THE HISTORY OF SOAP

 

It was the Roman scholar, Pliny, who first wrote of adding salt to soap to harden it. Theories are divided as to who first used soap - some credit the Celtics with being the first to use it for bathing and the Romans for using it in cleaning textiles. The remains of a soap-producing facility were found in the remains of Pompeii. During a period when bathing fell out of fashion the result was a devastating plague.

Beloved Minthe soap

In 1791 a French chemist, Nicholas Leblanc, patented a process for making soda ash, or sodium carbonate, from common salt. The Leblanc process yielded quantities of good quality, inexpensive soda ash.The science of modern soapmaking was born some 20 years later with the discovery by Michel Eugene Chevreul, another French chemist, of the chemical nature and relationship of fats, glycerin and fatty acids.

While its use rose and fell with time by the 13th century France was selling soap on the European market, and by the 14th century it was being produced in England. Oils varied according to the region in which the soap was being produced.

Zest for Life soap

At some point it was noted that soaps produced in Italy which had a ready supply of olive oil were in many instances preferable to those produced elsewhere.  It was at that point that olive oil became the preferred ingredient in soap by many.

 

Italy, Spain and France were early centers of soap manufacturing, due to their ready supply of raw materials such as oil from olive trees. The English began making soap during the 12th century. The soap business was so good that in 1622, King James I granted a monopoly to a soapmaker for $100,000 a year. Well into the 19th century soap was heavily taxed as a luxury item in several countries. When the high tax was removed soap became available to ordinary people, and cleanliness standards improved.

 

 

WE NEVER TEST OUR PRODUCTS ON ANIMALS

Turkish Delight soap

True to the original soapmaking process C'etrange soaps are handmade with the finest, most natural ingredients, then left to cure for 4-6 weeks. Each batch is produced with the same love and care as the first one which is what makes the C'etrange soap so special.

What is soap?