Throughout history, soaps have come a long way from their humble beginnings. They were a crucial part of everyday life for many cultures and civilizations.
The first recorded use of a substance similar to modern soap dates back to around 2800 BC. It was created by combining rendered animal fat with lye, a caustic substance derived from wood ashes.
Origins
Soap is one of the most ancient consumer products. But it’s also a product that has undergone a lot of evolution.
The origins of soaps date back thousands of years to the early Romans and Greeks who used a mixture of animal fat and ashes. The earliest known mention of soap comes from clay tablets from Babylon inscribed around 2800 BC.
Another reference is the Ebers papyrus from Egypt dated to 1550 BC which describes using a mixture of alkali salts, vegetable and animal oils and ash to produce a soap-like substance. It was used for washing and to treat skin diseases.
During the early medieval period, people in France and Spain started making soap using goat fat and Beech tree ashes. They began to add lye to the soap making process to produce soaps that were more akin to modern soaps.
In the mid-nineteenth century, French chemist Nicolas Leblanc discovered a way to transform common salt into an alkali that could be used in soap making. This paved the way for the mass production of soap.
The use of soap became widespread in industrialized nations as a result of increased understanding of the benefits of good personal hygiene. This understanding was accelerated by the rise of modern advertising and mass production, which helped make soaps more readily available to consumers.
Soaps are derivatives of fatty acids, which can be used to clean skin and hair. They can be made from tallow, olive oil or glycerin. Some varieties can contain ingredients to help with skin conditions, such as astringents or anti-fungals. There are also beauty soaps that feature attractive fragrances or are specially formulated for certain skin types.
Purpose
Soap is a chemical compound that has been used for millennia to keep clean. It is a salt derived from oils or fats that have been saponified in a chemical reaction.
Soaps are a type of detergent and act as an emulsifier, meaning they help water and oil mix together and remove dirt. This helps clean hands, dishes, and other surfaces.
Unlike commercially-made soaps, organic soaps don’t contain harsh chemicals that can disrupt hormones and increase the risk of certain cancers. They also don’t pollute the environment, making them a healthier option for you and your family.
Natural liquid soaps are made from oil or fat that have been saponified by a chemical reaction with lye. They are mild and don’t contain any harsh chemicals, so they are perfect for people with sensitive skin.
The main purpose of soaps is to cleanse and hydrate the skin. They can also be used as a mild deodorant.
In addition to cleansing, soaps are often used as a disinfectant, destroying germs and helping prevent infections. For example, a recent study found that washing your hands with plain soap can destroy the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 infections.
It works because soap molecules have polar ends that are attracted to water and non-polar ends that are attracted to grease or oil. In water, the polar end is able to penetrate through dirty, germ-laden oil, while the non-polar part can’t.
This makes soaps work like a bridge between polar water and non-polar oil. Soaps make micelles, tiny spheres of polar hydrophilic (water-loving) and lipophilic (fat-attracting) groups that are stuck inside each other in water.
These micelles are attracted to each other, forming a network. The resulting foam is dispersed throughout the wash water.
Ingredients
In soap-making, a combination of water and sodium hydroxide (also known as lye) is mixed with natural butters and oils to form soap. A process called saponification occurs during this step, which allows a triglyceride to form glycerol and fatty acids (soap).
The chemical reaction between the triglycerides and the lye also creates an ingredient known as caustic soda. This reagent is essential to the soap-making process.
Another key ingredient in soap-making is urea. This is a nitrogen-based compound that helps to bind the ingredients together. It is commonly used in fertilizers but is often found in commercial soaps, too.
Other common ingredients include fragrances, colorants and preservatives. These are chemicals added to soaps, body washes and shampoos to make them smell nice or last longer. They can be harsh and may cause skin irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin.
These chemicals can also be very dangerous to our environment. A recent study showed that phthalates, which are found in many soaps, find their way into our rivers and other sources of clean drinking water.
This is why we strongly recommend shopping for all-natural, organic soaps. These products contain fewer harmful ingredients and are usually made by hand in small batches. They are more expensive than mass-produced commercial soaps, but are more healthy for you and the environment.
Another big benefit of all-natural soaps is that they don’t use any chemicals to preserve their shelf life. This is important for many people, because they don’t want their soap to be thrown away after one use. The addition of preservatives in commercial soaps is also harmful to the environment, as they pollute our water and soil.
Technology
The technology used to create soaps is constantly evolving, and many of these changes are aimed at reducing environmental impacts. One example is the use of naturally derived materials that do not bind strongly to minerals in water. A recent study showed that this method could significantly reduce the amount of chemicals and additives in cleaning products, while still providing effective performance.
Despite their many advantages, there are a number of challenges associated with the production of soaps. Among these is the need for safe and effective soaps that do not damage skin or hair.
Soaps are made using a chemical process called saponification. This process combines fatty acids with alkali salts to form soap, glycerin and water. This process is simple and environmentally friendly, as no waste is generated.
Other technologies are also employed to increase the efficiency of soap production, such as nanoparticle catalysts and granular technology. These methods help make soaps softer, easier to rinse, and more biodegradable.
Another technological advancement is the development of eutectic mixtures. These are mixtures of two or more different substances that exhibit very different properties, owing to a difference in the structure of their molecules.
When a C12 saturated and a C18:1 unsaturated soap are mixed, for instance, the resulting mixture exhibits a crystallization disorder because each of the two molecules has different shapes or sizes. This causes the two materials to crystallize in a completely different order and therefore to produce a soap that is softer than expected.
These softer soaps can be easily processed into various types of bars or loaves of soap. They can be decorated with various techniques, such as oil and glycerin swirls or Jackson-Pollock inspired designs.
Innovation
There is a lot of innovation that has occurred in the field of soaps. The industry has gone from a simple health and cleanliness aid to a cosmetic and skin care staple.
Historically, soaps have been harsh on the skin and caused irritation. In order to prevent this, soaps have been formulated with gentle cleansing ingredients and different scents and colors.
In recent years, the soap industry has started to produce soaps with added shea butter to help hydrate and soften skin. Shea butter is also an excellent antimicrobial ingredient, which can help fight germs and keep the skin hygienic.
Another innovative step was the development of liquid soaps, which are easier to use in the shower and have a wider range of hues and scents than bar soaps. Some liquid soaps even have antimicrobial and aloe vera ingredients.
The need for a more effective way to prevent the spread of bacteria, viruses and other germs has been recognized as a global priority. As a result, scientists have developed soap technology that reduces the attachment of bacteria to hand skin after washing with it.
This new approach to soaps, known as Microbial Anti-Attachment Technology (MAT), has been proven in clinical studies to bind less bacteria to skin than traditional soap.
By using this technology, Unilever has been able to reduce the amount of bacteria that is absorbed into skin when washing hands with their products. This is an important step in the fight against global disease and will help prevent the spread of illness to communities worldwide.
As the consumer becomes increasingly conscious of their personal health and sustainability, there is a huge opportunity to stand out in this space. Whether it be in a bespoke packaging, or the addition of charity elements, combining wellness themes with a brand story that focuses on environmental sustainability will give brands a leg up.
