HOW TO MAKE BLACK SOAP FROM SCRATCH

A Secret recipe big brands use to produce different black soaps

WHAT IS AFRICAN BLACK SOAP?

African black soap is a plant-based cleanser, traditionally handmade using natural ingredients derived from West Africa. “Ghanaians, Nigerians, and other African countries have used black soap for many years,” explains Nana Otu, founder of Coco Nyle Skin. “African Black Soap originated with the Yoruba people in Nigeria and the Yoruba communities in Benin and Togo. Moreover, the soap holds great influences in different parts of Africa, which has led to it being attached to various names such as, ose dudu, alata samina, anago samina, and many more.

The detailed process to create African black soap begins with sun-drying plantain peels.

“The skin of palm leaves and cocoa pods are then baked in a clay oven to produce ash,” says Otu. “Then, water is added to the ashes and filtered. Ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter are heated and added, and hand-stirred for 24 hours.” The soap will then solidify and rise to the top of the mixture and is left to set for about two weeks before it’s ready to be used in liquid or bar soap form, as a mask, or in moisturizers.

Traditional black soap is typically a mixture of water and the ashes of plantain skins, cocoa pod powder, and palm oil. Other recipe blends can include the ashes of palm leaves or shea tree bark, and a combination of palm oil, coconut oil, shea butter, or tropical honey.

BENEFIT OF AFRICAN BLACK SOAP:

• Protects against photoaging and fade discoloration
• Improves skin tone
• Reduces inflammation and skin irritations
• Helps to heal problem skin
• Has deep cleansing action
• Alleviates razor bumps
• Exfoliates

Common Ingredients in Black Soap

• Plantain skins and leaves have a high concentration of iron and vitamins A and E. Vitamin E helps with tissue structure, is healing, and helps moisturize the skin, improving texture and tone. Vitamin A benefits collagen production. Allantoin in the leaves of plantain stimulates the growth of new skin cells.
• Cocoa powder softens and firms the skin. Its properties fight against free radicals, repair damaged skin, and renew skin cells.
• Cocoa butter is a natural fat extracted from the cacao bean. It’s been used for years as a moisturizer. It’s vitamin-rich and helps the skin retain moisture and improves elasticity. Cocoa butter is also said to improve the appearance of stretch marks. It has also been used to ease skin conditions like rashes, eczema, and psoriasis.
• Shea butter (karite butter), made from the nuts of the karite tree helps to strengthen skin and repair damage. It has been used to heal burns, sores, and scars and treat psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis. It helps promote cell renewal and diminish the appearance of wrinkles.
• Palm oil is packed with antioxidants and two forms of vitamin E – tocopherol and tocotrienol – which is helpful in the treatment of acne and eczema and reduces cell damage caused by environmental toxins and free radicals.
• Palm kernel oil is extracted from the fruit seeds of the African palm tree. It is high in lauric acid, which has antifungal and antibacterial properties.
• Coconut oil has fatty acids that work to reinforce the skin’s lipid barrier and lock in moisture. Coconut oil may also help repair skin damage, dry skin, and eczema and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

How To Make African Black Soap From Scratch?

African black soap has become a popular and traditional artifact created by using natural ingredients, and the demand for black soap is high.The soap is popularly known as OSEDUDU in Yoruba land, and in GHANA, it is called ALATA SAMINA. Africa black soap color ranges from light brown to deep black depending on the indigenous method of formulation. Palm oil and Palm kernel oil, and commonly used as a base while the oil component is usually in the form of potash, served from the ash of plantain skins and cocoa pods, shea tree bark, and by-products of shea-butter production.

1. Choosing the Method:

For quicker saponification, the open fire method is essential when making African Black Soap, a common practice among Yoruba women in Ghana and Nigeria.

2. Oil Selection:

Choose oils based on availability. No preservative is needed for solid African black soap due to its high pH. However, liquid versions, diluted with water, require preservation as increased water content lowers the pH.

3. Recipe Ingredients:

Plantain Bark Ash: 48.35g

Distilled Water: 98.35g

Palm Kernel Oil: 132g

Fragrance: 0.2g

Total Weight: 346.99g

4. Process:

Step 1: Pour plantain ash into water, stir gently, and let it ferment for three days.

Step 2: Once fully dissolved, strain the solution if sediment is present.

Step 3: Pour the ash solution into oils and heat, stirring together.

Step 4: Begin cooking the black soap, observing stages like foaming, separating oils and water, darkening of the liquid, and final cooking.

5. Cooking Stages:

Stage 1 – Foaming: Initial phase during heating.

Stage 2 – Separation: Oils and water begin to separate.

Stage 3 – Darkening: The liquid darkens.

Stage 4 – Final Cooking: Completing the soap-making process.

6. Testing for Readiness:

Once cooked, the soap will remain liquid. Test by scooping a small amount and dropping it into cold water. If stable, it’s ready for use.

By following these steps, you’ll create African Black Soap using the open fire method, ensuring a traditional and effective soap-making process.

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