What Is a Superfatted Soap?

To understand, let's start by recalling how solid soaps are made. The saponification reaction consists in transforming a fatty substance into soap under the action of a strong base, soda. Thus, once the transformation has taken place, all the soda has been used and no trace is detected, hence the fact that this chemical reaction is described as “total”:

Fats (of animal or vegetable origin) 

+ Soda (sodium hydroxide) 

= Solid soap + Glycerin (naturally present in oils/butters).

However, it is the addition of an excess of vegetable oils compared to soda at the end of the cold saponification process (at the time of the “trace”) which gives the name “surgras” (“superfat”) to the soap. Indeed, this allows not to make react all the fatty acids and thus to preserve a high percentage of oils or butters in the heart of the soap. Thus, a superfatted soap is a washing care enriched in nutritive superfatting agents and has a soft texture:

Excess fats (of animal or vegetable origin) 

+ Soda (sodium hydroxide) 

= solid soap + glycerin (naturally present in oils/butters) 

+ excess oils or superfatted butters.

At Typology, our solid soaps contain between 7 and 8% “superfat”. This means that our soaps are composed of 7—8% of fats that are not transformed into soap and glycerin.

This superfatting effect allows restoring the hydrolipidic film by leaving a light protective layer on the skin to protect it from external aggressions (limestone, bacteria, etc.). Superfatted soap also blocks the evaporation of water thus avoiding any drying, to be safe from any tugging, and to preserve its elasticity by nourishing and moisturizing the skin in depth, all that thanks to the nutritive “surgras” agents that this type of soap abounds. These soaps are thus much more respectful of the skin: the skin is soft and protected. Moreover, superfatted soaps, enriched with vegetable oils and butters, are suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive ones. Contrary to popular belief, they are also suitable for oily skin and do not make it more greasy. Another advantage is that these soaps can also be used on the body as well as on the face.