Soapwort in Skincare

Soapwort, Saponaria officinalis, is a European perennial whose root has been used as a soap for centuries. Its name is literal. Crushed in water, the root releases saponins that produce a mild lather, and it was the household cleanser of much of pre-industrial Europe.

Gentle enough for museum textiles

The most useful thing to know about soapwort is what conservators still use it for. Because soapwort lather is mild enough not to damage aged silk, wool and dyes, it has long been used to clean historic tapestries and museum textiles where modern detergents would cause harm. That is a reasonable proxy for how it behaves on skin.

What it does in a formula

Soapwort provides mild foaming and cleansing without stripping the skins protective acid mantle. In an Africology formula it does the cleansing work that a sulphate would do in a conventional product, at the cost of a softer, lower lather. It is typically paired with other saponin plants, since each contributes a slightly different quality of foam.

Africology products with soapwort

• Body Wash, alongside yucca and aloe ferox
• Purifying Cleansing Gel, with quillaja

Read about the other two saponin plants in the range, yucca and quillaja, or see all Africology botanicals.