What is Castile Soap? ...

 

Castile Soap or Jabon de Castilla originated in the Kingdom of Castilla, a part of the country that we know today as Spain. The name Castilla (or in English, Castile) means land or region of castles, in reference to the castles built in the area to consolidate the Christian re-conquest from the Moors. Contrary to the methods of soap production in northern countries where animal fats or tallow were used as the main ingredient, Castilla had an abundance of locally grown and pressed Olive oil and it was soon discovered that this main ingredient produced a far superior soap.

Castile soap became a very desired commodity, not only because of its benefits for the skin but also its values in the medical world were soon realised and it was known to Apothecaries under the name of sapo hispaniensis or sapo castilliensis. Castile soap was also the first choice of many royal families throughout Europe.

So much for history, but how does Castile soap today differ from that of days gone by and what benefits does it have over conventional soap. Well, basically nothing has changed as far as the basic ingredients are concerned. A true Castile soap still contains 100% Olive oil exclusively, although many seem to believe that a soap can be classed as a Castile if it contains a little olive oil and many companies especially in the USA use the name Castile on their products even though there is no olive oil at all in them. Olive oil used alone in soap however, is not to everybody's taste. This is because it is low lathering with a rather slimy feel, which can be easily rectified by adding a very small amount of Coconut oil to the formulation and this is what we do. Also, since the first Castile soaps were made without colour or fragrance, mankind has developed methods of extracting and distilling essential oils from plant and fruit material. These can be added in effective dilutions to naturally fragrance the soap and also provide further valuable, therapeutic qualities that are beneficial to the skin and support the natural constituents of the Olive oil.

One of the most important constitutents of Olive oil is Oleic acid in a percentage of approx 60%-80%. What this means is that olive oil is a skin regenerator and a natural humectant, drawing moisture from the air, keeping the skin soft and supple. The resultant soap that Olive oil produces when saponified is very mild and gentle. Olive oil also contains Squalane which has the ability to help the skin to retain moisture while nourishing and providing protection for all skin types, especially dry and sensitive. It is non-greasy and non-comedogenic, which means that it doesn't restrict or clog the pores in any way. It has also been proven to accelerate the healing process which is thought to be due to its Vitamin E content. Olive Squalene assits the skin's ability to naturally regenerate and feed itself. It is similar in structure to the skin's own Squalene composition and because of this it is highly penetrative. This all applies only when extra virgin oil is used and not the chemically extracted pomace oil designated for frying.

So, if Olive oil is so good for the skin and makes such good soap, why aren't all soaps, including handmade soaps made in this way? The simple answer to this is that extra virgin olive oil is a very expensive commodity and for soapmakers outside the olive growing countries, it is very costly to import and to incorporate a high percentage in soap recipes. We feel very lucky and honoured to be able to produce our handmade soaps with the best quality Andalucian Olive oil that grows all around us and It is with great pride that we stamp our soap with the Olive symbol denoting it as a true Jabon de Castilla.