Aleppo soap is arguably the oldest soap in the world. It was already being made in the Aleppo region, in northern Syria, thousands of years ago, long before the recipe travelled to the Mediterranean and inspired Marseille soap. Few people know this link: Marseille soap now smells of lavender and olive oil, but its roots reach all the way back to the cauldrons of Syrian soap makers.
For centuries, the craft was passed from father to son in the old soap works of Aleppo. Then fourteen years of war destroyed almost everything. Workshops closed, master soap makers scattered, and traditional production nearly disappeared. Since then, the soap makers have slowly returned to work. The cauldrons are heating again, and a hand-shaped soap is reclaiming its place.
A recipe that stayed simple
What strikes you when you know the composition is its sobriety. A real Aleppo soap contains olive oil, laurel berry oil, water and plant-based soda. Nothing else. No synthetic fragrance, no colourant, no preservative. The cooking takes several days, then the paste is poured onto the floor, cut by hand and stamped, before a long drying of several months. It is this slow time that gives the soap its hardness and its gentleness.
The proportion of laurel oil changes everything. The higher it is, the richer the soap and the better suited to fragile skin. That is why we offer a range whose content goes from 5% to 55%, for example a soap with 20% laurel for everyday use on normal skin, and a soap with 35% for sensitive or reactive skin.
Why this story matters to us
At Maison du Laurier, we have been importing and distributing authentic Aleppo soap for over twenty years. We work directly with a master soap maker who is himself our partner at Organic Bio Tech, following the age-old method. Picking up this story is not nostalgia: it is a guarantee that the soap you buy was made the way it should be, with real raw materials and a real curing time.
The revival of the Aleppo soap works also reminds us how precious this product is. Behind every bar there is a craftsman’s gesture and a region rebuilding itself.
Want to hold a soap true to this tradition? Discover our authentic Aleppo soaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Aleppo soap come from?
It was born in the Aleppo region of northern Syria thousands of years ago. It is the ancestor of Marseille soap.
What is a real Aleppo soap made of?
Only olive oil, laurel berry oil, water and plant-based soda, with no fragrance or colourant.
Why is Aleppo soap made by hand?
The cauldron cooking, hand cutting and months-long drying follow a traditional method passed down for centuries.
