african-black-soap

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Skincare in South Africa

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 9:09 AM

We all know the dangers of staying in a country where we have sunshine throughout the year. The dangers of sunburn and Melanoma.

What is largely ignored are the effects of not applying an effective skincare regime and using the correct products. This we ussually only regret with the onset of age.

- Cleansers cleanse the skin of impurities and restore the natural oil balance. Liquid cleansers are available in the market for all skin types. A good cleanser deep cleanses, opens the pores, and removes excess oil and makeup. Cream based cleansers are good for dry skin. Black soap is an excelent cleanser; Using the soap it's best to create a good lather with your hands. Gently apply this to your face. After a few seconds rinse and dry ASAP.
- Refreshers complete the cleansing process. They tone, soothe and hydrate the skin and keep the complexion clear and clean. Astringents for oily and normal skin types, toners for normal and dry skin and fresheners are meant for dry sensitive or problem skin. Because of it's genle nature and natural ingredients black soap automatically refreshes the skin
- Moisturizers refuel your skin's moisture and nourish it. Moisturizers form a protective shield to minimize moisture evaporation and dehydration of dry area. They help restore skin's natural moisture balance. While oil control moisturizers control excess oil and prevent blemishes, emollients are creams for dry skin that replenish the natural supply of the skin's oil. Once again, the Plantain in the black soap is high in vitamin A and E to nourish, while the shea is an excelent moisturiser.
No wonder African black soap is gaining a following with people serious about skincare.

Liquid ABS

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 6:54 AM

It's really easy to convert the original African black soap to a Liquid African Black Soap.
You can make a liquid soap by filling a container loosely with the black soap and adding water to fill - I suggest submerse the ABS up to two thirds. You can then add water once the soap has dissolved to achieve the viscosity you want.

Although I'm not in favour of introducing other ingredients, some of you may want to add fragrances or Aloe Vera. If so, you'll need:

About 450g of African Black Soap

Vegetable Glycerine

Aloe Vera Gel

Lavender Oil or whatever scent you like (totally optional)

6 Cups water (You can use distilled water, filtered water, spring water, or tap water.)

Crumble the soap in a container, fill it with the water, then cover and leave overnight. OR you can put the crumbled soap and water in a pot on low heat until all the soap is dissolved.

Make sure to stir now and again so it doesn’t stick to the pot!

Once the soap is dissolved, put it in a bowl (the hard black pieces are Cocoa pods and perfectly normal!). Add a few drops of Lavender (or whatever scent you want or don't want). The next two ingredients are based on how you like it. I would suggest about a 1/2 cup of Aloe Vera Gel and about a 1/3 cup of Vegetable Glycerine. Add a little at a time (don't forget to stir it!), make sure to try it out before adding more stuff. Once it's the way you like it, pour it into your containers.

It will thicken just a bit after adding the Vegetable Glycerine - but it's not a thick thick liquid soap. It really doesn't need to be since it works so well as is!

Bottle and carry on using and enjoying the benefits of the original African Black Soap ... Out of Africa!

The testimonials roll in!!!!

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 6:55 AM

After just 3 weeks and a fantastic reception I've received several great comments/ testimonials!

From Stef: "Soap is fantastic! I've only used it for 1 day & eczema on my hands have healed nicely! Itch gone completely! "

From Lisa: "That soap is awesome! ! ! Kyle loves it too... we’ll def. Get more, and Kavita wants to try a bar too when the next shipment come in"

From Mike: "Amazing ABS! Smells good, builds up a pnenominal lather and is great as a shampoo"

Just one more week remaining on our special - Order now and be the first one on your block to ride the wave .... "Out of Africa .... naturally!!!"

Introductory offer

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 8:52 AM

For two weeks only!!!!!

Regular price R65/ bar (Excl VAT and shipping)
Share in the experiance - Buy two bars of soap and pay only R48.75/ Ea (Exl VAT and delivery)

Special deals available for larger quantities and Hospitality industry requirements.

To order, simply go to the order page and fill out the form!!

Testimonial

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 7:22 AM

Here's a (Random) testimonial, quoted from "Makeup Alley":

From: charb3 on 10/4/2010 10:47:00 AM

Age: 36-43 Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Not Sure Hair: Brunette, Other, Other Eyes: Green

"HG! Truly HG! Where the hell have you been all my life? My skin glows. Redness has disappeared and my blackheads are non-existent. Small bumps are beginning to diminish along my forhead and behind my ears/under my chin. Initially, my skin purged, but now.

How to extend the life of your Black Soap

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 8:00 AM

Being made of Natural ingredients, Black Soap tends to have a good concentration of glycerine. This makes it retain moisture/ water. This coupled to the fact that it is naturally soft will result in the soap washing away if left moist.

The best way to reduce this is to use a wire soap holder/ dish. or even better still ... wrap it in a Ziplock bag.

Producing the Lye.

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 11:53 AM

Without Lye to react with the Palm (or Palm Kernel) oil there is no soap. In Black soap the lye is even more important as it is created from the most benificial ingredients - Plantain skins, Shea, Cocoa and water.

It's these ingredients that mainly benefit Psoriasis suferers and sooth Dry skin and eczema.

Firstly peel the plantains (A tip here: place the Plantains in warm water for 5 minutes before peeling - it helps with the peeling.). Slit the skin along their Length, avoiding the ridges. Make 4 or 5 cuts so that the skin can be removed in strips.

Save the flesh for some tasty snacks - recipe's to follow at a later date.

Where do I find the ingredients for natural soap?

Posted by Naturally out of Africa. on 7:16 AM

African Black Soap originates in West Africa, so stores that cater for this community are obvious sources.

A word of warning: Unfortunately there are widespread scams in these countries so make sure you have the correct product in your hands before parting with your money!!

The Palm oil you can also source from some Asian stores (Malysia is a major producer, but is somewhat tainted as a supplier because of their destruction of the forests to grow Palms for oil). You ideally want the unrefined or raw Red Palm oil