Black Soap

Black soap is a natural soap made from water and palm oil.  I started using it when I heard how damaging medicated bar soaps can be.  My preference is now liquid black soap, as it is ultra cleaning and lasts longer than bar soap that rinses away.  Along with shea butter, black soap is especially good for skin that is exposed to the sun.

The Process

Things You'll Need:

• Coconut husks
• Plantain skins
• Cocoa pods
• Shea tree bark
• Hand press
• Bowl
• Strainer
• Double boiler
• Lighter
• Soap mold

Black soap is made like this:
1

Press coconut husks in a hand press to extract palm oil.



2
Burn the plantain skins, cocoa pods and shea bark to ash.



3
Mix the ash with water in the bowl, and pour through the strainer into the double boiler.



4
Add the palm oil to the double boiler and cook over low heat.



5
Stir the mixture until smooth.



6
Scoop hot soap off the surface of mixture when it begins to rise to the surface, and leave it to cool.



7
Pour the cooled wax into the mold of your choice and leave to sit until hard.



8
Leave the hardened soap to cure for two weeks.


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If you have ever gone to an African fest in any big American city you will probably have seen these soaps being sold by different vendors.  Some soaps come directly from Africa, in its raw form; while others are made by Africans in America.  Bar soaps usually range from $3-$7 and can be more depending on where you shop.  Liquid soap also tends to cost more and the rates for raw black soap depend on where it comes from and who one buys it from.  The nice thing about buying bulk is one can usually negotiate a bargain... that is the African way!

My rankings are in no particular order and I have not used all of the soaps listed here but my recommendations are as follows:

Black Rock Soap
Made in Tema, Ghana... Black Rock soap is refreshingly aloe-scented and good for washing up for bed or a meal.  It is good for sensitive skin.

Dudu Osun

A Nigerian soap that is very good for making skin soft.  The original smells very good and there is a new Tropical smell that is good too, but more fruity.  I like the liquid soap from Dudu Osun because it is liquid... and it smells like the original.

Original

New Tropical

Liquid

Nubian Heritage

Nubian Heritage comes from New York.  Many stores, including Macy's, sell Nubian Heritage.  They also have a line of lotions, body washes and other "smell-goods".

I really like the Honey and Black Seed soap from Nubian Heritage.  Other types include:

Peppermint Soap w/Crushed Almonds & Baking Soda

Ivorian Cocoa Butter Soap w/Milk Chocolate

Lemongrass & Tea Tree Soap 

Raw Shea Butter with Frankincense & Myrrh Soap

Olive Butter & Green Tea Soap

Mango Butter Soap

Lavender & Wildflowers Soap

Indian Hemp & Haitian Vetiver Soap

(The lemongrass and tea tree removes razor bumps) 

Sunaroma
 Also out of NY (Brooklyn to be exact), Sunaroma is another great source of black soap.  Their e-store offers a varity of soap and hair care products.

The oatmeal and vitamin e soap is good for smoothing rough skin around elbows and knees as well as eczema.  I have not tried all of their soaps besides that or their Egyptian Musk.  Good lookin' Brooklyn.


Raw Options

If you are looking for larger quantities of Black Soap, you should try going to an African fair for Kwanzaa or during the Summer. Otherwise, you can try online options like Amazon or go to an importer if you live in a large city, like African Art and Objects in Chicago.