1. Home
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Candle & Soap Making

Saponification

By David Fisher, About.com

Definition: Saponification is the chemical reaction that occurs when fats or oils (fatty acids) come into contact with lye (a base.) Saponification literally means "soap making" from the root word, "sapo", which is Latin for soap. The by-products of the saponification reaction are glycerin and soap.

Oils and fats will also have what is called a “saponification value”, which is the amount of lye needed to completely neutralize them into soap with no lye left over. Each oil has a different value, which is why it’s important to always run your recipes through a lye calculator.

Explore Candle & Soap Making

More from About.com

  1. Home
  2. Home & Garden
  3. Candle & Soap Making
  4. Soap & Candle Glossary
  5. Saponification

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.