To fully understand the differences between soaps and soaps “apparently” the same, the customer has to learn. It sounds like a joke, and in part it is, but it’s not. You need to know how a soap is made, with what it is produced and what distinguishes one soap from another. Soap can be produced “hot” or “cold”. The soap known as “Marseille soap” (actually born in Italy as can be found further on in the part dedicated to the history of soap) is produced with the “hot” proceeding.
The method followed for the processing of this soap is very ancient and yet still valid and used especially in the medium and small soap industry. For saponification to take place, FATS (which can be animal, vegetable, synthetic, petrochemical) and ALKALI (soda and caustic potash) are required. Obviously, other compounds such as active ingredients, perfumes, dyes, preservatives and / or antioxidants are also used to complete the production. Depending on the type of FAT used, the PROCESSING method and the QUALITY of the ingredients, DIFFERENT SOAPS are obtained. There are SYNTHETIC, PETROCHEMICAL AND NATURAL SOAPS. NATURAL soap can be ANIMAL fat based (eg inci: sodium tallowate) or VEGETABLE fat based (eg inci: sodium palmate, sodium palm kernelate, sodium cocoate); if the soap is made only with VEGETABLE fat, not only is it more precious for the skin, but it is also more expensive and increasingly appreciated by growing segments of the population who reject cosmetic products containing animal ingredients.
The fact that the soap is vegetable is not enough to make a difference, as it depends on what type of oil / fat is used; for example “recycled” or old fats, as an alternative to “virgin” fats give rise to a dark and smelly soap that the manufacturer can disguise with colors or whiteners (eg the TITANIUM DIOXIDE present on many industrial soap labels) and various perfumes. The quantity of fat then affects the richness of the soap and its potential aggressiveness: in fact the fat material gives the “cream effect” to the soap and neutralizes the alkaline part of the soap (soda) which, if present in free form, attacks the skin ( is firm !!!), therefore a soap WITHOUT FREE ALKALI is undoubtedly more suitable for personal hygiene. An extra toilet soap must have around 80% FATTY ACIDS and a percentage of VEGETABLE GLYCERINE.
All these “details” can be identified by carefully reading the ingredient list of the soap. Another method is obviously the visual and tactile one: a soap that in the light – if white – becomes translucent is certainly produced with good quality fats and if the use does not dry the skin, lather abundantly and does not cause dryness and itching is equally considerable well-made. All the active ingredients added during the production phase obviously contribute to the success of a soap, but are complementary.
Furthermore, all Cibe Laboratories products respect animal rights ethics, as they are produced without tests on animals (finished product and raw materials according to the 1998 International Standard) and appreciated by ecological organizations.