In a word “Yes” – Orobaa has a deep-rooted belief in natural products for skin care and hair care. All our products are free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, artificial colours, phthalates, sulphur and mineral oils. However, there are no rules or laws that define what natural means and Orobaa uses Formula Botanica’s “4 shades of natural” to guide us:
Shade 1: Ingredients obtained from plants. The ingredient maintains its original chemical shape and structure, for example, cold-pressed oils, fats and butter extracted from plant seeds or nuts.
Shade 2: Ingredients that are naturally derived. The ingredient will have undergone reactions like fermentation or hydrolysis. Many emulsifiers and preservatives fall into this category.
Shade 3: Ingredient is nature identical. The ingredient has been synthetically processed so its chemical structure is identical to that found in nature, such as many weak acids such as citric acid.
Shade 4: Ingredient is obtained from natural sources and the natural ingredient is processed to mimic a synthetic substance. All the carrier oils and butters used by Orobaa come under the first shade and the emulsifiers and preservatives used fall into the second shade, with occasionally a small quantity (less than 5%) coming from the third category. In other words, we believe all the ingredients used by Orobaa are “natural”.

As Orobaa’s products are free from synthetic chemicals, the products will not have the shelf life of a product which does. We have formulated the product with some naturally derived and nature-identical ingredients which allow the lifespan of the product to be extended. The shelf life is based on the ingredient with the lowest shelf life. The shelf life of our products is: Authentic African Black Soap: 36 months, Charisma Shea Butter (handcrafted): 24 months, Other Orobaa products: 12 months
The shelf life will be extended if Orobaa products are stored in a cool area away from direct sunlight.

In most cases, noticeable results can be detected after 3-4 weeks of regular use. However, all Orobaa products will get to work immediately, penetrating the upper dermis, flushing out toxins, boosting the skin’s natural immune system and restoring balance.

Orobaa is a new entrepreneurial start-up company. However, all of Orobaa’s products use ingredients that have been continually used by thousands of people over hundreds of years.

Orobaa is a word created from the word “obaa” from a local Ghanaian language meaning a woman in all her glory and “or” the French word for gold. Translated Orobaa means “Golden Woman”.
It also translates as “Women’s Gold” which is a name used to describe shea butter – one of the base ingredients used by Orobaa. Shea trees grow wild in 21 African countries and an estimated 16 million women process the nuts collected from the trees into shea butter – thus the name Women’s Gold.

Authentic African Black Soap is made from plantain skins and leaves and cocoa pods, mixed with palm kernel oil and coconut oil. The exact amount of each ingredient for a batch will vary. Authentic African Black Soap does not contain shea butter or added fragrances. It is authentic!
Authentic African Black Soap has been traditionally used by West Africans for bathing and washing. Due to the abundance of antioxidants and vitamins A and E in African black soap, there are many skin-nourishing benefits. It helps to heal skin problems such as acne, eczema and psoriasis and helps to fade skin discolourations & blemishes as well as relieving dry and irritated skin. It was, and still is, used as a shampoo for hair, not only to cleanse, but also to alleviate scalp itchiness and irritation. African black soap is often used to relieve oily skin and certain skin conditions, such as acne and eczema. Women also used black soap for skin care during and after pregnancy to keep from getting dry skin, stretch marks and other skin conditions caused by hormonal changes. The soap was also used on babies because of its purity and gentleness on sensitive skin.

African black soap is considered to be safe and beneficial for all skin types – dry, oily, normal, combination and even sensitive in some cases. For the most part, users of African black soap have found it to be beneficial, even healing to the skin.
But while some find the soap moisturizing, others might find it drying. Skin will react in different ways depending on the individual and the product, especially since being a natural product it may vary from batch to batch and can have varying proportions of ingredients.
Upon first use, even those with oily skin might notice that the skin feels dry and tight. This might last for a week. It’s believed this is caused by the soap drawing out impurities and excess oils. After a few days, the PH levels of the skin will balance out (which is why it is believed to be good for both dry and oily skin.) The soap can also cause a tingling, sometimes burning sensation leading to red skin. This also seems to eventually resolve, but before using African black soap on the face, do a patch test on another part of the body, like the inside of the elbow.

For some individuals, the raw black soap dries out the skin. If it’s drying out your skin, try using less. A little goes a long way and using too much soap will be drying to already parched skin. If you have sensitive and/or dry skin start out by using it only once a day.
Be sure to use a good moisturiser such as Orobaa’s Nurture Face Moisturiser or Harmony Day Cream afterwards – especially during winter months when cold weather could further dry out the skin.

African Black Soap is great for oily and acne-prone skin. It’s efficient for deep pore cleansing because of its natural exfoliating qualities. Even if you have oily skin you should moisturise with Orobaa’s Nurture Face Moisturiser or Harmony Day Cream afterwards.

Authentic African Black Soap contains a high amount of vegetable glycerine, which absorbs moisture from the air and helps retain moisture on the skin, leaving it supple and soft. For this reason, the soap can soften and start to slowly disintegrate when left exposed. So, keep it dry and store on something like a wooden soap dish with slats to allow the soap to drain. Always buy Orobaa’s Authentic high-quality African Black Soap.

Shea butter is fat that’s extracted from the nuts of the shea tree which grows wild across the Sahel region of Africa where it’s used as food, as a cooking oil and for skin and hair care. It grows in 21 countries and an estimated 16 million women process the shea nuts into hand-crafted butter – most shea comes from half a dozen West African countries. Charisma Shea Butter is all handcrafted and sourced from these women’s groups. Shea butter is solid at room temperature and melts at 37°C which is the same as your body temperature and thus is better absorbed into your skin. It has an off-white or ivory colour.
High concentrations of fatty acids and vitamins make shea butter an ideal cosmetic ingredient for softening skin. Shea butter also has anti-inflammatory and other healing properties. Using shea butter on your body, especially your face, can condition, tone, and soothe your skin.

fig trees farm, 57 inanda rd, pinetown hillcrest, 3610
phone: +27 063 928 4164 e-mail: info@orobaa.africa