# Is there such a thing as vegetarian soap? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253 "2008-04-28T18:11:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/1 "2008-04-28T18:11:34Z")
Soap is made from animal fat isn’t it? Is there an artificial substitute? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/2 "2008-04-28T18:14:50Z")
Soap is made from any type of fat and lye. It doesn’t have to be animal fat. It can be vegetable oil. [Vegan soap](http://usa.lush.com/cgi-bin/lushdb/catzoom.html?mv_arg=Soap%20Cut%20Off%20The%20Block&lang=en_US>SE=goog>KW=vegetarian%20soap&WT.srch=1&GCID=GOOGSoap&gclid=CIisi_2t_pICFRFBFQodtkqUGw) ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/3 "2008-04-28T22:52:22Z")
Soap can be made with any kind of oils or fat. Most of the “natural” soaps you find at a health food store are made with vegetable oils; just look on the label and they’ll be bragging about it. Castile soap should be made with 100% olive oil, is very good for skin, and should be very easy to find. There are tons of other combinations, though. You can make a really good soap with lard, but it isn’t necessary and I’ve only done it a couple of times. Best, karol ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/4 "2008-04-28T23:50:12Z")
Paging [Dr. Bronner.](http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/5 "2008-04-29T00:02:43Z")
The original Palmolive soap. That’s how it got its name. Palm oil + olive oil. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/6 "2008-04-29T01:31:42Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] The original Palmolive soap. That’s how it got its name. Palm oil + olive oil. [/QUOTE] :smack::smack::smack: This could be my entry in the “Ridiculously obvious things that you just got” thread. :smack::smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![Cerowyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@Cerowyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerowyn)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/7 "2008-04-29T01:41:09Z")
There was a Doper from the SF area that gave me a bar of vegan soap that she made, once. I wonder if she’s still around but just under a different name. Off to do some looking… ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/8 "2008-04-29T02:25:01Z")
My father and sister make and sell soap. They currently use lard but are always experimenting. Looks like I’ll mention the possible market for vegetarian soap. Their soap contains milk. Is milk vegetarian? ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-such-a-thing-as-vegetarian-soap/447253/9 "2008-04-29T02:56:59Z")
Milk is vegetarian (not animal flesh) but not vegan (it is an animal product).