DISCOVER AFRICAN BLACK SOAP
All You Wanted To Know About Black Soap
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Welcome to African Black Soap, a unique blog here for you to explore. African Black Soap has added such value to my life, and I love having the opportunity to share my passions and thoughts with my loyal readers. Read on, and enjoy.
Facts You Need To Know About Black Soap
If you’re a skin care aficionada, chances are the African black soap is no news for you. If not, rest assured that you’re not the only one that needs to read about it in order to take the leap of faith.
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The African black soap- a well-kept beauty secret
The African black soap may be new for many of us, but it’s quite a familiar remedy for one of African descent. Able to comfort the skin irritation and various skin conditions (from a simple rash to a more complicated psoriasis or contact dermatitis), the African black soap evens out your skin tone and makes skin discolorations more difficult to notice.
People in Ghana and Nigeria have been using the black soap for centuries now when bathing. This soap reduces body odor, but also works as a shampoo for your hair. it doesn’t just cleanse the hair, but also alleviates itchiness and irritation of the scalp.
Black soap is a valid option when struggling with acne or other skin conditions (eczema is one of them). It’s quite common for African women to use black soap during and after pregnancy in order to smooth out stretch marks, but also to address several skin conditions caused by the hormonal changes.
Even if the black soap is so effective for the skin, it’s yet delicate enough to work for babies. As a matter of fact, the soap is gentle on sensitive skin.
Used for generation in West Africa, the black soap is also used by African-American people in the United States. Over the years, this special soap has become more and more popular over Europe and around the world too.
Where does the black soap come from?
Also known as “ose dudu”, the African black soap comes from the Yoruba people in Nigeria, but also from the Yoruba communities across Togo and Benin.
Yoruba women played a big part in pre-colonial Yoruba land and agriculture. They’re pretty much known for processing raw farm produce into goods ready for trading. Not only that they traded fruits and vegetables, but also the black soap.
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How is Black Soap Made?
The process of making the best African black soap is far from simple. Sum it all up though, the process begins with the drying of plantain peels under the suns. The skins (cocoa pods and/or palm leaves are used) are going to be roasted, in order to produce ash. The process continues with the addition of water and filtration of the ashes.
Palm kernel oil, coconut oil, shea butter are going to be heated and added to the mixture. This is when the whole process gets tiring as the mixture needs to be stirred continuously for 24 hours.
The soap is going to become solid soon enough, surfacing to the tops. The mixture has to sit for 2 weeks, give or take. Once the soap is made, it’s going to be prepared for sale.
It’s quite common for cosmetic companies to buy black soap and add their very own ingredients, for a more sophisticated and customized formula. Some add aloe Vera gel or various essential oils and it’s not impossible for them to add even artificial ingredients or fragrance.
Is there only one recipe?
The recipe of African black soap is not set in stone and there are several recipes and ingredients included within the formula. From the potash from plantain skins, to the palm kernel oil and cocoa pods, the recipes are in fact pretty different out there. Batches vary quite a lot too so one batch may work for you, whereas sometimes you may find yourself developing a reaction from a specific ingredient used in the formula.
Typically, the black soap is made with water and ashes of plantain skins, palm oil and cocoa pod powder. However, some other recipes also contain shea tree barks, ashes of palm leaves, or a combination of shea butter, coconut oil, palm oil and even raw honey.
Another interesting part is that even nowadays the women in western Africa are handcrafting the black soap. surprisingly enough, there are more than 100 varieties of African black soaps out there. The ingredients may differ from one tribe to another and each batch may be one of a kind. The production methods and the formulas have a big influence on the final results.
How do you know the black soap is natural?
As opposed to other cosmetic products, when it comes to black soap, the fewer the ingredients, the better the quality. Pure and raw African black soap is made in West Africa.
A raw African black soap doesn’t look similar as a regular bar soap at all. A traditional black soap is almost never smooth or even in shape. Truth be told, the African black soap comes in various colors, shapes and sizes and that’s from the manufacturing process and the formula per se.
A traditional black soap is soft, yet it may get a bit crumbly. It’s not hard as a regular bar soap. if the formula is based on a big amount of shea butter, it may sit on the harder side. You need to cut it with a knife and add some water, forming the piece of soap you need for a single use.
If you’re getting a traditional African black soap, it shouldn’t have an artificial fragrance whatsoever, but rather an earthy scent to it. You may get a black soap with a subtle chocolate smell, due to the cocoa pods within the formula. A natural and raw African black soap shouldn’t contain any preservatives or artificial colors either.
Is black soap really black?
We all name the African black soap “black”, but a raw African black soap is almost never pure black, but only very dark in color. A black soap may actually be light brown or even deep black and the variation of color comes from the ingredients of the formula. The method of preparation has a big influence on the color as well.
You know you got yourself a raw African black soap if it’s not evenly black.
In order to make the black soap, the plantain leaves are going to be sun dried and turned into ash later on. The longer the plantain is going to be roasted, the closer to black the soap is actually going to be. The various oils added to the formula may lead to different colors too.
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The black color of your black soap is actually a sign of warning, letting you know that the soap has been dyed. Therefore, it’s not natural anymore and doesn’t have all the benefits of raw African black soap.
First time user? Here’s what to remember!
As African black soap is anything but a regular bar soap, you should know a thing or two when using it for the first time. You should take a part of it and turn it into a ball so that it has no sharp edges that could scratch your skin. rub it between your hands. The black soap lathers pretty well so it’s easy to use once you add some water to it.
Apply it gently on your skin as some smaller particles may scratch your skin.
You may also cut off a small portion of the bar, storing the remaining soap in plastic. You may also wrap it really tight in some paper.
Don’t panic if your skin is going to dry out and tighten in the beginning. This is a regular reaction and it may even appear in oily skin. however, this should happen only in the first week of use. The tightness occurs because the soap draws out the excess oils and impurities in skin. give your skin some time to adjust. Your skin is going to adjust the pH level on its own after a couple of days.
A tingling and even some burning sensation may occur when using the black soap. a slight redness may also develop in the beginning. Nevertheless, the reactions are going to disappear after a while.
As it’s a natural product, you should play it safe and run a patch test before applying on your face. The inside of the elbow is a good area to try it on. Wait 24 hours to see if you have any unpleasant reaction to the black soap.
You may reduce the risk for redness of stinging by washing and rinsing the area with some cool water. Make sure you never get black soap in your eyes.
When your skin is sensitive or you know it’s a reactive skin, it’s better not to leave the soap on your skin for too much time. Tingling or burning sensations may appear in cuts, open sores and acne areas.
The black soap may be drying so don’t forget to moisturize afterwards. Cutting down the amount or the number of use is going to help as well.
Does African black soap work for all types of skin?
Even if black soap may be drying at first, it’s still a safe choice for all skin types. Oily, dry, normal or combination and even sensitive skin may benefit from the black soap. most of the time, the African black soap is a great solution for many skin issues and skin-related problems.
As skin reacts differently so the black soap may be drying for some, but this doesn’t exclude the situations when the black soap is actually moisturizing. The batch you’re using may give different results, but it’s also the combo and the manufacturing methods that play a big part when it comes to the reactions of your skin.
How to care for Black Soap? How to store it?
As its formula includes a high amount of glycerin, the black soap is going to absorb moisture from the air, which is good for the skin, making it all soft and supple. You shouldn’t be surprised if the soap is going to soften and dissolve when left exposed.
Don’t let the black soap sit in a puddle after use either, as the soap is going to absorb water. You want to maintain it dry and protected from dissolving. The best way to keep it is to place it on a wooden soap dish with several slated. This way the soap is going to drain. You may also use only a bit of the bar, storing the rest for future use.
Left in open air, the black soap may develop a thin white film, which isn’t mold. It’s better to cut off a piece from the bar, rolling it into a smaller ball. You may put it in a Ziploc bag so it’s easier to use throughout the day.
Typically, you’re going to get the black soap in bulk or by the pound. You need to cut off part of the soap, storing the rest of it in a cool dry place.
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