Soap was created around 2800 B.C. by Babylonians. Their goal was to ensure that they could use natural ingredients to clean themselves. Some soaps may use both plant and animal products, including animal fat, tallow or vegetable oil, castor, olive, or coconut oil. In the beginning of soap production, the demands were high, as people desired to obtain such a revolutionary product. However, the price of soap was reduced in 1791 when a Frenchman, LeBlanc, discovered a chemical process that allowed soap to be sold for significantly less money.
Some twenty years later, another Frenchman identified relationships between glycerin, fats and acid. This new chemical reaction was able to boost production, thus reducing the price. These active ingredients are used in modern soap products to this day. Nowadays, soap is used for everything. With more advancements of chemistry, soap is able to take many different forms of both liquid and solid. It finds use in cleaning people, children, cars, dishes, and many more.
All information and images found from http://www.soaphistory.net/