I just I thought I would pass on what I think is quite interesting. A lot of soap makers will sell soap and call it a Castile soap because it has Olive oil in it. Some actually will call a soap Castile if they just use all vegetable oils. A True Castile soap (at least to a purist) is make with 100% Olive oil. Olive Oil was one of the first vegetable oils used to make soap. It is reputed to have originated in Castile Castle as early as 1567. Issy
Great info Issy, This article: http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/soaprecipes/a/castrecipe.htm gives pretty much the same info and a few recipes as well, sounds like fun
I read that...if does give about the same info but I dont like the recipes. Would be a harsher soap. And I would never consider using canolia.. Issy
The first exposure I had to (what I thought was) Castile soap is Kirk's soap bar: I liked the scent, but it dried me out to a pulp as well.
Yeah, Dr Bronner refers to their soaps as Castile as well, but I don't believe any of them to be 100% OO
Kirks is all coconut oil, no wonder it dried you out (now it they superfatted at 15% it would be nice) Issy
All coconut oil? Dang, I bet it lathered like crazy. Must have been a bit of a let down to get all that nice lather and end up with really dry skin. Bill, does the grade of olive oil have anything to do with it's classification as Castile? I bet there are a lot of soapers that would be using low quality oil.
Actually no which is sad, a lot pf people use pumice OO which is the last bit that is chemically extracted....also the big boys extract the glycerin and sell it to you in lotions Issy
Does using a higher grade, such as Extra Virgin provide any benefits? I know it cost more but does it make a better bar of soap?
Yes to an extent it does, its pressed out and not chemically extracted. Also it has a few more unsaponafibles in it (this makes IMHO a more moistureizing soap) Issy
Olive Oil is ambrosia for the body, as far as I'm concerned. I smear it all over, as a moisturizing lotion.
