African Black Soap – An underrated skincare product with mighty skin Benefits

As I was packing my hospital box in preparation for the delivery of my third child, my mum grabbed the jar of black soap that I have packed and she asked why I wanted to take black soap to the hospital, and I responded, why not? Is it not baby soap? And her response was hilarious, she was like, don’t you know that black soap is not fancy and the hospital staff would think you are an illiterate? I just smiled and told her that I don’t care, moreover, she of all people knows the value and effectiveness of a well prepared black soap in protecting and making the skin healthy. She has used black soap for all her grandkids and even those of extended family members, she has seen how these babies’ complexion glow and are immune to rashes and other minor issues that children’s skin have, in fact, we all use black soap in my family, and we all enjoy a healthy and beautiful skin, a complexion that cant be ignored. But the truth is, we have never taken a jar of black soap to the hospital before, we just stick to the recommended soap from the hospital and then we dispose the soap as soon as we get back home from the hospital. But, I think, I was not ready to expend any amount on a fancy soap, so as not to be labelled illiterate. If using black soap makes me an illiterate, so be it.

I think, this is one of the reasons why many Africans have refused to adopt the use of African black soap, they feel it would make people perceive them as ‘local breed’, meanwhile, they are missing out on a good product that would give them a healthy skin.

Research has shown that, African Black Soap has the following (but not limited to) skin benefits:

1.       It cleanses deeply, yet its mild, and would not strip the skin of its natural oils

2.       This soap has anti-bacterial properties and might be effective in removing bacteria responsible minor skin rashes

3.       It’s a great moisturizer and helps to relieve itchiness and soothes dry skin

4.       Black soap has anti inflammatory properties because, its rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin D, which are great anti-oxidants

5.       It helps to fight acne, especially when combined with the right herbs

6.       African black soap is also a natural exfoliant, so regular use keeps the skin smooth and fresh

So, if research and personal experience have shown that this soap has the above benefits, why should I be ashamed to show it to the world?

As a cosmetic formulator, I find it very easy to work with, as long as the ingredients used fall within the PH range of the soap, then, I have the perfect soap base. Gone are the days that soaps are used just for their cleansing properties, now when combined with different herbs can be used to accomplish different types of results like’ for treating some skin conditions’ and also to ‘achieve certain skin goals’.

I was introduced to this soap when my first child had skin issues that refused to go for about a year, and someone recommended a combination of African black soap, Palm kernel oil, Camwood powder and Lemon grass, I was skeptical initially, but decided to try it on my skin before using on my baby’s, to cut the long story short, I used on my baby, and the result was magical, my son’s skin became clear and free of rashes and other blemishes, and so I decided to conduct more research on this beautiful soap of African origin, I found out that apart from the aforementioned benefits, its also a good penetration enhancer, as it aids the penetration of active ingredients in other skincare products you might be using.

The skin tends to loose its ability to shed dead skin cells as it ages, thereby making the skin have a dull lack luster hue, but regular use of African Black Soap would help to slough off dead skin cells, which means that you have a fresh, soft and supple skin always irrespective of your age, and for babies, the black soap is highly effective in protecting the baby’s skin from rashes and minor irritants.

The possibilities are endless when working with African Black Soap, as it serves many purposes from basic cleansers to body scrubs, and I would advice that you get a jar of black soap, the next time you go shopping and enjoy the amazing benefits of this beautiful soap. 

You can as well click here to get a jar of our bestselling Exfoliating Black Soap which delivers a healthy smooth and supple complexion

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