face lift exercises industry for years. She maintains websites about making organic soap, and make homemade soap. If you want to contact her, you can use the contact form at one of her sites.