Soap making traces it’s way back to prehistoric times.
The Babylons made soap during 2000 BC. It was formed from ashes and fats from the food they ate. During the Roman era, soap was made from Goat and Wood Ash. Throughout history, each era brought its own different soap making methods.
Sodium based alkali is now the method we use today for true soap making.
Once it caught on, it was no longer a novel idea to use for cleaning. It became a necessity. The industry began in Italy and France. It later spread throughout Europe after the French discovered the use of olive oil instead of animal fat.
A Swedish chemist, Carl Wilhelm Scheele, discovered how to make and extract the glycerine from the soap by cooking it. Glycerine is extracted and used in countless products today. In fact it is considered to be more valuable than the soap itself.
As people began to take cleanliness more seriously and realized that it was a successful way to control disease, more and more companies began massive campaigns to advertise their soap.
Companies such as Pears and Lever began in the industry and are still around today.
Soap making has changed a lot since this time, yet the methods for creating true soap has not. With all of the alternatives to natural soap, we now spend much more time choosing the right soap for our skin and ethical views. This is getting more difficult with all of the chemical substitutes for real soap on the market.
The easiest and most cost effective way to find soap that suits your skin and values, are to discover soap making for yourself. You choose your oils, your scent and the color you prefer. Soap making is fun and easy when you have guidance and learn from an experienced teacher.
