What is saponification (soap making) ?

I can't give you a link but go to google and type in that word. You will gt plenty of information. Basically you take a triacid (such as stearic acid) and neutralize it with NaOH or KOH. The product is soap. That stuff is tough on the skin unless it's washed thoroughly. Commercial manufacturers add perfumes and emollients to make it more gentle.