What is Handmade Soap?
The short answer is that soap is a salt of a fatty acid. It is the result of mixing fats and oils with a base (lye) which goes through a process called saponification. Once saponified, you have soap. Although safe to use after 2-3 days, handmade soap is like wine in that it gets better with age. It is usually left to cure anywhere from 4-8 weeks to ensure all the water has evaporated. The longer the cure, the better the soap.
A Little Soap History
Did you know that the first documented record of handmade soap dates back to 2800 BC in ancient Babylon. The word "sapo", Latin for soap, first appeared in Pliny the Elder's Historia Naturalis in AD 77, where he discusses the making of soap using tallow and ashes.
Handmade soap is not a trend. People have been creating and using it for thousands of years.
Fun Fact
Most people don’t know that alot of commercial soaps are not really soap. They are surfactant-based detergents. Your beauty bar that you think is soap has been stripped of its natural glycerin and it mostly comprised of synthetic chemicals.
Why Handmade Soap?
You might be asking Does it really matter? I’ve been using my beauty bar for years. The answer really depends on you. Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I care about using natural vs synthetic ingredients?
- Do I mind washing my delicate skin with the same product that I use to wash my clothes?
- Do I want to use products that are eco-friendly and biodegradable?
- Do I want to support small businesses instead of corporate conglomerates?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then handmade soap is for you.
Not only is handmade soap made with natural ingredients, it is gentle on your skin and using it is a great way to take care of our planet as well as support small businesses.
I challenge you to grab a box of “soap” that you currently have in your house and read the ingredients. A quick Google search of everything listed on the box will tell you which synthetic ingredients you have been using on your skin. Leave a comment below telling me which ingredient surprised you the most.
And if you are not happy after you have researched those ingredients, come visit Serendipity Bath & Body for your next favorite bar of handmade soap.