Hey guys, I’m back! No I didn’t fall off the face of this earth, and my apologies for the unannounced hiatus. I’ve been a little lacking in the inspiration department and needed some time away to get my creative juices flowing again. I’ve reviewed skincare products and haven’t touched bath and body care yet, so I thought now would be a good time as any to introduce some of my current favorites, brought to you by Nubian Heritage. A brand I came across while trawling iHerb (mecca for all things beauty, health, and wellness), Nubian Heritage was started by college graduates turned street vendors. Drawing on healing philosophies of communities around the globe, they created wellness products around African Black Soap and Shea Butter. I’ve heard all kinds of things about how these two amazing ingredients can soothe all sorts of skin ailments from acne to eczema, and since my skin could always do with a little extra TLC, I decided to buy a bottle each to try.
Coconut & Papaya Body Wash
I originally picked the Coconut & Papaya Body Wash because I had some old scars due to clumsiness and rough play with my dogs. Unfortunately, I’m not getting any younger, and my skin no longer regenerates at the speed it used to. While I didn’t see much of an overall brightening effect on my skin, some darker marks on my legs did fade. A coin-sized dollop of body wash is all you need to work into a creamy, frothy lather upon contact with damp skin. I like to use it with a loofah for additional exfoliating properties. Steamy, hot showers are a luxury I enjoy, but can sometimes leave my skin dehydrated. However the Coconut & Papaya Body Wash does more than just smell like you’re deep in a tropical jungle sipping on pina coladas. Nourishing Coconut Oil, organic Shea Butter, Aloe Vera, and Vitamin E help leave my skin supple and super smooth once rinsed off. Even my boyfriend is a convert and ironically, the one reminding me to get a new bottle when we’re about to run out. We just finished our fourth bottle!
For a body wash that’s sulfate free, this is one that won’t leave you disappointed if you like your baths bubbly. I think it’s worth to note the preservative in this body wash is Japanese honeysuckle, a natural paraben which serves the same purpose as its synthetic counterpart. With that being said, since the product only spends very little time on your body as compared to a serum or cream which is meant to be absorbed, there’s very little cause for worry. After all, bathrooms are very wet places and I certainly don’t want fungus or bacteria growing in my body wash! A 384 ml bottle costs USD8.43 (SGD 11.19) and will last you quite awhile.
Ingredients
Cocamidopropyl betaine (coconut oil soap), sodium lauroyl lactylate (palm kernel), glycol stearate (palm kernel), stearamide AMP (palm kernel), deionized water, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, essential oil blend, panthenol (vitamin B-5), butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, sodium lauroyl hydrolyzed silk (silk proteins), guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, papain (papaya extract), lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower (and) lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract, cocos nucifera (coconut) milk
African Black Soap Body Wash
African Black Soap made from palm ash, tamarind extract, and plantain peel is said to be beneficial for oily skin, so I got this African Black Soap Body Wash for my boyfriend to try since he gets the occasional breakout on his back. This is a great product for those who love scrubs thanks to the addition of Dead Sea Salt and Jojoba Beads. Jojoba Beads or natural exfoliants like sugar and salt are much better for our environment than micro beads which aren’t biodegradable. As the micro beads are washed down the drain, they damage water supplies, poison marine life, and disrupt the delicate ecological balance of the planet. This two minute video will show you its considerable damage. So consider this a PSA–stop using any products containing microbeads and prevent plastic pollution. There are other ways to achieve smooth skin.
As with the Coconut & Papaya Body Wash, you don’t need a lot of the product to get a more than satisfactory amount of foam. The gentle exfoliation, both physical (Dead Sea Salt and Jojoba Beads) and chemical (Salicylic Acid), coupled with soothing oat and aloe extract left my shins silky smooth with no dry flakes. An impressive feat since I have chronically dry legs! While it seemingly helped with any breakouts or ingrown hair situations, we both weren’t too keen about the overly sweet smell (from the Sandalwood maybe?) although you do get used to it after awhile. Japanese Honeysuckle makes another appearance on the ingredient list, so those who want to avoid all parabens–natural or synthetic–take note. A bottle of African Black Soap Body Wash costs a tad more at USD9.99 (SGD13.27).
Ingredients
African Black Soap, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine (Coconut Oil Soap), Decyl Glucoside (Coconut Oil), Lauroyl Lactylate (Palm Kernel), Deionized Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Essential Oil, Essential Oil Blend, Jojoba Beads, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Salicylic Acid, Dead Sea Salt, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*
Disclosure: In the spirit of full disclosure, the links above are affiliate links, which means I may get a commission if you decide to purchase anything from iHerb. I only recommend products I love and use myself, so rest assured you’ll be in good hands. Compensation was not provided by Nubian Heritage/iHerb. The opinions expressed herein are mine and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Nubian Heritage/iHerb.
