How is real soap different from detergent?
Soap is chemically different from detergent: Soap is defined as the product of fats/oils with lye (NaOH, or Sodium Hydroxide), and is not made with synthetic (petroleum) oils. Soap is also different from detergent in how it works: Soap is made up of a molecule that has a polar end and a non-polar end. When dirt and oil is washed from your skin’s surface using soap, the dirt and oil are surrounded by the soap particles with the non-polar ‘tails’ and the polar ‘heads’ point away from the dirt and oil into the water. You might remember the terms hydrophilic (water loving) and hydrophobic (water hating) from highschool chemistry. Having these properties at opposite ends in one molecule is what makes soap such an effective cleanser. Soap allows dirt and oils to mix with water and let it all get rinsed away, thus leaving your skin surface dirt and oil (and soap) free. Detergent on the other hand, competes with the oils and dirt for the right to stick to and sink into the surface of your skin
