Shea Moisture Organic African Black Soap Bar

In my experience, black soap is usually a good thing. I've tried my fair share of dark soaps made from various ashes or mineral muds. They generally help tighten skin almost instantly and continued use results in clearer, smoother skin.

So, during a routine Target run, this velvetty black bar immediately caught my eye. Its formula includes palm ash, plaintain peel, tamarind extract, shea butter, aloe, oats, and Vitamin E. I was little wary of using a black soap that throws a large amount of shea butter in the mix. I worried that it might be too hydrating and cut back on the skin tightening effect of the palm ash. But, to my delight, upon using the soap it became clear that the shea butter does not overpower the other ingredients. It seems to be the perfect balance!

This soap has a pleasant, somewhat strong (but not overpowering) scent. It lathers lightly and leaves skin feeling clean. There are random bits of oats throughout the bar, giving it a nice exfoliating texture.

I am a big fan of quick fixes. I love when you can see (or feel) results after just one use of a product. This is definitely the case with the Shea Moisture Organic African Black Soap Bar. After your first use, your skin will feel tight and clean and your pores may look smaller. Blemishes might also appear smaller. Regular use of this soap can help tame problem skin, reduce redness, and clear up breakouts.

As with any ash or mud soap, it is very important to apply moisturizer after using this bar. If you use this stuff without following up with a decent moisturizer, your skin WILL dry out. Because this soap tightens skin, excessive use will most likely have a drying effect. It's probably not a good idea to use it both morning and night. Once daily in the shower should be plenty. If you are prone to dry skin, you might want to start out using it every other day.

I personally use it when I'm in the shower. I use it on both my face and my body. It has helped clear up the breakouts on my back and it has almost completely cleared up the mild keratosis pilaris (chronic skin bumpies/redness) on my upper arms. It's good stuff--but don't forget to follow with a good moisturizer!

Shea Moisture Organic African Black Soap Bar is available in stores at Target and Walgreens, but for some reason they don't sell the soap bar online. If I recall correctly, it costs about 5 or 6 dollars. That might sound pricey for a bar of soap, but this is a BIG 8oz bar that should last a while and it does some pretty great things. Oh, and it's formulated with awesome organic ingredients and it's free of yucky chemicals and synthetic fragrance. Definitely worth it!

<3 Bee

Skin Goodies!

Indulge in these goodies and you will be well on your way to glowing skin. 

Sephora's Ultimate Dual Exfoliating Face Brush

$18, Sephora

I bought this fun little tool on a whim, not really expecting anything magical. Numerous rants and raves about the uber pricey Clarisonic cleansing system had me wondering if maybe a facial cleansing brush tool of sorts might be a worth-while investment. Of course, college student that I am, the Clarisonic is far beyond my reach. I bought this during my last trip to Sephora without doing any research, and I must admit, I am HIGHLY impressed. Both sides of this gadget feel much different from what I expected. The synthetic bristles on the brush side are much finer than I had thought they would. They feel soft to the touch but are fine enough to do an impressively thorough job cleansing the skin. I expected the nubby pink side to be harsh and kind of stiff, but the little pink scrubbers are thinner and softer than I expected, enabling them to exfoliate gently while massaging the face and increasing blood-flow to the skin. I find myself using both sides to cleanse and then sometimes using the pink side to also apply toner. This is a great buy and after just a few uses I saw improvement in my skin.

Derma E Hyaluronic Hydrating Mist

 

$13.50, 2 fl oz, drugstore.com

I'm pretty much addicted to this stuff. A few spritzes of this and my skin feels instantly revitalized. After just one use, my skin is noticeably firmer and plumper. It restores hydration instantly and absorbs quickly, without clogging pores or making skin look oily. You can even apply this stuff over a full face of make up--although I don't particularly recommend it. The mist is not quite fine enough to ensure that it won't cause make up to get blotchy or run. But still, this stuff is amazing. Keep it in the fridge for an extra cooling experience or keep by your bedside to refresh before you sleep, and first thing in the morning.

Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner

$7.99, 12 fl oz, drugstore.com

Ever feel like your skin is missing something? Well, if you're skipping applying toner, your daily skincare regimen is lacking a vital step. A good witch hazel toner can help even your complexion, diminish redness and inflammation, and reduce blemishes. Witch hazel toners are relatively easy to come by, but this one has a few noteworthy specs that set it apart from the competition. First off, it is 100% free of drying and irritating alcohol. It contains organic aloe vera, which helps this toner hydrate as it clarifies. Lastly, it smells beautiful and rosey.

Supracor Stimulite Body Scrubber

 

$35, Supracor.com

Supracor claims that this fabulous double-sided body scrubber even helps break down cellulite. While I'm not certain that I would go so far as to say it reduces my cellulite, I adore this exfoliating scrubber tool. It is the perfect shape and length to reach my entire body. One side is covered in firmer scrubbing cells; the other side covered in softer cells, making this tool perfect for all your scrubbing needs. I also really enjoy that, due to the material of which it is made and due to how it is constructed, I can hang this scrubber up in my shower without worrying about it getting nasty or mildewy. It is a very hygienic shower tool.