We have started carrying Beauty Secrets Black Soap (Alata Samina) with Shea butter in a tub and in bar form and it kinda on the 10 of the amazing scale. When I say amazing scale . I mean 0 is not so amazing and 10 is totally amazing. Not only is it a fair trade Ghana Soap but it has long been used to heal problem skin. Its good for thinning fine lines, evening out dark spots, eczema, razor bumps and eliminating blemishes. It is also used to lightly exfoliate and give you healthier looking skin. The soap can also be used on your body or hair or for oily skin, dry skin, skin rashes, scalp irritations, body odors and is good for sensitive skin. There are many other claims to the benefits of black soap, which may be proven/disproven by the user.
Beauty Secrets Black Soap (Alata Samina) with Shea butter is made from the ash of locally harvested plants and barks such a
plantain, cocoa pods, palm tree leaves, and shea tree bark. First the
leaves and bark are sun-dried and then roasted in a kettle or pot at an
even, constant temperature, which is important to ensure color, texture
and smell. Then water and various oils - palm oil, coconut oil, palm
kernel oil (including shea butter and cocoa pod powder) - are added to
the mixture and stirred for at least a day. After that, the "soap" is
left to set for two weeks to cure. Different tribes
and communities have adopted their own specific (secret) blend of oils
and cooking techniques, which can be seen in the different color
variations among black soap. The ash itself was often used to heal cuts.
The plantain skins give the soap Vitamin A & E, and iron. Because the soap has the highest shea butter content of any soap, it also offers UV protection. The soap is also good for sensitive skin, meaning its a good option for babies or the elderly. Some people with caffeine sensitivities may need to test out soap that contains cocoa pods as there is some evidence that the caffeine can be transmitted through contact with the skin.