Castile Soap, How is This Soap Different From Other Soaps?
Castile soap is a name used in English-speaking countries for soap made with olive oil originating from this heritage region of Spain.
Castile soap is recorded in the Imports Book of the London port in 1567 and 1568.
It is thought that this natural soap originated from the preparation of lye or sodium carbonate from water and plant ashes, then boiled with olive oil instead of animal fats.
In effect, they would boil the water with the ashes, then add the oils, and soap would float to the top where they would scrape it off.
This method produced hard white soap that harden with age, while staying white.
Creating the first of Jabon de Castilla.
So historically, this organic soap was olive oil, lye solution, and water.
But today I see a lot of mis-labeled soaps that have other oils in them.
I don't know who makes these rules, but one site stated that as long as they had 80% Olive Oil, they could label it as such.
There is no governmental or regulatory body in soap making.
Granted, I have made this olive oil only soap, and it does not lather the way we are used to.
It is described as having creamy bubbles, which I suppose is true, but those bubbles are so small, it could be called a creamy lather instead.
When I first used it, I though something was wrong with the soap, as it took some rubbing to get a small amount of lather, but that is how only olive oil soaps lather, or lack there of.
It is coconut oil in soaps that create those nice big bubbles.
And because of this, some soap makers add the other oils, such as coconut, so that there will be a lather.
So if you are looking for a natural as possible soap, Castile would be a good choice, and as a rule, it would also be unscented.
Castile soap is recorded in the Imports Book of the London port in 1567 and 1568.
It is thought that this natural soap originated from the preparation of lye or sodium carbonate from water and plant ashes, then boiled with olive oil instead of animal fats.
In effect, they would boil the water with the ashes, then add the oils, and soap would float to the top where they would scrape it off.
This method produced hard white soap that harden with age, while staying white.
Creating the first of Jabon de Castilla.
So historically, this organic soap was olive oil, lye solution, and water.
But today I see a lot of mis-labeled soaps that have other oils in them.
I don't know who makes these rules, but one site stated that as long as they had 80% Olive Oil, they could label it as such.
There is no governmental or regulatory body in soap making.
Granted, I have made this olive oil only soap, and it does not lather the way we are used to.
It is described as having creamy bubbles, which I suppose is true, but those bubbles are so small, it could be called a creamy lather instead.
When I first used it, I though something was wrong with the soap, as it took some rubbing to get a small amount of lather, but that is how only olive oil soaps lather, or lack there of.
It is coconut oil in soaps that create those nice big bubbles.
And because of this, some soap makers add the other oils, such as coconut, so that there will be a lather.
So if you are looking for a natural as possible soap, Castile would be a good choice, and as a rule, it would also be unscented.
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