What is African black soap?
African black soap is the latest skin care product to reach "holy grail" status, and for good reason.
Touted as a solution for breakouts, hyperpigmentation, stretch marks, and everything in between, black soap is the ultimate beauty buy for those looking for a natural, non-toxic, one-size-fits-all approach to flawless skin.
Unlike the synthetic soaps, you find at the drugstore, authentic black soap is handmade from plant-based ingredients in Africa. Each fair-trade purchase supports sustainable production and directly benefits communities in need.
African black soap has long been used to heal problem skin. It's good for thinning fine lines, evening out dark spots, eczema, and eliminating blemishes.
It is also used to lightly exfoliate and give you healthier looking skin. The soap can be used on your body or hair and works for oily skin, dry skin, scalp irritations, and is good for sensitive skin.
African Black Soap is made from the ash of locally harvested plants and barks such as Plantain, Cocoa pods, Palm tree leaves, and Shea tree bark. First, the leaves and bark are sun-dried and then roasted in a kettle an even, constant temperature, which is important to ensure color, texture, and smell. Then water and various oils such as Palm oil, Coconut oil, Palm kernel oil (including Shea butter and Cocoa pod powder) are added to the mixture and stirred for at least a day. After that, the "soap" is left to set for two weeks to cure.
The plantain skins give the soap Vitamin A & E, and iron. Because the soap has the highest shea butter content of any soap, it offers great UV protection.
Benefits of African Black Soap
1. Antibacterial
Natural antibacterial properties make African black soap an excellent alternative to chemical-laden cleansers. In fact, it may actually remove more bacteria than chemical cleansers do. Despite its strength, black soap is gentle enough to use on your face, hands, and body.
2. Safe for all skin types
If you have dry or sensitive skin, you know that scented soaps and lotions are off-limits. African black soap is naturally fragrance-free. People with oily or combination skin are also in the clear! Black soap can help balance your skin's natural oil production without stripping necessary oils or adding excess oil to your skin.
3. Moisturizing
Shea butter is a crucial ingredient in black soap. While shea can help relieve itchiness and soothe dry skin, cocoa and coconut oil adds moisture.
4. It won't make your skin oily
If you have combination skin, this makes choosing the right soap that much easier. Shea adds moisture, but coconut oil help prevents overactive oil glands.
5. Helps soothe irritation
African black soap may also soothe itchiness and irritation caused by eczema, contact dermatitis, and skin allergies. It may even help clear rashes related to eczema and psoriasis.
6. Anti-inflammatory
Black soap is rich in vitamin A and E. These vitamins are both antioxidants, which help combat free radicals and attacks on otherwise healthy skin tissues. This is helpful for people who have inflammatory conditions like rosacea.
7. Fights acne
In addition to balancing your skin's natural oils, the soap's shea content helps repair damaged cells. African Blacks soap's antimicrobial properties even clear severe acne caused by Propionibacterium acne bacteria.
8. Reduces fine lines
Shea butter and coconut oil reduce collagen loss and encourage new development. In turn, this can help plump up fine lines and wrinkles. The rough texture of the soap can also exfoliate dead skin cells that make fine lines more noticeable.
9. Helps protect against photoaging
Antioxidants found in shea butter help protect your skin from photoaging. Over time, sun exposure can cause sun spots, but black soap offers another barrier.
10. Improves skin texture
African black soap is chock-full of natural ingredients, but part of its benefits come from its form. When left unprocessed, the raw ingredients that make up black soap leave the product far less smooth than the average drugstore soap bar. This makes it a natural exfoliant, which may help improve skin texture.
11. Reduces hyperpigmentation
Hyperpigmentation is often caused by acne scarring and sun damage — two things that African black soap will help with.
How To Use
- Authentic African black soap has a rough texture. Although the natural texture is ideal for removing dead skin during exfoliation, you'll want to smooth it out before using it as a regular cleanser.
- To do this, simply pull a small chunk of soap and rub in between your hands. If you prefer a liquid cleanser, you can dissolve your piece of soap in water before use.
- You can apply the soap directly to your skin if you're looking for exfoliation, but be gentle! The rough texture is already an exfoliant in itself, so you don't have to scrub.
- With whatever method you choose, make sure that you thoroughly rinse the soap off with lukewarm water after use.
- Afterward, apply your favorite moisturizer to your damp skin. This will help lock in the soap's natural hydrating effects.
If you're new to raw black soap, consider using it once every couple of days to start. You can gradually increase your use as your skin gets used to the soap.
Natural black soap is also rough, so it can irritate or even break your skin if you're not careful. Stinging and burning are also possible. If you're using a raw block of soap, use gentle, circular motions as you glide it along your skin.
The best way to prevent skin breakage is to smooth out the soap and combine it with water or use it with a washcloth.
You can order your Authentic African Black Soap here
