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The Art Of Making Soap - A History Of Soap Making

Below is a historical introduction to the art of soap making extracted from a book written in the late 1800's entitled "The Art Of Making Soap & Candles" ...

The art of manufacturing soap has been, in a measure, known and followed for many ages, proving a source of industry and advantage to various nations and individuals. It may therefore interest some of our readers if we attempt to trace its origin and progress as indicated by the writings of the earlier authors.

Pliny, for instance, the Roman historian, informs us that the art of manufacturing soap is the invention of the Gauls, and that the best article made by them was a combination of goats' tallow and the ashes of the beech-tree. They also seem to have been acquainted with both hard and soft soaps.

The Romans eventually acquired this knowledge from the Gauls, by whom this branch of industry was, with their conquests, soon spread over Europe. Whoever may have been the originators of soap making, the Romans were undoubtedly familiar with it.

Galen, at least, mentions it in his works, and confirmatory of this statement, we may add that a soap maker’s shop, with its utensils and products, was discovered among the ruins and ashes of Pompeii, which was destroyed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius in the first century of the Christian era.

Soap was often used by the Romans as a cosmetic, for Pliny tells us that soap, with which the Germans colored their hair red, was imported into Rome for the use of the fashionable ladies and their gallants in that city. This cosmetic was probably tinged with the juice of a plant.

But before we recur further to less remote times, we will endeavor to answer the question, "What substitutes were employed previous to the invention of soap?"

Soap Recipe#1: Basic White Soap 12 oz. wt. shortening 8 oz. wt. coconut oil 8 oz. wt. olive oil 1 oz. wt. cocoa butter 4.25 oz. wt. lye 11 oz. wt. distilled water 2 oz. any fragrance oil Follow basic soap making directions. ***** Soap Recipe #2: Oatmeal & Honey Soap 5.5 oz wt. coconut oil 5 oz. wt. shortening 3 oz. wt. lard 1 oz. wt cocoa butter 1 oz. wt. palm oil 1 oz. wt. apricot kernel oil 0.5 cup blended oatmeal 2.5 oz. wt. lye 6 oz. wt. water 1 tbs. honey 0.5 oz. honey almond fragrance oil Follow basic soap making instructions. Source: "Soap Recipes: 58 Recipes For Cold & Hot Process Soaps"

The article "The Art Of Making Soap - A History Of Soap Making" continues on the next page ...

Recommended Resource:

The "Art Of Making Soaps And Candles" was written in the late 1800's by a leading expert at that time and also provides factual and productive information from some of the top manufacturers, inventors, chemists and established authors from the 1800's.

This publication deals not only with the manufacture of soaps and candles, but it also includes illustrations and critical explanations of the various manipulations and mechanical arrangements by which they are effected, thus compiling a condensed narrative full of information that had never been published previously.

Get it here: The Art Of Making Soap & Candles

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