什么是非洲黑皂?

什么是非洲黑皂?

On the same day I received an assignment to write about African black soap, I serendipitously received a sample in the mail in a cache of beauty items I subscribe to monthly.

就在我接到写非洲黑色肥皂的任务的同一天，我意外地收到了一封邮件，里面是我每月订阅的美容用品。

Leaves, bark and shea butter are among the natural ingredients in African black soap which, ironically, is usually brown. (Photo: images72/Shutterstock)

The soap claimed to be microdermabrasion in a bottle. But was that just a cheeky catchphrase, and what the heck would African black soap do for me?

这种肥皂声称是装在瓶子里的微晶磨皮剂。但这只是一句厚颜无耻的口头禅吗?非洲的黑色肥皂到底能为我做什么?

Seems black soap or African black soap — also called anago soap, alata samina or ose dudu — has long been used for healing problem skin. It’s a cleanser used to lightly exfoliate and give skin a healthy glow, but there are also claims that it has many other potential benefits.

似乎黑色香皂或非洲黑色香皂——也被称为anago香皂、alata samina或ose dudu——长期以来一直被用于治疗皮肤问题。这是一种用于轻度去角质和赋予皮肤健康光泽的清洁产品，但也有人声称它有许多其他潜在的好处。

How black soap is made

黑色肥皂是如何制成的

African black soap absorbs water easily, so it should be stored in a plastic bag or dry place. (Photo: images72/Shutterstock)

Black soap is generally made from locally harvested African plants such as plantain, cocoa pods, palm tree leaves and shea tree bark. The ingredients are sun-dried and roasted, which is how it gets its deep color. Water and oils such as coconut, palm and shea butter are then added. The soap is then left to sit and “cure.”

黑色肥皂一般由当地收获的非洲植物制成，如车前草、可可豆荚、棕榈树叶子和乳木果树皮。原料经过晒干和烘烤，这就是它为什么会有深颜色的原因。然后加入水和油，如椰子油、棕榈油和乳木果油。然后让肥皂放着“固化”。

Traditionally made in West Africa by tribeswomen in Ghana from special secret recipes, it is often fairly traded. These soaps are more likely to be pure, whereas commercial soaps made in the U.S. may include additional artificial ingredients.

传统上，加纳的部落妇女用特殊的秘密配方在西非制作，通常是公平交易的。这些香皂更可能是纯的，而美国制造的商业香皂可能含有额外的人工成分。

When I cleansed my face with the black soap, the deep color mixed with water made a brown, creamy lather that felt cleansing and smooth. There was no redness or tingling while using the soap, yet afterward my face did feel exfoliated into a warm glow.

当我用黑色的香皂洗脸时，深层的颜色和水混合在一起，形成了一种棕色的、奶油状的泡沫，感觉清洁而光滑。在使用香皂的过程中，我的脸没有发红或刺痛，但之后我的脸确实感觉去角质了。

In bar form, black soap is a little crumbly and softer than most soap and may look like food to a child or pet, so be careful to store it properly. It's also typically a shade of brown, instead of black. It has a high glycerin content and absorbs water easily, so it should be stored in a plastic bag or dry area away from the tub and shower.

在条形的肥皂里，黑色的肥皂比大多数的肥皂都要软一些，可能看起来像孩子或宠物的食物，所以要小心把它妥善地储存起来。它也是典型的棕色，而不是黑色。它的甘油含量很高，很容易吸收水分，所以应该放在塑料袋里或远离浴缸和淋浴的干燥地方。

Black soap benefits

黑皂的好处

The shea butter in African black soap gives it many of its benefits. (Photo: imagefingerprint/Shutterstock)

Fans of black soap say it works for every skin type, insisting it keeps dry skin moisturized and can help balance oily or combination skin.

喜欢黑色香皂的人说，它适用于所有皮肤类型，并坚持认为它能保持皮肤干燥湿润，有助于平衡油性或混合性皮肤。

The somewhat abrasive texture of the soap has exfoliation-like qualities, says Healthline. That can help rid your skin of dead cells which make wrinkles and fine lines more noticeable.

Healthline说，这种肥皂有些粗糙的质地具有去角质的效果。这可以帮助你清除皮肤上的死细胞，因为死细胞会使皱纹和细纹更加明显。

In one recent study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 91% of black soap users said they were very or somewhat satisfied and found the soap helpful for their skin conditions.

最近发表在《临床与美容皮肤病学杂志》上的一项研究显示，91%的使用黑皂的人表示，他们非常或多少感到满意，并发现这种肥皂对他们的皮肤状况有帮助。

Tips on using black soap

使用黑色肥皂的提示

When using raw bar soap, work it up in your hands to make sure there are no whole particles of tree bark or pods in the bar that can scratch or tear skin. Apply the lather to your face with fingertips and gently rub it in. Wash and rinse with cool water to help reduce stinging and redness.

当使用生肥皂时，在你的手上使用，以确保没有树皮或豆荚的颗粒会划伤或撕裂皮肤。用指尖将泡沫涂在脸上，轻轻揉搓。用冷水清洗，以减少刺痛和发红。

To avoid or reduce any unpleasant effects, do not leave the soap on your face for a long period of time.

为了避免或减少任何不愉快的影响，不要把肥皂长时间留在脸上。

Black soap is suited for any skin ethnicity, can be used daily and is excellent for washing away makeup. If you are caffeine-sensitive, you might test the soap on the inside of your arm because it’s derived from cacao pods, which contain caffeine and can be absorbed through the skin. Also, if you are extremely latex-sensitive, shea butter contains small amounts of naturally occurring latex.

黑色香皂适用于任何皮肤种族，可以每天使用，是洗掉化妆品的绝佳选择。如果你对咖啡因敏感，你可以在手臂内侧测试这种香皂，因为它来自可可豆荚，可可豆荚含有咖啡因，可以通过皮肤吸收。另外，如果你对乳胶非常敏感，乳木果油含有少量的天然乳胶。

When exposed to air, black soap can develop a thin, white film. This is not mold, and the soap may still be used.

当暴露在空气中时，黑色的肥皂会形成一层薄薄的白色薄膜。这不是霉菌，肥皂还可以用。