Best Aleppo Soap: How to Choose (Plus Two Picks)

Good Aleppo soap is easy to spot once you know what to look for. We chose these from published ingredient lists and have not tested them ourselves.

What to look for

• Short ingredients: olive oil, laurel oil, lye (or "sodium olivate" and "sodium laurelate"), and water. Some include glycerin or salt.
• Laurel percentage: lower (around 5% to 12%) for everyday use; higher (20% and up) for a stronger scent and a more premium bar.
• Origin and aging: traditional bars are made in Syria and aged for months.
• No added fragrance, if you want the traditional version.

Best everyday Aleppo soap

Best traditional, higher-laurel bar

How to use and store Aleppo soap

• Wet the cube and rub it between your hands; apply the lather rather than the bar.
• Keep it on a draining dish. Aleppo soap lasts a long time if it dries between uses.
• Store spare cubes in a dry, airy place; they keep aging gracefully.
• Cut large cubes in half with a sturdy knife to make them easier to handle.

Aleppo vs castile

Aleppo soap is essentially an olive oil soap with bay laurel oil added and a long aging period. If you prefer no laurel scent, a pure olive oil castile bar is the closest alternative. See Aleppo soap vs castile soap.

Who should choose which pick

• New to Aleppo soap, or want a milder scent: the lower-laurel bar.
• Want a traditional, strongly herbal bar: the 20% laurel bar.
• Sensitive skin: start with the lower-laurel bar and patch test.

A note on claims

Some sellers say high-laurel soap helps skin conditions such as eczema or acne. These claims are not well proven, and soap sold to treat conditions is legally a drug in the U.S. Enjoy Aleppo soap as a simple, gentle bar.

Background: what is Aleppo soap.