What is African black soap good for?
A time-honoured beauty secret, African black soap (ose dudu – Yoruba; anago samina, alata samina – Twi) is said to be the cure-all for all manner of problematic skin – from eczema to oily skin and from blemishes and irritated skin. Moisturising, cleansing and comforting, African black soap is an alchemy of ingredients such as sustainable palm oil, coconut oil, tamarind extract and plant matter, which together produce its much-lauded anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, exfoliating and cleansing properties. There are well over 100 formulations of African soap, and many have a very different texture to the ose dudu that most are familiar with. The black soap ncha nkota, for example, which is said to have originated from the Igbo community, has a characteristic soft texture.
Origins and production of authentic African black soap
African soap is said to have originated in the Yoruba communities in Benin and Togo. The soap is also believed to have been sold to the Ghanaians by Yoruba women ‘alata’ traders – a moniker derived from the Yoruba word for ‘pepper’ (alata). Yoruba women had a pivotal role in agricultural commerce (as they still do). Not only would these women harvest the raw farm goods, but they would also process them and then sell them at markets.
African soap is made using traditional recipes passed down from generation to generation. The key ingredients of African black soap include plant matter such as plantain skins (which provide the soap with its key vitamins – A and E – as well as iron) and shea tree bark, which are dried by the sun and then burnt to generate ash that imbues the soap with its characteristic dark colour. This ash is the thing that provides the important alkali that is needed to convert the oils and fats into alcohol. To this ash are added water and a variety of oils and fats such as sustainable palm oil and shea butter. This stage is followed by cooking and stirring for at least 24 hours. The soap is left to solidify, after which it is then cured after two weeks have passed before shaping into the soaps we buy today.
Watch: The making of African black soap – no vanity project
Bonus
Here’s a great tip from Moments with Mav: for an easy shampoo, dissolve small chunks of African black soap in warm water (use any small bottle) and, bingo- you’ve ‘made’ yourself some shampoo!
What’s your experience of African black soap? Are you, like me, a fan?
