Description

A member of the Clove family, soapwort is a low-growing perennial shrub with a thick tap root used in herbal medicines and for making soaps. As you can guess from its name, soapwort can be used as a soap. In most cases it has been used as a substitute for laundry detergent.

It has been used as an expectorant and rheumatic. It can also be used to treat some skin conditions. Cosmetically it can be included into bath and body care products.

In traditional medicine, the roots are used to treat certain skin diseases. The roots are rich in natural surfactants which form a natural lather, producing a "soapy" water that is ideal for cleansing the skin. In cosmetics, soapwort extracts are used in make-up removers, cleansers and shampoos.

In addition the roots are used for the production of a variety of other products: cleaning chemicals, film emulsion, in the confectionary as a stabilizer of froth and as an ingredient in fire extinguishers. Saponin is also used as a whitener in the production of halva.