How are soaps made?
Soaps are made through the process of saponification. This is where alkaline substance (sodium hydroxide in hard soaps and potassium hydroxide in liquid soaps) is reacted with oil and it goes through a complete chemical reaction to form soap. It is a complete reaction: there is no oil and no alkali left. You cannot create soap without the process of saponification and you cannot have saponification without an oil and an alkali. The hydroxide (lye) is a catalyst, and is neutralised during the soap making process as it reacts with the oils to form a completely different substance – soap. It does not remain as hydroxide, which is why soap does not burn skin as the hydroxide would do in its normal form.
