Liquid soap is not a single substance, but rather a group of substances with similar properties: they are all soluble in water, soapy, and capable of washing oils, fats, and other contaminants from the skin, clothes, and more. It was invented in the 19th century; in 1865, William Shepphard patented a liquid version of the soap. Later, B.J. Johnson developed a soap derived from palm and olive oils and his company, the B.J. Johnson Soap Company, introduced the "Palmolive" brand soap in 1898.