Sonett Hand Soaps
What are you thinking about when washing your hands? Probably anything except the hand-washing itself. The small cleaning ritual is so ordinary that it is purely intuitive. However, washing your hands with soap is not that self-evident at all. For a long time the possession of soap was a privilege of the rich and powerful. Therefore the chemist Justus von Liebig concluded that the development and prosperity of a country would manifests itself in the soap consumption. In fact, soap already accompanied all ancient high cultures.
As early as 4,500 years ago, the Sumerians overcooked oil with potash to create a degreasing lye. But they used this lye only for washing clothes and for the care of their animals. Even in the bathhouses of the Romans 2,000 years ago soap was unknown. The Romans were satisfied with hot water. Those who could afford it added fragrant oil or rose petals to it.
Have you ever wondered why, in Asterix, (almost) all of the Gauls have a beard and the romans do not? Probably because it was the Gauls, who discovered the cosmetic use of soap. Soap was used especially for beard and hair care. In the 7th century, the Arabs made the next big step in soap manufacturing: They invented the soap-boiling. By adding lime the oily soap became solid and thereby easy to portion. The first bars of soap originated this way. Via Spain, fragrant soap bars spread throughout Europe. Until the late Middle Ages it was a sought-after luxury product. In the early modern period the demand decreased. Now people used powder and perfume instead.
”Cleanliness comes right after highness“ was certainly not the maxim of the French King Louis XIV. The ”Sun King“ is said to have bathed only 3 times in his life. Ironically, he was the one who remitted the first purity requirement for soap in the 17th century. It stated that a soap was only to be considered of truly high quality if it contained at least 72% of pure oil. Soaps finally became normality with the French Revolution. In terms of cleanliness Napoleon set a good example. During his reign, the soap production grew from crafts into an industry. In the 19th century, people developed a better understanding of hygiene. Washed hands were suddenly beneficial. This development was reinfored by the discovery that all animal and vegetable fats could be saponified. The luxury item soap was turned into a household item.
In the 21st century, traditional soap bars are increasingly being replaced by liquid soaps. Sonett, a company based in Deggenhausen in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, sets high quality standards for its eco liquid soaps. Whether with the soothing scent of lavender, the revitalising aroma of rosemary, a fresh note of citrus, a warm hint of rose blossoms, the spicy combination of seven herbs or completely odourless – Sonett's mild hand soaps are suitable for hands, face and the whole body. Sonnet hand soaps are made with rhythmic, balsamic additives and energetically swirled water. All surfactants are derived from raw materials of plant origin. As a general rule, petrochemical preservatives, fragrances, and colouring agents are avoided. Sonett processes pure vegetable soap made from oils from certified organic cultivation. The soothing fragrances come from natural essential oils. With Sonett hand soaps, washing your hands becomes a little feel-good ritual.
