Black soap can be used as a gentle hair shampoo. It’s also ideal for problematic skin care. The soap supports wound healing processes and the treatment of skin lesions. It can be used as a shaving cosmetic and a bosy scrub base.
Such products perfectly cleanse the skin and, unlike regular soaps, make it soft and moisturized.
African Black Soap:
African Black Soap, which translates to Ose Dudu in Yoruba language, is a West African skin care invention that has various skin merits. Starting from the black African countries of Nigeria and Ghana, this soap has invariably been employed to treat skin diseases, among other ailments and has gained popularity in several countries across the world.
Historical Origins
African Black Soap can be dated back to Nigeria, particularly the Yoruba. The true Yoruba name for it is “Ose Dudu” which translates means black soap. In Ghana, they also call it “Alata Samina”.
Originally, it was produced using locally available resources for instance plantain skins, cocoa pods and palm oil. These ingredients are roasted to generate ash, which is then mixed with other oils such as palm or coconut oil. Every bar of soap is handmade by a village craftswoman in West Africa using recipes that have been handed down from one generation to the next.
Key Benefits for Skin Health
Another aspect of the African Black Soap that we recommend is the soap’s ingrate ability to clean your skin. Ash and cocoa pods, both are natural exfoliants that slough off the skin’s debris; dead skin cells open clogged skin pores washed off clean from dirt; further, it is good for acne-prone skin. Moreover, it can eliminate bacteria and inflammation as well as reduce skin rashes and bacteria-related acne breakouts. This makes it favourable for people with skin complications such as eczema and psoriasis.
African Black Soap also has the added advantage of using it to fight aging. Due to the presence of antioxidants in its ingredients, wheat protein effectively fights the emergence of new wrinkles, and vitamins A and E inhibit the action of free radicals thus slowing down the skin ageing process.
Suitable for All Skin Types
African Black Soap has equally received many adoptions around the globe reason being that it is multitasking. This is perfect for everyone since it does not matter if you have oily skin, dry skin or combination skin. The soap is gentle on the skin and yet able to help you get rid of dirt and grime without taking away with it the skin’s natural oils. Sometimes it probably causes skin dryness since its exfoliating action is quite rigorous, a moisturizer after use is however recommended.
Conclusion
The African Black Soap is an effective and natural skin product with a history and numerous positive qualities. Originally used to fight acne and to lighten hyper-pigmented skin, it has become a go-to product on everyone’s skincare stashes due to its function to shield the skin from harsh environments. And if you have oily skin, dry skin or are prone to redness, this old-world cure can work wonders on your skin.
References
Fu, V., & Lu, G. (2021). Skincare Decoded: The Practical Guide to Beautiful Skin. Simon and Schuster.
Ikotun, A. A., Awosika, O. O., & Oladipo, M. A. (2017). The African black soap from Elaeis guineensis (Palm kernel oil) and Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) and its transition metal complexes. African Journal of Biotechnology, 16(18), 1042-1047.
Oyekunle, J. A., Ore, O. T., Ogunjumelo, O. H., & Akanni, M. S. (2021). Comparative chemical analysis of Indigenous Nigerian soaps with conventional ones. Heliyon, 7(4).
