Natural hair products in Africa :Black Soap Shampoo

This is the most common complaint that people living in Africa make,that there are no products with natural ingredients for hair in Africa.I know what they mean when they say tis,but at the same time I can't help but wonder whether they know what is available.In this post and subsequent ones I hope to share some natural hair products that are available to anyone looking for natural products for their hair.

African Black Soap
This is one of the most popularly used cleansing agent in organic hair lines.African black soap

shampoo is a sought after product because it cleanses hair without drying it out completely,making it better than a lot of commercial shampoos.I am personally not surprised by this,because before the arrival of shampoos in Africa,this was the most commonly used soap for everything including hair.Most of these soaps are of West African origin,and incorporate natural ingredients like cocoa pod ash,plantain peel ash,shea butter and cocoa butter.Clearly the presence of the butter in the soap alone makes it a great moisturizing agent.And that's not all!You can use this soap for your skin and it is great for fixing all kinds of blemishes.It is also very common in the market and cheap if you live in Africa.You don't have to go buy a  more expensive shampoo when you can simply make your own with the soap.Its a very simple process.Just cut up the soap into smaller bits,put it in a container with water and leave in a cool dry place.The soap will mix with the water,after which you can add any oils of your choice to make it more moisturizing. I recommend olive oil since it penetrates the hair shaft and also doesn't cake up.Once mixed,you can put it in a bottle for washing your hair,your face or as a great natural bathing soap. Whether relaxed or natural this is a great alternative to a commercial shampoo.It may however be too harsh for regular use,so you might want to use it not too often.Its great for removing build up so in place of a shampoo

should work.Also,please make sure you get the real product and not an imitation one.The real one should be brown to dark brown,not black as the name suggests.Also,adding in aloe vera juice and a few drops of an essential oil such as lavender or jasmine gives it such a lovely smell and increases its helpful properties!
Next post I will be talking about another ingredient.Please remember to share and subscribe!Till later,Here's a video to help explain  making the shampoo: