Black soap, also called alata samina or anago samina, is a traditional handcrafted West African soap. The soap contains roasted plantain skins, bark from the silk cotton tree water, according to the Journal of African Society. Black soap is used by West Africans to cleanse the body and hair. Due to international exportation, black soap is a source of income for the West African villagers who make it. The soap is sold internationally on the Internet, at health food stores and in specialty stores.
Identification
As the name suggests, black soap is dark brown to black in color. Black soap gets its dark color from the main ingredient---roasted plantain skins. The longer the plantain skins are roasted, the darker the final color of the soap.
Origins
Black soap is hand made in West Africa---predominately Ghana and Nigeria. The exact recipe for the soap varies according to the tribe who makes it. Family members orally pass down black soap recipes to the next generations. Variations of the recipes include the addition of cocoa pods or palm oil to give the soap a smoother texture. Some recipes do not include silk cotton tree bark.
Process
The process for making black soap is lengthy and tedious. First, plantain skins are spread out to dry in the heat of the sun. After the plantain skins are dried, they are roasted in an open fire inside of a clay oven. The dried and roasted plantain skins are ground into a fine ash and mixed with ground up bark from the silk cotton tree. The plantain ash and ground bark are mixed with water and cooked in a pot over a fire, while it is stirred constantly, until the mixture thickens. Once the thick mixture cools enough to touch, it is shaped into balls and set aside to completely harden into a ball of soap.
Features
Black soap is completely natural and lye free, making it an ideal personal hygiene product for heath conscious consumers. Info-Ghana describes black soap as "the only soap in the world that does not require lye, but lathers more than any other soap."
Effects
African black soap is rich in vitamins A and E; both nourish and soothe the skin. The soap is gentle enough for sensitive skin and is recommended as an all around skin treatment soap. Besides being used as a cleanser, in West Africa the soap is used to treat acne, rashes, skin discolorations and dry skin. The soap can be used as a shampoo for normal cleansing or to treat dandruff.
Warning
Purchase black soap from reliable retailers to make sure you are getting authentic black soap. Imitation black soap sold in some stores contains chemical ingredients and black dye to mimic traditional black soap. If the soap is really hard or jet black in color, it is fake. Authentic black soap is soft enough that you can easily dent it with your fingers and is either dark brown, light black or marbled in color.
References
- Journal of the African Society, Volume 24; African Society; 1904
- Info-Ghana: Black Soap
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