African Black Soap has become more popular with consumers in the western world as it becomes more important for many shoppers to use beauty products that are biodegradable and natural and because of their many benefits.
For many years, this soap has been made with ingredients including palm oil, raw shea butter, and coconut pods, which are found in various West African countries, primarily Nigeria and Ghana, but also Mali and Togo. This soap is packed with emollients and vitamins that work well for thorough hydration, gentle exfoliation, and deep cleansing. Authentic soap of this type is a healthy addition to your health and beauty regimen.
Depending on where the soap is made, this soap may contain different ingredients. For example, the type of soap made in the region of Nigeria, known as Dudu Osun soap, contains wild honey, palm bunch ash, glycerin, and lime juice, in addition to the basic ingredients mentioned above. Dudu Osun is an excellent treatment for skin blemishes like acne blackheads and is also helpful in diminishing uneven skin tones like dark marks and blemishes. Honey makes Dudu Osun valuable in softening and calming the skin, but if you have sensitive skin, this type of soap can be drying. You may want to apply lotion after showering or bathing with Dudu Osun soap.
Ghanaian made soap, known as Alata Samina, is usually made from the skin of the banana, which is an excellent source of iron and vitamins A and E. The banana skin is carefully dried in the African sun and then roasted inside a clay oven It is only roasted for a precise amount of time, to achieve the correct smell, texture and colour. In some areas, they may use cacao pods, the rind of the cacao fruit, instead of bananas. This soap is also excellent for treating acne, with its natural healing properties. Like Dudu Osun, it is helpful in treating dry scalp and will make your hair clean when used as a shampoo bar. If you have nut allergies, African black soap may not be the soap for you, since shea butter is produced from a nut.
If you find African black soap that is almost too black in color, it may have had artificial coloring added to it and it was likely commercially made and included other impure ingredients. Organic soaps are usually more brown in color and have no scent unless added. After bathing or showering with this soap, you’ll want to store it somewhere away from your tub or shower, perhaps in a soap box, as African black soap can shrink due to its glycerin content. You also shouldn’t be surprised if this soap falls apart after you’ve used the bar, as this is common with this type of soap.
Unlike soaps that are cold-processed, African black soaps are made over an open fire, thus retaining the ashes from the burned leaves, which will add to the soap’s excellent exfoliating properties. Color variations range from slightly dark blackish to brown. If you want to be sure that the soap you are buying is authentic, avoid added colourings, as genuine soaps made in Africa do not usually have them.
African black soap is also wonderful for hair care. It is rich in glycerin and works well as a conditioner. It will leave your hair quite light and soft. Gentle, natural moisturizers can even add a little curl or wave to your hair.