All the benefits and uses of black soap The beauty ritual that comes straight from the hammam

There are products that don’t need flashy packaging or miraculous claims. One of them is black soap: a dark, dense paste that has been used for centuries in skincare thanks to its exfoliating and moisturizing properties. It comes straight from West Africa and is definitely worth discovering and, why not, adding to your routine.

What is black soap? Origins and history

Black soap, also known as Beldi (from the Arabic term bled, meaning land or countryside) or Moroccan Black Soap, is a product handcrafted only with natural ingredients. At its core is potassium-saponified olive oil, which gives it a soft and malleable texture. It has long been used in traditional Moroccan hammams, steam baths designed to regenerate both body and spirit. While nila is applied to the face, black soap is spread on the body to remove dead skin cells and leave the skin smooth and silky.

The benefits of black soap

Rich in vitamins A and E, black soap is packed with benefits that make your skin feel renewed from the very first use. It works as a natural scrub: it gently exfoliates, removing dead cells without irritating the skin, leaving it soft, hydrated, and radiant. It also helps to purify the skin thanks to its antibacterial properties, fights signs of aging with its natural antioxidants, evens out skin tone, and makes it look firmer. It can also help with ingrown hairs and annoying strawberry skin. Using it is simple: apply the soap on damp skin, leave it on for a few minutes, then massage with the kessa glove. Dead skin cells come off in seconds thanks to the friction created by the soap, leaving your skin feeling reborn, a bit like when a snake sheds its skin.