How long has soap been around? Well, you would think it might be as long as our smells have. However, there’s no way we were born with a roadmap for skin care and good smells. The truth is, soap has been around for a long time, but not as long as we have. That means for a part of history, we dealt with rough, dry skin and our natural musk – not a scent we want to capture. But like everything, soap has evolved. The crafting process, ingredients, and benefits have all changed over millennia, but how did it all start? Welcome to the history of soap.
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The First Soap
The first recorded evidence of soap was found in ancient Babylon in 2800 BC. Clay cylinders were found with instructions for making soaps. The complete boiling process was outlined on the outside of the cylinders. In 2500 BC, Sumerian clay tablets contained step-by-step instructions. In 1550 BC, an Egyptian papyrus contained a recipe for their version of soap.
Soap was initially created with the idea of remedies for skin diseases and of course, washing in mind. However, the ingredients varied greatly from what we know as soap today.
The History of Soap Ingredients
Before we dive into the ingredients found in ancient soaps, we need to look at where it got its name. “Soap” stems from an ancient Roman legend. The story starts on Mount Sapo. Long ago, rain washed down the mountain mixing with a unique blend of animal fats, oils, and ashes. This produced a thick mixture that helped with cleaning methods. It’s obvious that the goal of soap at the time was cleanliness. Whether or not, this is how the first soap was created, we may never know. However, the ancient Babylonians helped develop mathematics, astronomy, law, and medicine. Soap almost seems like it would have been a side project.
The first ingredients used in soap were what they had available. Unlike our ability to source the finest ingredients for our handmade soaps, they had to make do with what was available. The Babylonians hadn’t really mastered international shipping. However, what they did have available did the trick.
Mainly, ancient soaps were made using vegetable oils and animal fats such as sheep, goats, or beef tallow. Fats are still used today, however, they’re the ones found in the nutrient-rich coconut oils, cocoa butter, and many more. Alkali – one of the most important ingredients in soap making – came in the form of lye. Lye during that time was wood ash. The combination of animal fats and alkali created a very basic and simple version of the soap we know today. This process was called saponification.
How Does Badger Creek Keep the Legend of Mount Sapo Alive?
Thousands of years removed from the brilliant Babylonians, we still see the value of natural ingredients. We also know how important it is to leave out the preservatives and harmful chemicals. Not only do our handcrafted soaps contain natural ingredients, but our beard care products, lotions, and much more contain these nutrient-rich blends that completely capture what the Babylonians and Sumerians set out to do over five thousand years ago. It also doesn’t hurt that our soaps contain magical and phenomenal scents.
Did you enjoy this post about the history of soap? Don’t forget to check out other posts from the Soap Box to learn more about our handcrafted soaps and our many other products.