Black soap is a newly popular beauty product in America, but in Ghana, it is a household remedy for skin problems. This trendy soap has a bounty of benefits that lead to healthier skin.
The lustrous black shade of this soap is due to the addition of potash, a potassium-rich salt, made from ashes, that is often substituted by sodium-rich lye in other soaps. The potash in black soap is usually derived from ingredients found in Ghana, such as cocoa pods and plantain skin. Plantain is known for fighting inflammation when applied to the skin, and the nutrient-rich cocoa pods also do wonders for skin.
All soap must be made with fat as well as lye or potash—the fat in black soap is usually either shea butter or palm oil. Both of these fats give black soap a smooth texture.
Other ingredients you can find only in black soap include tropical honeys, virgin coconut oil, and often many local ingredients of the soap producers that help increase the soap’s beauty benefits.
Black soap does not have one standard recipe, and although all versions of it are known as outstanding face washes and shampoos that nourish and moisturize, the specific additions will vary.
As such, it is important to read the ingredients of your black soap in order to know what you are applying to your body.
Black soap can be bought online at Amazon, or found at your local drug store. It is important to buy smart: read reviews for the brand you are buying, and look for soaps with fewer ingredients and add-ins.
The soap should be a deep, slightly translucent brown color, not jet black, and smell earthy and rich. There are a lot of companies hopping on the black soap bandwagon, and unfortunately not all companies are going to sell legitimate black soap. Our editor's favorite brand is by Shea Moisture (click here to check it out!).Whenever buying new, exotic beauty products, be sure to see what the original version of it is supposed to look like! Your skin will absolutely thank you.
Black Soap
