3 Best Traditional African Hair Cleansers for Natural Hair
by Team CurlyNikki
Before there was a shampoo aisle…
Before somebody decided we needed a clarifying shampoo, moisturizing shampoo, co-wash, AND scalp scrub…
African women were already washing their hair.
In Ghana, there’s traditional black soap, known as alata samina. In Togo, closely related soap-making traditions continue today. And in Morocco, women have long used rhassoul, a mineral clay associated with traditional hammam bathing rituals. Different countries. Different traditions. Different ways of getting hair CLEAN.
We found three authentic options worth investigating, and one important reason not to replace your regular shampoo just yet. We keep an array of choices on deck!
The Traditional African Cleansers Compared
| Product | Best For | Biggest Trade-Off |
|---|---|---|
| MADE BY RADW Black Soap | Traditional Ghanaian deep cleansing (ideal for heavy buildup) | Can leave coils feeling stripped (Follow immediately with a deep conditioner or leave-in.) |
| Alaffia Unscented Black Soap | Convenient liquid cleansing (easier application in the shower) | May leave hair rough without conditioner (Always pair with a moisturizing rinse-out conditioner.) |
| Argamara Rhassoul Clay | Gentle, conditioning clay wash (great for sensitive scalps) | Messy and requires thorough rinsing (Apply in the shower and use a wide-tooth comb under running water.) |
1. MADE BY RADW Original Deep Cleansing Soap
Best for: Women curious about authentic Ghanaian black soap.
MADE BY RADW Original Deep Cleansing Soap contains cocoa pod ash, shea butter, and palm kernel oil. That’s a completely different formula from your usual sulfate-free shampoo. The soap is produced in Ghana, and the brand markets it for hair, face, and body. What caught my attention is the simplicity of the ingredients.
But black soap’s biggest strength, its powerful cleansing action, can also be its biggest drawback for natural hair.
Traditional soap is generally alkaline. That matters because high-pH cleansers can increase hair-shaft swelling, friction, and roughness.
If your hair already tangles easily, I’d be especially cautious.
I wouldn’t choose this as my everyday shampoo for fragile, fine coils.
Bottom line: We’re trying to remove buildup, not remove every ounce of softness along with it. The product is listed on the Ghanaian manufacturer’s website, but confirm availability and international shipping before ordering.
2. Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap All-In-One, Unscented
Best for: Women who want the traditional concept in a convenient bottle.
Now THIS is the more practical option.
Alaffia Authentic African Black Soap All-In-One is inspired by Togolese soap-making traditions and produced with fair-trade West African ingredients. Unlike traditional black soap paste, it arrives as a ready-to-use liquid. Its formula combines saponified shea and palm-kernel ingredients with lauryl glucoside, a cleansing surfactant. And the unscented version doesn’t add fragrance.
The brand specifically markets it for shampooing as well as body washing. But I wouldn’t mistake convenience for a guarantee of gentleness. If your curls feel unusually rough or tangled afterward, that’s useful feedback: this cleanser may simply be too strong for your hair.
Follow with a conditioning product that provides plenty of slip.
Our verdict: The easiest introduction to the black-soap category, particularly if you’re curious about simplifying your shower shelf.
3. Argamara Moroccan Rhassoul Clay
Best for: Women who want to experiment with traditional Moroccan clay cleansing.
Argamara Moroccan Rhassoul Clay contains one ingredient: Moroccan lava clay.
No conventional shampoo surfactants. No added fragrance, thank God.
Just mineral clay from Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Mixed with water, rhassoul becomes a smooth paste traditionally used to cleanse skin and hair.
And unlike black soap, it doesn’t produce a familiar shampoo lather. For natural hair, that means the experience is entirely different. The clay can absorb oils and residue, but don’t confuse that with a promise to moisturize damaged hair or permanently define your curls. If you’ve got dense 4C coils, rinsing deserves special attention. Any clay left around the roots can make your hair feel gritty instead of clean.
I’d mix it thoroughly, avoid letting it dry hard, and rinse in sections.
Bottom Line: Fascinating for an occasional wash-day experiment. Not the product I’d reach for when I’m already running late.
What About the pH of African Black Soap?
This is the part I’d want every natural-haired woman to understand before purchasing.
Traditional soap-based cleansers can be more alkaline than shampoos formulated specifically for hair.
That may leave some strands feeling rougher or harder to detangle, especially if they’re already damaged or porous.
And no, you don’t automatically need to follow black soap with apple cider vinegar.
Improperly diluted vinegar can irritate your scalp. A good conditioner is a much simpler place to start.
If your hair repeatedly feels stripped after a particular cleanser, choose a gentler one.
Which African Cleanser Would We Actually Buy?
For convenience: Alaffia.
For a traditional Ghanaian soap experience: MADE BY RADW, provided you can arrange delivery.
For a distinctly Moroccan cleansing ritual: Argamara rhassoul clay.
None is automatically superior to your favorite shampoo.
But each offers an interesting window into the ways African communities approached cleansing long before modern beauty brands arrived.
And here’s what I love most.
Our ancestors didn’t need a shampoo aisle to understand the importance of clean hair.
We can appreciate that wisdom without pretending every traditional formula is right for every head of curls!
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