The Greenwashing of Soap

Consumers shopping in their local supermarket are finding an ever-expanding selection of soap commonly called organic, green, or natural, even though many contain toxic chemicals. With greenwashing rapidly expanding into the personal-care product market and with more and more products going onto supermarket shelves the choices may not all be better, and in fact there could be too much information out there, making it confusing for the consumer to know what to believe and which products to trust.

Soap shopping shouldn’t take so much legwork, but since no definition of Natural exists for personal care products, we are basically in the Wild West of marketing. There are almost no rules. What is required then is more transparency regarding ingredients and business practices, and improved consumer awareness of soap manufacturing practices.

How personal care products are formulated starts with the base, so when shopping for soap consumers should typically look for the first four ingredients in the product. You may also be surprised to notice that in the soap section of the supermarket the majority of products don’t say ‘soap’ on their labels, and the reason is simple, these products are chemically classed as detergents. Therefore we see a range of other terms used such as body bars, beauty bars,moisturizing bars, but not soap.

So How is Soap Made?

Central to soap making is a process called saponification which is the name given to the chemical reaction that occurs when a vegetable oil or animal fat is mixed witha strong alkali. The are two key products from this reaction; soap andglycerin.

A curious fact about the modern soap found in supermarkets is that commercial soap makers remove the glycerin produced during saponification. The reason for this is that glycerin is a very valuable substance that can be sold to other companies making lotions and moisturizers.

Most ofthe commercial soaps, even despite their greenwashed labeling, contain lathering agents, artificial colors, and a host of other chemicals that most consumers have never heard of. It is important for consumers to remember that their skin is absorbent, and regular use of these products will see these chemicals stored in the body fat where they may cause illness if the accumulated levels reach critical points. Additionally, these chemicals are finding theirway into our ecosystems as every time the lather goes down the bathroom drainthe pollutants are going with it. Even more worrying is that synthetic chemicals from soap, body washes, shampoo and other body care products may beable to pass through the filters of water purification plants.

Cutting Through the Greenwashing

So you have made the decision to avoid the potentially harmful and polluting commercially produced soaps, where to start in looking for safer alternatives? Just because soap is labeled as “handmade” or “natural” it may not be a lot better than the commercially produced soaps. The key for consumers is to inquire about the actual soap making process and ingredients, which in a reputable product should be clearly included on the label.

One common product are the “melt-and-pour” soaps where the soap maker simply purchases already made soap base from a manufacturer. This base is then melted down, and various ingredients added to produce a finished soap bar. The quality of these pre-made soap bases varies enormously, and in many cases are very similar in chemical make-up to commercial soap products. These may contain a number of added chemicals which usually are not included on the labels of the finished soap bar. Additionally, manymelt-and-pour soap makers tend to use synthetic fragrances as opposed to the natural essential oils extracted from plants.

The two other methods of soap making are the “hot process” and “coldprocess.” The hot process method utilizes heat after the saponification process has taken place, while the cold process method does not. The cold process method takes the most time, but is undoubtedly the best method for producing the highest quality soaps. An important characteristic of both of these methods is that the soap maker produces the soap from scratch using vegetable oils or animal fats, and therefore has full control over what goes into the soap and the final quality and characteristics of the finished soap bar.

A Final Word

Sifting through the greenwashing of soap is an increasing challenge for consumers wishing to avoid harmful chemicals, and the key is to read labels carefully. If you don’t recognize a soap ingredient then either ask the soap maker, or avoid the product if you are unsure. You should seek out soaps that use only oils or fats as their base ingredient, and avoid those that use artificial colors or fragrances. These are synthetic chemicals and you don’t want them on your skin or going down your drain. If you want a colored or scented soap bar, look for one that uses only essential oils and natural colorants.

About the Author- Dr. Mike Thair is the owner and Managing Director of Indochine Natural
For more information please visit- http://www.indochinenatural.com/about_us.php

– This article is contributed by MYB member