We’ve all been there before; you walk into a department store and head for the health and beauty section. You examine a wide variety of ‘cleansing bars’ and you choose one that seems to match your needs. It usually takes a few tries before you find that one soap that really works for you.
Have you ever stopped to look at the ingredients of this soap?. You are likely to find triclosan, which can disrupt the thyroid hormone. It’s increased exposure can contribute to the development of breast cancer. You will find fragrance, which is usually a safe word for pthalates, a chemical which can cause birth defects and liver damage.There are so many chemicals that are used in nearly all ‘cleansing bars’ or better still, detergents sold in stores today.
African Black Soap is the New Green. Natural Soap NO Sulfates, parabens, phthalates, petrolatum, gluten, synthetic fragrance, artificial color, animal testing. EVER. African natural soap sometimes called African Black Soap (ABS) is revered for having skin nourishing benefits due to an abundance of antioxidants. The soap is made from the ashes of plantain skin, cocoa pod and palm leaves, and palm oil from leaves or kernels. Some additional ingredients, depending on the makers of the soap, could be tropical honey to soften skin and Shea butter or cocoa butter for extra moisturizing properties.
African black soap is most commonly hand-crafted by village women in Africa who make the soap for themselves and to support their families.The same women who make black soap choose to use only African black soap on their babies. African black soap’s purity makes it gentle and non-drying for babies’ sensitive skin. In fact, African black soap is generally the only soap used in most Western African countries.
What Makes African Black Soap Different:
African black soap is made with rare tropical honeys that are known for softening the skin and creating a smooth surface.
African black soap is also a natural source of vitamins A & E and iron. This helps to strengthen the skin and hair.
African black soap contains a high amount of glycerin, which absorbs moisture from the air and literally deposits it into the skin, making the skin soft and supple.
For centuries, Ghanaians and Nigerians have used natural soap to help relieve acne, oily skin, clear blemishes and various other skin issues. Many swear by it for skin irritations and conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Women in Africa will use African black soap during pregnancy and afterwards to keep them from getting stretch marks and to protect them from dry skin that is often accompanied by pregnancy.
African black soap can also be used as a hair shampoo. The Shea butter in the soap softens the hair, while the vitamins give it strength.
Men can use African black soap in shaving. The high Shea butter content leaves the skin smooth and protected.
African black natural soap is unique in that it contains no preservatives, color enhancers, or fragrances. African black soap creates a soft lather without the animal fat additives that are commonly used in soaps commonly sold in stores.
How the African Black Soap is Made:
First, leaves and bark of various trees and plants are burned in a vat or kettle. These may be leaves from banana trees, plantain skins, palm tree leaves, Shea tree bark, and/or cocoa pods.
Secondly, water is added to ashes to be filtered. Oils such as coconut oil, Shea oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter are added to the water to create the soap.
The soap is then hand-stirred by local women for at least a day and then set out to cure for two weeks.
People have tried to re-create African black soap in the west, but it has never been able to truly replicate the authentic product. This is because genuine African black soap is created using age-old traditions that are passed down from one generation to the next in smaller villages in Africa.The most common form of African black soap is called Ose Dudu (doudoun), which comes from the Yoruba or Anago languages of Nigeria , Togo , and Benin . Ose Dudu literally means Soap (ose) and Black (dudu).
Not all Black Soaps are African Black soap
As the popularity of the natural soaps increases, some retailers are using the label African black soap. Many are just dyeing soap black, but using none of the key ingredients of true black natural soap. However, true African black soap is from West Africa . Genuine African black soap has raw ingredients that give it an earthy smell, and a more delicate texture than typical store bought soaps.
Benefits of African Black soap
Ordinary store-bought soaps can be too harsh or drying for your skin. However, African black soap contains Shea butter, which moisturizes skin but doesn’t clog pores. Shea butter gives the soap some UV-protection properties, but not enough to replace your usual sunscreen. According to Organic Spa Magazine, the soap may fade skin discoloration and dark spots. The soap cleanses gently, so it’s ideal for people with rosacea, rashes, dryness and other skin conditions. African black soap contains plantain extract, which has antibacterial properties that may help treat acne breakouts. Some people use the soap as a shampoo or mild makeup remover.
Go for African Black Soap
If you are starting to feel differently about the softly scented white ‘cleansing bar’ you have next to your bathroom sink, don’t despair. African black soaps are becoming more and more widely available and many can repair the damage your skin has experienced over the years.
If you try African black soap, don’t be surprised; that muddy-looking water lathering on your face is literally cleaning all the impurities out of your skin from the inside out. The cocoa pod powder gives the soap a black color and hence it will create a ‘muddy’ looking lather when you use it.