Our guide to African Black Soap
Harnessing the raw power of nature, our African Shea Black Soap offers a gentle cleansing, moisturising, and skin-nurturing experience. Handmade with 100% pure, highest grade unrefined Shea Butter, Cocoa Pod Ash, and a blend of natural oils including Coconut and Neem, this soap is suitable for your face and body.
Before you add a bar to your next purchase, find out what African Shea Black Soap is, how it’s made, what you can use it for, the benefits it offers and more in our quick guide.
What is African Shea Black Soap?
African Shea Black Soap, is known culturally as ose-dudu in Nigeria and Alata Samina in Ghana, West Africa.
Created and popularised by Nigerians and Ghanaians for centuries, black soap has been used to soothe skin diseases like dermatitis and psoriasis as well as irritations like acne and eczema.
It’s believed that female Yoruba traders selling tomatoes and peppers introduced black soap to Ghana, lending it its cultural name Alata Samina. Alata meaning the Yoruba people of Nigeria, whilst Samina means soap in the Twi dialect in the Akan language.
How is African Shea Black Soap made?
African Shea Black Soap is made using plant matter like cocoa pod ash, which is sun-dried and burned to produce ash. This supplies the alkali required to convert the oils and fats. Water and various oils and fats such as shea butter are added before the mixture is cooked and hand stirred. Once the soap has solidified, it’s scooped out and set out to cure.
Typically, the natural ingredients used in making the soap and the method of preparation varies from country to country and from family to family. Therefore, the colour of the soap tends to vary from brown to jet black, made without Lye or Sodium Laurel Sulfate with no preservative and dye.
What is African Shea Black Soap used for?
Caring for your skin shouldn’t feel like a chore. And it shouldn’t be something you do just for fun, either. That’s why our African Shea Black Soap is a multi-purpose bar packed with moisturising and skin-nurturing properties. Whilst its uses are yours to discover, here are some of our favourites:
1. Due to its oils and butters, African Black Soap is great for deep pore cleansing and removing your makeup after a long day.
2. Rich in Vitamins A and E, African Black Soap cleans your skin and nourishes it, leaving your skin feeling soft, smooth, and beautiful after bathtime.
3. Switch up your shaving routines, as African Black Soap allieviates razor bumps with its high shea butter content.
4. Don’t let grime, perspiration, and excess oil grind down your skin – use our soap to lift it off daily.
What benefits does African Shea Black Soap offer?
Whilst lounging out in the sun for hours sounds like a good idea, excessive exposure to UV rays can damage your skin and leave you suffering from hyperpigmentation. Hyperpigmentation causes your skin to darken in patches and spots across your body, however, our African Shea Black Soap minimises the dark spots, and soothes your skin at the same time.
We know that when soap’s involved, you’re likely shaving, waxing, and removing hair. We also know it’s important to keep your skin as smooth as possible after these activities. Our African Shea Black Soap’s exfoliating properties help remove dead skin cells that usually clog up your hair follicles, whilst its moisture will prevent the lumps and bumps that razor burn can cause.
Rich in antioxidants like Vitamins A and E, African Black Soap can help combat attacks on your healthy skin tissue, making the bar anti-inflammatory and perfect for fighting conditions like rosacea.
African Black Soap can help heal problem skin, easing skin conditions like acne as it lessens, treats and clears it. Additionally, it can help clear blackheads, psoriasis, and eczema. Furthermore, African Black Soap protects the skin against photoaging, whilst firming and toning your skin for a more supple, glowing look.
Time to transform your skincare routine
Now you know everything you need to about African Shea Black Soap, it’s time for you to transform your skincare routine. Once you’ve ordered yourself a bar, simply rub onto your wet hands, a washcloth or loofah and wash your face and body., rinse away with warm water. We recommend keeping the bar safe in a soap dish, as using water with this soft, oil-based soap will cause it to gradually soften and part-liquefy.
