Traditional Aleppo Soap

Traditional Aleppo soap, often hailed as the world's oldest soap, is a natural and simple soap with a rich history dating back over 2000 years in the city of Aleppo, Syria. Its enduring appeal lies in its short list of natural ingredients and its time-honored production methods.  

Key Characteristics of Traditional Aleppo Soap:

• Simple, Natural Ingredients: Authentic Aleppo soap is made with just four core ingredients:

  • Olive Oil: Forms the majority of the soap, providing its moisturizing and nourishing properties. It's rich in antioxidants and vitamins.  
  • Laurel Oil (Bay Laurel Oil): The signature ingredient that sets Aleppo soap apart. Its concentration (typically ranging from 2% to 20%, but sometimes higher) determines the soap's quality, cost, scent, and benefits, including its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.  
  • Lye (Sodium Hydroxide): A necessary ingredient for saponification (the chemical reaction that turns oils into soap). In the final cured product, no lye remains. Traditionally, the lye was derived from burning the Anabasis plant, but modern production may use manufactured lye.  
  • Water: Used in the soap-making process.

• Traditional Hot Process: The soap is made using a traditional "hot process" where the olive oil, water, and lye are heated in large vats for several days, allowing the saponification process to occur. Near the end of the cooking, the laurel oil is added.  

• Handcrafted: The thick, soap-like mixture is then poured onto waxed paper-covered floors to cool and harden. Once solid, it is hand-cut into distinctive cube shapes and often stamped with the producer's mark, signifying authenticity and family legacy.

• Long Curing Process: Unlike many modern soaps, traditional Aleppo soap undergoes a lengthy drying and curing process, lasting from six to nine months (and sometimes even longer) in well-ventilated cellars, away from direct sunlight. During this time:

  • The soap hardens and becomes long-lasting.
  • Its color changes from a deep olive green on the inside to a golden-brown or beige on the outside.
  • The moisture content reduces, concentrating the soap's beneficial properties.
  • The free alkaline content (any lye that didn't react during saponification) breaks down.

• Recognizable Appearance and Scent: Authentic traditional Aleppo soap typically has a golden-brown exterior and a green interior. It possesses a natural, earthy, and sometimes slightly medicinal scent due to the laurel oil.

• Versatile Uses: Traditional Aleppo soap is known for being gentle enough for all skin types, including sensitive skin and even babies. It can be used as:

  • A face and body cleanser
  • A gentle shampoo
  • A shaving soap
  • A face mask (for its detoxifying effect)

Why is it Special?

• Natural and Pure: It's made from 100% natural ingredients, free from synthetic additives, fragrances, preservatives, artificial colors, and animal fats.

• Beneficial Properties: The combination of olive and laurel oil offers moisturizing, nourishing, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and potentially antifungal benefits for the skin.

• Timeless and Eco-Friendly: Its traditional production methods and natural ingredients align with the growing demand for sustainable and environmentally conscious skincare. It's often biodegradable and comes with minimal packaging.

• Historical Significance: As one of the oldest soaps in the world, using

• Ingredient List: Should only list olive oil, laurel oil, water, and lye (sodium hydroxide).

• Appearance: Look for the characteristic golden-brown exterior and green interior.

• Scent: A natural, earthy scent from the olive and laurel oils.

• Origin: Ideally made in or around Aleppo, Syria, although some authentic producers now operate elsewhere due to the Syrian conflict, while still adhering to traditional methods and sourcing quality ingredients.

• Traditional Stamp: Often features a stamp from the producing family or workshop.

Beware of imitations that may contain palm oil, artificial fragrances, or other synthetic ingredients. True traditional Aleppo soap is a testament to simplicity, natural goodness, and centuries of soap-making expertise.