How to Make Aleppo-Style Soap (Olive Oil & Laurel Berry Oil Soap)
Traditional Aleppo-style soap is beautifully simple: olive oil, laurel berry oil, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) + and water. The percentage of laurel berry oil makes a noticeable difference—the higher percentages produce a more aromatic, distinctive soap. This is an Aleppo-inspired recipe, as I do not claim to be a Syrian Artisan soapmaker!
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Aleppo soap is one of the oldest and most treasured traditional soaps in the world. Originating in Aleppo, Syria, this beautiful, simple soap has been made for centuries using just a handful of ingredients: olive oil, laurel berry oil, distilled water, and lye. Its history dates back to the medieval soapmaking traditions of the Middle East, where skilled artisans developed a distinctive method of cooking olive oil and laurel berry oil together to create a long-lasting cleansing bar. Traditionally, the finished soap was cut into rustic blocks, stamped with the maker’s mark, and stacked to cure for several months, sometimes even a year or longer.
What makes Aleppo soap so special is its simplicity. Olive oil creates the foundation of the soap, producing a mild, conditioning bar with a creamy, gentle lather. Laurel berry oil is the signature ingredient that gives Aleppo soap its distinctive earthy aroma, green interior, and unique character. Laurel berry oil has a long history of use in traditional skincare and is valued for its cleansing properties. Together, these two oils create a wonderful everyday cleansing bar. Many people appreciate Aleppo soap because it contains no synthetic fragrances, artificial colors, or unnecessary additives.
Hot or Cold Process Aleppo-Inspired Soap
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make Aleppo-style soap using the traditional four ingredients, with options for different laurel berry oil percentages. Whether you prefer a simple olive-oil-rich bar or a more concentrated laurel soap, making your own Aleppo-inspired soap is a wonderful way to carry on an old-world soapmaking tradition in your own home. The first recipe is 20% I will also share 5% and 30% tables.
Where to Buy Laurel Berry Oil, Lye and the Soap Mold
Laurel berry oil can be purchased through Amazon here or BeScented here
I buy my Sodium Hydroxide (lye) from Nurture Soap you can buy it here. If it is out of stock there, you can buy it here
The soap mold I used can be purchased here
Small batch · Approximately 14.6 oz fresh batter · 5% target superfat- 20% Laurel Berry Oil
| Ingredient | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 226.8 g | 8.00 oz |
| Laurel berry oil | 56.7 g | 2.00 oz |
| Distilled water | 93.6 g | 3.30 oz |
| Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) | 36.5 g | 1.30 oz |
| Total oils | 283.5 g | 10.00 oz |
Cold-process directions
- Put on safety goggles and chemical-resistant gloves, and work in a well-ventilated area.
- Weigh the distilled water into a suitable heat-resistant container. Slowly add the verified NaOH amount to the water, never the reverse. Remember snow falling on a lake. Stir until dissolved and set aside to cool.
- Weigh and combine the olive oil and laurel berry oil. Gently warm it to around 120 degrees.
- When the oils and lye solution are around 90–110°F (32–43°C), slowly pour the lye solution into the oils.
- Stick blend in short bursts until light trace, then pour into a small soap mold.
- Leave for 24–72 hours, or longer if the soap remains soft. Unmold and cut.
- Cure with good airflow for at least 8–12 weeks, preferably 3–6 months or longer.
Hot-process directions
- Prepare the verified lye solution as described above.
- Warm both oils in a slow cooker on low until fully combined.
- Add the lye solution and stick blend to a stable trace.
- Cook on low, stirring as needed and watching carefully for expansion, until the soap has completed its cook.
- Spoon the soap into the mold, pressing down to minimize air pockets.
- Cool for 24–48 hours before unmolding and cutting.
- Cure for at least 6–8 weeks; several months will generally improve hardness and longevity.
My recommendation: Use the cold-process method if you want a smoother, prettier bar. Hot process yields a more rustic bar.
Aleppo Soap Recipe – 30% Laurel Berry Oil
Approximately 14 oz batch
Oil ratio: 70% olive oil / 30% laurel berry oil
Target superfat: 5%
| Ingredient | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil (70%) | 188.2 g | 6.64 oz |
| Laurel berry oil (30%) | 80.7 g | 2.85 oz |
| Distilled water | 88.4 g | 3.12 oz |
| Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)* | 35.0 g | 1.24 oz |
| Total oils | 268.9 g | 9.49 oz |
| Approx. total batter | 392.3 g | 13.84 oz |
Aleppo Soap Recipe – 5% Laurel Berry Oil 95% Olive Oil
14 oz batch 5% superfat
| Ingredient | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Olive oil (95%) | 255.4 g | 9.01 oz |
| Laurel berry oil (5%) | 13.4 g | 0.47 oz |
| Distilled water | 88.4 g | 3.12 oz |
| Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)* | 34.3 g | 1.22 oz |
| Total oils | 268.8 g | 9.48 oz |
| Approx. total batter | 371.5 g | 13.10 oz |
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