Benefits of Black Soap (African Black Soap)

For centuries, African women have kept their skin supple and smooth with the aid of this handmade soap that's intensely chocolate-like in its colour and creamy texture. African black soap, or black soap (AKA ose dudu, sabulun salo and ncha nkota), is a type of soap with origins in West Africa. It is made from the ash of local plants and dried peels, which gives the soap its characteristic dark colour. While ingredients used to make black soap vary, common ingredients include purifying ash derived from locally grown trees and fruits, such as plantain peels, palm tree leaves, and roasted cocoa pods. Produced from recipes passed down through generations, African black soap has become a coveted beauty secret far beyond the continent's western regions, where it all began.

To make Black soap, you first sun-dry and burn plantain peels, palm tree leaves, cocoa pods and shea tree bark till you produce ash (which supplies the alkali required to convert or saponify the oils and fats). Then add water and various oils and fats, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and shea butter. It will then solidify and rise to the top of the mixture, which is left to set for about two weeks before being used in liquid or bar soap form, as a mask, or in moisturizers.

Black soap, or African black soap, is packed with bacteria-fighting oils and phytochemicals found in plants, giving it deep cleansing and nourishing properties for nearly all skin types.

Quick summary

Ingredient Type: Soap

Key Benefits: Deep cleansing, anti-acne, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory

Suitable for: All skin types but people with dry, sensitive and already irritated skin should sample with a patch test first before committing to use

Recommended Usage: Twice/ once daily

Use With: Compatible with all/most skincare ingredients (acids may affect foaming ability)

Avoid Using With: Highly acidic ingredients may prevent foaming. It may cause irritation when used with chemical exfoliants

What is Black Soap & How is Black Soap Made?

African black soap is a plant-based soap, traditionally handmade using natural ingredients derived from West Africa. Originally produced by the Yoruba people across west Africa (Nigeria, Benin & Togo), this acne-clearing chocolate goodness is now well-loved & used all around the World.

To make Black soap, you first sun-dry and burn plantain peels, palm tree leaves, cocoa pods and shea tree bark till you produce ash (which supplies the alkali required to convert or saponify the oils and fats). Then add water and various oils and fats, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and shea butter. The soap will then harden and rise to the top of the mixture, which is left to set for two weeks before begin to be used in liquid or bar soap form, as a mask, or in moisturizers.

Black soap, or African black soap, is packed with anti-bacterial oils and phytochemicals found in plants, giving it deeply cleansing and nourishing properties for nearly all skin types.

Benefits

  1. Prevents photoaging and fades discolouration:  Antioxidants in black soap protect the skin from free radical damage – a cause of premature skin ageing, wrinkles, and facial lines. Black soap can also help fade dark spots/areas caused by sun damage, acne scars, etc.
  2. Improves skin tone and texture: African women have used black soap for its skin firming and toning properties for many years. It helps improves skin texture and reveals a more supple and glowing skin.
  3. Helps to treat acne: Users of black soap have said that black soap helps lessen, treat, and clear their acne and eliminates their blackheads, psoriasis, and eczema. This property is due to its deep cleansing and anti-bacterial properties

Side Effects

African black soap can be rough and could cause irritation, dry skin, stinging, burning, or breakouts in sensitive skin if used too frequently.

How to Use

Depending on the texture of the product - see individual product directions for guidelines

Find African Black Soap in...

Our Brightening Body Soap

Perfect for day and night use, our deep cleansing African Black Soap helps prevent acne, improve skin tone and fade discolouration/hyperpigmentation. Aloe Vera extract provides intense hydration, while Carrot Oil and Turmeric improve skin tone, fade scars, and hyperpigmentation, leaving you with radiant, glowing skin.

This soap helps with brightening, preventing/clearing acne, scars, skin texture and appearance improvement.

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