The first known soap was named "maiden foot" this can be taken to the letter because Homer ( VI S. B.C.) says how Naucasia, the daughter of Feacia, together with other servants used to kick the dirty clothes into the river water until they get them clean...

We will never know if Naucasia added some herbs in order to get a clean soaping process.

In the year 600 B.C. Jeremias, one of the most relevant prophets of the ancient Palestine, proclaimed that the soap compossed by water, wood remainders and beetroot was particularly efficient.

In the time of Plinio the Greatest, dead in the year 79 B.C. because of the rain of ashes from the Vesubio, irony of destinity¡ , he, to whon the ashes became fatal, was who recomended as a remedy against dermatitis, to clean the dirty clotes and to reactivate the natural colours, a product made from ashes of animal bones.

The theories of Galen, roman physician of the II siecle A. C. were essentials until the end of the Middle Ages. He was the first one in facilitating the first news of the use of the soap as a curative mean, with its emollient effect and an easy way to eliminate the dirt from the body and clothes. The manufacture of the soap by the employ of grease, ashes and lime.

From the writings of Plinio , the roman naturalist it can be deducted that the soap was already known by the ancient germans who elaborated it with goat grease and ashes.

THE SALTS

The accredited " salts from the fatty accids" were already known by the egipcians and by the sumerians, however we do not know when and where break out from a clever brain the idea of boiling fats together with wooden ashes and soda gettng in that way a soapy produtc.

The more ancient beginnings get lost in a remote epoch. We can found the first testimony in the sumerian clayboards dated by the archaeologists around 2500 years B.C. The cleaning by soap is mentioned on them.

In 1912 were already existing bathing salts composed by preparations of carbonic accid and oxigen, however the comsumption were insignificant.

Until the years 1920-25 either these hygienic fatty soaps agitated in cold, then the soaps "iris milk" and "bitter almonds" have had their devoteds.

The assortment of scented matters at those times, were very scarce in comparison to the present time.

The scent of the boiled soaps could only be carry out with perfumed oils heath and alkali resistent.

However, starting from sodium salts and the natural fatty accids are nowdays the basic of our toilette soaps, the soap has been improved with numerous additives to get an authentic product to the body hygieny.

By the addition of extra greased and ski protecter matters as well as active deodorant sustances, it is obtained properties of authentic cosmetic nowdays.

(Summarize of the journalistic article rewarded by Cosmetics The Toja, CORP. in 1984, to journalist Mayte Suárez with reason of the commemoration of their 80 Anniversary. President of the Jury, the Spanish writer, died today, D. Gonzálo Torrente Ballester).