Aleppo soap, also known as laurel soap, is a fine, natural soap made from olive oil as a base with added laurel berry oil in varying percentages.
It is a handmade soap completely free from surfactants, sulfates, and fragrances.
The soap does not dry out skin or hair and has a lovely, natural soapy scent, which varies slightly depending on the percentage of laurel berry oil.
The laurel berry oil comes from the fruits of the laurel tree, which mainly grows in Syria and around the Mediterranean. Laurel oil is known for its healing properties, making this soap a natural choice for many.
Aleppo soap has been made the same way since 0 BC. Olive oil is mixed with lye in a large vessel over several days.
During this process, the olive oil saponifies into a thick liquid soap mass, and laurel berry oil is added. The soap mass is then poured into large molds and allowed to harden for about a day before being cut into pieces.
The soaps are then stacked in large, beautiful towers for 6-12 months, during which the soap matures and develops its nourishing and antiseptic properties.
7 benefits of washing your hair with a solid Aleppo soap
- Environmentally friendly.
- Healthy without unnecessary additives like surfactants, sulfates, and fragrances.
- Budget-friendly.
- Long-lasting.
- Helps with problematic issues like itchy and flaky scalps, often also eczema.
- Suitable for the whole family, including children and pregnant women.
- Perfect for frequent travelers (no heavy bottles to carry).
How to wash your hair with Aleppo soap
- Massage the soap into your scalp and let it work during the massage for a few minutes.
- Then rinse thoroughly with warm water.
- You can wash a second time if needed; this usually makes the hair feel even softer.
- You might need conditioner afterward, but many say they don’t. It’s also fine to rinse with apple cider vinegar diluted in water for extra shine and softness.
- You can wash your hair every 2-3 days for 2-3 weeks as a treatment, or you might get attached to the shampoo soap and switch to it permanently.
Review: Aleppo soap for itchy scalp, eczema, and dandruff
”My scalp really benefited from this amazing soap. After the first wash, the itching stopped. It did sting a little during washing, but after rinsing, it felt soothing.
In a very short time, the eczema dried up and I was also free from dandruff. During this time, my hair was a bit unruly, but my scalp healed.
After about three weeks, I went back to washing my hair as usual with an organic shampoo, and the eczema has not returned.
I can’t express how wonderful it is to finally be free from all the itching after so many years.”
5 problems Aleppo soap is recommended for
- Anyone with itchy and flaky scalp.
- Those with oily or curly hair who want to try the “No Poo” no-shampoo method.
- Often very good for skin with eczema, psoriasis, and skin allergies.
- The soap can help with hair loss.
- The soap can help with acne.
Which percentage of laurel berry oil should I choose?
Aleppo soap is available with 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, and 40% laurel berry oil.
The most common starting points are 12% or 20%, then moving upwards.
This is because soaps with lower laurel berry oil content (8% to 20%) suit everyone with normal skin and scalp. Good for hand washing, hair washing, and body washing for both men and women.
If you have very thin and sensitive skin, a low laurel berry oil content of 8 or 12% is recommended.
A higher laurel berry oil content, 20-40%, is good if you have drier skin and scalp in winter.
Soaps with higher laurel content, 20% to 32%, are perfect as shaving soaps for both men and women.
A higher laurel berry oil content is also preferable for itchy scalps.
The highest laurel berry oil content, 32% to 40%, is often very popular for problematic scalps with psoriasis or eczema, but we recommend starting with a soap with a lower percentage and then moving up.
Do you use Aleppo soap and have good tips or questions for us? Write a comment and we will respond!
