Well looky here…
If you’ve been following BGLH Marketplace from the start you know we are all about simple and *effective* products. Our whipped butters are super minimalist. 5 or less ingredients that WORK. And we sell black soap imported from West Africa because it WORKS.
I was perusing the internet and came across this Refinery29 interview with SZA, who credits a minimalistic skin routine including African black soap for her incredible skin! From the interview;
“I used to work in the skin-care department [at Sephora], so I know for a fact that everyone’s skin is different. Consistency and simplification is key. I can’t try a whole bunch of different shit that I’ve seen, like Huda Beauty doing six experiments in a week — imma look crazy. Her skin is invincible. I don’t have that gene pool, so I do what I know. Every now and again, if I see something really cool, I’ll be like, ‘let me try this little turmeric mask…
I have this weird feeling that the apocalypse is upon us, so I have to choose products that I can find in nature. I have cystic acne, so I use a Manuka honey mask to combat it and hemp oil to smooth out the surface of my skin. I also use a Vitamin C serum and black soap, and that’s it.”
If you’re unfamiliar, black soap originated in West Africa where it’s been used as a skincare remedy for centuries (although many of us in the West are just getting hip to it!) It is created by mixing tree ashes (the soap we sell uses cocoa pod ash) with saponified coconut oil, palm oil and shea butter. Black soap can be used in a wide variety of applications. It is an effective acne treatment (as SZA mentioned!) drawing dirt and oil out of the skin. It is also incredible for reducing stretch marks and blemishes, relieving dry skin, eczema and psoriasis and evening out skin tone. And you can use it as a shampoo!
I have a 14 month old son who had baby eczema and although my whipped butters were doing a good job of keeping the dry skin at bay, it would still crop up from time to time. One day I got the idea to bathe him with black soap *before* rubbing him down with Mohca Latte Blended Butter (smells so yummy!) and it knocked the eczema RIGHT OUT. I was amazed.
As for me, I use the soap religiously on my face and body. One time I ran out and instead of picking up a bar from the storefront I went and bought some other soap at Whole Foods. Um, my skin broke all the way out and I learned my lesson. Now I never stray!
One of my favorite self-care rituals is to do a nice luxurious black soap shower then rub myself down with one of my whipped butters, and ho-ma-god my skin feels like it’s been wrapped in a blanket of buttery, soft warmth.
Enter coupon code HEYLEILA for 35% off your order, good till Wednesday, August 15 at midnight.Or enter coupon code FREEINSULATEDSHIP for free insulated shipping.
Click here to try our authentic African black soap.
Click here to try our whipped butters.
