Soap is the general name given to the products of the reaction between a fatty acid and an alkali. Fatty acids are obtained from triglycerides (fat or oil) of either animal or vegetable origin. In soap making, the fatty acids used are the C16-C18 and C12-C14 fractions as the soaps made from them have effi cient cleansing action, good solubility and foaming properties. Transparent soaps are classifi ed as a specialty product. They are also called glycerine soaps due to the incorporation of glycerine to confer transparency, skin conditioning, help in the soap making process and enhance the appearance of the product. ‘Transparent’ implies the property of light transmission without undue scattering, so that any object placed behind a transparent soap is fully visible and be discernable. The amount of light transmitted will, of course, depend on the thickness of the soap.

Main Research: Norashikin Ahmad