Ever wonder where soap began?
- Linda Tacey
- Oct 28
- 4 min read
The History of Soap Making — From Ancient Rituals to Wild Essence Natural Soap
We all use soap or a form of soap everyday, ever wonder how soap began or how it was discovered? Hard to imagine life without soap, or even the thought that it was a luxury item only a few had access to. Soap has come full circle, made with natural ingredients, to highly commercialised manufactured detergent style and now back to natural ingredients.
Soap has been part of human life for thousands of years, symbolising purity, health, and care. What began as a simple mix of ash and animal fat has evolved into the beautifully crafted, natural soaps we know today — like Wild Essence natural soap, made right here in Australia by Lime Splice.
Let’s take a journey through time and discover where soap making began, how it evolved, and why natural, handcrafted soap has made such a meaningful comeback.
Ancient Beginnings: Babylon and Egypt
The story of soap begins around 2800 BCE in ancient Babylon, where early soap makers discovered that mixing animal fats with wood ash created a cleansing substance. These early soaps were used mostly for cleaning textiles and wool rather than the body.
A few centuries later, the ancient Egyptians refined the idea. Records from the Ebers Papyrus (around 1500 BCE) describe a soap-like mixture made from animal and vegetable oils combined with alkaline salts. Egyptians used these mixtures for washing and for treating skin ailments — showing how early civilisations already understood the connection between cleanliness and health.
The Romans Bring Soap to the Bathhouse
The ancient Greeks preferred to cleanse their skin with oil and scrape it off with a tool called a strigil. But when the Romans came along, they embraced soap and elevated it into a luxury.
Legend says that the word “soap” comes from Mount Sapo, where animal sacrifices were made. Rainwater would wash a mixture of fat and ash down into the Tiber River, and women washing clothes nearby discovered that the mixture made their laundry cleaner and brighter.
By the 2nd century, Romans were making soap more deliberately, combining tallow and ash to create a basic bar. As bathing culture spread across the empire, soap became part of everyday life — not just for hygiene, but for relaxation and ritual.
Medieval Europe: The Craft of Soap Makers
After the fall of Rome, the art of soap making survived thanks to skilled artisans in Italy, Spain, and France — regions blessed with access to olive oil and natural plant ash.
The most famous of all was Castile soap from Spain, a pure olive oil soap known for its mildness and quality. Around the 9th century, Marseille in France became another major soap-making centre, producing beautiful, fragrant bars from Mediterranean olive oil.
During the Middle Ages, soap was still a luxury, often scented with herbs and flowers. It wasn’t until centuries later that soap became affordable for ordinary households.
The Chemistry Revolution
In the late 18th century, soap making became more scientific. In 1791, French chemist Nicolas Leblanc developed a method to produce soda ash (sodium carbonate) from common salt, which made soap production faster and cheaper.
By the 19th century, industrial soap manufacturing took off across Europe and America. Companies like Pears, Palmolive, and Procter & Gamble made soap an essential household item. Soap was no longer a luxury — it was a necessity.
Public health campaigns and the understanding of hygiene’s role in disease prevention made soap a symbol of cleanliness and wellbeing.
The Return to Nature - Natural ingredients make the best soap.
Fast forward to today, and many people are rediscovering what ancient soap makers knew all along — natural ingredients make the best soap.
Modern commercial soaps often rely on synthetic detergents and chemical fragrances, which can be harsh on the skin. That’s why there’s a growing revival of handcrafted, natural soap, using the same traditional cold-process methods that date back centuries.
At Lime Splice, our Wild Essence Natural Soap range continues this timeless craft. We use plant-based oils, botanical extracts, and pure essential oils — never palm oil, or artificial fragrances. Each bar is carefully made in small batches, allowing the natural glycerin to remain in the soap for superior hydration and a luxurious lather.
From our Rose Water with Rose Geranium and Coffee Latte soaps to soothing Goat’s Milk and uplifting Enchanting blends, every bar is inspired by nature and made with care — just as soap was thousands of years ago.
The Essence of Clean Living
The story of soap is the story of us — our need for health, beauty, and connection to the earth. From Babylonian pots to Egyptian temples and Roman bathhouses, humans have always understood the power of clean living.
By choosing natural, handmade soap, you’re not just cleansing your skin — you’re embracing an ancient tradition of craftsmanship, sustainability, and care.
So next time you lather up with Wild Essence Natural Soap, remember: you’re part of a history that began over 4,000 years ago — and it’s still being written today, one beautiful bar at a time.
Try our Free Offer for this Month: Buy 2 and get 1 Free - check out code WILD ESSENCE
If you need assistance please email us anytime: admin@limesplice.com or phone 0438375115
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