SheaMoisture African Black Soap Clarifying Facial Wash & Scrub for combination skin
African Black Soap
Tamarindus Indica Extract
Oil Tree
Shea Butter
Salicylic Acid
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other products fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 moderate exfoliation for your combination skin, as salicylic acid and willow bark extract work to smooth texture and manage oily shine. Jojoba esters provide emollient action, balancing the exfoliating benefits.
- The formula is generally safe for your combination skin, with no harsh ingredients that would typically cause irritation.
- This product provides general cleansing and soothing benefits, effectively addressing concerns like oily shine and pore-clearing for combination skin.
How to apply
- Use this exfoliant product in your PM routine starting once a week, then increase frequency carefully if your skin feels fine.
- Apply this exfoliant step after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the exfoliant into your skin and wait a minute before layering.
- Apply the exfoliant to clean, dry skin to help control your oily shine comfortably.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
Questions and answers
How well does SheaMoisture African Black Soap Clarifying Facial Wash & Scrub work for combination skin?
This wash and scrub works moderately well for combination skin by smoothing texture and helping manage oily shine with salicylic acid and willow bark extract. While it cleans and helps clear pores safely, combination skin often needs ingredients that manage oil and gently hydrate without overwhelming the skin to achieve a better balance.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for combination skin?
Salicylic acid and willow bark extract help smooth texture and manage oily shine on your combination skin, while jojoba esters and shea butter balance those exfoliating benefits with moisture. To work best for this skin, an exfoliant treatment needs ingredients that manage oily shine without causing irritation, along with hydrating properties to maintain balance.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008BioMed Research International, 2020
What does African Black Soap do for combination skin?
African Black Soap helps cleanse combination skin by utilizing antimicrobial properties that support overall skin health. However, because traditional soaps can sometimes be drying, this skin type needs a gentle formula that balances oil without stripping natural moisture.
What does Tamarind Extract do for combination skin?
Tamarind extract helps keep combination skin feeling soft and smooth by holding onto moisture and calming dry patches without making oily areas greasy. It is generally very gentle, making it a safe choice for balancing different skin areas.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This exfoliating treatment goes in the evening routine, starting at once a week for combination skin. To fit this skin better, products of this type need gentle balancing ingredients and hydrating agents that manage oily shine without causing dryness.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this wash and scrub with retinol by keeping them in separate routines, such as using this scrub in the morning and retinol at night, to help prevent extra dryness and irritation on your combination skin. Combination skin typically does better with a gentler cleanser and a hydrating toner used alongside retinol rather than a strong exfoliating wash.
How often should I use this cleanser?
Start by using this cleanser once a week, and if your skin tolerates it well and shows good results, you can carefully use it more often. Combination skin needs gentle exfoliating ingredients and moisturizers that smooth texture and manage oily shine without causing irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This scrub is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin because its ingredients safely help clear pores and manage oily shine. A product for this skin needs gentle exfoliants like salicylic acid and soothing ingredients to keep pores clear without causing irritation.
BioMed Research International, 2020Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Is this cleanser 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
Topical formulations containing 3.75% glycerol and 1.25% hydrolyzed jojoba esters produced significantly lower evaporative TEWL values compared to glycerol alone at 8 and 24 hours posttreatment in human subjects.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2008A 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, 2020Twice 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, 2024The 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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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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