Dudu-osun, African Black Soap, 100% Pure, 150g. (Pack of 4)

This soap is divine. The black soap is drying so I use the coconut papaya one from Nubian Heritage after I rince off the black soap because it seems to conditions the skin and my skin is less dry. Using the two together has been wonderful. I have 20 year old stretch marks from childbirth that are fading! Anything that can do that is a winner in my book. I thought I would be stuck with those for life and never really tried to do away with them since I thought it was a lost cause. Then I started using these products and I swear in two weeks I started to notice that those stretch marks were fading and some disappeared all together. I told my boyfriend and he said it was placebo effect but then he started to really notice dark spots fading and completely disappearing as well and now he is using the soap too which means now I have to buy more since it is going quite fast. Also got my teen and 22 year old to start using it. Now my bathroom smells like a tropical paradise every time I bathe and now showering is no longer a chore but I actually look forward to the process. And my skin is smooth like a baby.Since the black soap can be drying, I follow up with the coconut papaya soap since it seems to condition the skin. Plus the smell is quite yummy. Sometimes I use Carol's Daughter "Bring back the moisture" liquid soap which is also great and works well with the black soap. Then I rince. I follow-up with organic rose water as a toner, placed on cotton ball then dab over my face and neck. Rose water soothes the skin. I moisture with organic coconut oil. I guess you can use shea butter moisturizer but I like coconut oil. For the body I either use coconut oil or the Coconut Papaya body lotion with vanilla bean extract when I have it. It smells so yummy and is excellent for the skin.I've been using these products for almost a month and have had excellent results. Dark spots on my face have disappeared from teen acne years, the occassional pimple I used to get is no more and stretch marks on my breasts are gone, the ones on my thighs have faded, not completely gone yet but I took a pic when I noticed they were fading so that I can compare in a month but I can already see they are fading by the naked eye.For the person who said that if you are light skinned African American not to use this soap because it makes you lighter. I am light skinned AA and the soap didn't turn me into Michael Jackson ghost white or anything. On the other hand, I have noticed that my complexion has evened out since the dark patches and spots are gone. I use the same color foundation that I used before...now just less of it since I don't have to try to cover dark spots since they are gone. Works for people who are not of color aka caucasian as well. My boyfriend is Scandinavian and it works for his skin as well and you don't get whiter skin than that. The soap doesn't know skin color. Also, I don't rub the soap directly on my face since it has stuff in it, I guess for exfoliation and I have sensitive skin so I rub the soap in my hands and get a really good lather then wash my face with my hands that way I'm not rubbing my skin with the bar and causing unnecessary irritation. I think maybe that's why some reviewers are complaining about irritation. Don't put the bar directly on your face and scrub. I never put any bar directly on my face anyway. I do put the bar directly on my body and wash away since my body is less sensitive and can take the scrubbing but if I have just shaved my legs then I lather the soap in a wash cloth and then use the wash cloth to clean so that I won't cause irritation to my freshly shaven legs. I also noticed that the hair on my legs seems to be growing back slower since I've been using this soap. I don't know if the enzymes in the soap is stimulating the hair follicles less or what but I have noticed slower hair regrowth. I don't know if it's a result of the soap or something else but I'm not complaining. The soap is also great for the eh em private parts...especially the coconut papaya...you'll be yummy smelling and delectable all over...don't ask me how I know, just trust me...enough said about that one.The soap is supposed to be great for tightening the skin and preventing wrinkles. I don't know if this is true since I'm 41 with no wrinkles so far, so I say, cool, don't have none, won't be none especially if I use these products. Win Win!This soap is a little more expensive than your average chemical filled soap but it's worth it. I was using Dove which I would pay $7 for 8 bars. Now, I pay $10 for 4 with one bar lasting about 3 weeks since now my boyfriend decided to use the soap too and I'm spending a lot more time in the shower with it but it is so much better for my skin so I don't sweat the price. And for those who complain that it discolors white wash clothes..fooey, don't use white wash clothes then! I use dark colored ones and don't have a problem with discoloration. Wash clothes are cheap...you can always replace them and buy more...you only get one skin.*****update 08/08/2011*****I've been using the soap for a few months now and I did a test, I had a pimple and silly me, I kept picking at and it resulted in a very dark spot on my face once it was gone. Decided this was the perfect time to really see if this removes spots since I had a fresh one. So I continued using the black soap/coconut papaya soap, rosewater as toner, and coconut oil as moisturizer combination and that dark spot is completely gone. It did take 4 weeks but it was very dark. So, these products do remove dark spots.*****update 12/10/2013*****It's now a little over 2 years since I've been using the African Black Soap. I have it on autoship since I can't live without it. I would like to report that those large stretch marks I had on my upper thighs are just about gone. Some are completely gone and the other "deeper" or shall I say darker ones are barely visible. Another 6 months or so and I think they will all be gone. This soap has done wonders for my skin. I only use it every other day now on my face because it can be drying but daily on my body. I also noticed that I took it with me on vacation at a nice spa and it did not stain the white towels at all. It rinsed completely out hence verifying that if you use expensive, good quality washcloths it won't stain. It only stains cheap, low count cotton cloths. But like I said before, wash cloths are a dime a dozen, but you only have 1 skin.Also, I will like to say that I do not work for the company and they did not pay me anything for the review...not even a free bar of soap...not even a thank you, so please don't accuse me of working for them just because I gave it a great review because I love the product and believe in how it has helped MY SKIN. If you don't like it, don't buy it. Thanks.

I'll start off by saying that this is possibly the BEST cleanser I have ever used. As an acne-sufferer, this stuff is a miracle. No exaggeration at all. Adding this soap to my skin care regimen has made all the difference. For all you other acne-sufferers out there, this soap is a very worthwhile purchase. That being said, please keep reading because using this alone was not the only thing that cleared my skin and evened my complexion.I am now a 23 year old, light complected, white male. I never suffered from acne throughout puberty or high school, and thought I would be blessed with clear skin. But shortly after I graduated, went to college, and moved to a new city, my skin went haywire. Not only did my face break out seemingly overnight, but I also had breakouts on my back and shoulders that turned into severe cystic acne in a matter of days. And because I am so light complected, it was so much more noticeable and was devastating to my self-esteem. I spent literally hundreds of dollars on over-the-counter acne creams, cleansers, exfoliates, masks, pills, etc. Name a product, and I guarantee I have tried it. Nothing has ever worked well for me up until now. I've recently improved my diet (cut back on refined sugar, dairy, and gluten) in an attempt to clear my skin. After all, acne is as much of an internal problem as it is an external one. I showed some slight improvement from the diet, but nothing noticeable. Then I started supplementing with vitamins. Vitamins A, C, D, E, and Niacin (B3). These vitamins DRASTICALLY helped my skin, and after roughly two months, my skin looked 75% better. Still though, my skin needed improvement and I was still self conscious from regular breakouts and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that was left behind after a pimple went away. Now, here is the part where my life changed:After doing tons of research online and from asking my dermatologist, I learned that too many chemicals and medications can be incredibly bad for your skin, which irritate the skin and then inevitably make your acne worse. I'm talking about benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid in particular, undoubtedly the two acne-fighting ingredients you will find in almost any over-the-counter acne treatment product. Solution? GO NATURAL. Avoid overusing medicated creams and cleansers. Avoid artificial chemicals, dyes, fragrances, or other irritating ingredients. Your skin will thank you for it. My skin thanks me for it. Which brings me to this African black soap.It's natural (aside from the vague word "fragrance" listed in the ingredients), and it has made all the difference. But like other reviewers, you MUST use it correctly. First off, it lathers extremely well. I wash my face in the shower once in the morning and once before bed with this stuff and only rub the soap through wet hands for a couple passes and start washing. It lathers SO WELL. Which is definitely a good thing because it means it is easy to be gentle with it. But you must wash with your bare hands. This soap can be drying and exfoliating, so using a wash cloth, brush, or anything other than your hands will cause irritation and not be beneficial. I can't say it enough. USE THE LATHER FROM THE SOAP WITH YOUR BARE HANDS!! After I rinse it off, my skin feels soft and tight and most importantly: clean!I have been using this for only a week now. Yes, one week. And have already noticed the most drastic improvement in my skin ever. My skin is glowing, and the few pimples and blackheads that I had on my face are gone. Even the red spots left behind are starting to fade (even the severe ones left on my shoulders and back)!Like I said earlier though, using African black soap alone is probably not going to clear your skin, so my best advice is to start using more natural products or homeopathic remedies. Here are products that I use on a daily basis (along with cleansing with African black soap) and my skin has NEVER looked this great.After cleansing, gently PAT your face dry with a clean, soft towel (don't rub dry). After completely dry, tone with an apple cider vinegar toner (1 part water, 1 part apple cider vinegar). I use one half cup of apple cider vinegar, and one half cup of filtered water, store it in a jar, soak some onto a cotton ball and gently rub it on my face (and shoulders). This is beneficial because African black soap can be drying. Any soap strips away the natural acidity of your skin and can allow free-radicals to damage your skin. Apple cider vinegar returns the acidity to your skin and also has antibacterial properties. Be sure to purchase an organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (with "the mother" in it). I use Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar.After about 30-40 minutes after toning with the ACV, I make a pass over my skin with witch hazel. Same deal: soak some onto a cotton ball and gently rub across my face and shoulders. Other reviewers have stated that it is necessary to moisturize after cleansing with black soap, but I do not. I don't feel the need to because the ACV truly returns my skin to a good state. I don't have extremely dry skin, however, so if you do, perhaps moisturizing after toning with ACV is the best way to go.Finally, on your path to getting clear skin, I would definitely recommend supplementing with certain vitamins and encourage you to do research into them. I take A, C, D, E, and Niacin (or vitamin b3) everyday and like I said before, it has really helped. Of course, you should talk to your doctor about supplementing with any vitamins and research how much of each you really need or should take. Niacin has probably helped my skin more than anything. It increases blood flow to the surface of the skin and is an essential component in detox and cleansing programs. Be sure to buy pure Niacin (NOT no-flush, flush-free, or time-released varieties). I buy Solaray Niacin from Amazon, and take 500mg a day at bedtime.I will definitely keep you guys updated on how my skin does with this black soap, but so far so good! I will also post other product links to the products I mentioned that I have really helped me achieve clear skin. I could not be happier with this African black soap. Highly recommended purchase!UPDATE: 2 MONTHS OF USEIt's been 2 months since I first started using this African black soap, and I still could not be happier. My back acne has completely (and yes, I mean COMPLETELY) cleared up and I'm absolutely convinced this soap is the main reason why. Even better is the fact that the postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (that is a result of severe cystic acne) on my back is clearing up so nicely. My back and shoulders have not been this clear in years. Seriously, after struggling for years to clear my skin, it is such a good feeling when you find a product that clears everything up in a matter of ~8 weeks. Major self-esteem boost! My face is also so much better and I very rarely get breakouts or pimples anymore. When I do, they tend to go away in a matter of a couple days, so I am no longer worried when I see a pimple in the mirror in the morning because I know it's not going to stick around. I'm pretty sure this is because the black soap is slightly exfoliating and deep cleans the skin in a relatively gentle way and keeps sebum production under control. This black soap has also faded post-acne marks on my cheeks and forehead and has evened out my skin tone. My skin looks awesome right now, and I could not be more satisfied. One bar of this soap typically lasts 3-4 weeks for me. I am sold and will definitely continue purchasing!UPDATE! 6 MONTHS LATERNothing really new to add. Just want to say that I will never use another cleanser for my skin. I can't remember the last time I've been able to look in the mirror and not see any blemishes. My face is 100% clear of blemishes, and my complexion is even and skin is like silk. I wash my face with this when I wake up in the morning, and again before I go to bed at night. The only other thing I still do is apply a thin layer of apple cider vinegar over my face (1:1 ratio of filtered water to ACV) after cleansing and drying to restore pH and keep my skin from getting dry. Like I said in my original review, my primary problem was severe acne on my back and shoulders. I couldn't be happier to say that I have had no new acne on my back in 4 months. It is a fantastic feeling to be able to take off my shirt to go swimming or whatever and not be embarrassed. My back is absolutely, 100% clear, and like my face, the skin tone is even and no more hyperpigmentation. I've never been this enthusiastic about a product before, and I'm convinced that nothing is better for your skin than natural products. I've ditched all those medicated creams and gels and won't look back. :)UPDATE!! A YEAR AND HALF LATERStill can't believe how well this soap has helped my skin and how much of a difference it really does make. Example: I went on vacation for two weeks a couple months ago. As such, I was without this black soap for those two weeks. As a result, I was using an ordinary department store-bought face wash bar and what happened? I started breaking out (for the first time in a very long time, mind you). Nothing else changed. I ate the same foods, took the same vitamins, and there was no change in climate or weather (didn't travel cross country or anything). So I knew exactly why I was breaking out. Of course, I was mortified when I looked in the mirror after two weeks without this (which is a good thing, because it means I can't even remember what it looks like to have zits all over!). Fast forward after vacation was over and I started using black soap again, and my skin was clear again in about a week and half of using it. Lesson learned: my skin has become totally accustomed to this soap and I can't use anything else. Can't express how happy I am (still!) that this stuff works as well as it does.