The Secret Behind Soap
Did you know that the bar of soap you often use without any second thought is produced based on a chemical reaction?
This is the common chemical formula for a bar of soap:
R-COONa
The raw materials are oil and sodium hydroxide (also known as, caustic soda).
The chemical reaction that occurs when the two substances are combined create soap.
This is the chemical reaction equation:
Oil + Sodium hydroxide = Glycerin + Fatty acid sodium (Soap)
In the chemical equation above, the fatty acid sodium is equated to soap, but depending on the type of raw material (oil) used, the ratio of the fatty acid contained in the oil differs, which is the secret behind the difference in the fat composition of soap.
This “difference” is what produces the “distinctive qualities” of soap.
In addition, the structure of the oil varies depending on the season or the place the raw material (e.g. sweet almond oil, coconut oil, etc.) is stored.
We carefully choose the type of oil to be used based on the soap we wish to create. We also put great thought into the selection and composition of the raw material in consideration of the results we aim to achieve, such as preventing irritation of the skin, providing enhanced comfort, and removing dirt and grime.
Please experience for yourself the comfortable sensation of using a well-balanced soap.Here’s another point…
When we talk about a “well-balanced soap,” we are not only aiming to provide enhanced comfort or remove dirt or grime. At Le Chene, we also focus on achieving a soap with a fatty acid composition close to that of the human skin to prevent irritation.
But of course we did not just concentrate on the numerical value of the composition. We went through a repeated process of trial and error to test other qualities like the firmness of the foam, and tactile properties of the soap…
And finally, the Le Chene soap was born!I want to talk now about something you may be concerned about..
cLe Chene soap contains sweet almond oil and coconut oil.You may wonder, doesn’t coconut oil have skin-aggravating properties?
Though this may be concerning to some, rest assured that in the process that oil is converted to soap, the properties in the coconut oil that can cause irritation are negated. This means that using the soap is not the same as applying coconut oil directly on your skin.Lastly…
You may often hear that soap suds can help remove dirt and grime. But, did you know that how much dirt and grime is removed depends on the size of the bubbles?To begin with, the bubbles, which are composed of fatty acids, wrap themselves around the impurities and lift them from the skin.
The finer the bubbles, the better the surface tension, and the longer lasting the bubbles. Smaller sized bubbles are also conducive to lifting out large amounts of impurities.Just envision a fluffy sponge sucking up water.
Though based on a different principle, this illustrates the action of how the bubbles soak up the impurities.It’s easy to see that a dense lather of fine bubbles would do a better job at removing impurities than large sud bubbles, isn’t it?
Another important point other than the fine-sized bubbles is the structure of the fatty acid.
As mentioned above, at Le Chene, we have developed a soap with a similar fatty acid balance as that of human skin. This ensures that the skin does not absorb excess oil, the skin is not irritated, and dirt and grime are washed away.Le Chene’s bar of soap contains absolutely no preservatives or foaming agents.
If you want more foam, just add water and repeat the lathering process.
Doing this will give you a firm and dense lather of fine bubbles.For those of you with skin concerns such as dry skin, keep in mind the secret behind soap, and next time try washing your face with a dense lather of soap.
Washing away impurities without unnecessarily peeling away skin will get you back on track to healthier skin.
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