A dermatologist’s view on use of black soap

Nonzwakazi Booi, a dermatologist based in Port Elizabeth, says that black soap is not harmful if used correctly.

She says people should look out for knock-off versions of black soap, which can contain harmful chemicals.

“Traditional black soap is made of natural ingredients which are generally beneficial to the skin in that they act as a natural cleanser. The plantain leaves are made into ash, which have exfoliating properties, but people need to look out for black soap that is jet black in colour.

Natural black soap is usually brownish in colour or an almost dark greying colour. A darker colour could indicate that the soap has been remoulded and dyed.

“Also, natural black soap has no fragrance to it, but instead has a very natural smell to it, so people need to be on the lookout for black soap that has a perfumed fragrance… of which the ingredients will never be known, and can potentially be harmful to the user,” she says.

Booi also says that because black soap contains extracts of cocoa, people with an allergic reaction to caffeine should not use black soap, as it can be a trigger.

A side effect of black soap can also be that it dries out the skin, especially if the user had normal to oily skin in the first place. For users with oily skin, Booi says black soap can trigger the skin to produce excessive amounts of sebum to compensate for the dryness, and this can lead to skin breakouts and acne.

“Be moderate when using black soap. It is not intended for everyday use … so people should instead rub it onto their hands and use the lather on their face.”