What is Aleppo soap?

Aleppo soap is a traditional hard soap from the city of Aleppo in Syria, made with olive oil and laurel oil. The way it is made has changed little in centuries, and in 2024 UNESCO added the craftsmanship of Aleppo Ghar soap to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

What is Aleppo soap made of?

• Olive oil, the base of every bar.
• Laurel oil, pressed from the berries of the bay laurel tree and added in different proportions.
• Lye and water, which turn the oils into soap.

How is it made?

The soap is cooked in large vats, poured onto the workshop floor to set, cut by hand, stamped with the maker's seal and stacked in open towers to air-dry for 9 months.

What does the laurel percentage mean?

It is the share of laurel oil in the oil blend. A higher percentage changes the scent, the colour and the price; it is not a strength score.

For the full guide, read What Is Aleppo Soap? or compare our four bars.