Where Does Soap Come From?
History and Techniques of Early Soap Making

Cleanliness has always been considered important to men whether because it's necessary or was considered a form of luxury for the elite. The earliest known civilizations, Babylon and Egypt, have been known to have an advanced bathing system. Babylon had a formula that consisted of water, alkali and cassia oil while Egypt combined animal fat or vegetable salts with alkaline salts.

It was the Romans, particularly Pliny the Elder, who first used of the term soap referring to the tallow and ash substance that were used as pomade for hair and not to cleanse the body. It is said that the word 'soap' was gotten from the Roman mountain legend, Mount Sapo where they often sacrificed animals to the gods. The tallow was said to trail down the mountains along with ashes and land on clay soils. This produced a sudlike substance used by Romans to wash clothes. The term Saponification or the reaction of chemicals used to make soap was gotten from the said mountain.

Soap was not considered as an agent for washing the body until Galen makes mention of it in 130-200 AD although a lot of Romans bathed as a pastime. Perhaps soap was first used as washing clothes rather than human skin. During the dark ages, there was very little mention of soap and hygiene. During these difficult times, both were probably not a priority. Although there were public bathing houses and bars of soap given, these were eventually closed by authorities because it was said to spread the Plague. When the Renaissance came, bathing was not popular. Instead, people chose to cover their natural musk with heavier scents of oils.

Soap only reemerged as an object of high importance during the end of the Millennium where there were a lot of soap production in European countries like France, Italy, Britain and Spain. Soap houses were starting to emerge but fragrances were not used and the smell was more acidic and industrial than sweet.

It was not until the concept of 'New World' emerged that soaping became immensely popular. The earliest American settlers usually had soap sent from England. The geography though was a hindrance for them to get as much soap as they wanted. It was then that Americans started experimenting with soap making. The most basic ingredients were used such as animal fat which they had an immense supply of and ashes left from winter fire.

Today, as a result of modern chemistry, soap can now be made commercially and in bulk. It can now be custom fitted to every type of customer. Gratitude should be given to our forefathers whose years of experimentation have made bathing more convenient and relaxing for modern men.