: The hydrophobic tails attach to grease and oil, while the hydrophilic heads stay in the water. This forms a micelle , surrounding the dirt and allowing it to be rinsed away. Advanced Concepts for Soapmakers
For those looking to move beyond basic recipes, these concepts from Scientific Soapmaking by Kevin M. Dunn are essential: Scientific Soapmaking
: Each molecule has a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and a hydrophobic (water-fearing/oil-loving) tail . : The hydrophobic tails attach to grease and
Soap is created through a hydrolysis reaction. The alkali (typically sodium hydroxide for hard bars or potassium hydroxide for liquid soap) breaks the ester bonds of triglycerides (fats), releasing fatty acids that then bind with the alkali to form salt—which we call soap. Scientific Soapmaking