A: True natural soap is actually a salt, usually with glycerin left in it. It is made from natural oil, water, and a basic metal hydroxide salt (for bar soap its sodium hydroxide, or lye, and for liquid soap its potassium hydroxide, or potash). When you mix all three, the reaction is known as saponification; the making of soap. (The reaction, saponification, was supposedly named after the woman given credit for making soaps properties known to the world. Sappho. But some scholars claim there is a like of evidence to verify this, since very little of her work actually exists now.)

A nerdier version of this answer...

Soap is an ionic compound, formed between the sodium or potassium and the fatty acids of whichever vegetable or animal oils (triglycerides) that were used to make it. The reaction chops the single triglyceride molecule into three pieces of soap, and one of glycerin.

The leftover glycerin is an important part of why natural soap moisturizes as it cleans, and the basic nature of the soap as a salt is responsible for it killing germs. The soap molecules that are formed will have properties related to the oil (or blend of oils) that was used to make it.

That is why So.A.P.’s bar soap is made from a blend of 10 different oils!

We developed the unique mix of organic vegetable oils to have just right properties when it came to use - with great lather, cleansing, and superior moisturization.

Q: What is the difference between So.A.P. and common commercial soap or detergent?

A: Natural soap is made from natural oils, usually vegetable oils like Palm oil, Coconut oil, & Sunflower oil, but it can be made from animal fats like Lard from a pig or Tallow from a cow.

Many people still have memories of their grandma using food grease to make lye soap, which often was not scientifically calculated, so it had extra lye, which hurt your skin when you used it, even if the gross stuff actually worked...

Normal common soaps advertised on T.V. commercials and found world wide, are often a mix between animal byproducts and petroleum derived detergents and chemicals. They are almost always fragranced with fully synthetic parfums (that is how they spell it most often..) They are made using a hot process, where usually Tallow (beef fat) or Lard (pig fat) is boiled in huge vats of lye water, and mixed with salt. Then the curds of soap float to the top and are taken for further processing, where it is re-melted and spit through a machine and then called milled... Because the Glycerin is left behind in the boiling water, they often add processed chemicals, like propylene glycol. Because they want their soaps to not leave soap scum, they add special chemical salts, like EDTA, that pull metals such as calcium, magnesium or copper, out of the water if they are there, by forming a soluble complex with them. Unfortunately if you live where the water is not incredibly hard (metal rich), then they will pull calcium an trace elements from your skin (which can be especially bad for elderly and calcium sensitive women.) Also, many times normal Soaps are often mixed with Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, a synthetic detergent, because it is a good foaming agent.

Detergents are molecules synthesized usually from petroleum and sulfuric acid. They were designed to mimic the effect of soap by having similar surfactant properties, but did not leave soap scum residues when hard water was used. This was good for industry, but lead to the evolution of the common cheap detergent that would steal all the moisture out of your hands and leave them dry, cracked, and often even bleeding. That is why those stupid looking iconic yellow gloves where seen on all the women who had to wash dishes back in the sixties and seventies, because they cared about their hands.

Detergents unfortunately disrupt your skin cells and often take the oil from inside the cell as well the dirt they are intended to clean off from it. Detergents are great for cleaning plastic, but even with their added chemicals to be soft feeling, they are no replacement for using natural vegetable oil soap on your skin.

The better answer is that the difference between our SoAP and regular soap is like the difference between a storm trooper and a jedi. Its like real cheese compared to that gross powdery yellow stuff they put on our corn chips and call nacho cheese. (By the way, if you are rich, and would like to get to know me a little better, meet me by the nacho cart...)

Q: Is it worth it to pay for soap made with fancy organic vegetable oils instead of just using the common cheap types you might find at the store?

A: It depends on whether or not you want your soap to have higher quality than leftover butchers waste mixed with chemicals and turned into machine spit. Using our soap is sort of like eating fresh, organic food, instead of cheap, processed fast food. It’s like eating supper at a farm versus a microwave burrito from the gas station, except, instead of putting it on the inside of your body, you are rubbing it all over the outside…

Also, washing with detergents and common commercial soaps often makes people have dry patches of skin, without them even knowing it often. Many people that switch to using true natural soap quickly clear up their skin issues, which they even sometimes had gone to a doctor for help with. You don’t have to lotion up, because you feel soft.. For the rest of the people, they get hooked just because it feels so good in and after the shower. In the end, it only costs about as much extra for a bar of soap as a soda at a restaurant, except that it gives you great skin in return.

Q: What makes this Liquid Soap so Natural compared to other liquid soap?

A: Other Liquid soaps, as most people know them, are not even soap, but detergent. We make soap like Dr Bronners, and maybe a few others in this country. But, Our soap is made with a precision technique in small scale batches, (that just means more jobs for people the more we make,) and we do not use Citric acid in our soap made for peoples skin, and we leave a decent amount of oil left after the reaction so that you are moisturized instead of dried out and stripped of your skins oil.

Q : Do you have a store?

A: We do not have a retail store, but we do have free order pickup from our manufacturing facility in South Austin if you order from our online store. We also sell our products at many different stores... See Where We Sell here.

We Also set up a booth at two of the best farmers markets in Central Texas every Saturday Morning, in Downtown Austin and Cedar Park. Also every wednesday from 4-8pm at both the Dell Diamond in Round Rock, and at the Triangle Park in Central Austin.

Q: Do you have a Newsletter.

A: Yes, Sign up here. This is where you get offers on new things and are given order priority through specials offered nowhere else other than on the newsletter.

Q: Why Pay Extra for a bar of So.A.P.?

A: Because you get what you pay for. Our soap is made by hand by hardworking Americans who appreciate working to give you the best. Also, because it is made out of organic oils grown by farmers all over the world who appreciate the support.

Q: Who are the South Austin People?

A: The people who work and live in South Austin and make some of the finest soap that has ever touched human skin, of course.

(I love politician answers...)

Q: What is the difference between an essential oil, a fragrance oil, and parfum, perfume, and cologne?

A: An essential oil is an oil made from the extraction of a plant using steam distillation or some other natural means (like liquid CO2). A fragrance oil is something that is made from a variety of other oil components to smell like something else. Sometimes it is just an essential oil with something added to help its being smelled easier. These added components can be made either from other essential oils or synthetic sources. The ingredients in fragrance oils do not have to be disclosed, since they are the proprietary rights of the maker (otherwise someone else can steal their hard work…). So, you have to trust the maker to not be putting messed up junk in your smelly oil. We use only fine fragrances that we pass as acceptable. In some cases, like endangered species (like sandalwood) and animals byproducts (like musk) we feel it more ethical to use the synthetic version.

A parfum is completely synthetic oil made to smell like something. Usually of very low quality and expense. We will not use parfums.

Perfume and Cologne, are often alcohol based blends of different oils, they can be just about anything that might do the trick to get people to really like them. Often though, they include nothing but essential oils, alcohol and water, if they are good.

Q: Are you Single?

A: Sorry, I am not. Unless you are really ridiculously rich, in which case we can meet by the nacho cart.

Q: What does organic mean nowadays anyway?

A: Certified Organic means an ingredient that has been certified by an agency accredited with the USDA in doing so, Like QAI (Quality Assurance International). They certify that it was not grown with chemical fertillzers or pesticdes. This generally means, because of farm land use restrictions, that the farm is an established and sustainable farm as well.

Q: Is Natural Soap Antibacterial?

A: Yes. According to the FDA, and just about every doctor throughout modern history, the very best thing to wash your hands with is real soap and water. (read here!- link to online FDA article!) (Read more here! - download the FDAs pdf they sent out to the concerned public.)

While Natural Soap is Naturally Antibacterial, Detergents are not, and require chemical additives to do the same job. These chemical additives have a well established negative impact on the ecology of the waterways across the world. Stop using them!

Q: So why are Antibacterial Detergents Bad?

A: Antibacterial Agents, such as Triclosan, have been found in an alarming number of waters and animals living in them throughout the world. These chemicals are causing a disruption to many natural balances such as hormone levels of the fish, and killing naturally occurring bacteria in places where it shouldn't. Detergents only have them because they are not naturally antibacterial like natural soap is. This is just another chemical they add to try and make it the same as natural soap.

Q: When are you all going to make Laundry Soap?

A: We already do! Check it out here and see if we have any in stock right now.

Q: Whan are you going to make a shampoo and conditioner?

A: When I get around to it guys! C'mon, Im busy writing this stuff and keeping it up to date and trying to pay the bills, make the stuff and help sell it everywhere, I dont know how I am even up right now writing this instead of working on that new shampoo soap bar recipe I formulated...

Q: Who is your favorite Ninja Turtle?

A: Donatello.

Q: Is this stuff Vegan, and what does that mean anyway?

A: Many of our products are vegan, but not all. All of our soap is except the one goats milk bar we do. And, now that I have found a reliable source for hydrolized quinoa protein, all of our lotion will be vegan. (We were using silk protein before, but I am happy to source a better product that is also closer to home, sorry China. Also, a lady asked me to consider the plight of the Silk Worms. Again, sorry China.)

Vegan is like the serious version of the vegetarian. It means not only no meat, but also no animal byproduct derived ingredients. So, no milk, cheese, beeswax, honey (thats too hard for me...), or silk...

Q: Where is the Nacho Cart?

A: It is right next to the breakfast taco stand at the Market downtown. They do not sell fish sandwiches, but while you are there you can look for some quality soap as well.

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