Ingredient Spotlight: Black Walnut Hull Powder

The finely ground shell of the nut from the tree Juglans nigra native to eastern North America is valued for its astringent and insecticidal properties. The Comanche made a paste of the leaves and husk of the nut to treat ringworm. Black walnut was also used by the Appalachian, Cherokee, Iroquois, and Rappahannock peoples as a treatment for fungal infections of the feet and hands.

The black walnut tree, also called eastern black walnut or American walnut, "is one of the scarcest and most coveted native hardwoods" and is becoming increasingly rare. The nuts have a distinctive taste that are also prized for baked goods, and by squirrels. Apparently humans need to be pretty fast to get to them first.

Black walnut is a key ingredient in our popular Sasquatch Soap ®. It boosts the effectiveness of the soap and adds a light exfoliating texture to each bar. We love the way it combines with cocoa powder to give the soap a beautiful brown hue.