Binds dirt and grease and gives soaps their deep-black look. Use cosmetically fine-ground.
One of the oldest soaps in the world, made of olive and laurel oil, matured for months. More in the Aleppo guide.
Versatile surface cleaner, often mixed yourself from a little soap, water and some scent. Do not combine with acid.
Active ingredient of classic antiperspirants that narrows the sweat glands. Natural deodorants do without.
Contains baking soda plus acid and starch. For cleaning, pure baking soda is usually the better choice.
Mildly alkaline powder, binds odours, cuts grease, scours gently. See household helpers.
Fizzing bath additive from baking soda and citric acid. Guide: make your own bath bombs.
Natural wax that gives lip balm and creams firmness. Vegan alternative: candelilla wax.
The chemical name for limescale. Dissolves in acid, not in soap.
Plant wax, vegan alternative to beeswax in natural cosmetics.
Pure plant-oil soap, classically from olive oil, often liquid and very versatile.
Low-odour acid against limescale. On heated appliances use only lukewarm.
Popular soap oil, gives hard, strongly lathering soaps, can dry out, so superfat.
Soap making at low temperature with a long curing time. Guide: making soap.
Very finely ground oats, soothes irritated skin, also on dogs.
Pure, non-superfatted soap, a household all-rounder. See curd soap.
„Do it yourself.” From making soap to mixing cleaners, see DIY.
Cleaner whose enzymes break down organic residues and odours instead of masking them.
Natural fragrance oils from plants. Dose sparingly, toxic to cats (see cat care).
An additive promoted for cavity prevention but controversial. Distinguish natural from synthetic; the fluoride-free alternative is hydroxyapatite.
Forms during saponification, binds moisture and nourishes. Present in handmade soap.
Algae and moss on outdoor surfaces. Remove with a brush and a suitable cleaner, see patio.
Firm brush for joints and stubborn dirt, back-friendly with a handle.
Solid shampoo on a soap base, slightly alkaline, often needs an acidic rinse.
Content of calcium and magnesium in water. More hardness means more limescale and less lather.
Fluoride-free alternative that supports the remineralisation of teeth.
Standardised ingredient declaration on cosmetics, often with Latin plant names such as Olea Europaea (olive).
Nourishing oil that distinguishes Aleppo soap; its share determines the quality.
Calcium carbonate, a hard deposit from hard water, soluble in acid. See removing limescale.
Strongly alkaline liquid, indispensable for saponification. NaOH makes solid, KOH liquid soap. Caustic, wear protection.
Melt a ready soap base, refine, pour, the lye-free entry into soap making.
Lint-free cloth, picks up dirt and moisture well, ideal for glass and surfaces.
Tiny plastic particles in some cleaners and scrubs. Real soap does without.
Plant-based care, often with a NATRUE or COSMOS label.
Superfatted, nourishing soap from plant oils, mild to the skin.
Gentle soap with a high olive-oil content (e.g. Savon de Marseille), good for dry skin.
Soap with ox gall, dissolves grease and protein stains especially. See ox-gall soap.
Cheap soap oil, ecologically controversial. Alternatives: olive, coconut or rapeseed oil with a sustainability label.
Scale from acidic to alkaline. Skin sits at about 5.5, soap is slightly alkaline, hence the acidic rinse.
Soap from plant oils instead of animal tallow.
Powerful, but nothing for natural stone, wood and grout. Fine on concrete and porcelain stoneware.
Nourishing residual oil that keeps the skin from drying out (see superfatting).
Rebuilding of tooth enamel, supported by fluoride or hydroxyapatite.
The chemical reaction of oil with lye to form soap and glycerine.
Traditional black soap, versatile for body and household.
Solid soap whipped into shaving lather with a brush. See wet shaving.
Nourishing plant fat for soaps, creams and lip balm.
A bar tuned to the skin for showering, plastic-free and economical. See solid shower bar.
Pouch that lathers the soap, gently exfoliates and lets it dry.
Strong, strongly foaming surfactant, can irritate sensitive skin. „Sulfate-free” avoids it.
Soft potash soap for floors and coarse dirt.
Shampoo bar, replaces bottles. Soap base or syndet: the guide.
A deliberate excess of oil in the soap that makes it milder and more nourishing.
The active agents of all cleaning: molecules that bind grease and water.
Mild, pH-skin-neutral synthetic surfactants, the base of many solid shampoos.
Essential oil, toxic to dogs and especially cats, avoid in pet care.
Plastic-free alternative to the toothpaste tube. See dental care.
Acid against limescale and streaks. Works fast, smells strong, attacks rubber. Do not mix with soap.
Strongly alkaline, top against grease and in the laundry. Wear gloves.
Measure of calcium and magnesium in water, affects lather, limescale and soap choice.
Cloths soaked in beeswax, a reusable replacement for cling film.
From the word to the practice
Now you know what is behind it. In the magazine we show you how to use it.