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  • $\begingroup$ Wearing gloves makes your answer moot. "So I am not sure if the 'saponification' explanation for why a small amount of a fairly strong base feels slippery between thumb and forefinger really says that the reaction has produced a true soapy surfactant or that it should really say that it is lubrication by glycerol-like compounds that generate the intense slippery feeling." Note also the proteins and lipids tags, and the large image of Epidermal layers. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Nov 15, 2018 at 10:25
  • $\begingroup$ on skin, I also had not really the impression it is soapy. maybe you should wait until it dissolves your layers :D But then it is because of the dissolved keratin and not NaOH :/ $\endgroup$
    – dgrat
    Commented Nov 15, 2018 at 10:27
  • $\begingroup$ I hope you haven't put several Molar NaOH solutions on your skin, nor anyone else's. Chemistry SE may actually have some rules about discussing dangerous activities in posts or comments. Here I'm just quoting Wikipedia and my beloved high school chemistry teacher. $\endgroup$
    – uhoh
    Commented Nov 15, 2018 at 10:29