Shea Moisture African Black Soap is renowned for its ability to cleanse, moisturize, and soothe irritated skin. This article delves into the detailed ingredients list of this popular soap, exploring the benefits and functions of each component.
Our soothing body bar soap is specially formulated with organic Shea Butter, Oats and Aloe to cleanse, moisturize and comfort irritated skin while absorbing excess oil. African Black Soap, an honored beauty secret, made from palm ash, tamarind extract, tar and plantain peel, helps to calm and clear blemishes and troubled skin. Leaves skin soft and refreshed. Perfect for helping relieve symptoms of eczema or psoriasis. Our naturally soothing blend of african black soap and organic shea butter helps calm and hydrate dry skin.
However, because raw ingredients listings are subject to change due to INCI, we cannot guarantee that these lists are complete, up-to-date and/or error-free.
Key Ingredients and Their Benefits
Let's break down the key ingredients found in Shea Moisture African Black Soap and understand their roles in promoting healthy skin.
Cleansing Agents
- Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate: A surfactant that helps gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants for easy rinsing.
- Cocamidopropyl Betaine: A surfactant and cleanser derived from coconut oil, aiding in the removal of impurities and providing a creamy texture. Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
Moisturizing and Soothing Agents
- Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii): A plant lipid from the fruit of the Shea Tree, known for its hydrating and emollient properties. It creates a protective film on the skin to trap moisture and keep skin moisturized. Shea butter is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may harm the body. It is also full of fatty acids including stearic acid and linoleic acid. These acids help replenish the skin and keep skin moisturized.
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice: Best known for soothing sunburns, it is also anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and antiseptic. Aloe is packed with good stuff including Vitamins A, C, and E. These vitamins are antioxidants, which help fight free-radicals and the damage they may cause. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution. Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice also contains sugars. These sugars come in the form of monosaccharides and polysaccharides, folic acid, and choline.
- Glycerin: A humectant that helps moisturize and protect the skin by pulling moisture to the skin. It is already naturally found in your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin. Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria. Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties.
- Cocos Nucifera Oil: Obtained from coconut kernels, it is rich in fatty acids that help trap moisture and soften skin. Due to this high fatty acid content, coconut oil helps trap moisture and soften skin.
- Avena Sativa Kernel Extract: Derived from colloidal oatmeal, it soothes, hydrates, and protects the skin. The starches in colloidal oatmeal are able to bind water, keeping the skin hydrated. The cellulose and fiber in colloidal oatmeal help reduce inflammation. This can also help the skin feel softer. Colloidal Oatmeal is also an antioxidant.
Antioxidants and Skin Conditioners
- Tocopherol (Vitamin E): A common antioxidant that protects the skin from free radicals and strengthens the skin barrier. Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished. Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays.
- Glycine Soja Oil: Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids. As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in. Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect. Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
- Caprylyl Glycol: A humectant and emollient that attracts and preserves moisture, softening the skin and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
STOP Over-Drying Your Face! Use African Black Soap the RIGHT Way
Other Notable Ingredients
- Water (Aqua): The most common skincare ingredient, serving as the main solvent.
- Sodium Chloride (Salt): Acts as a thickener in cleansing formulas.
- Jojoba Esters: A wax created from Jojoba oil. It is an emollient and film-forming ingredient. In bead form, it is an exfoliator. Its similarity to our skin's natural oils makes it a great emollient. Emollients help soften and soothe our skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, keeping skin hydrated.
- Theobroma Cacao Husk: An exfoliant.
- Triethyl Citrate: Comes from citric acid. It has masking, perfuming, and solvent properties. According to perfume manufacturers, this ingredient is almost odorless but has a mild fruity, wine and plum scent. It can be used to mask the scent of other ingredients.
- Benzoic Acid: Is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products. The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life.
- Sodium Benzoate: A preservative used to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria.
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate: Is used to help stabilize a product. It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient.
- Ci 77499: Is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product. It is a conditioning ingredient, meaning it helps soften skin and hair.
- Parfum (Fragrance): Used to give a scent to products. Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin.
A Summary of Key Ingredients and Their Functions
Here's a table summarizing the key ingredients and their primary functions in Shea Moisture African Black Soap:
Read also: African Black Soap Ingredients
| Ingredient | Function |
|---|---|
| Shea Butter | Hydrating and emollient |
| Aloe Vera | Soothing and anti-inflammatory |
| Cocos Nucifera Oil | Helps trap moisture and soften skin |
| Glycerin | Humectant, attracts moisture to the skin |
| Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate | Cleansing agent, removes dirt and oil |
| Cocamidopropyl Betaine | Surfactant and cleanser |
| Tocopherol (Vitamin E) | Antioxidant, protects skin from free radicals |
| Avena Sativa Kernel Extract | Soothes, hydrates, and protects the skin |
Read also: Shea Butter for Skin and Hair
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