Teach Soap

i want to make this soap but it dont contain any lye so dont no how it works really has anyone got a recipe i could try please

I don't have a recipe but I taught a CP class to a group of Congolese women a while back. I don't charge for doing this but to say thank you, they gave me large chunks of shea butter, cocoa butter and black African soap. I was also able to buy some during my recent travels across Europe. It's awesome stuff. I mailed a piece to someone here when I returned from my trip but I'm sorry and don't remember who it was. Whoever it was can attest it's really nice to use but it will dry out your skin if you continue to use it long term.

The explanation I received from the Congolese women was that black African soap is actually made from tree tar. They spoke only French and my French is good but not great so I may not have understood correctly. Did you check online? If you speak any other languages you can check other countries google for a hit. Just a thought. Sorry I don't have a recipe or I would share it with you.

I did a quick search and found this. Looks like a lot of work with very specific ingredients.

Remove the cocoa beans from the pods and burn over low flame until they turn to ash. Burn the plantain skins to ash. Add water to the cocoa bean and plantain skin ashes. Place the coconut palm oil in a double boiler. Add the ashes and shea butter to mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture becomes smooth. If you want, add an essential oil like lavender or rose geranium while liquid is cooking to add a scent. Soap should start to solidify and float to the top of liquid. Use a spoon to scoop out the soap mixture as it settles on top of the liquid. Place the soap mixture in a mold. The soap will conform to the mold once it has completely cooled. Allow two weeks for soap to cure before using.

Read more: African Black Soap Recipes | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/way_5332113_african ... z1D6cFQJhF

So my French speaking abilities need a little work......

Supersoaper, it was moi who received the bit of African Black soap. It was quite luxurious in colors and to feel out of the shower, felt almost clay like and it was intriguing. The soap was quite drying to my skin as a hand soap and as a shower soap. Women's skin need a more gentle soap, as female skin is not as thick layered as male skin. Perhaps it would be nice for someone with very oily skin and for sure in a locker room!

In ancient times say ancient Italy ashes were used as the alkali in soaps, the lye per say. So this recipe has lye in it just a different form of alkali, ashes that requires much preparation, and isn't as accurate as using lye especially when measuring lye in grams!

The saying goes "No Lye No Soap"! That is the truth!

Happy soaping everyone!

I'm sorry Mella. I had to clean out my messages to make room for more and couldn't remember. Thanks for the explanation. I do know that during WWII this was the preferred soap of the overseas troop. The were given blocks of it to wash their clothes and shower with. As you stated, it is very drying. Yes, I played football, yes I have a ranch, yes I do a lot of manual labor.....but I have soft skin. Laugh if you want. Part of the reason I make my own soap. I used black African for a little while but it dried me out like a prune (is a prune the correct reference here? or is a raisin more correct?)

When you soak in the tub for too long your fingers turn into prune texture, "My fingers look like prunes"!

"The soap dried my skin and I'm dry as a bone" where is the moisturizer!

Your english is excellent for it being your 3rd language. You have a language gift perhaps grew up with opportunities to live about and learning at a young age! Hey you are still young! LOL

I have a bar of black African soap that I purchased from my shea supplier. I use it every once in awhile on my face if i get a little acne that i can't get rid of and it does help me but i tone and moisturize like crazy after so I don't get dry spots. A girl i know who is from Ghana brought a big chunk of black soap to a soap making class to show everyone recently and her soap was soft and crumbly and my bar is harder.

I read pretty much the same thing about the process as SuperSoaper. The reason it is so drying is because the "pot ash" measurements are not as exact making it slightly more caustic than our newer more calculated methods of measuring lye vs. oils. Apparently this soap composition varies by village as the recipes are passed through the generations and based on the local ingredients used. Fascinating stuff really.

thanks seems like a lot of work but interesting

definately consider making your own cp recipe (I go super mild or 0 cleansing value on soap calc) and incorporate 10% authentic African Black soap at trace.

It makes a fabulous soap. I call it asprin for the skin(not making a medical claim), I'm just saying, it leaves the skin, very "calm", not itchy or dry.

That's a great idea phillysoap. Do you just break off little bits of the black african and throw it in the pot?

WOW! That sounds very interesting! I think I have to add this to my "must try" list, and since that is about a mile long, I think I will even put it toward the top! Thanks for sharing Phillysoap!

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Thanks for the advice. I have a small chunk left so I know what I'm doing tonight.

Do you have to factor in anything that the black soap may add or alter such as the oils in it or if there may be any reaction from the pot ash used to make that soap?

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