Fair Trade African Black Soap is now available at Oshun Spirit Earth Friendly Goods

The average person absorbs nearly 130 chemicals each morning through the use of skincare products. (The average woman will ingest nearly four pounds of lipstick in her lifetime, but we'll save that for another day!) But if you are thinking that maybe its time to stop feeding your skin chemicals, and are searching for organic skincare that is handmade with handpicked ingredients, I'd like to introduce you to African Black Soap.

African Black Soap is generally made in West Africa. Although some types are made in the United States and Europe, soaps from these countries are mass produced and are not true African Black Soap, and probably have artificial ingredients added to them to give the dark coloring. Fake African Black Soap will stain your washcloth, it contains dyes.

True African Black Soap is created from the leaves and bark of trees and plants which are burned in a kettle. These include leaves from banana trees, plantain skins, leaves and bark, palm tree leaves, cocoa pods, and shea tree bark. Water is then added to the ashes and then filtered. Oils including shea butter, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and cocoa butter are added to this water to create the soap. The soap is then hand stirred by local women for at least a day and then set out to cure for two weeks. Each region and tribe have their own recipe that has been handed down through generations. 

The color of African Black Soap varies depending on the region it's made in since the availability of the ingredients varies. African Black Soap from coastal regions of Africa contains a higher percentage of coconut oil whereas soap from the interior regions contains more shea butter.

It is important to purchase only Fair Trade African Black Soap. Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that helps producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards. It focuses in particular on exports from developing countries to developed countries, most notably handicrafts, coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, bananas, honey, cotton, and wine.

Dudu-Osun is regarded as the finest African Black Soap, and it is made with all organic ingredients including cocoa pod powder, honey, shea, and tropical herbs. It is a Fair Trade product. Ose Dudu (doudoun) comes from the Yoruba languages of Nigeria, Benin and Togo and means literally Soap (ose) Black (dudu ). It effectively restores damaged skin and is helpful in healing chronic eczema, acne, freckles and dark spots. Dudu-Osun is with Osun (Camwood extract) citrus juices and native honey. It also contains organic Aloe Vera.

Use this soap on your body, face, and hair. You will look and feel as if you've spent hours being pampered at a Spa. Not only will it leave you glowing, it has amazing healing properties which help  relieve rashes, scalp irritations, scars and stretch marks and evens out your skin tone. Black soap gives your face a deep cleansing, leaving it fresh and healthy, and it diminishes fine lines and wrinkles.  It is appropriate for all skin types, as it is purifying and balancing.  Use it to soften rough skin, balance oily skin and dry skin, and heal acne, blemishes and other skin problems.

Sound too good to be true? You be the judge! I'll be adding little samples of Dudu-Osun African Black Soap in all outgoing packages in the next few weeks so you can experience it for yourself. Dudu-Osun African Black Soap can be purchased at Oshun Spirit Earth Friendly Goods and at our new storefront on Addoway.com.


May you be beautiful!


image credit: ilovemylocs.blogspot.com