Where Does the Soapberry Grow? Benefits, Uses and Polishing Methods Explained

The soapberry, also known as the golden tree, hand-washing fruit, bitter suffering tree and so on, has a thick, fleshy rind containing saponin. Simply rubbing it with water produces foam, so it can be used for cleaning and was one of the main cleansers in ancient times. So, where does the soapberry grow in the plant kingdom? What benefits and uses does it have? How is it polished?

1. Where does the soapberry grow in the plant kingdom?

The soapberry likes light and tolerates slight shade; its cold resistance is fairly strong. It is not demanding about soil, has a deep root system and strong wind resistance. It does not tolerate waterlogging but can withstand drought. Its sprouting ability is weak and it does not tolerate pruning. It grows quickly and has a long lifespan. It has fairly strong resistance to sulfur dioxide. It is the preferred tree species for ecological greening in industrial cities. It is native to various places south of the Yangtze River basin in China as well as various places in the Indochina Peninsula, India and Japan. At present, it is cultivated in Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and other regions.

2. What benefits and uses does the soapberry have?

The soapberry has antibacterial, dandruff-removing, hair-loss-preventing, whitening and spot-removing, and skin-moisturizing effects: “the soapberry can prevent dandruff” is simply common knowledge to Chinese people who are used to traditional, natural washing and care products. Washing the hair with soapberry soap liquid is also said in folk tradition to be effective for preventing hair loss. The tea polyphenols in the soapberry are water-soluble substances; washing the face with it can remove facial oil, tighten pores, disinfect, sterilize, resist skin aging, and reduce damage to the skin from ultraviolet radiation in sunlight. Ferulic acid in the soapberry is a beauty factor recognized by the scientific community; it can improve skin quality, making it delicate, radiant and elastic. It also has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, free-radical-scavenging and anticoagulant effects. The fruit acids in the soapberry can help the skin remove accumulated aged keratin on the outer layer, accelerate skin renewal, and help improve skin problems such as acne, dark spots, wrinkles, dry skin and roughness.

3. How is it polished?

Tools/materials: soapberry, coarse sandpaper, fine sandpaper, electric drill, cord and chain

Method/steps:

1. First polish with coarse sandpaper; the purpose is to remove the skin.

2. After removing the skin, continue shaping with coarse sandpaper, that is, decide the shape you want and grind, grind, grind toward that goal.

3. Then polish with fine sandpaper; the purpose is to make the soapberry smooth, with no scratches left by the coarse sandpaper.

4. Keep polishing continuously with fine sandpaper to achieve a perfect result.

5. Drill a hole with an electric drill (of course, not drilling a hole is also perfectly fine); it depends on personal preference.