What is BLACK SOAP?

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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. Do you ever stop to look at the ingredients of this soap?(2) 

You are likely to find triclosan, which can disrupt the thyroid hormone and increased exposure can contribute to the development of breast cancer. You will find fragrance, which is usually a safe word for phthalates, a chemical that can cause birth defects and liver damage. There are so many chemicals that are used in nearly all "cleansing bars" sold in stores today. (2)

I often use the words “never put anything on your skin your wouldn’t eat!”

Whatever soap or cosmetics you use are absorbed through your skin into your blood stream. Health first, beauty second.

So what makes African black soap different that even Dr. Oz applauds it:

Raw Ghana Black Soap

1.        African Black Soap comes from plantain skin, which is a natural source of vitamins A & E & iron. (1)(3)
2. It is made with rare tropical honeys & pure unrefined Shea butter.
3.      It 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. (2)
4.   African black soap is unique in that it contains no preservatives, color enhancers, or fragrances. (2)
5. It helps to heal acne, eczema, shaving bumps and spots. (2) (3) (4)
6.    African black soap creates a soft lather without the animal fat additives that are commonly used in soaps made in the US/Canada. (2) Read more here

How 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 about two weeks.(2) (4)

The methods of making traditional black soap and its secrets have been passed down from generation to generation to keep the soap close to Mother Nature and avoid exploitation & imitations. Many have tried to create their version of black soap with all kinds of ingredients, but Ghanaian & Nigerian black soap are the best quality because they are ORIGINAL. (1) The most common form of  black soap which comes from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin republic is called Ose Dudu (Dudu Osun). Ose Dudu literally means Soap (ose) and Black (dudu).

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!

There is no such thing as traditional liquid black soap. If you encounter liquid black soap bear in mind it is not traditional. There are liquid black soaps on the market made from natural ingredients. Do not confuse these with traditional black soap. Liquid black soap is new to the market and an extension of traditional black soap. If you are into natural products, you should ask your vendor what the ingredients are in their liquid black soap. (3)

DIY LIQUID BLACK SOAP For a liquid black soap, fill a container with the soft African Black Soap; crumbled or broken into smaller, more easily dissolved pieces. Add 20% purified or distilled water; again, that's 2 parts water to 8 parts black soap. Seal the container and set aside for several hours. This makes an excellent shampoo or shower gel. (2)

African Black Soap contains a whopping 48% unrefined Shea butter! The commercial soaps and lotions only add 1% to 4% ultra refined, which is too little Shea and it has the healing properties removed; it most likely was refined using a chemical process that leaves trace chemicals in the Shea butter. The average homemade Shea soap can only handle 10% Shea butter. How will I know the difference? Oh, you'll know! African Black Soap is made using a natural lye saponification with no preservatives added or needed. (2)

Where to buy Black Soap? Nharo Fair trade arts & crafts Inc. 

Warning: The FAKE SOAP is hard, black and does not even compare to the original. Real Black Soap is always brownish-black. The longer the plantain skins are roasted the darker the soap. But the soap is never completely black & it is not scented. (3)

References:

1. Dr. Oz Fans. “Dr. Oz: Acerola Cherry, Frankincense oil & Africa Black Soap.”. Drozfans.com. February 14. 2012. Web. 24 February. 2012.
2. Mad hatters Wholesale. “African Black Soap.” Sheanmore.com. 03 April. 2012. Web. 23 February. 2012.
3. “A Brief History of Black Soap, Alata Samina or Anago Samina.” www.sheabutterr.com. N.D. Web. 22^nd February. 2012.
4. “African Organic Black Soap.” organicblacksoap.com. N.D. Web. 23 February. 2012.

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100% Pure Unrefined African Shea Butter

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The ancient Egyptian queen, Nefertiti, credited her beauty to shea butter.  Today, walking along the aisles of drug stores and grocery departments one cannot help but notice the amount of cosmetics & general skin care products that contain shea butter as an “active” ingredient. While it may seem as though these products have a large quantity of shea butter, they don’t. Although this is what we are intended to think. Ingredients are listed in descending order of percentage, and quite often it is only a small fraction that’s present.

Natural shea butter is manually churned and traditionally extracted with no chemicals. It is whitish or yellowish in colour, silky in texture, and has a distinctive smell. 
Unrefined shea butter is rich in unsaponifiable matter, essential fatty acids, natural latex, and vitamins A, D, E, F, & K. All the things that one's skin loves!

In contrast, refined shea butter is very white with little or no scent, meaning that most of its distinct properties have been lost.

Years ago I put a stop to lotions and bio-oil simply because they contain inarticulate ingredients [which include petroleum bi-products]. I use pure unrefined shea butter daily as a body cream and lip balm, and can honestly tell you it works! [Recommended Nharo’s 100% Shea butter]

10 REASONS to choose 100% pure unrefined shea butter

•   It treats dark spots, skin discolorations, stretch marks and blemishes
•  Shea butter encourages regeneration of skin tissue and skin hydration
•  Shea butter has a natural sunscreen protection  (SPF 15)
•  Heals dry skin, eczema, psoriasis and minor burns
•  Repairs cracked heels and elbows
• Moisturizes and reduces irritation after shaving
• Improves scars due to its anti-inflammatory properties
• Excellent for massages, diaper rash, and as a hair conditioner (Tip: Do a shea butter mask once a week to nourish & protect hair from dryness & breakage)
•  It's a healthy massage oil for kids & babies 
• Excellent for pets! shea butter is rich in vitamin K; Vetenerians use it as a natural remedy when pets ingest poison.

Rule of thumb: If you can’t eat it, don’t put in on your skin.

100% pure unrefined shea butter is naturally extracted from the nut of an edible fruit. For centuries West Africans have used it for cooking and as a lotion. Today, in North America and Europe, it is being used in margarines and as a substitute for cocoa in chocolates.

When buying shea butter make sure it's 100% pure unrefined Grade A (Organic & Fair trade-certified). Fair trade breaks the cycle of poverty. It guarantees that women producers are not exploited by offering them a stable purchase price, higher than that of the traditional market!

Shelf life: 18 months

Natural and Loving it!

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I’ve always been vain and I care a lot about the way my hair and skin look. To be completely honest, my culture and background do not help! Nigerian women are beautiful with flawless radiant skin, and they put a lot of effort into their outward appearance.

Since I am Nigerian, what can I say; my appearance comes first!

However, in the past 2 years things have changed, especially after meeting my husband, he’s an advocate for natural beauty. But what is natural beauty?

Back home, in Africa, I was brought up with hair extensions, relaxers, and numerous cosmetic lines to “maintain” my complexion. In fact, if one did not use hair extensions you were considered a “villager” or  “bush.”

As a moisturizer, I remember on occasion my mum brought home Shea butter, but we mostly used Vaseline petroleum jelly. Then, during my teen years I even tried Skin Success [whatever possessed me???]

Twice a week, I will blog about my journey, one that involves using natural God given products. I will alternate between the hair and the skin, highlighting the need to quit depending on commercial products that do not only harm and destroy our hair and skin, but may also contain potential health risks.

Generally, I find natural products are inexpensive, they may not work as well as some of the other products you are using immediately, but with time you will see a difference.

Lastly, one piece of advice: before buying anything read the ingredients. If there is anything you can’t pronounce, drop it. Research, research and research because this will empower you in making informed choices. We recently visited family for Christmas holidays in Guelph and Waterloo, and I needed to clean my face, travelling sometimes disrupts one’s routine; I stopped at Shoppers drug mart and decided to get face wipes. Face wipes right? That should be easy...

Typically I picked up a few brands and began reading the ingredients, they were unbelievably unpronounceable! I settled for a box of baking soda and 100% cotton exfoliating pads, a much better and healthier option.