There are many theories concerning the discovery of soap. Particularly, a Roman legend stating that soap was discovered at Sapo Hill, a site of animal sacrifice. The ashes and grease of animals mixed with rain as it flowed downhill. It then settled in the clay of the riverbank. As local women washed clothes, they noticed that clothes became cleaner. Whether the legend is true or not, we do know that well into the nineteenth century, soap was produced in a primitive fashion by boiling together wood ashes and animal fats. The result was a lye heavy soap that burned the skin. Today, soap makers have abundant resources that enable them to create the perfect chemical reactions necessary to make a flawless bar of natural soap.

Soap is the result of saponification. Saponification occurs when a fatty acid combines with an alkali. Vegetable oil or animal fat (the acid) mixes with lye (the alkali) to form a salt. That salt is what we more commonly know as soap. During the process, the oil or fat saponifies into soap while the lye is neutralized.

As an added bonus, a natural by-product of saponification is glycerin. Glycerin is an emollient and humectant that draws moisture from the air and holds it to the skin.

Soap cleans by acting as an agent between water and dirt.
Basically, soap grabs dirt or grease and allows water to wash it away.

Most commercial soap is not true “soap” by definition. It is mostly synthetic in that it is produced from detergents, fillers, petrochemicals and synthetic dyes. Detergents will clean your skin but they are harsh, drying and strip your skin of its natural oils.

Few commercial soap makers make their own soap base, so it is purchased from a supplier. As a result, most commercial soap share the same base, which commonly consists of tallow or animal fat. This means that despite the visible differences in color or packaging, it is the same soap.

Commercial soap makers machine-press their soap base between sets of rollers to flatten it. However, this process removes most of the natural glycerin. In turn, manufacturers sell it separately for profit so that it can be sold to the consumer in other products. Next, the soap is shredded and squeezed into a long bar of tightly compacted soap flakes, which is then cut into bars. Moreover, the soap is made at extremely high temperatures, which destroys most of the beneficial properties of the ingredients.

As you can see, most "soap" marketed today is not even real soap. It is labeled as a body or beauty bar and is full of perplexing ingredients. In addition, you are most likely washing your skin with animal fat unless it specifically states otherwise. Take a look at the ingredient list of your favorite commercially produced soap and see what is in it. You almost certainly will not be familiar with most of the ingredients, much less be able to pronounce them.

In general, today’s consumers have become more observant of mass production as well as synthetic ingredients. As a result, the luxuries of hand-made soap have been rediscovered.

It is now well known that handmade soap is effective in many ways. It is gentle and moisturizing. It can offer healing abilities and provide aromatherapy benefits through the use of essential oils and botanicals.

Handmade soap is typically made by the cold-process method or from scratch, which is how we make our soap. A variety of oils, butters, botanicals and precious ingredients, chosen for their respective benefits, are gently warmed and mixed with lye. Once the mixture has saponified, it is poured into molds to solidify. It is then sliced into bars and set to cure for approximately 30 days; because the longer it cures, the better the quality and life of the soap. The result is a superior soap that has retained its beneficial properties.

Handmade soap is exquisite in that only the best natural ingredients are used. Regrettably, natural ingredients are pricier than synthetics. Commercial soap may be cheaper to buy, but consumers end up spending more money by purchasing creams to soothe their dry skin; which is ironically being triggered by that bar of so-called soap. Handmade soap may seem costly on the forefront, but it is economical in the long run and well worth it. Your skin as well as senses will respond to its goodness.

Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, is a strong alkaline compound used in the manufacture of true soap. Without lye, you cannot make soap. Lye acts as a catalyst to convert the oil and water mixture into soap. Lye is initially present in the soapmaking process, but transforms into a soap molecule and glycerin molecule. In the final product, there remains no trace of lye.

If soap claims to be lye-free... the manufacturer may not have added any additional lye but did in fact start with a base created with lye, or it is not true soap but rather a bar of compacted soap flakes or gylcerin soap.