History
The first way of cleaning was with water.
A soap-like material found in clay cylinders during the excavation of ancient Babylon is proof that soap-making has been known since 2800 BC. Inscriptions on the cylinders indicate that they were fats boiled in ashes, which is a method of soap production even today.
Records show that the ancient Egyptians bathed regularly. The Ebers papyrus, a medical document from 1500 BC, describes the combination of animal and vegetable oils with alkalis to form a type of soap, used to treat skin diseases, as well as for washing.
About the same time, Moses gave the Israelites detailed laws governing their personal cleanliness. They were related to health and religious purification.
The ancient Greeks, although they gave great value to their aesthetics, did not use soap. Instead, they cleaned their bodies with slabs of clay, sand, pumice and ash. They were then anointed with olive oil and essential oils and extracted the oil along with the dirt, with a metal tool known as a spatula. They also used olive oil with lychee.
The soap took its name, according to an ancient Roman legend, from Mount Sapo, where an animal altar was located. The rain, washing away the animal fat, wood and ashes, transported them together with the clay soils to the Tiber River. The women found that this clay mixture cleaned the clothes much better and with less effort.
Unlike the Romans, we Greeks believe that saponification was discovered in Lesvos. There in antiquity they made sacrifices to the goddess Artemis. Animal fats, wood ash and rainwater formed a yellow stream that ended in the river. There the women, washing the clothes, noticed its cleansing properties. So the soap got its name from the name of the poet Sappho who lived in Lesvos.
The ancient Germans and Gauls used a substance called soap, made from animal fat and ash, to accentuate the color of their red hair.
The advanced Roman culture put the bath in everyday life. The first of the famous Roman baths, supplied with water from their aqueducts, was built around 312 BC. The baths were luxurious, and very popular, yet the soap had very little use in personal hygiene. In the second century AD, the Greek doctor, Galinos, recommended soap for two reasons. As a medicine and for cleansing.
After the fall of Rome in 467 AD. bathing habit is declining in most of Europe. The effects of dirt on public health are being felt. This lack of personal cleanliness contributed greatly to the great epidemics of the Middle Ages.
But there were areas of the medieval world where personal cleanliness was still very important. Daily group baths were a common custom in Japan during the Middle Ages. As in Iceland, swimming pools with hot springs were popular meeting places.
First soap production centers
Soap production in Europe and the Mediterranean region reappeared by the end of the first millennium. The first production centers were in Marseille in France and Savona in Italy. It has been suggested that the French word Savon, for soaps, may be derived from the name of the last center.
One soap that goes down in history is Jabon de Castilla, or Castile soap, also known to pharmacists as Sapo hispaniensis or Sapo castilliensis. Originally an important product for the region of central Spain, Castilla, it eventually became the generic name for white, hard soaps from olive oil.
From the 18th century after the discovery of glycerin, we move to a large production of transparent soap
Although advances in 20th century chemistry have been impressive and hundreds of household and industrial cleaners, shampoos and other cosmetics have been produced, traditional soaps for washing and bathing have retained their popularity.
They are still the purest for man, offering him real care, care and beauty.
Modern times
Until the time of the industrial revolution, soap making was a relatively small industry and the soaps produced were "hard". In 1789, however, Andrew Pears made an almost transparent soap in London, and his son-in-law, Thomas J. Barratt, founded a soap factory in 1862 in Isleworth. Other manufacturers in the United Kingdom and the United States followed, and new product promotion practices were adopted, such as that of Benjamin T. Babbitt, who distributed free samples of his soaps. Brothers William and James Lever created in 1886 a small soap industry called "Lever Brothers", which still exists today - one of the largest manufacturers in the field - under the name "Unilever". This company has been a pioneer in undertaking major advertising and promotion campaigns for its products.
Over time, soaps evolved to acquire color and flavor (sometimes with very strong aromas), while today they are also available in liquid (liquid soap).
In Greece, several soap production companies are active today, such as Elaida in Larissa since 1913, as well as others (Papoutsanis, G. Malikoutis - "Arkadi", etc.) while one of the most famous companies of its time was "Alepoudelis", owned by of the family of the poet Odysseas Elytis.
Benefits
Green soap cleanses the skin, without depriving it of its natural oily elements. Its natural composition leaves the skin pores free, allowing sweating, but at the same time protecting the skin cells in a natural way. Green soap has the ability to maintain skin hydration. It is rich in antioxidants that fight the action of free radicals, which the human body is faced daily and constantly. The vitamins E and A, contained in the oil, and their healing properties become exploitable by the body and extremely beneficial. In addition, olive oil has anti-inflammatory action that strengthens the immune system and protects the skin from disease. Green soap is hypoallergenic, obviously given its natural origin, making it the safest choice for sensitive skin. Olive oil, as an ingredient, is safe even for newborn babies, due to its emollient nature. Most types of green soaps contain only natural, human-friendly ingredients.
Olive oil perfectly rejuvenates the skin and soothes it. Thanks to its content of valuable ingredients - monounsaturated fatty acids and vitamins, it protects the skin from free radicals. It is a natural UV filter thanks to its properties.
Olive oil has been known since antiquity as "liquid gold" gently cleanses the skin without causing dryness, leaving pores free and protecting skin cells, does not affect the pH of the skin. It is an ideal ingredient for solid soap even for sensitive or acne prone skin. It has anti-inflammatory properties, promotes wound healing and soothes the symptoms of atopic dermatitis, acne, psoriasis and dandruff. In addition, it is a source of antioxidants that delay the aging process. Olive oil is rich in so-called beauty vitamins A, B, C, E and F, which easily penetrate the skin, giving it a healthy and radiant appearance. Its lubricating quality makes olive oil soap an ideal substitute for shaving cream, as it allows for a tighter and refreshing shave. The solid olive oil soap can still be used on the hair, gently eliminating environmental pollutants by covering the hair shaft, leaving the hair looking smooth, shiny and healthier. Olive oil soap is suitable for use on hair, face, hands and body. It is suitable for all skin types, especially for dry and mature skin. It is soft, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.