In our modern era, soap is a normal process of staying clean. But, did you know that there was a time when people did NOT use soap to clean themselves? Check out these factoids, taken from The Conversation, an independent, non-profit news organization:
· In ancient times, people used a soap made from animal fat or tallow and wood ashes to clean their clothes, but NOT their body. They only used water to “rinse” themselves, along with scented olive oil to cleanse themselves.
· When the Middle Ages arrived, people were still hesitant to use soap to clean themselves, which may have contributed to the Black Plague. That, and not having a solid waste treatment system in place may have been big contributors to the various illnesses during that time. Eventually, people weren’t so afraid to use scented oils in their soap, and the novelty became more and more popular.
· Castille soap comes from Spain, and was initially sold only in solid form, not liquid.
· Believe it or not, the pioneers who came to America also believed in not using soap for bathing, in the misguided belief that water actually spread disease.
· Ironically enough, the Civil War was the turning point for many in using soap to cleanse themselves, and not just clothing or bedding linen. People started promoting the idea for folks to use soap and water for sanitary purposes, to aid in the war effort. Apparently, the concept finally caught on.
· One of the earliest soap manufacturers in the “New World” was Colgate. Before the company started making toothpaste, their specialty was soap. Procter & Gamble, founded in 1837, followed suit and started creating different types of soaps, as well.
· Ivory soap, created by Procter & Gamble, was one of the earliest branded soaps available in the late 1800’s.
Nowadays, soap is mass-manufactured by large corporations. Artificial and synthetic oils and fats are used to mass-produce millions of bars to the general public. It’s odd to consider at one point, people did not use soap to clean their bodies. Now, it would be odd NOT to use soap.
However, many soaps, because of the artificial ingredients used in them, can be harsh to people’s skin. That’s why D’Scent Essentials provides soaps as natural and organic as we can make them, along with lotions, butters, and lip glosses. We want our Essential Elite to know what goes into our products and know what they’re using on their skin. We invite you to visit www.dscente.com, and check out our products. We’re sure there is something there that will catch your eye, and you won’t have to use just water to clean yourself!