Smart Soap Developed by Researchers at LSMU Endorsed by Children
Researchers in Pharmacy at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) have developed a uniquely formulated liquid soap. This innovative soap immediately indicates whether your hands are properly soaped and thoroughly washed. Made from organic raw materials, the Smart Soap has a rich blue colour with a fresh fruity aroma and is unique in Lithuania and Europe. It has been designed primarily for children to instil cleanliness and hygiene habits in an attractive playful way.
The Smart Soap will also prove particularly useful in environments with strict hygiene standards, notably within healthcare settings, food production, and processing facilities.
The new product offers a distinctive indication of whether hands are being washed correctly: a bright natural pigment on the skin highlights areas that are insufficiently soaped. Following thorough application, the blue colour transforms into white foam, ensuring hands are left clean, fresh, and soft after washing.
Contains natural fruit extracts
“We have developed a distinctive formula for liquid soap, marking us as pioneers not only in Lithuania but also across Europe. The product has received international notification, and dermatological studies have validated its safety, confirming that it does not provoke allergic reactions and is suitable even for individuals with sensitive skin. The soap is composed of 95% natural ingredients, predominantly fresh fruit extracts,” said Professor Jurga Bernatonienė, Head of the Department of Drug Technology and Social Pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmacy, LSMU.
According to the professor, the idea to create a soap that would help children develop cleanliness habits came about during the coronavirus pandemic, when hand hygiene was vital for everyone. It took just over two years to develop the product.
Gailutė Drakšienė, associate professor at the Department of Drug Technology and Social Pharmacy at the Faculty of Pharmacy, LSMU, emphasised that the new product is gentle and effective, helping to remove dirt and microorganisms from the hands, and to prevent various viral infections transmitted via hands, such as diarrhoea. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diarrhoea alone kills more than 3 million people worldwide every year.
“Since you need to wash your hands often, we have developed a soap that is rich in trace elements, vitamins, and polyphenols from fruit extracts. Extracts from grapefruit, mango, pineapple, avocado, and other fruit have antimicrobial, antioxidant, regenerative, and skin-friendly properties,” said the researcher.
Currently, the soap is blue, a colour known for its calming effect, ability to boost confidence, and relaxing properties. The researchers have developed and are currently testing prototypes in various other colours.
Wash your hands with joy
The Smart Soap was specifically designed with children in mind, making them among the first to experience its benefits upon notification. For the five-year-olds at the “Žiedelis” kindergarten in Kuršėnai (Šiauliai district), the Smart Soap elicited joyful emotions and inspired the institution’s educators to discover innovative methods to inclusively educate the children on cleanliness and hygiene habits.
Violeta Kumžienė, the headmistress of “Žiedelis”, notes that after experimenting with the new soap, the children have been immersed in a sense of discovery. Guessing what the new soap smells like, delighted by their “blue” palms, the little ones are eager to repeatedly practice and memorise the correct hand washing movements, and are happy to know that they have washed their hands really clean.
According to V. Kumžienė, the new product has created opportunities to cultivate cleanliness skills associated with joyful emotions.
“While they are thoroughly soaping their hands, we encourage the children to turn off the taps so that water is not wasted. This has turned handwashing into an educational tool that stimulates imagination, senses, and the prerequisite skills,” she noted.
Business and science will continue to collaborate
The Smart Soap extends the extensive list of unique and innovative products that are the result of successful collaboration between the researchers at the LSMU Faculty of Pharmacy and business.
According to Prof. J. Bernatonienė, producers typically approach us when they require a special, rare raw material, aim to create a product absent from the market, or occasionally when they develop a promising idea.
“Today we have a product that is completely in line with our original idea,” said entrepreneurs Armandas Zrelskis and Lukas Danilevičius, who are delighted with the new soap.
It was an original educational idea that brought the representatives of the start-up Tectio to the laboratories of the LSMU Centre for Advanced Pharmaceutical and Health Technologies. The idea was to create a soap that would encourage and teach children to wash their hands in an attractive and playful way.
Entrepreneurs have highly praised their experience of over two years of interaction with LSMU researchers, noting that any issues encountered in the search for the optimal product formulation were resolved swiftly, courteously, and with expertise.
“Throughout the entire process, we felt the support of the researchers: they believed in us and in our idea. Without this, our ambition might not have become a reality,” stated L. Danilevičius. A. Zrelskis notes that the Smart Soap is just the beginning, with specific plans for continued collaboration already in motion.
The innovative product is now available for purchase online.