About SOAP. What's on your soap?

ABOUT SOAP....

Soap is made by combining a fat source (either animal or vegetable) and
an alkali (acid) in a chemical process known as saponification. In spite of
efforts to promote bathing as an immodest act by some factions of the early
Christian church, the soap industry came into its own in the 12th and 13th
centuries in Italy and France. By the 16th century, soapmaking became a
prosperous industry in England and by the mid-17th century, the New
England colonists benefited from exporting much-needed soap ash and
animal fats to England. Soon, the territories now known as New Hampshire
and Maine profited greatly from these exports and eventually became the
heart of soap manufacturing in the United States.

Early soaps were made by boiling goat or sheep tallow (fat) with water and
hardwood ash (alkali), although Italian and French soapmakers explored the
use of olive oil in place of animal fats to improve texture and quality. But,
commercial Soaps, as we know them today, may contain a variety of other
chemicals that are not neutralized in the manufacturing process and that
are being applied to your skin every day.

WHAT'S IN YOUR SOAP?

In 1938, under the U.S. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act,
cosmetics were legally defined as any product used for the purpose of
"cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance"
without affecting bodily function. Products that come under this category
include sprays, lotions, powders, deodorants, facial makeup and, of course,
soaps. Unlike products that are classified as both a cosmetic and a drug
(such as fluoride toothpaste) cosmetics and their individual ingredients do
not need FDA approval before appearing on the market. In fact, the FDA
has no regulatory authority over these products and their ingredients until
after they appear on the market, and only if it can be determined that they
have caused direct harm to human health. Furthermore, the fact that many
soaps and cleansers are formulated from a variety of combined chemicals
complicates the issue further. Only about 16 percent of cosmetics have
been tested for toxicity by the FDA-- although it does require companies to
label cosmetics with a warning if they contain irritants or hazardous
substances.

Curious now about what you're taking a bath with? Here's a brief rundown
on some potentially harmful ingredients found in many commercial soaps:

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

A-terpineol -- This chemical is extremely irritating to your mucus
membranes. Frequent or prolonged exposure (and especially repeated
inhalation) can also cause edema, as well as respiratory difficulties.

Benzaldehyde -- Also called oil of bitter almond, this substance is a
narcotic and anesthetic that can depress the central nervous system. When
inhaled, it can bring on vomiting, dizziness and a sudden drop in blood
pressure.

Benzyl Acetate -- An eye and lung irritant and known carcinogen
(cancer-causer) that has been associated with pancreatic cancer.

Ethanol -- Appears on the EPA Hazardous Waste List and is used in the
manufacture of varnish and paint remover. This chemical can irritate the
respiratory tract and can cause impaired vision and loss of muscle control.

Linalool -- A narcotic that can impair respiratory function and motor
activity. Linalool also attracts bees which can be a problem for those
allergic to bee stings.

Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) -- Used to increase absorption of other
chemicals; it is also a "wetting agent" that allows shampoo to spread out
and penetrate more easily. SLS breaks down lipids (fats) and impairs the
skin's ability to retain moisture. It is classified as a "mutagen," meaning it
can alter cellular genetic material. In fact, SLS has been used in Japanese
studies to promote bacterial mutations.

Triclosan -- A bactericide (anti-bacterial) and mutagen that is readily
absorbed through the skin. It's also an eye irritant and associated with
causing liver damage.

A new generation of chemicals-resistant supergerms?

It should also be said that the overuse of chemical antibacterials, such as
triclosan, has created a widespread problem of a new generation of
bacteria that have mutated to become resistant to these harsh chemicals.
According to research from Tufts University, triclosan-containing
antibacterial soaps used in the home can become breeding grounds for
creating a strain of resistant bacteria.

The color of ... danger

And, what about the colors that are added to soaps? Many of them are
permitted in cosmetics (and some drugs) for use on the skin but are
suspected of being carcinogens, teratogens (indicating the substance can
pass through the placenta to an unborn child) or toxins. A mere sampling of
these include (all prefixed by D&C, which means that the dye may only be
used in drugs and cosmetics, not in foods):

* Blue Aluminum Lake 1 and 2

* Red No. 19

* Aluminum Lake

* Zirconium Lake

* Yellow No. 8

Get clean the natural way!

You can take out the mystery of reading labels and the fear of uncertainty
when you buy from your natural foods store. Chances are they will have a
variety of body bars and facial cleansers on the shelves that will be safe for
the entire family to use. And, you can be sure that these soaps are
environmentally safe and cruelty-free to boot.

What should you look for in natural soaps? Natural soaps contain
vegetable-based oils, such as olive oil, rather than animal products. They
may also contain emollients such as glycerin and lanolin. Oddly, glycerin
is a natural by-product of soap making, but many commercial
manufacturers separate this substance from their product and sell it to other
industries for a profit. Soaps that are "cold-pressed" retain their original
glycerin content. Lanolin, on the other hand, is an animal product in the
sense that it is derived from the wool of sheep, but without sacrificing the
animal.

Natural soaps will also contain botanical essential oils, not perfumes or
synthetic dyes and fragrances. The essential oils perform double duty: they
offer superior cleansing and healing properties while providing the benefits
of aromatherapy. You can replace your old triclosan-containing
antibacterial soaps with those formulated with tea tree, rose, geranium or
lavender. If you have very oily skin with a tendency toward acne, you might
benefit from soaps made with carrot, citrus or mint oils. Dry skin benefits
from the oils of lavender, rose geranium and calendula, while extremely dry
skin can be helped with the oils of olive, avocado, jojoba, wheat germ and
sweet almond.

References:
U.S. FDA Office of Cosmetics and Colors Fact Sheet, revised February 24,
2000.

Makela, Casey. Milk-Based Soaps. Pownal, VT: Storey Communications
1997.

McMurry LM, et al. "Tricolsan targets lipis synthesis." Nature 394;
831-832,1998.

Vance, Judi. Beauty to Die For: The Cosmetic Consequence. New York,
NY: Excel Books, 2000.

Bath & Body

Olivella

PUSH ! Soap Cream

MONOTHEME Collection

Nesti Dante Soaps

Olivella Soap is Gentle,
Pure and All Natural.

Ingredients of Olivella Bar
Soap:
Sodium Olivate (saponified
virgin olive oil), Water,
Glycerin (from virgin olive
oil), Fragrance

There are many other brands
of "Olive Oil" soap out in the
market. Please be aware of
the ingredients they
contain....!

These are the ingredients
found in other "olive oil"
soaps: Sodium Tallowate,
Sodium Cocate, Water,
Glycerin, Fragrance, Honey,
PEG-8, Isostearyl Lactate,
Beeswax, BHT, Tetrasodium
EDTA, Tetrasodium
Etidronate, o-Tolyl
Biguanide, CI 77891
(Titanium Dioxide), CI
77491 (Iron Oxides), CI
77492 (Iron Oxides), CI
77499 (Iron Oxides) !!!

I T A L I A N

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B A T H & B O D Y - S K I N C A R E - F R A G R A N C E S

B2B

Luxurious ITALIAN Bath & Body Products in the USA