It’s not much to look at but African Black Soap is considered a miracle healer. It relieves dry itchy skin, lightens dark spots, improves the appearance of scars, dissolves fine lines, and much more. It’s been wonderful for my sensitive skin. African Black Soap is made in West Africa generally by tribal women. It’s comprised from the bark of plantains, shea trees, palm leaves, and cocoa pods. Palm oil, shea butter oil, and coconut oil are added to the roasted plant barks and you end up with African Black Soap. You can purchase raw black soap (pictured above) on Amazon, Ebay, and some local ethnic stores.

I prefer more refined brands with additional additives like shea butter, aloe vera, and Vitamin E. These are readily available at health food stores and beauty supply stores for generally two to five bucks.

I always keep a bottle of Dr. Woods’ liquid Raw Black Soap with shea butter in my house. It’s  by far the easiest way to use black soap. You can wash your hair, body, and even your dog with this stuff. It’s great for people who are allergic to household cleaning chemicals. I clean my tub with it before I bathe and that has helped my sensitive skin.

The black soap is 99.3% natural and cruelty-free. I buy it online at Vitacost Dr. Woods Black Soap. A 32 fl oz  bottle sells for $10.99.

Recently, I fell in love with Alaffia African Black Soap with shea butter and peppermint. This liquid black soap is creamy and the peppermint makes your skin tingle as you wash. You feel refreshed and invigorated.

The company employs the women of Togo, West Africa and invests in the community. I buy the liquid black soap at Whole Foods usually on sale for ten bucks. This is really a great brand that’s become the heartbeat of the Togo community. To learn more about the company, click here Alaffia.

Here are some of the other soaps I like to use.

Mountain Ocean Skin Coconut Trip soap is a staple in my home. It’s luscious. As you can see, the first ingredients listed on the box are coconut and olive oil. Guaranteed to moisturize dry skin like mine. I purchase this soap at Vitacost Mountain Ocean Coconut Soap. The soap is two for $4.19.

Here’s another coconut soap. This one has oatmeal in it. It feels great on my skin and the Shugar Soapworks company is committed  to the environment.  The soap is made of pure vegetable oil. You’ll never believe where I found this soap. The Dollar Tree. Yes, it costs one dollar. I’ve also purchased Shugar Soapworks soaps at TJ Maxx and Marshalls for around four dollars.You can learn more about the company here Shugar Soapworks.

Beessential Honey and Oat with Peppermint soap. The oatmeal is great for exfoliation while the honey is moisturizing. I picked this soap up at a local boutique, but you can buy it online at Beessential Soap for $5.99. It’s worth every penny.

As the weather turns cooler, my skin gets dry and I have to step up my moisturizing routine. Body butters are a necessity for my skin and I load up on them. I’ve been lucky enough to find one of my favorite brands at Marshalls. The Body Shop Body Butters are often there in fantastic scents. I got an Olive Oil 10.1 oz container for $7.99. The Olive Oil has a delicate scent and is packed with moisturizing power. I also found a Moringa scented body butter. A 6.5 oz container was only $5.99. It’s $21 at The Body Shop. So if you see these body butters at Marshalls, stock up.

I loved the Moringa scent so much that I purchased the matching body wash. It was just $3.99 for an 8.4 oz bottle which is normally $10.00. Such a luxury to bath and moisturize in this lovely scent.

That’s a quick update on some of my favorite soaps and body butters. Of course, I’ll be doing more updates as I try new products out. I’m curious. Do you have any hidden gems that you purchase at Marshalls? I’m always looking for new things to try.

Stay Blessed,

Barbie