The History of Soap
Soap has its origin 3000 years ago during the days of the Romans. On Sapo Hill, sheep were sacrificed to the local deities. Oils from the sheep happened to blend with firewood ash making a basic soap, which locals found could strangely remove dirt from hands and fabric. The name soap comes from the Sapo Hill where it was discovered. Since then soap has become a necessity for all humans.
In 1928, the first synthetic detergent was made in Germany, simplifying the production of cleaners, leading the way for more and more new detergents. However, natural soap remains a safe and earth-friendly way to clean..
Soap and Your Skin
Soap is mildly alkaline with a pH between 10 and 11. Since our skin is mildly acidic, many cosmetics are formulated to be mildly acidic as well to maintain the skin's pH. However, cleansing skin products made to be rinsed off immediately are slightly alkaline to remove dirt, old skin cells and makeup. Because the skin can be sensitive, it is important to use a gentle cleanser matching our skin type which removes dirt and oil.
Soap Making in Kettles
Traditionally, fat is refined in kettles to produce soap. Arau is made by taking heating 100% refined palm oil and potassium to make a soap base which natural herbs and essential oils are added. This process takes over 100 hours to complete, but yields a fine soap with natural moisturizing glycerin.