Fun Facts About Soap

Soap... it's something that we are all familiar with and yet if you're not a soap maker, you probably don't give it too much thought. Soap has actually been around since 2800BC and is thought to have been first made by the Babylonians. By the end of the 16th Century it was in general use, yet still a luxury afforded only by the wealthy (even Queen Elizabeth only had one bath a month back then)! 

Heard of the term Soap Opera? That dates back to the 1930s daytime radio dramas which were often sponsored by soap manufacturers. Likewise, the term Soapbox was coined from the raised platforms that people stood on to make an impromptu political speech's. The speakers would stand on a wooden crate originally used for the shipment of soap. 

Alarmingly, 1.4 million deaths can be prevented each year by washing hands with soap (I always thought of myself as a lifesaver)! However the lather, hardness and moisturizing qualities of soap are dependent on the ingredients used and the formulation of the recipe.

Finally, you know that bar of 'soap' on the supermarket shelves? Most commercial soaps are not true soap, but are what's called syndet bars (synthetic detergents). They are a combination of chemical detergents, artificial lathering agents & toxic chemicals. The kicker is, we absorb about 60% of the products that we put on our skin. 

So if you are to take away anything from this quirky little blog post, let it be that 'not all soaps are created equal'! Not all soaps are even truly Soap. I often hear people say that they 'can't use soap' which tells me 2 things; they are probably using liquid body wash which is basically detergent, & they just haven't used a good soap yet. Soaps are as varied as chocolate cake recipes; you've got to find the one that is right for you. And let's remember; this little soap maker can't afford to sponsor radio ads or even her favourite podcast, but your word-of-mouth referrals are worth so much more than that & mean the world to me, thank you!