SheaMoisture African Black Soap Clarifying Facial Wash & Scrub for acne-prone skin
African Black Soap
Tamarindus Indica Extract
Oil Tree
Shea Butter
Salicylic Acid
High
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for acne-prone skin; a few products fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers excellent exfoliation and pore cleansing for your combination skin, as salicylic acid and theobroma cacao pod ash work to clear impurities and reduce blemishes.
- Willow bark extract provides mild anti-inflammatory effects, supporting your acne and breakout concerns.
- The formulation is safe for your combination skin, with no harsh ingredients that would cause irritation.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant PM once a week to start, and gradually increase if your combination skin tolerates it well. Always apply SPF the next morning to protect your clear skin.
- Apply the exfoliant after cleansing and toning, but right before your moisturizer step. This ensures the treatment targets blemishes effectively.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin without rubbing. Let it absorb for a minute before moving to the next step.
- Apply the exfoliant on clean, dry skin to help control breakouts safely. Since your skin is not sensitive, this dry application method ensures good product absorption.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Do not mix this exfoliant with other strong acids in the same routine.
Questions and answers
What makes SheaMoisture African Black Soap Clarifying Facial Wash & Scrub a great fit for acne-prone skin?
This facial wash and scrub is a great fit because salicylic acid and cocoa pod ash work to clear impurities and reduce blemishes in pores. Willow bark extract also provides mild calming effects to support breakout concerns, and the formula is safe without harsh ingredients that cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024BioMed Research International, 2020
Which ingredients make this scrub a good fit for acne-prone skin?
Salicylic acid, willow bark extract, and cacao pod ash make this scrub a great fit for acne-prone skin by clearing impurities, reducing blemishes, and soothing breakouts. These ingredients work effectively to help manage acne while keeping your skin calm and clear.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024BioMed Research International, 2020
What does African Black Soap do for acne-prone skin?
African black soap helps support overall skin health and may assist acne-prone skin because it exhibits antimicrobial properties against certain bacteria. It is important to watch for dryness or irritation since traditional soaps can sometimes be harsh on the skin.
What does Tamarind Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Tamarind Extract helps calm acne-prone skin because it has natural anti-inflammatory properties that soothe redness and irritation. This ingredient is generally safe and gentle, making it unlikely to clog pores while supporting your skin as it heals.
Where does this scrub go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This scrub fits in your routine as an exfoliating treatment used once a week to start, with the possibility of using it more often if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results. It works to clear impurities, reduce blemishes, and support breakout concerns safely without causing irritation.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this scrub with retinol by applying them on separate days or times, because using them together may easily dry out or irritate your skin. Start the scrub on weekly or alternating nights to keep pores clear without overloading sensitive areas.
How often should I use this scrub?
Start by using this scrub once a week, and if your skin handles it well and you see good results, you can carefully use it more often. It helps clear impurities and reduce blemishes while supporting your acne concerns without causing irritation.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
SheaMoisture African Black Soap Clarifying Facial Wash & Scrub is a great fit for acne-prone skin because it offers excellent exfoliation and deep pore cleansing to clear impurities and reduce blemishes. Salicylic acid and willow bark extract help keep pores clear and support breakout concerns without causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024BioMed Research International, 2020
Is this scrub fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Cetyl alcohol and myristyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
Twice daily application of a multitargeted dermocosmetic cream provided comparable efficacy to benzoyl peroxide 5% gel in reducing inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions in 150 Caucasian subjects with mild-to-moderate acne over 56 days, while demonstrating superior skin tolerability.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020The use of a salicylic acid-based dermocosmetic significantly reduces the needed quantity of benzoyl peroxide without impacting efficacy in mild to moderate acne, and as maintenance post-benzoyl peroxide allows a significant reduction of acne relapse compared to vehicle.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2023A survey of 100 black soap users demonstrated that the vast majority found the soap helpful for overall skin care and dermatologic conditions such as acne and dark spots.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2017Topical application of a water-in-oil cosmetic emulsion containing 4% Tamarindus indica seeds extract significantly improved skin elasticity, moisture content, and surface evaluation parameters in 11 healthy male volunteers compared to a control base over 12 weeks.
Postepy Dermatologii I Alergologii, 2017Tamarindus indica n-hexane extracts from various organs demonstrated anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities by inhibiting nitric oxide and promoting fibroblast migration in in-vitro assays compared to control cells.
Plants, 2022Topical lycopene-enriched virgin olive oil provides effective pain relief similar to a placebo in patients with burning mouth syndrome, showing a strong placebo effect.
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, 2014A combination cream of stimu-tex AS and saccharide isomerate reduced erythema, increased skin capacitance, and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to placebo in 20 subjects after fractional CO2 laser procedure without causing serious adverse events.
Lasers in Medical Science, 2025A skin barrier restoring cream with shea butter, silkflo, and vitamin E increased type I procollagen synthesis, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, decreased reactive oxygen species generation, and promoted hyaluronic acid production in H2O2-stimulated human keratinocyte cells compared to untreated cells.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Mangifera Indica Seed Oil, Myristic Acid, Coconut Acid, Jojoba Esters, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Blend Essential Oil, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Shea Butterate, Sodium Cocoate, Theobroma Cacao Pod Ash, Salix Nigra Bark Extract Willow Bark Extract, Salicylic Acid, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Bisabolol, Melaleuca Alternifolia Tree Oil Leaf, Decyl Glucoside, Tamarindus Indica Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Undecylenate
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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