Make Black Soap

Black soap is a handmade soap, known for being gentle and alleviating skin ailments, that has been used for centuries throughout Western Africa. It consists of a naturally-derived emollient combined with the nutrient-rich ashes of native African plant materials. It is used on the face, body and hair. Currently, some artisans who make black soap deviate from the original African recipe by replacing plantain ashes with more accessible cocoa ashes, as well as by adding essential oils, herbs or dried flowers. By following these steps, you can create your own black soap at home.

Steps

1. Select a base oil. Palm oil, palm kernel oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter are traditionally used as base oils in Africa.
   • If using palm oil, you can extract it yourself by processing coconut palms in a hand press. Since this is laborious work, and palms are hard to come by in some regions, you can purchase palm oil that has already been extracted.
   • The amount of base oil needed will vary depending on how much soap you wish to make. The amount of oil used should not exceed half the capacity of your double boiler. However, those who wish to make a larger amount of soap generally process it in batches.
2. Oven roast the plantain skins. In order to ensure consistent texture, oven roast or sun dry the plantain skins (or alternative ingredient).
3. Burn the plantain skins. Now, burn the plantain skins (or alternative ingredients), creating an ash that will be leached to release its component parts.
   • Plantain skins are typically used in Africa, but plantains are rare in many other countries. Soap makers typically replace them with cocoa pods, palm tree leaves, or shea tree bark. Often, a combination of these ingredients is used.
   • The amount of skins and pods needed will vary depending on how much soap you are making and how concentrated you would like the black ingredients to be in your soap.
   • The ashes contain potassium hydroxide, a precursor to many solid and liquid soaps.
4. Stir the ashes in water. Add the ashes to 2 cups of warm, distilled water and stir until they are dissolved.
   • Add more ashes or water as needed until the liquid is as dark and concentrated as you would like.
   • Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat.
   • Once the ashes have dissolved completely, remove the ash/water mixture from heat, and strain it through a fine strainer, setting aside the remnants.
5. Heat the base oil. Using a double boiler, heat the base oil over low heat until it's melted and heated through.
6. Add the ash mixture. Pour the ashy liquid to the heated base oil, while stirring. Add more ashy liquid until you achieve the desired shade of dark brown or black. Continue stirring over low heat until the liquid is smooth.
7. Add a scent agent (optional). If desired, add drops of essential oil, such as lavender, or dried plants, such as chamomile. Traditional African black soap does not contain any additives, but some soap makers prefer to make their own scented versions of the soap.
8. Remove liquid soap. As you continue stirring the mixture, a frothy, waxy substance will begin to form at the surface. Scoop this liquid soap from the surface of the double boiler as it forms, continuing until all the water has boiled off. Transfer it into molds.
9. Cure the soap. The soap must be left in the molds for up to two weeks to cure. This will allow the soap time to solidify before use. The finished product will be solid, but malleable when pressed.

Tips

• Black soap does not expire or decay over time.
• Some prefer to cut or break pieces from the bar to bring into the bath or shower, instead of getting the whole bar wet at one time.
• Black soap should be stored on a dry surface.
• Black soap tends to be softer than many other forms of soap, and it dissolves easily when soaked in water.

Things You'll Need

• Base oil (palm oil, palm kernel oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter)
• Plantain skins or cocoa pods
• Double boiler
• Distilled water
• Essential oils, herbs or dried flowers (optional)
• Soap molds

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• Make 'Melt and Pour' Soap

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Calamine Soap
• Make Lye
• Make Your Own Soap
• Use Castile Soap
• Make Homemade Liquid Dish Soap
• Make a New Bar of Soap from Used Bars of Soap
• Make 'Melt and Pour' Soap
• Make Glycerin Soap
• Make Handmade Soap
• Make Organic Soap

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