Best Aleppo Soap: How to Choose a Brand

Search for Aleppo soap and you will find dozens of brands, from Syrian family soap houses to French soapmakers and German importers. They all look similar: a tan cube, a stamp, a laurel percentage. So how do you choose?

We are a seller too, so we will not tell you which brand is "best". Instead, here are the five things worth comparing, and what seven well-known brands say about their own bars, taken only from their sites and labels. For the basics, start with what Aleppo soap is.

Key takeaways

• Compare five things: origin, laurel percentage, curing time, ingredients and price per 100 g.
• Origin varies. Some brands say Aleppo or Syria, Alepia sells an Aleppo range and a France range, and some do not say.
• Prices ran from €2.35 to €5.60 per 100 g across six brands we checked on 4 October 2026.
• The name is not protected. We found no EU geographical indication for Aleppo soap, so the label matters.
• Ignore medical promises. Several listings make them; real differences are in the label.

The short answer

The best Aleppo soap is one that states where it is made, its laurel percentage and how long it was cured, lists only saponified olive and laurel oils, and costs a fair price per 100 g. Many brands meet most of these; few state all five. Use the checklist below on any bar, including ours.

Our interest: Alepo sells Aleppo soap, so we have a stake in this topic. We have not ranked brands. Every fact about another brand below comes from its own site or a retailer's copy of its label, with a link.

Five things to compare

1. Origin

Where is the soap made today? Since the Syrian war, Aleppo soap has been made in Aleppo, elsewhere in Syria, and by makers who moved to Turkey and France (Reuters via Oman Observer, 2016; New Lines Magazine, 2025). All can be genuine. What matters is that the label says so. We found no EU geographical indication protecting the name (European Commission), and Paris Match has called it one of the most imitated soaps in the world (Paris Match, 2017).

2. Laurel percentage

The share of laurel berry oil, usually 0% to 40%, changes the scent, colour and price. A brand should state it on every bar. Our laurel oil percentage guide explains each strength.

3. Curing time

Traditional bars dry for six to nine months or more (UNESCO). Few brands state it; those that do usually say nine months. Read why Aleppo soap is cured for months.

4. Ingredients

A traditional bar needs only olive oil, laurel oil, water and lye, which appear on labels as sodium olivate, a laurel ingredient, aqua and sometimes glycerin and salt. Our ingredients guide decodes the names; how to spot fake Aleppo soap covers the warning signs.

5. Price per 100 g

Bars range from about 100 g to 200 g, so the price per bar tells you little. Divide by the weight. Our where to buy guide has a wider price survey.

Pro Tip: If a listing makes medical promises but does not say where the soap is made, read the label twice. Real differences between bars are origin, laurel share, cure and price.

Seven brands, fact-checked

Here is what each brand says about its own bars, as of 4 October 2026. Where a brand does not state something, we say so rather than guess.

Najel

Retailers describe Najel's pure olive bar as "made in Aleppo (Syria)", with the ingredients sodium olivate, aqua, glycerin, sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide (Greenweez). Najel's 40% laurel bar weighs 185 g, and a Dutch retailer quotes the brand saying its soap loses about 30% of its water in the first nine months (De Groene Drogist). We found it at €8.69 for 185 g, about €4.70 per 100 g (E. Menessaptieka).

Alepia

Alepia sells two ranges. Its 25% and 40% "authentique" bars are described as handmade in Aleppo, with at least nine months of natural drying (Alepia 25%; Alepia 40%); the company also makes soap in France. Its 40% bar was €10.08 for 200 g on sale, about €5.04 per 100 g. Note that the two product pages print slightly different ingredient names for the laurel oil.

Tadé

Tadé says its bars are made in Aleppo and that the 12% bar dries for nine months, while its range page mentions six months to three years in cellars (Tadé 12%; Tadé range). The 12% bar lists sodium olivate, sodium laurelate, aqua, glycerin and sodium hydroxide, at €5.75 for 200 g, about €2.88 per 100 g.

Zhenobya

Zhenobya is a Germany-based brand; a retailer lists the manufacturer in Stuttgart and describes the soap as matured in Aleppo, but the brand does not state where it is made (Miraherba). Its ingredient list names Laurus nobilis leaf oil rather than berry oil. The 25% bar was €7.59 for 200 g, about €3.80 per 100 g.

Lauralep

Lauralep's 40% bar is listed as made in Syria, with an organic badge and the ingredients sodium olivate, sodium laurate, aqua and sodium hydroxide, at €4.69 for 200 g, about €2.35 per 100 g (Greenweez). It was the lowest price per 100 g we found for a 40% bar.

Marius Fabre

The Provence soapmaker, best known for Marseille soap, sells a 30% laurel Aleppo-style bar of 200 g at €11.20, about €5.60 per 100 g. It lists sodium olivate, aqua, sodium laurelate, glycerin, sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide and is certified palm-oil free; the page does not state where the bar is made (Marius Fabre). Our Aleppo vs Marseille vs Castile guide explains how the two soaps differ.

Finigrana

A German company sells Finigrana bars from 4% to 32% laurel. The 16% bar of 180 g lists sodium olivate, sodium laurate, aqua and vegetable glycerin, at £5.75 in the UK, about £3.19 per 100 g; the listing does not state where it is made (Ecco Verde).

Prices compared

Higher laurel usually costs more, but not always: the cheapest bar we found was a 40% bar, and the dearest a 30% one. Prices also change between shops; Najel's 40% bar ranged from about €4.70 to €5.89 per 100 g across two retailers.

Pro Tip: Write the price per 100 g on your shopping list, not the price per bar. A €10 bar of 200 g and a €6 bar of 100 g are not what they seem.

Where Alepo fits

We make four strengths, with the laurel percentage on every bar: Pure Olive from €7.90, 10% laurel from €9.90, 20% laurel from €12.90 and 40% laurel from €18.90. Our bars contain only olive oil and laurel oil, and we ship across the EU from Vilnius.

Judge us by the same five checks. Origin, laurel %, cure, ingredients and price, all on the page. See all Aleppo soaps. Free EU shipping over €50.

Frequently asked questions

Which Aleppo soap should I try first?

Choose pure olive oil for the mildest scent, 10% laurel for a light bay note, 20% for a more noticeable bay scent, or 40% for the deepest bay scent in our range. If you want to compare before choosing a favourite, the Discovery Set contains one of each. Choose by scent, ingredients and budget; a higher percentage is not a skin-treatment rating.

How can I check whether Aleppo soap is authentic?

Start with a named seller or maker, a clear country of manufacture, the full ingredient list and the stated laurel oil proportion. Ask the seller about anything missing. A stamp, tan crust or green centre may be consistent with traditional production, but none proves origin or composition on its own. Packaging should distinguish soap made in Aleppo from soap made elsewhere using an Aleppo-style recipe.

Is a higher laurel oil percentage always better?

No. The number tells you the recipe’s oil ratio, not an overall quality score. In ALEPO’s range, higher-laurel bars have a more pronounced bay scent and a higher price. A well-made olive-only bar may be the better choice if you prefer the mildest scent or do not want laurel oil. Compare origin, ingredients and care as well as percentage.

Why does 40% laurel Aleppo soap cost more?

It uses more laurel berry oil, which is generally a costlier ingredient than olive oil. Compare price per 100 g as well as price per bar, because ALEPO formulas have different listed weights: 200 g for pure olive, 225 g for 10% and 20%, and 190 g for 40%. A higher price or percentage alone does not prove better quality.

What should I check before buying Aleppo soap online?

Check the country of manufacture, full ingredient list, laurel oil share, bar weight and seller’s contact details. Compare the total cost including delivery, not only the headline bar price. Read the return conditions before buying a large set. At ALEPO you can start with one formula or compare all four in the Discovery Set.

The bottom line

There is no single best Aleppo soap, but there are better and worse labels. A good bar tells you where it was made, how much laurel it contains, how long it cured and what is in it, and its price makes sense per 100 g.

Use the five checks on any brand, including ours. If you are unsure about laurel, read our guide to side effects and who should avoid it; and once you have chosen, here is how to use Aleppo soap and make it last.

Not sure which strength? Our soap collection puts all four laurel percentages side by side. Free EU shipping over €50.

Related reading: the history of Aleppo soap, how Aleppo soap is made and liquid Aleppo soap.

Sources

1. Greenweez. Najel "Savon d'Alep 100% huile d'olive 200 g." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.greenweez.com/produit/savon-dalep-100-huile-dolive-200g/1NAJE0040
2. De Groene Drogist. "Najel Aleppo olive soap, 40% laurel oil." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.degroenedrogist.nl/en/najel-aleppo-olive-soap-40-laurel-oil.html
3. E. Menessaptieka. "NAJEL Aleppo 40% soap, 185 g." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://e-menessaptieka.lv/en/p/najel-aleppo-40-ziepes-185g-1148950
4. Alepia. "Savon d'Alep authentique 25%." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://alepia.com/fr/authentique-made-in-sy-1/225-savon-dalep-authentique-25-3700479107251.html
5. Alepia. "Savon d'Alep authentique 40% laurier." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://alepia.com/fr/authentique-made-in-sy-1/227-savon-alep-authentique-40-laurier-3700479107268.html
6. Tadé. "Savon d'Alep 12% laurier, 200 g." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.tade.fr/fr/savon-d-alep/19-savon-alep-12-laurier-200-g.html
7. Tadé. "Savon d'Alep" range page. Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.tade.fr/fr/1007-savon-d-alep
8. Miraherba. "Zhenobya organic Aleppo soap with 25% laurel oil, 200 g." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.miraherba.de/en/products/zhenobya-organic-aleppo-soap-with-25-laurel-oil-200g
9. Greenweez. Lauralep "Savon d'Alep traditionnel 40%, 200 g." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.greenweez.com/produit/savon-dalep-traditionnel-40-200g/1LAUR0009
10. Marius Fabre. "Savon d'Alep 30%, 200 g." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.marius-fabre.com/en/aleppo-soap/823-savon-d-alep-30-200-g-a-l-huile-d-olive-et-baies-de-laurier-filme-alep-3298651710301.html
11. Ecco Verde UK. "Finigrana Aleppo soap with 16% laurel oil." Accessed 4 October 2026. https://www.ecco-verde.co.uk/finigrana/aleppo-soap-with-16-laurel-oil
12. European Commission. "Geographical indications for craft and industrial products." https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/industry/strategy/intellectual-property/geographical-indications-craft-and-industrial-products_en
13. Paris Match Belgique. "L'avenir du savon d'Alep, l'or vert de la Syrie." 2017. https://parismatch.be/actualites/economie/4269/avenir-savon-alep-or-vert-syrie
14. Reuters, via Oman Observer. "Bombed-out Aleppo soapmaker revives age-old trade." 26 December 2016. https://www.omanobserver.om/ampArticle/91349
15. New Lines Magazine. "The resilient artisans keeping Aleppo soap alive." 27 February 2025. https://newlinesmag.com/spotlight/the-resilient-artisans-keeping-aleppo-soap-alive/
16. UNESCO. "Craftsmanship of Aleppo Ghar soap." 2024. https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/craftsmanship-of-aleppo-ghar-soap-02132