The Art of Personal Cleansing in a Post-Pandemic World

Soap is said to have been around for nearly 5,000 years. Soap refers to any formulation that produces an alkaline soap made from water, wood ash and oils. Ancient Egyptians used soap for several purposes. As medicine to treat skin diseases, for washing and for the preparation of wool for weaving.

Consumers’ connection to this ubiquitous cleanser have evolved dramatically in recent years as covid-19 made everyone rethink their personal hygiene routines.

West Africans today continue to make and use alkaline soaps. Popularly named black soap, it is made from indigenous African oils and agro-waste ash from cocoa-pods, plantains and palm tree leaves. Scientifically proven to contain alkaloids, phenols, saponins, tannins and flavonoids, black soap is high in potassium carbonate, which produces a distinct color. Functionally, black soap is astringent, soluble, effective at cleansing, and produces a lather making it suitable at purifying the surface of skin.

While black soap is originally a soap from the Yoruba people of Nigeria, the art of soap making in Africa is a staple in communities across the continent. What was once considered a chore has evolved into a profession for women due to the rising popularity and versatility of black soap.

“We formulate based on client demand and make our cleansers in liquid and bar form,” says Violet Amoabeng, the founder of Skin Gourmet, a handmade Ghanian skin care brand. The company’s  products are made with raw and unfiltered indigenous African ingredients.

Cleansing Agents

Bathing and the act of cleansing in other parts of the world outside of Africa over the centuries have been influenced by politics, geopolitics and trends. However, in Africa, cleansing is and has been a central part of culture and life. Rooted in its history among traditional rituals and its place in providing a link for divine connection, the choice of cleanser and cleansing ritual is dependent on where one resides. Primarily, cleansing for Africans is a functional art, recreational activity, a social, religious, spiritual, therapeutic and or a traditional custom endeavour.

From bathing in rivers and streams to public bath houses like Hammams in Morocco that date back to 600 AD, cleansing in Africa is not limited to the use of water and soap. A mixture of steam, sweat baths, vapor baths, scrubs, oils, smoking with herbs and spices all form part of the cleansing act for most African tribes. Within the Dinka tribe in South Sudan, herdsmen bathed in cattle urine because it acts as a mosquito repellent.

Today, for the African consumers, cleanliness is a measure of moral and social standing. They have a clear understanding that cleansing is as much about tradition as it is about health and wellbeing. Cleansing is used to counter body odors, wash away dead skin cells, dirt, excess oils, impurities, maintain skin health and its appearance and reduce the spread of disease.

The African consumer has many options today, including gel-, cream- and foam-based formulas and solid bars. Globally, the facewash and cleanser market will grow at a CAGR of 5.5% to 2028 according to a recent study by Dataintelo. As in other regions, the African skin cleansing market is segmented by face care (cleansers, exfoliating cleansers) and body care (body wash and other body care types), according to Mordor Intelligence.

Distribution channels through hyper markets/supermarkets, specialist retail stores, online retail stores and other distribution channels remain preferred options for consumers as well as brands.

“Our distribution has always been in drug stores; it gives national coverage and people trust their purchases from these stores,” says Sue Visser, founder of South African brand Nature Fresh, which make intimate cleansers.

Market leaders such as Beiersdorf, Godrej Consumer Products, J&J, L’Oréal, Revlon, P&G, Estée Lauder and Unilever are the biggest players in the market. All of them continue to take advantage of a rapidly growing working population, urbanization, disposable income and GDP. Analysts suggest the favorable business climate could extend well beyond the next 20 years.

Strategies for Growth

As African consumers become more aware and knowledgeable about the products they use, there is a rising preference for organic and natural products.

South African women, in particular, are most inclined to herbal and natural ingredients, preferring natural active ingredients derived from vegetable extracts, according to a recent Modor study.

Two years into the covid-19 pandemic, inflation is creating more challenges. According to Statista, inflation ranges from 2.3% in Cabo Verde to 245% in Sudan. With the cost of living rising, the African consumer faces economic challenges. These challenges influence and contribute to a change in consumer and brand taste, preference and behavior.

Consumers are cutting back on spending but are willing to support local brands and pay more for what matters to them. Healthier, more nutritious, organic, better animal welfare, socially responsible, transparency, good for their employees, strong expertise, innovative and trendy are some of the reasons why the African consumer is happy to pay more for some products.

“Our business is tuned in to the local consumer. The female middle-class consumers are looking for brands that offer quality and efficacy,” says Checherazade Cheikh, founder of Inaya Zanzibar, a handmade African soap and skin care company.

A recent study on South African consumer trends concurs with Zanzibar’s assertion. According to McKinsey, 64% of consumers are willing to pay extra for healthier/more nutritious products. The trend is mainly driven by Millennials and Generation Z consumers.”

The pandemic encouraged consumers to shop online. According to Mc-Kinsey, 38% of South African consumers say they now use online channels one to two times a month.

This surge in technology and consumers’ willingness to adopt it, makes the market fertile for innovation. 

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Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Malée, Founder
office@maleeonline.com
 
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao is an entrepreneur, influential speaker, sought-after brand consultant and freelance columnist with a focus on Innovation, sustainability and leadership in the cosmetics, luxury goods and start-up industries. As the founder of Malée, Africa’s first global luxury fragrance and body care brand, an advisory board member at Innocos, the world beauty innovations summit, Oriaikhi-Sao has established herself as a leader in the African-made luxury goods market. She has been featured on CNN, The Telegraph and The Daily Mail. She hosts the podcast Third Culture Africans, and inspires a vast audience with entrepreneurial and lifestyle Insights at zezeonline.