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Interesting Facts About Green Soap

Samarpita Choudhury
It is common belief that the Babylonians were the first to have discovered the utility of fat and alkali, that resulted in soaps. Over time, this basic mixture underwent a sea of change, and acquired many versions. Of late, there are several varieties of soaps, but talks are ripe about the dangers of using chemically produced soaps.

Rooted in Spain

Castile soap was one of the most primitive vegetable soaps. It has its origin in the Castile region of Spain, where soap was manufactured from olive oil.

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With every passing day, our environment is becoming more polluted due to irreversible changes, resulting from the mindless actions on the part of humans. This rapid addition of pollutants to the environment is certainly taking a toll on mankind. Moreover, the tendency to manufacture things with high chemical content is again posing greater threats upon us.
One of the most visible side-effects of choosing chemically obtained products is skin damage. Skin damage has wreaked havoc in perhaps everyone's life at one time or the other.
Soaps are part of daily-use by all and sundry. But, it's pertinent to know about the substances that are used in imparting those catchy colors to the soaps, not to forget the enticing aroma they impart.
These are all obtained from tough chemical procedures, which for sure result in harmful side-effects. So what can be the logical replacement for soaps. Well, one of the most effective replacement is green soap. It is called so because of its inherent biodegradable quality.
In today's fast-paced world, we seldom think before making use of chemically obtained products, primarily because they provide us with instant results, and of course, they save us from the turmoil of undergoing a lengthy procedure to get their natural substitutes.

Knowing Green Soap

► At the very outset, it is worth mentioning that green soaps are not only safe for users, but also pose no threat to the environment. The USP of this soap is the ingredients from which it is made.
► Unlike the regular chemical soaps that we use, green soaps are manufactured from vegetable oils. Hence, they are also known as the vegetable oil soap. These soaps, along with the various types of oils used, also contain potassium or sodium hydroxides in order to maintain the glycerol levels in the soaps.
► Many soaps have animal fat in them, contrary to green soaps which have no animal fat content at all. It will be hard to believe that green soap doesn't contain any dye in it. It is the sheer green color of the vegetables that are used which lends it its mild color. The colors can range in different hues, depending upon the type of vegetable oil used.
► Yet another noteworthy point to remember about this type of soap is that, it is biodegradable. This point alone should be enough for one to opt for this product, instead of the others.
► Green soaps are also prescribed to those who have complaints about skin irritations. It is also known for its healing and cleansing properties, which is why it is popular as a tattooist's soap.

Green Soap for Tattoos

► There are many things where green soap is put to use. But its most astounding use is in the art of tattooing. Before the tattoo artist designs a piece of art on the body, it's worthwhile to curb all the potential sources of infections during and after the process. Else, the pleasure of flaunting the marvel on the body would be scarred by infection.
► The preliminary step in the art of tattooing is to cleanse the area adequately so that there is no chance of any infection showing up later. The most trusted way of doing this is to use a green soap for the process.
► Green soap is first diluted with distilled water to make a solution that is applied on the area. It is important to dilute it, so that it is easier to wash off after application. Diluting it with water doesn't bring about any change in the quality of the soap.
► It is used to get rid of the blood, waste ink, and soil from the skin.
► It is also used to sterilize the instruments used in tattooing. Needless to say, green soap is kind of indispensable as far as tattoo making is concerned.

Other Uses

► It is used to soak surgical instruments for the purpose of sterilization.

► It is also used to clean household items. It makes a good soap for the skin, and also as a hand wash and face wash. It is mild on the skin, and therefore, doesn't leave the skin dry.
► Because of its utility as a great cleansing agent, green soap is a good substitute for shampoos.

► It also finds its use as a laundry soap, shaving soap, and even has proven its goodness when used for pets.

Green Soap Ingredients

Some of the key ingredients to make the green soap or tincture of green soap are:

Oils (lavender, neem, olive, jojoba, coconut, palm)

Lye (an alkaline solution - sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide)

Glycerin

Ethyl alcohol
To lessen the ill-effects of commercially made chemical-based soaps, you could start using green soap, and reap all its benefits without any worry of side effects.