Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Secret Life of Soap
Before I begin - this is my 250th blog post. Happy blogversary everyone!
Since I've started making soap, I've become fairly fascinated with the science of it all - how oil and lye chemically change to become sudsy and bubbly. In doing a little more research, I found something quite startling: most commercial soap is not actually soap, but detergent.
Prior to World War II (WWII), soaps were actual soaps. During WWII, the fats and oils generally used for soap making were diverted to making explosives, and so new ingredients were needed to make cleaners and bars. At the time, oil was everywhere, and oil was cheap, so petroleum derivatives were used to replace the natural oils and fats previously used to make soap. Because petroleum chemicals were incredibly inexpensive, soap-making companies continued to use these ingredients long after the demand for explosives ended.
Enter the era of the detergent.
Your skin is your largest organ and effectively carries everything that touches it to the bloodstream. Don't believe me? Rub a cut clove of garlic on the bottom of your feet, twenty minutes later, you'll taste garlic in your mouth. You wouldn't drink petroleum, would you? So why is it okay to put it on your skin? Not only do the petroleum derivatives (including parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and synthetic fragrances) have harmful side effects, but most of them have never been tested for safety in the first place. We've just accepted that they're part of life.
Detergents will strip the natural oils from your skin, leaving your skin dry and flaky, causing you to need to apply a petroleum-based moisturizing cream to "fix" the problem. Soaps, containing natural oils, generally are milder and do not remove the natural oils from your skin in the same way.
Actual soap - the fat/oil/lye stuff - is comprised of a molecule that is polar at one end and non-polar at the other (I know, your head is starting to explode trying to remember high school chemistry, but stick with me, it's really very cool). The dirt and oil on your skin is generally polar, so the non-polar end of the soap molecule is attracted to it, sticking to the dirt. The polar end is attracted to the non-polarity of water and so is effectively washed away, taking the dirt and oil with it. Because soaps are alkaline, with a pH of approximately 9-9.5, they don't require extra "stuff", like antibacterial agents and harsh antiseptics.
Making soap is fairly labour intensive, and time consuming, but it is a process that makes you slow down a bit, and is quite enjoyable. I beam with pride when I hear feedback from people whose skin conditions improve, or find a new scent that they love (all Anointment soaps are scented with pure essential oils and/or ingredients like fairly-traded cocoa and coffee).
Have a look at the label on the soap in your bathroom? Is it scary?
Since I was a teenager I've had a love for handmade soap - something that makes me very happy is to have a nice big bowl full of handmade soaps in the bathroom, it just makes me feel like the room is complete.
Treat yourself to a handmade soap for you and your loved ones - I highly recommend it :)
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