Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CHAPTER-1
INTRODUCTION:
HISTORY OF SOAPS:
We cannot say for sure who first made soap. A soapy material has
been found in Babylonian clay cylinders dating from as early as 2800
BC. (Did you know Babylon is now Iraq?) An Egyptian papyrus from
about 1500 BC describes a soap making process.
At any rate, we know that public baths had become very popular
as a social gathering place in Europe by the Middle Ages. Criers ran
through the streets to announce that the water was hot. Food and
drink were served on floating wooden tables and entertainment was
provided. A good time was had by many. Too good a time by too
many, in the eyes of the Church, which saw it as overindulgence in
pleasures of the flesh.
The colonists boiled animal fats to render them into oil. Lye
solution was prepared by pouring water through ashes, and
considered to be right strength when a potato or egg would floats in
it with an area about the size of a quarter above the surface. What
experience had proven to be about the right amount of lye was
added to some of the oil and the mixture was boiled until it frothy
and had a bite to it if tasted. Upon cooling, the resulting jelly-like
soap was stored in a wooden barrel and dipped out as needed. Hard
soap could be made by adding salt, but salt, was precious to use just
for making soap. Most of the colonists soap was used to wash
clothing, rather than to wash colonists.
Since then, “we have come a long way, baby.” Today, very few of
us stink, and we have “soaps” in a previously unimaginable variety of
shapes, colors and scents, both solid and liquid. But just what are
they made of, and is this a matter of concern? It should be.
MERITS OF SOAP:
Bathing soaps come in the form bar and liquid. The main purpose
of bath soap is to cleanse, nourish and soften the skin and keep it
healthy. Majority of these cleaning agents available in the market
today are designed to address specific skin issues, such as dry skin,
blemishes, itches, black heads, pimples, prickly heat and oily skin.
Apart from nourishing the skin, these products are also good for
scalp and hair. Further, most of the bath products are scented.
Fragrance of these products stays with you all day long.
People with sensitive skin can go for organic soaps. Bathing with
natural organic soaps is a very pleasurable experience. Using organic
bath care products can help you to prevent your skin from getting
exposed to harsh chemicals present in synthetic products. It will
allow you to enjoy pleasant fragrance without worrying about skin
irritation or allergies. The organic soaps contain natural ingredient.
These natural components do not have any side effects.