Soap plays an important role in today's society, especially when it comes to getting clean. Soap-making has evolved into a lucrative industry that caters to many different skin types and problems, including dry skin, oily skin, acne and others. Regardless of the many new soap products on the market, most still revolve around certain primary ingredients.
Fat
Most modern soaps are made with fats such as coconut oil, olive oil, soybean oil, tallow lard or palm oil. The use of different fats can provide different types of soap. For example, lard can create a harder soap, while soaps made with olive oil create a softer-textured soap.
Sodium Hydroxide
Fats and oils needs to be combined with an alkali to start the soap making process, also known as saponification. The most common alkali for this process is sodium hydroxide, more commonly known as lye. When the acidic fats react with the sodium hydroxide base, a chemical reaction occurs, creating two products: soap and glycerin. The glycerin is most often removed, leaving only the soap behind.
Preservatives
Because soap is made from oils and fats, preservatives are often included to keep the soap from going rancid. Commercial preservatives, such as butylated hydroxytoluene may be used, or in natural soap, products like natural carrot root oil or grapefruit seed extract may be used to keep the soap from going bad.
Detergents
Detergents may also be added to soap to help increase the cleaning power of the product. Detergents are molecules with both water and oil-loving properties that help remove and wash away dirt and oil from the body. Common detergents include sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium dodecylbenzinesulfonate and sodium isethionate.
Antimicrobials
Some soaps are sold on the market as antimicrobial products capable of killing some forms of harmful bacteria, viruses and fungi. Common antimicrobial ingredients include triclocarban and triclosan.
Other
Soaps may also include a wide variety of other ingredients, depending on the market they are being made for. For example, color additives and essential oils are often added to give soap a specific color or fragrance. Natural botanicals, emollients and moisturizers may also be included for skin health. Some soaps may even include substances to help with skin problems, such as salicylic acid soaps for acne prevention and treatment.
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