The word 'soap' was derived from Mount Sapo in Rome, Italy, which was a location for animal sacrifice. Melted animal fats and wood ashes would be washed down from the mountain and, in the clay along the banks of the River Tiber, a crude soap would form. People found that washing their clothes in this water would result in cleaner clothes. Little has changed in the chemistry of soap making since these early beginnings.

Soaps and detergents are substances that, when dissolved in water, give it the ability to remove dirt from surfaces such as the human skin, textiles and other solids.

They are made from mainly vegetable fats, oils and greases in chemical reaction with the sodium (caustic soda) or potassium (caustic potash) salt of a fatty acid.

The natural fats and oils from nuts and seeds used to make soap are esters of the alcohol glycerol and a variety of fatty acids for example, stearic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid.

In an example of a soap reaction, coconut oil (mainly stearic acid and glycerol) is acted upon by the caustic soda to produce a mixture of soap (sodium stearate) and glycerine (glycerol). This reaction is called saponification.

In commercial soaps the glycerol is removed to make the soaps harder and last longer. Hand-made soaps retain the glycerine, which is an emollient to the skin giving the soap a milder action.

Tallow soaps (made with animal fats - but may also contain vegetable fats) comprise many of the commercially available products.

The skin is the body's largest organ. An average males skin weighs 4-5 kgs and measures about 2 square metres. It covers the body at a thickness of 1.4 - 4.0mm. Skin is thickest on areas of the body that regularly rub against objects, such as your palms and soles of the feet. Both delicate and resilient, skin constantly renews itself and has a remarkable ability to repair itself after injury.

Beautiful skin is never just skin deep. What you massage onto your skin is very likely to be absorbed into your blood stream, and what you subject your body to, shows up in your skin. Clear radiant skin is a mark of vitality while good skin contributes, in turn, to good health.

Skin is comprised of sweat glands, sebaceous glands, hair follicles, blood vessels, heat and cold sensors and nerves. How smoothly, easily, and flexibly your skin performs its many duties and how well it looks has alot to do with your health.

The big cosmetic companies don't want you to know it, but those of us who use no products at all often boast better skin than those who buy every wonder cream that hits the market. The reason is that the average consumer is coating their face with no less than petroleum - or worse.

Even the major "Natural" manufacturers of cosmetics that claim their products to be "natural", generally contain binders, emulsifiers, artificial colours and synthetic fragrances or perfumes.

Commercial soap manufacturers extract the naturally formed glycerine component of saponification and re-sell it as a bi-product. This therefore, reduces the humectant properties of the soap. That is why your skin feels dry and needs moisturising after use.

Handmade soaps retain their original glycerine content, increasing their emollient qualities.

The pH value of commercially manufactured soap is generally more than the pH value of your skin. These soaps strip the skin of its natural oils, limiting its ability to refresh and renew.

Here's a brief example of the potentially harmful ingredients found in many commercially manufactured soaps - that you're massaging into your skin everyday.

A-pinene - Derived from the resinous sap of pine trees, it is a major component of Turpentine and can damage the immune system.

Benzaldehyde - Also called oil of bitter almond, this substance is a narcotic and anaesthetic that can depress the central nervous system.

Benzyl Acetate - An eye and lung irritant and known carcinogen (cancer causer).

Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) - Used to increase absorption of other chemicals, also a "wetting agent" it allows shampoo to spread out and penetrate more easily. SLS breaks down fats and oils and impairs the skin's ability to retain its moisture. It is classified as a "mutagen" as it can alter cellular genetic material.

Triclosan - An anti-bacterial and mutagen that is readily absorbed through the skin. It is an eye irritant and is associated with causing liver damage.

And what about the Colours added to soap? Many of them are permitted in cosmetics for use on the skin, but are suspected of being carcinogens and teratogens (meaning the substance can pass through the placenta to an unborn child) or toxins.

Mother Nature has already created the components needed to produce cleansers - naturally. All the ingredients used to manufacture, colour and scent soap commercially are actually available in a natural form that has been around for centuries.

Your skin is in your hands. Be aware of what you're putting on it. Whether it is soap, moisturiser, deodorant or sunscreens, always try to use a reputed natural product.