Our Aleppo Soap comes from a family run factory in Aleppo, which has been producing this legendary soap for almost 400 years! Four centuries during which nothing significant has changed. Today soap is produced following the same ancient recipe as they used long ago, cut by hand, branded by hand with the maker’s stamp and then dried in the centuries old caves of Aleppo. In 1937 the family business passed into the hands of Mohammed and today it is forging ahead with his three sons Mohammad, Amor and Fadel. All three are continuing to make valued and unique soap because they apply the same dedication and love as did their ancestors.Our Aleppo Soap is a 100% natural product, consisting exclusively of olive and laurel oils. It doesn’t contain perfumes, coloring, preservatives or other additives or indeed any animal products and it has not been tested on animals. It does not contain sodium lauryl sulfate.
A fascinating history
Produced in the ancient Syrian city of Aleppo, this soap has a 2000 year history. Year after year people have produced it using the same method, neither adding to nor removing anything from the original recipe. Even the Bible mentions it, associating it with renowned olive groves of the Middle East and Mesopotamia. Even earlier we find it mentioned on Babylonian clay tablets. Not for nothing were the wealthy oriental califs among its most enthusiastic devotees. Even Jesus and his disciples probably appreciated this soap. Soap from Aleppo was particularly highly prized after 800 a.d. when it spread throughout the Mediterranean on a wave of Arab expansion, reaching continental Europe. At Massillia (modern day Marseille) local people made their own version but using olive oil on its own. Aleppo soap is thus generally regarded as the true predecessor of the variety from Provence, not just a close relative - and is of superior quality too.
The workmanship of artisans
The process begins in November, following the olive harvest, and ends in March. In the hubbub of Aleppo the same ancient ritual to produce the soap is followed as it has been for centuries. First of all they boil the olive oil very slowly in a cauldron for several days, adding soda extracted from sea salt. At the end of the cooking process, when saponification has taken place, the mass is enriched with laurel oil. It is the quantity of laurel oil (also known as bayberry), from 5% to 50%, that determines its scent and excellence. After being filtered and cooled the soap, still green, is hand cut, branded with the manufacturer’s stamp and left to dry in the open air for at least nine months. The longer this seasoning lasts, the higher the quality of the soap will be. In the souks of Aleppo it is possible to find soaps which have “matured” for six years and more. The typical reddish brown color is the result of the soap’s oxidization from exposure to the air and is the final indicator of quality. Before being sold every single piece is carefully brushed and cleaned.
Legendary properties
Aleppo soap is a 100% pure and natural product, consisting exclusively of olive oil and laurel (bayberry) oil from untreated plants around Aleppo. It contains no perfumes, coloring, preservatives or other additives or indeed any animal products and it has not been tested on animals. Apart from being moisturizing and softening the oils are appreciated for their anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Soap from Aleppo is therefore particularly kind to skin and suitable for personal hygiene (face, body and hair). It offers real benefits for every skin type, delicate and dry skin in particular. It is highly recommended for psoriasis, dandruff, eczemas and allergies. Laurel stretches the skin and opens pores, thus making this soap an excellent shaving foam - particularly for those with delicate skin. Even though it may sting a little if it gets in your eyes it’s also ideal for children because it’s a natural moisturizer for their delicate skin. For centuries soap from Aleppo has been used in oriental Turkish baths as a proper beauty treatment in its own right prior to a traditional massage. When applied to the face for three to four minutes it’s effect is comparable to a cosmetic mask. Apart from that, a piece of this precious soap has a property almost unknown or forgotten in the west: it’s an amazing moth repellent. A small cube in the wardrobe keeps moths and their grubs away.
Ingredients: Water, Olea Europea (olive), Laurus Nobilis (bay / laurel), sodium chloride (cooking salt), sodium hydroxide (soda).
Note: In rare cases using a soap with a high concentration of laurel can give rise to minor skin irritation. This is an innocuous and transitory phenomenon. Should the symptoms persist switch to soap with a lower laurel content.
