Olive oil in soap: what remains after saponification

You likely know olive oil first from the kitchen. On a soap, the name arouses different expectations: a simple bar, perhaps especially gentle. However, between the oil in the bottle and a finished soap, there lies an important manufacturing step.

The oil changes

During saponification, fats react with lye. Soap salts and glycerin are formed. The finished bar is therefore not solidified cooking oil. The properties of the initial oil cannot simply be transferred as a care effect to the product that is rinsed off quickly.

A name is not a complete recipe

Olive soap can contain other fats and additional ingredients. The name alone says nothing about the proportion of olive oil or its origin. If you would like to know these details, a look at the product information or a specific inquiry will help.

Look at the whole soap

Fragrances, other ingredients, and your application all play a role when it comes to tolerance. Especially for sensitive skin, olive oil in the name is no guarantee. A classic soap remains alkaline, even if it contains vegetable oils.

Discover at SeifeLädeli

Our olive fruit soap is an example to look at. Before purchasing, check the current list of ingredients and usage instructions. We do not promise a pure olive oil composition nor a treatment for dry skin with this.

If you have found a suitable piece, give it a dry place between uses. A beech wood soap dish can help with this. Why a soap still does not replace a cream is also explained in our article on superfatting.

For further reading: Tips from the American Academy of Dermatology for dry skin.