How to Use African Black Soap to Avoid Dry Skin

African Black Soap has been used for centuries as a natural cleansing agent for the skin. The soap is usually made with a few ingredients, however, its naturally strong, and this can either be super beneficial and moisturizing to the skin for some or cause dryness for others. In this guide, we’ll discuss how to safely use African Black Soap.

First Time Using Black Soap

When first switching from your usual cleanser, and including black soap in your daily/nightly skincare, you might notice your skin feels dry. You might even notice your skin is tight and releases toxins in the form of pimples. This is due to the soap drawing out impurities, as it naturally detoxes the skin.

African Black Soap has exfoliating properties and can lead to red skin or skin irritations. This often results after using the soap too often, using a facial cleansing brush with the soap, or exfoliating before using the soap. However, after using the African Black Soap for a while, the skin begins to get used to the natural properties, and these issues go away. But just like with anything you use on your skin, you should do a patch test and see if your body adjusts well to African Black Soap before using it on your body.

Because African Black Soap is a natural soap, there are numerous recipes and ingredients used to make it. So it’s also important to read all ingredients to make sure none of the added materials are the results of any breakouts or reactions. Our Olive + Hemp Black Soap uses Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Plantain Leaf ash, Hempseed Oil, and Olive Oil. If you are allergic to these items (or items similar) consider discontinuing the soap. 

• Plantain allergies: Could You Have a Banana Allergy or Intolerance?
• Palm Oil allergies: Does Palm Oil Cause Allergic Reactions?

 

Dry + Sensitive Skin

If you have dry or sensitive skin, you might notice more skin irritations than others. Raw African Black Soap, will be too strong for those with this skin type. Therefore the best way to use African Black Soap for sensitive skin is in small quantities, or by diluting into a Liquid Black Soap (check out the free Chamomile Liquid Black Soap Recipe).

When you melt down the soap into liquid form you can also add soothing oils and/or butters to decrease the strength of the natural soap. After cleansing with the soap, it’s good practice to use a good moisturizer (cream, lotion, or butter) to combat the dryness. When using African Black Soap on your face, it’s also good practice to use a gentle toner to close your pores, then follow up with your moisturizer.

How often you cleanse with African Black Soap should also be considered. If you notice the soap is drying your skin out when you use it every day, try using it every 2-3 days, or as a detox soap once a week. Then slowly increase to using every 1-2 days so your skin can build the properties to appreciate the strength of the soap. Here is a good example on how to incorporate African Black Soap into your face cleaning routine if you have sensitve skin:

Oily + Pimple Prone Skin

African Black Soap is great for decreasing excess oil and detoxing the skin to reduce the bacteria that causes pimples. However, that doesn’t mean oily skin types will always avoid reactions or dryness! Just like with sensitive skin, oily skin types should try using the soap every 2-3 days, then increasing to 1-2 days after seeing how the African Black Soap reacts to their skin. So aim to only use African Black Soap 2-3 times a week! 

The soap is a natural detoxifier and exfoliator so it’s also best to use a toner and moisturizer that’s great for oily skin. Here is a good example on how to incorporate African Black Soap into your face cleaning routine if you have oily anf pimple prone skin:

 

Using African Black Soap on Your Body

There are many who rave about using African Black Soap as their daily shower gel, however you should still consider your skins sensitivity when swaping it out from your usualy body soap. Using African Black Soap on sensitive areas-like the crotch or underarms-could lead to dryness in those areas, especially within the first couple of weeks. Use a liquid black soap formula or spread out the time you use ABS if dryness does occur (like the face routines above). Again if there are any extreme reactions, avoid use, and consult your dermatologist.

Skin Reactions + How To Do A Patch Test

ALWAYS check the ingredients of a product you are using for the first time. For example, if you know you are allergic to bananas you may have a reaction to the plantain ash generally used in the soap. If you are unsure, the next option is to do a patch test. Lather up some of the soap in your and rub it into the inside of your arm (where your elbow is) and let it dry. Watch the area to see if any rashes or irritation occurs. If so, discontinue use, if no irritation comes up, you should be ok to give African Black Soap a try.

 

African Black Soap FAQs:

What can I do to stop the dryness on my skin from using African Black Soap?

We would suggest taking a break from using the soap! You should not be using African Black soap every 1-2x daily. If you notice extreme dryness, remove ABS from your skincare routine and opt for a gentle cleanser. Use water based moisturizers and use sunscreen in the morning to protect your skin.

Can I add things to my African Black Soap to stop the dryness?

One thing you can do is melt your African Black Soap using water to make it a liquid soap. Melt the soap in things like chamomile tea or rose water for added soothing benefits. After washing, you can use your favorite lotion and/or butter to moisturize your skin.

How do I melt my African Black Soap?

Follow our recipe for How to Make Liquid Black Soap for the best ABS and liquid ratio.