Teach Soap

Happy Valetines Day! Okay, so Dr. Oz had on his show today African Black Soap so of course my phone starting ringing anyone have a recipe that they would like to share? I found a few online but not sure if they are any good? Seems strange no lye? I am assuming the ash they tell you to make becomes the lye??? Any input will be much appreciated.

_________________
Four Seasons Fine Handcrafted Soaps
& Specialties, Inc.
Laugh, Love, Live!

True black soap only comes from Africa. You can't make it yourself as it involves using ash from burnt plantain leaves. It's the ash that makes the lye. Some peple make a "fake" black african soap and sell it as real, because the general public doesn't know any better.

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

You may be able to find plantain leaves for sale online, or through a local grocery store. I know they do grow them in the US.

_________________
~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

Yeah My Grandpa wants me to make him some black soap, he used it when he was in Africa and loved it.

_________________
~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

And if memory serves, it is potassium, not sodium, hydroxide that is derived from plant ash, so SAP calculations and solidity may be an issue?

Cheers,
Adam

Thanks. I did find some from scratch recipes on-line and will give it a try but will not sell them for now until I can get a handle on it if ever I will try to order some orginial first and do much more research before partaking in it myself.

_________________
Four Seasons Fine Handcrafted Soaps
& Specialties, Inc.
Laugh, Love, Live!

I bought a few kilos from the Agbanga co-op, online. In fact, I believe this was the first time I tried any kind of CP soap.
The black soap isn't actually black, more like a dark brown. It is fairly soft, for two reasons I think, first that the shea butter is unrefined class A and has a lot of unsaponifiables, and second, as pointed out above, there's a lot of potash in there which makes for a soft soap.
It is a really nice soap to use, very conditioning, supposedly good for stopping skin disorders, but it doesn't last long in the shower.
You can make an equivalent using unrefined class A shea butter, colourant, and a KOH/NaOH mixture. But why bother? Simpler to buy the real thing and make what we want to.

_________________
Four Seasons Fine Handcrafted Soaps
& Specialties, Inc.
Laugh, Love, Live!

_________________
Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.