In general, fats are a blend of particular fatty acid chain lengths. Soap is a general term for the salts of fatty acids. The chain lengths for fatty acids are 4 to 22 carbons in length (i.e. Esters. If the pH of a soap solution is lowered by acidic contaminants, insoluble fatty acids precipitate and form a scum. Specific example of a fatty acid salt (soap) with a 10 carbon chain length, Sodium Caprate Physical and Chemical Properties The available physical and chemical properties of many of the fatty acids in this report are found in Table 3. calcium cation. Figure 2. 4.9) of the fatty acids. Soaps may be combined with fish, whale, vegetable, coconut, corn, linseed, or soybean oil. A soap is a substance derived from the activity of an alkali such as sodium (hard soap) or potassium (soft soap) hydroxide on a fat. This ingredient is often used for dry skin emulsions, or for super fatted soaps. One of these is caused by the weak acidity (pKa ca. n is 2 to 20)). Esters are used in the manufacturing of soap, the h ydrolysis of fats or oils (triglyceride ester) in the presence of a strong alkali, such as (NaOH) or (KOH) to produce glycerol and (sodium or potassium salt of fatty acid) is known as saponification process which is the main reaction in the manufacture of soap. Solutions of alkali metal soaps are slightly alkaline (pH 8 to 9) due to hydrolysis. Esters replace natural fatty esters within our skin; helping smooth the skin’s texture and acting as protection, they are modified fatty substances that are often used as emollients and conditioning agents.