Many people have used skincare products that aren’t suitable for their skin type. We’ve all been there. Understanding your skin type and how different products affect it can be difficult and frustrating. It’s all about finding what works best for you.
African Black Soap is fast becoming a beauty must-have – can it really be beneficial no matter your skin type? Here at Kokoa, we’re breaking it down for you.
What is African Black soap?
Authentic African Black Soap is a type of handmade soap originating from western Africa. Traditionally, the soap is made from harvested, sun-dried African plants, such as plantain, cocoa pods, palm tree leaves, and shea tree bark. The ingredients are roasted, giving it its deep brown colour. For extra moisture, water, oils, and shea butter can be added.
Kokoa African Black Soap is made up of four ingredients; roasted cocoa pod ash, shea butter, sunflower oil, and water. It’s 100% natural ingredients are what provides it with its ‘earthy’ scent.
The soap is famous for its healing properties and is known to relieve the symptoms of various skin conditions, including eczema, psoriasis, and acne. It’s soothing, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties have helped many on the path to clear skin.
So, is it good for all skin types?
The short answer is - yep! African black soap is considered to be beneficial for all skin types – dry, oily, sensitive, and combination skin alike. Using it correctly is key to prevent unnecessary side effects.
No matter your skin type, it’s super important you are using Authentic African Black Soap. Imitations of this soap can include chemicals that are drying and harsh on your skin – sometimes even causing burns and redness. The real deal is 100% natural and boasts tonnes of benefits – learn how to spot the fakes here!
How African Black Soap can benefit your skin type:
Dry skin
No matter how much oil or moisturiser you use, does your skin still demand more? You may be a sufferer of dry skin. Your skin is dry in places and can often be flaky, tight, and itchy. Black Soap with added shea butter or another moisturising agent may be your best bet. Shea butter can help relieve itchiness and soothe dry skin.
With this soap, a little goes a long way – if you notice your skin becoming dry, try using less; using too much can be drying to already dehydrated skin. Be sure to use a moisturiser or hydrating serum afterwards to lock in the soap’s natural hydrating effects. These simple tips will help to curb dryness whilst not missing out on the amazing benefits that African Black Soap offers!
Oily & Acne-Prone skin
Have I overdone the highlighter, or am I just oily? Oily skin is shiny and can tend to feel greasy and heavy. You may be avoiding extra oils to save yourself from looking like a disco ball, but this can make your skin worse! If your skin lacks oil, it can go into overproduction and cause more sebum to build up. Look for oils that are non-comedogenic (doesn’t clog your pores), and you’re good to go! Lucky for you, raw African shea butter is just that, so using African Black Soap with this ingredient should gently cleanse without increasing oil.
Oily skin can often lead to acne. African Black Soap is great for this too; thanks to its exfoliating qualities, it’s effective at deep pore cleansing – combating breakouts. It can also help balance your natural oil production without stripping your skin of its essential oils.
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin can be thin and easily irritated. You may suffer from dry patches as well (in fact, dry and sensitive skin tend to have some overlap). Basically, you’re prone to irritation, sunburn, and allergic reactions.
If you have sensitive skin, you probably already steer clear of chemicals and artificial fragrances. Traditional African Black soap is 100% natural and shouldn’t irritate your skin – if it does, try scaling back your usage and slowly building up to twice a day instead. As we already mentioned, a little goes a long way!
As well as soothing irritation, African Black Soap can also help clear rashes related to eczema and psoriasis.
Combination skin
If your skin is a mixture of the above, you have combination skin. You may notice the infamous T-zone (forehead/nose/chin) is oily while your cheeks tend to be dry. Typically, this means different skincare for different areas.
Lucky for you, African Black soap can have benefits for all skin types, so you shouldn’t have a problem using it all over your face. Just make sure to pack some extra moisture onto your characteristically dry areas. African Black Soap with shea butter can even help create that much-needed oil balance in combination skin. A healthy balance is key to managing this skin type!
Other skin concerns
Hyperpigmentation is often caused by acne scarring – another skin concern African Black Soap can help prevent! It repairs damaged skin cells, making your skin smoother and clearer.
Shea butter can reduce collagen loss and encourage new development. This can help reduce fine lines, stretch marks, and wrinkles – producing skin that is firm and plump.
To summarise:
Yep – African Black Soap is good for all skin types! It can keep dry skin moisturised and provide oily skin with a healthy balance. The natural texture of the soap works wonders for exfoliation – leaving skin smooth and firm, whilst it’s natural ingredients hydrate and soothe your skin. A one-size-fits-all approach to skincare? Sign us up!