Raw Black Soap from Ghana - 1 Lb by HalalEveryday

I'm not going to generalize this soap and write that it's the best ever simply because I find it ideal for me; I will, however, write my own personal experience with it.I started using this soap only on my face. My nose and forehead are the oiliest parts of my face, and the other parts are just not very oily at all. The soap did an exceptional job cleaning my face, getting rid of those excess oils (for the moment) and helping my face feel very soft; I also had one very bad pimple that has been greatly diminished (it's more or less just an acne scar now, which I really don't mind).Next, I decided to use the soap on my body. Plain and simple: it makes me feel a lot cleaner. Albeit I have somewhat stopped using it on my "special" area for purely personal reasons (in regards to that unusual smell of the soap), it basically works on my body.Next came the hair. I tried it in spite of all the warnings simply because I don't know those people, especially the ones who didn't bother to describe their hair textures. My own hair is dark brown, neck-length, a combination of wavy and curly, and very thick in texture and consistency. My hair feels a lot softer and cleaner, and it's A LOT easier to comb through than before. Also, the itching factor that I seem to be so prone to has gone down quite a bit.Now, in addition to all that, I'm using the soap to shave my legs and underarms and to wash my hands (before cooking/baking, after using the restroom at home, etc.); my legs feel good, my underarms feel clean, my hands feel soft, and the soap does, I believe, an awesome job cleaning under my nails.To sum it up, I like the soap; it works for me. I'll include the products I often used that the soap has replaced and other tidbits that may help in your own deliberation of this soap:I used Irish Springs and, sometimes, Caress to clean my face and body, and more often than not, I would use them to shave. Head & Shoulders was used on my scalp and hair, and if I didn't use soap to shave, I used some men's shaving cream that my brother gave me some time ago because I didn't have any myself (I'm more than certain it came from the Dollar Store).This soap has a very distinct smell about it, which I, personally and for the most part, find to be quite neutral. It absorbs moisture very easily, so I store what I use in a nice, little container. It arrived in two, thick rectangular bars in an adequately-sealed bag. I cut open that bag and transferred the bars to a Ziploc bag along with a butter knife, and once I begin to run low on one chunk, I cut a new chunk and mold that.Hair gets stuck to this soap very easily, but I don't see that as a problem because I'm the only person who uses the soap. The hair is also not very difficult to remove.I've not changed my cleaning routine, even after purchasing this soap; I still always wash my face and body at least once a day, shave every 3-4 days, wash my hair once a week, and wash my hands as frequently and fervently as I see fit. All that has changed is that this soap, which I've been using for three and a half weeks now, is now being used as opposed to all those other products.And since, apparently, this seems to be somewhat of a big deal, although I didn't look into it much before purchasing, I lucked out and got the "halaleveryday" brand of soap, although I'm not very sure why this store is selling that other brand of soap that no one seems to like or why the seller of this soap is sharing this account with that other seller. I've not purchased very many things from Amazon, so perhaps I'm just ignorant of how Amazon works or is capable of working. Please, someone enlighten me.I'm hopeful that this review is at least a little informative, and although it may not be this particular brand, I do hope you find what's right for you.Good luck : )

First off it was just a fraction under a pound about an ounce to be exact when I weighed it on my food scale out of curiosity. I have Amazon Prime and it arrived in two days. So all that was very good.I did not know of African Black soap until last December. I bought my first pound from a small shop in the old historic Charleston Market while vacationing there. This soap lathers very nicely and the lather is extremely mild and creamy feeling. It gives off a mild, pleasant, clean scent that does not linger on your body after use. It leaves me feeling very clean, totally removing the BO from my arm pits, etc.Since last December I've stopped using anything but African Black soap for showering and bathing. For about three weeks last January I tried washing my hair with it alone, and I did not use a conditioner. It dried my hair out pretty badly. The results may have been different had i used a conditioner.My wife tried it for a week or so and felt it dried her skin out, so she stopped using it. The month I used the original soap I purchased in Charleston I had a brief experience (two to four days) where the skin on my hands felt dry. They even sloughed off a very fine thin layer of dead skin, but it wasn't as gross as this probably makes it sound. Since then I've had no such experience. I think my my body, at least, my hands were adjusting to the soap. To me, it has never has felt harsh. I use it on my entire body (except my hair)including my face and much prefer it to commercial brands. It has never dried out the skin other than my hands (one time) and I believe it leaves my skin softer.The physical unused soap at has a soft squeezable and somewhat crumbly texture to it. I either cut or break off a small useable chunk and I use it until It's gone then I use another. My first pound last about 7 months so I expect about the same from this one, making it a pretty economical purchase. Don't let it sit in water after use and you should experience a similar use period. As you use it the piece you use will get a bit hard as it dries out between uses and you will find parts of it are a bit gritty, but this has really never bothered me. To use it I do what the soap merchant in Charleston taught me. I wet it in my cupped palm, then I rub it between my cupped palms and work up a lather, which I then spread around on my self. This takes only second.In my title I mention it's weird looking because it is. It's not one of those pretty lavender scented boutique soaps and when left wet on surface it will leave a yucky looking brown goo, but I love this soap. My grandson asked my wife why I had a piece of sausage in the shower. For travel I keep it in a closeable soap dish and for storage and I store the mother chunk in a zip lock sandwich bag. From a duration standpoint alone this is a very economical soap and it is natural, plus the price on Amazon was at least half that I originally paid, so I'm delighted with this purchase.

Really helps lessen any brown spots on the skin but can be drying on skin. You will want a good moisturizer. Lather in your hand, not rubbing against your skin because it does contain sharp bits of stone, twigs etc (all the way from Africa) and can scratch skin. The lather is quite soap, excellent for shaving legs. :)