What Is African Black Soap Made Of? (Explained)

This Baraka guide has the full ingredient lists, the steps from ash to bar and a check for spotting a commercial copy. African black soap is a traditional West African soap made by cooking plant oils and butters with potash, which comes from the ash of plants such as cocoa pods and plantain peels. Baraka's black soap is made by hand by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana. Every Baraka black soap bar is handmade using traditional ingredients and processes.

This guide covers what is in African black soap, how the ash and oils turn into soap, how the bars are formed, and how to tell traditional soap from a commercial copy. For the full background, see African Black Soap: The Complete Guide to What It Is, Where It Comes From, and Why It's Different. For how to use it on face, body and hair, and for traditional uses, see Baraka Black Soap: An Ultimate Guide to Using It.

For the history, see The History of African Black Soap. For Baraka's sourcing story, see Baraka's Fair Trade Story. For hair, see African Black Soap for Hair. For acne-prone skin, see Is African Black Soap Good for Acne-Prone Skin?.

A note on this guide: it is DIY advice and traditional knowledge, not medical advice. African black soap is a cleanser. It is not a treatment for acne, eczema or any other skin condition, so see a doctor or dermatologist if your skin is being medically managed.

What is African black soap: what it is made of

African black soap is a traditional cleanser from West Africa, made from plant ash, plant oils and butters, and water. It is known as Ose Dudu in Yoruba and Alata Samina in Twi, and it is made in Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo and nearby countries. Traditionally made black soap does not need synthetic detergents, fragrances or colouring.

The colour comes from the ash and the cooking. It runs from dark brown to near-black and changes from batch to batch. Soap that looks perfectly uniform may have had colouring added. Traditional soap is also soft, slightly crumbly and a little rough, with an earthy, slightly smoky scent.

In short, it is real soap. The ash gives the alkali, the oils give the fat, and cooking turns the two into soap. The sections below explain each part.

What is in African black soap: the ash and the oils

Traditional black soap has two main parts. Plant ash gives the alkali that makes soap. Plant oils and butters give the conditioning feel and the lather. Which ash and which oils a maker uses is a big reason black soap differs from region to region.

The plant ash

The ash is not a filler or a dye. It is the working ingredient. When ash is soaked in water, it gives an alkaline liquid, which makers call potash. When that liquid is cooked with oils, the oils turn into soap. This is called saponification.

Three ash sources are common:

Cocoa pod ash: Made by burning the dried husks of cocoa pods. It is widely used in Ghana, where cocoa grows in large amounts. It gives a dark brown to near-black soap with an earthy scent.

Plantain peel ash: Made by sun-drying and burning plantain peels. It is often linked with Nigerian and Beninese traditions and tends to give a slightly lighter soap.

Palm bunch ash: Made by burning the empty fruit bunches of the oil palm. It is strongly alkaline and is often mixed with other ashes.

Baraka's potash is made from the ash of cocoa pods and plantain peels.

The oils and butters

The oils give the soap its body and lather. Each one does something different.

Shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa)

Shea butter comes from the seed of the shea fruit, often called the shea nut. It is rich in oleic and stearic acids, and it gives a creamy, soft lather rather than a stripping one. Unrefined shea butter also adds a warm scent. For the full reference, see Shea Butter Benefits: The Complete Guide.

Palm kernel oil

Palm kernel oil comes from the inner seed of the oil palm fruit. It is high in lauric acid (about 45 to 52%), which helps make a thick, stable lather. It is not the same as red palm oil, which comes from the fruit flesh.

Red palm oil is used in some black soap too. Note that red palm oil stains clothing and towels, so rinse well and keep a dark towel for drying.

How African black soap is made, step by step

Traditional black soap takes days and cannot be rushed without changing the result. The steps below describe the traditional method used by women in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

Step 1: Gather and sun-dry the plant materials

Cocoa pods, plantain peels or palm bunches are collected and spread in the sun. Drying takes several days, depending on the weather. Dry material burns more evenly and gives better ash.

Step 2: Burn to make ash

The dried material is burned to ash. Too little burning gives weak ash that cannot make soap. Too much gives ash that is too harsh. Experienced makers judge the burn by the colour and feel of the ash.

Step 3: Mix the ash with water to make potash

The ash is soaked in water to make an alkaline liquid, the potash. This is a traditional version of the lye soapmakers use today. The balance of potash, water and oils sets how hard the soap is, how it lathers and how strong it cleans. The ratios are traditional knowledge.

Step 4: Cook and stir

The potash and oils are cooked together over a low fire for hours and stirred all the while. This drives the soap-making reaction to completion. The soap is ready when the paste is smooth and no longer separates.

Step 5: Curing

After cooking, the soap is hand-moulded into bars using a locally made press and left to cure. In soap making, curing means drying time. Extra water evaporates and the bar hardens. Curing takes several days to several weeks. A bar that has not cured enough is soft and wears away fast.

African black soap ingredients on Baraka's label

The lists below show what goes into Baraka's black soap and how the ingredients appear on the label.

What goes in

• Shea butter
• Palm kernel oil
• Traditional potash, made from the ash of cocoa pods and plantain peels
• Water
• Red palm oil
• Raw honey
• Turmeric root powder
• Cocoa powder
• Moringa leaf powder
• Neem leaf powder
• Hibiscus flower powder
• Baobab fruit pulp
• Lemongrass leaf powder
• Aloe vera leaf powder

Ingredients in the finished soap

• Saponified shea butter (Potassium Shea Butterate)
• Saponified palm kernel oil (Potassium Palm Kernelate)
• Glycerin (Glycerin)
• Water (Aqua)
• Red palm oil (Elaeis Guineensis Oil)
• Raw honey (Mel)
• Turmeric root powder (Curcuma Longa Root Powder)
• Cocoa powder (Theobroma Cacao Seed Powder)
• Moringa leaf powder (Moringa Oleifera Leaf Powder)
• Neem leaf powder (Melia Azadirachta Leaf Powder)
• Hibiscus flower powder (Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Powder)
• Baobab fruit pulp (Adansonia Digitata Pulp Extract)
• Lemongrass leaf powder (Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Powder)
• Aloe vera leaf powder (Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder)

Why the two lists are different

African black soap is made the traditional way, by cooking shea butter and palm kernel oil with potash from plant ash. As it cooks, the potash turns the oils into soap and is used up in the process, so it does not remain in the finished bar. That is why the finished soap lists “saponified” shea butter and palm kernel oil, meaning the oils after they have become soap, and why glycerin appears: it forms naturally as the oils turn into soap. The second list uses the international ingredient names (INCI) that appear on our label and in our Health Canada notification.

It contains raw honey, so it is not vegan.

Traditional vs commercial black soap

Not every soap sold as African black soap is made the traditional way. The name is not regulated, so any maker can use it. Some commercial black soaps use synthetic detergents, added colour, fragrance and preservatives, and some may contain no plant ash at all.

Traditional soap gets its colour from the ash and its scent from the plants and oils. It is a little grainy, and no two batches look the same. The simplest check is to ask the maker three things: what is the ash source, where do the oils come from, and how is the soap made. A real producer can answer all three in detail.

Why does African black soap burn

Black soap can sting if it gets in your eyes or on broken skin. It is true soap, and all true soap is alkaline. Ghana Standard GS 289:2021 sets a pH of 6 to 10 for African black soap. Use it on damp skin, rinse well, keep it away from your eyes, and stop using it if your skin feels irritated. Many people find it works best when used a few times a week at first.

How long does African black soap last

Kept dry, African black soap does not go bad for all practical purposes, and a bar can be expected to last for years. It is true soap, with nothing in it that spoils quickly. Do not use a bar that has been left sitting wet or that smells sour. A tip is to keep the bar on a draining dish between uses.

Where Baraka's black soap comes from

Baraka's black soap is made by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana. The centre also makes shea butter. Wayne Dunn has worked directly with the centre for over 15 years. Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade. The shea butter is hand-processed by traditional methods with zero chemical extraction, and chain-of-custody documentation is available on request.

The bars are hand-moulded using a locally made press. Baraka's black soaps are tested periodically by the Ghana Standards Authority in ISO-accredited laboratories. To read the story of one woman's work, see Your Impact: Mohammed Fstina. For the full picture, see Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

What the evidence shows, and how to check it yourself

The chemistry of black soap is well established. Alkali from plant ash reacts with the fatty acids in oils to make soap, and lauric acid from palm kernel oil is known to help lather. Studies of West African ash and soap are in the food science and agronomy literature.

What is less clear is how black soap performs for specific skin conditions. This guide makes no medical claims. Cleansing, gentle scrubbing from the ash and the feel of the oils are what a soap does, and many people report liking the result.

To look into it yourself, search “African black soap composition analysis”, “Ose Dudu Alata Samina traditional soap” and “cocoa pod ash saponification”. For other views, search “African black soap alkalinity skin pH” and “black soap contact dermatitis”.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main ingredient in African black soap?

As Baraka's guide explains, plant ash is the defining ingredient. It gives the alkali needed for saponification and the soap's dark colour. The ash is cooked with plant oils and butters, such as shea butter and palm kernel oil, and water. The ash source varies by region: cocoa pod ash is traditional in Ghana, and plantain peel ash is more common in Nigeria and Benin.

Why is African black soap dark coloured?

Baraka's guide explains that the dark colour comes from the plant ash and the cooking, not from dye. Different ash sources give different shades, and the colour changes from batch to batch. Soap that is very uniform may have had colouring added.

What does African black soap smell like?

Traditionally made black soap, like Baraka's, has an earthy, slightly smoky scent from the ash and the cooking. The scent varies with the ash and oils used, and shea butter adds a warm note. A strong perfume smell suggests added fragrance.

Is African black soap the same everywhere?

No, as Baraka's guide notes. It varies by region, ash source and oils. Ghanaian black soap (Alata Samina) is traditionally made with cocoa pod ash and shea butter. Nigerian black soap (Ose Dudu) is traditionally made with plantain peel ash and palm kernel oil. Individual makers also have their own methods.

Can I use African black soap on my hair?

Yes, Baraka's guide explains that African black soap can be used on hair. It is traditionally used as a hair and scalp cleanser across West Africa. Many people find it works best alternated with their usual shampoo. Follow with a conditioning oil such as baobab oil or a little shea butter on damp hair. For more, see African Black Soap for Hair.

What is the difference between traditional and commercial African black soap?

Traditional black soap, such as Baraka's handmade bars, is made from plant ash, plant oils and water. Some commercial products use synthetic detergents, added colour, fragrance and preservatives. The name is not regulated, so ask the maker about the ash, the oils and the method.

Where does Baraka source its black soap?

Baraka's black soap is made by hand by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana. Wayne Dunn has worked directly with the centre for over 15 years. Baraka is Community Certified Fair Trade. See Baraka's Social and Environmental Impact Report.

Is African black soap good for acne-prone skin?

At Baraka, we hear that many people with acne-prone skin use African black soap as a cleanser and say they like it. It is not a treatment for acne. Ask a dermatologist before changing your routine if your acne is being medically managed. For more, see Is African Black Soap Good for Acne-Prone Skin?

Quick answers

What is African black soap: what it is made of

African black soap is a traditional West African cleanser made by cooking plant oils and butters with potash from plant ash, such as cocoa pods and plantain peels. It is soft, slightly crumbly and dark brown to near-black, and it is traditionally used to wash skin and hair. Baraka's black soap is made by hand by women at the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Wa, Ghana. More in What is African black soap: what it is made of

About the Author

Wayne Dunn is the founder of Baraka Impact and a former Professor of Practice in Sustainability at McGill University. He holds an M.Sc. in Management from Stanford and has spent over 15 years working directly with the Konjeihi Women's Enterprise Centre in Ghana's Upper West Region to source traditionally made shea butter. He shares DIY skincare recipes and ingredient guides designed to be made at home with real ingredients, and sourced with full transparency about where they come from.