Thickener in the context of Soapmaking

Soap is a salt of a fatty acid (sometimes other carboxylic acids) used for cleaning and lubricating products as well as other applications. In a domestic setting, soaps, specifically "toilet soaps", are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are used as thickeners, components of some lubricants, emulsifiers, and catalysts.

Soaps are often produced by mixing fats and oils with a base. Humans have used soap for millennia; evidence exists for the production of soap-like materials in ancient Babylon around 2800 BC.

Pea milk (also known as pea protein beverage) is a type of plant milk. It is made using pea protein extracted from yellow peas, usually in combination with water, sunflower oil, micronutrients added for food fortification, thickeners, and phosphates. Commercial pea milk typically comes in sweetened, unsweetened, vanilla and chocolate flavors. It is marketed as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to almond milk and a non-GMO alternative to soy milk. It is a suitable product for people with soy allergies.

Like other plant milks, pea milk is perceived to be environmentally sustainable and requires less water than the production of dairy milk. There is currently limited information on the total carbon emissions and water consumption of producing ready-to-drink pea milk. Plain pea milk is described to have an off-white colour, a creamy texture, and a thick consistency. Unsweetened pea milk in particular is noted for having a savoury, "pea-like" flavour.

Stearyl alcohol, or 1-octadecanol, is an organic compound classified as a saturated fatty alcohol with the formula CH₃(CH₂)₁₆CH₂OH. It takes the form of white granules or flakes, which are insoluble in water. It has a wide range of uses as an ingredient in lubricants, resins, perfumes, and cosmetics. It is used as an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener in ointments, and is widely used as a hair coating in shampoos and hair conditioners. Stearyl heptanoate, the ester of stearyl alcohol and heptanoic acid (enanthic acid), is found in most cosmetic eyeliners. Stearyl alcohol has also found application as an evaporation suppressing monolayer when applied to the surface of water.

Stearyl alcohol is prepared from stearic acid or certain fats by the process of catalytic hydrogenation. It has low toxicity.