Soap making is one of the oldest and simplest chemical reactions known to man. In fact, the first soaps were accidentally made by fat dripping into the ashes of cooking fires. The saponification process is the combination of animal or vegetable oil with an alkali (sodium hydroxide for solid soap, potassium hydroxide for liquid soap). The result is soap, glycerin, and water. Most commercial, mass produced soaps are based on low cost animal tallow and includes synthetic fragrances, preservatives, moisturizers, coloring agents. Castile soap originates from the 1500's from the Castile region in Spain where it was first made and contains at least 80% olive oil. Most natural soap makers add small amounts of other oils such as jojoba, coconut oil, hemp oil for a luscious lather and optimum moisturizing effects. They may also add natural moisturizers such as goat or sheep milk, shea butter, essential oils for fragrance, and mineral colorants.
