African black soap

Common card · No. 368163

African black soap, or simply black soap (also known by various local names such as ọṣe dúdú, sabulun salo, and ncha nkota), is a kind of soap originating in Nigeria, invented by the Yoruba people. It is made from the ash of locally harvested African plants and dried peels, which gives the soap its characteristic dark colour as well as oils derived from plant sources. Black soap has become a popular toiletry product in North America. In Nigeria, black soap is often made by women using traditional recipes and is often exported through fair trade groups. Black soap has been found to have some antimicrobial properties against skin microbiota such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans.

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