Bath Soaps—Basic information for consumers

Dr N K Srinivasan

Dear friends,

Bath soaps are the most common health product used

throughout the world and used by almost all people,,
that is, about 6 billion people on Earth…leave out
some Australian and African aborigines.

Among mass produced commercial items , soaps come first.

Billions of cakes are made every year, either in modern
factories or in small scale rural industries.. Such a common
commercial item needs critical study which has been lacking
in the modern ad-driven market society.

This brief article is meant to provide you with basic

information so that you, as a consumer, may buy soaps
with better discretion.

The soap market, in any country is heavily advertised in

newspapers,magazines [print media] and radio and ,of
course TV. The soap commercials dominate afternoon TV
programs when housewives watch drama-serials---no
wonder they are called ‘soap operas’—mostly family oriented
stories of joy and sorrow, friendship and jealousy and so
on.Introduce soap products then and they are bound to sell
well!
What is more, these soaps are endorsed in TV commercials
by movie stars , top sportsmen and cricketers in India….
Indeed a good source of income for aging stars and former
players.
Now we get into the main topics.

A bit of chemistry first.

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1 What is a soap?

Soap is actually a salt.You know from school chemistry that

when an acid and alkali or base react, we get salt and water.
For instance: hydrochloric acid reacted with sodium
hydroxide produces sodium chloride or common salt and
water:
HCl + NaOH -> NaCl + H-H-O

A soap is produced in the same way using a fatty [organic]

acid:

Fatty acid + base  soap + water

The base is also called alkali by some chemists and also

called ‘lye’ by old-time soap makers.

The soap may be made reacting a fatty acid at room

temperature [called ‘cold process’] or at elevated
temperatures [called ‘hot process’] with alkali--sodium
hydroxide.

The fatty acid is usually a vegetable oil [coconut oil, olive oil,
palm oil] or animal fat ,called tallow. While tallow [from
slaughter houses] ,is cheap, veg oils are costly. Again you
can choose a cheaper veg oil .If you are a vegan, not
touching meat products, check the label of the soap you buy.
If it includes tallow, avoid that brand of soap. In India ,
almost all soaps are made from cheap vegetable oils.

2 What is TFM?

TFM means “total fatty matter” in the soap. It is the ratio

of mass of fatty matter to the total mass of the soap.
In India , manufacturers must print the value of TFM on
the wrapper or carton.

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TFM is the one single important factor affecting the quality
of the soap .It should be greater that 60% to qualify for
being labeled ‘soap’.Higher the TFM% ,better the quality.
Grade 2 soaps contain 65 % to 80% TFM, whether they
are called ‘poor man’s soap’ or luxury /beauty soap
Grade 1 soaps have TFM greater than 76%, without any
fillers.
Note that there are very few soaps that have more than
80% TFM in the market---check the label.
Most soaps have around 70% TFM.

A quick guess is the type of packaging used. if the soap

has a wrapper, it is low cost soap with TFM <70% in most
cases. A slightly better quality soap comes in a
carton,with special paper wrapper inside….Again check the
label for TFM marking.

While there may not be much difference in quality

between two soaps with 72% and 75% TFM, you will
perceive that there is a big difference in quality between
two soaps with say 65% and 75% TFM…..

Note that some makers call their soaps “bathing bars”---

then they need not display the TFM! --- a clever method
indeed.!!
A short table of soaps with their TFM available in India
is shown here:

Brand name TFM %

Savlon-glycerine 61
[grade 3]

Lifebuoy care 65
Margo 71
Lux International 72
Liril 2000 73
Fa-aqua 73
Dettol Cool 74

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 Himalaya 76
Godrej-No 1 76
Nirma Lemon-fresh 80

3 Medicinal Soaps:
These are special soaps which may contain some
chemicals for particular skin condition or disease.
Use them under the advice of a doctor and stop using
after the skin condition is improved. Some may contain
mercury compounds and must be used with care.

4 Germicidal and anti-bacterial /antiseptic/deodorant

soaps:
There are several soaps flooding the market with tall
claims ---‘protecting your family from terrible diseases’—
to frighten you first and then suggesting the use of their
soaps in ads.
The most common ingredient that was added was carbolic
acid….during and after world war II .It is a coal-tar
phenol-derivative with pungent odor or hospital smell. It
is a good disinfectant….
It is good to use such soaps for hand washing , especially
after doing some dirty work or after gardening.These
soaps almost always had bright red color.!

The common ingredients used nowadays are: triclosan,

sorbic acid, zinc oxide, chlorhexidine or other chlorine
containing compounds,such as trichlorocarbanilide.[TCC];
[The wide use of triclosan for anti-microbial action is not
carefully studied for use in soaps.There are claims and
counter-claims.Some consider the use of triclosan as
harmful since it can degrade into other harmful
substances in water or on exposure to UV rays]

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TCC is widely used in many soaps. Chlorhexidine is found
in mouth washes and in some soaps.

Some soaps claim deodorant value by adding some

chemicals which would kill odor-causing bacterias on our
skins…Check the formula or ingredients added..in most
cases it will be phenol-based coal tar compounds or
compounds with chlorine in their structure like TCC---TCC
may be added from 0.1 to 1% in soaps.

5 Soaps with moisturizers

Soaps invariably contain some moisturizers. This is to
avoid a dry skin after using the soap—to put moisture
back , so to say.

Moisturizers may help to reduce eczema problems. They

may also prevent allergins entering the skin.

There are three classes of moisturizers in Soaps:

1 Paraffin based material or petroleum jelly[Vaseline]
type; this class also includes lanolin or wool fat, coconut
oil and waxes.
[Lanolin is a kind of wax ,from the secretion of the
sebaceous glands of sheep, extracted from wool.If you are
animal lover, you may avoid soap with lanolin.]

2 Many soaps contain as moisturizer some form of

glycerin, lactic acid ,milk product [including casein which
is a milk protein] olive oil, jejoba oil,vitamin E as Wheat –
germ oil or synthetic compound, almond oil,shea butter
and urea.This may help very dry skins. [Shea butter
soaps may help to remove wrinkles and stretch marks for
women after child birth.]

This class of moisturizers also includes glycolic acid, a

common substance for skin care ---used for treating sun
burn, premature aging of skin,acne and so on.

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3 The third class of moisturizers may include
keratolytics---they break down the skin protein called
keratin. These are urea,lactic acid,glycolic acid..

[You will notice that some chemicals come under more

than one class.]
Depending on the cost and quality level of soaps,
chemists add different ingredients from this list of
moisturizers.
Some soaps contain Dead Sea minerals which have many
beneficial effects on the skin, including reducing acne.
But some form of paraffin or some amount of glycolic
acid/waxes is almost always added.! Check the listing
carefully in the label. You may be allergic to some of
them.

6 Herbal and Ayurvedic soaps

In India , you find a variety of herbal soaps, also called

natural soaps, based on the concepts of Ayurveda---the
Indian system of medicine. Many of these soaps may have
only marginal effect ,since the quantity of ingredients
added is very small, while some are of outstanding value.
Over a few months of use, some tangible benefit may be
derived.

The common herbal ingredients and their effects are as

follows:

1 Neem—anti-bacterial,anti fungal
2Turmeric---anti-bacterial,anti fungal [good for removing
pimples]
3 Sandal wood oil --moisturizer
4 Tulasi or basil---anti-microbial
5 Coconut oil –skin smoothener,moisturizer
6 cucumber products –contains folic acid
7 almonds,walnut,other nuts—to provide protein

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Among these, the addition of neem, turmeric and tulasi
are most common and they are less expensive too. Some
soaps contain only either neem or turmeric, while some
have both.Some soaps contain only tulasi .

There are a few brands of soaps which contain 6 to 20

herbal ingredients in minute quantities. How far they will
improve your skin is a moot point since the quantities of
ingredients are very small. Some soaps may help remove
pimples and reduce acne.…check the ingredients.
Check always the ingredients added and their amounts.
You may also compare their prices.calculate the prices for
100 gms as a standard reference,factor in the TFM also.

To derive benefit from these soaps , use one particular

soap for 2 to 3 months ,before switching over to another.!

7 Fillers in soaps
Almost all soaps contain many fillers or other
ingredients—also called extenders.The list is long:

---salt, water, talc, titaniumdioxide [ to give white color

—a sort of pigment used in paints], gums, sodium
carbonate, alkyl sulfate,lauryl sulfate [foaming
agent,emulsifier],chalk, pumice [abrasive],clay, flower
petals, fruit,oat meal,wheat-germ oil [vitamin E
source],sea weed, vegetables like cucumber,fruit
extracts, EDTA, ………[Sodium lauryl sulphte is added to
remove grease with lathering quality.]
A special form of clay,’multani mitti’ have been used in
some soaps.
We do not know how some of the fillers interact among
themselves , causing irritants in soap..

[Imagine all these fillers slowly going in to wash water

and then into agricultural farms and our rivers. You
have a regular source of pollutants.!]

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 Less fillers better quality soap….check for the label.
If you are worried about the damage to your skin by
these fillers, go for hand-made soap or make your own
soap at home ---a profitable hobby for many in the
West.You can start a cottage industry in Indian
conditions,since labor costs are low.

8 Weight and price of soaps

Except small sample soaps given in hotels/lodges, most
soaps come in weights of 70 grams, 75 grams, 100
grams,120 grams or 150 grams.
Use this information for price comparison of similar soaps.
Always calculate the price for 100 gms as reference.
You must note that large manufacturers like Hindustan
Lever , Godrej and Wipro have a great advantage of mass
production which reduces their cost of production and also
lowers distiribution costs. But small soap makers may use
cheaper local raw materials like oils and have lower
overheads to compete with the giants.Thier labor costs
are also very low.
Note that larger manufacturers spend a huge money for
advertisements in TV and print media.
Therefore the prices get adjusted to stay in the market
such that both large and small manufacturers are able to
survive in the huge Indian markets and also export lot of
soaps.
[The pricing of soaps can be a useful study for students of
economics and business schools.]
You may buy bigger packets of two or more cakes to
reduce the cost for your family.

9 Shape of soaps
You have definitely used soaps of different shapes in your
life..One factor to be considered is the ease of holding it
in your hand---this is important for senior citizens like
me.!

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10 Transparent and glycerin soaps
Transparent soap with glycerin is quite soft and may
dissolve faster. I t confers , according to me, no special
properties to soaps.

11Color of soaps
You may like soaps with white color…somehow we
associate whiteness with purity..if you look a the
ingredients, including urea, titanium dioxide and sodium
lauryl sulphate [an emulsifier], you can conclude that any
soap is a concoction of different chemicals ---some are
bad for the environment as well.[Many of the ingredients
are used in cloth detergents in larger quantities..]
Some may have mild colors, like cream, orange, light
blue, even green or red….Color hardly affects the quality
of soap except adding some additional ingredients and
appealing to your eyes.

12 Perfume in the soap

Mild perfume may be added to counteract the offensive oil
smell in most soaps. Further some soaps contain fruit
essences, [lemon.orange]flower essences
[rose,jasmine,jejoba],even aloe vera, to increase market
appeal.How far they help your skin is a moot point.
Unfortunately,in most cases, the soap makers add only
synthetic chemicals which may be harmful for the skin.!
They also add preservatives like sorbic acid for longer
shelf life.

13 Handmade soaps
These are soaps made at home or in small cottage
industries. They may use better quality raw materials
and usually contain no fillers;this is the advantage.They
may also add expensive oils or herbal ingredients.They
may be custom –made too.They are generally more
expensive than commercial soaps.

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 It is difficult for small producers of ‘home-made soaps ‘
to control the quality from one batch to the next.

Khadi soaps
Check out local makers of such soaps, especially
through Khadi and Gram Udyog Bhavan [KVIC]
sources/shops in all major cities in India.You may find
good quality soaps at reasonable prices and indirectly
you may help these village folks. I often buy such
soaps in Khadi & Cottage industry fairs.

Khadi soaps ,made by different Khadi Sanghas in small

towns, have come a long way…they produce a variety
of soaps with neem, turmeric, sandal, basil
[tulasi],glycerine, aloe-vera etc, at low prices…I found
one such soap: ‘Kissan’ sandal soap ,made by
Kozhikode Sarvodaya Sangh,Khadigram, Calicut
1,Kerala ---75gms bar,Rs 8/= only…the surprise is: the
wrapper says that TFM is 76%!
I also learn that many such soaps are exported and
available through KhadiUSA.com/Amazon in USA.

14 Soap making process

The process of reacting fatty acids [oils] with base or
alkali or lye is called by chemists: ‘saponification’. It can
be done in two ways: cold process and hot process.

In cold process , there is no heating and the reaction

takes place at room temperature which can be 20 to 30
deg centigrade. Therefore it is pretty slow…the cold –
process soap is ‘cured’ for nearly one month, before
packaging.
Hand-made soaps are always made by cold-process.The
major advantage is that many natural ingredients are
retained in the process,from fatty acids, glycerin and
vitamins.These soaps are very gentle on the skin.

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All commercial soaps are made by hot process—heating
the brew to 80 to 100 deg centigrade.The soap, is ,of
,course, just market soap. The makers add nearly 10
other ingredients to make them useful and appealing,
including essential oils, perfume , moisturizers and, of
course, preservatives like methyl paraben and other
parabens….all these ingredients react on your skin.

There is yet another process for home-made soaps---

called ‘melt and pour method.” This is semi-processed
soap. Buy the soap base [from craft stores] ,usually of
glycerine soap. Melt the required quantity over low heat in
water bath or double boiler ;when it melts add ingredients
like essential oils, moisturizers, herbs and stir well; pour
the molten soap into a mold.You can customize the
ingredients, coloring agents and even the shape. This way
you can make a variety of soaps easily at home and sell
as gift items too.

15 General comments
In general , use a soap with very few chemicals added.
If you are using a herbal or hand-made soap, try for a
few months to get results; if they are caustic or irritant
,stop using them.

Soaps tend to harden with time. Soaps also tend to

develop blisters due to moisture ingress.
The unreacted oil may deteriorate chemically ,become
rancid..then the soap may develop bad smell.
Do not use a soap six months after manufacture,
whatever may the suggestion given by the maker.
My general opinion is that soap makers add too many
ingredients and fillers and spoil the quality of high
quality of simple soaps.

Enjoy your soap with good lather and fine smell.!!

One home-made soap maker wrote and I echo that:

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 “May you never lose the sense of harmony obtainable
through rituals as simply as bathing.”

{ The author graduated in chemistry from Univ of

Madras,followed by engineering degrees from Indian
Institute of Science,Bangalore and doctorate in
engineering from Columbia University,Nw York. He can
be contacted thru email:nksrinivasan@hotmail.com}

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