Saponified Olive Oil

Sodium olivate is the result of reacting olive oil with sodium hydroxide.  This process is called saponification and is the traditional method of soap making  There is no sodium hydroxide (lye) left in the bar once this process is complete.

All soap is made by reacting oils/fats with an alkaline solution.  Melt & pour soap base is also made using this process. Various cleansers can absolutely be made utilizing surfactants/detergents, but a true "soap" is made via the saponification process described above.