How Aleppo Soap Is Made

Aleppo soap is not defined by a recipe alone, but by a process shaped over time.
What makes it distinct is not complexity, but patience.

The method has remained largely unchanged for centuries, not because it resisted progress, but because it works. Each step has a purpose, and none of them can be rushed.

The Oils

Everything begins with olive oil.
This oil forms the base of Aleppo soap and gives it its character. Depending on the type of soap, laurel oil is added in carefully measured amounts. The balance between these oils influences the final soap, but the method itself stays the same.

The oils are chosen seasonally and prepared before cooking begins.

Slow Cooking

The olive oil is cooked slowly in large vessels. Heat is applied gradually, allowing the oil to transform without burning or stress. Laurel oil is added later in the process, once the base has reached the right stage.

This step requires experience rather than timers. The texture, movement, and scent guide the process more than exact measurements.

Pouring and Cooling

Once ready, the soap mixture is poured onto wide, flat surfaces. It is spread evenly and left to cool naturally. As it sets, it becomes firm enough to cut but still soft to the touch.

There is no mold involved.
The shape comes from the surface and the hand that guides it.

Cutting by Hand

After cooling, the soap is cut into blocks using simple tools. Each piece is handled individually. The size is consistent, but no two bars are ever exactly the same.

This step is practical rather than decorative. The goal is function, not perfection.

Drying with Time

The cut soaps are stacked in open spaces where air can circulate freely. This drying period can last several months. During this time, the soap continues to change slowly.

Moisture evaporates.
The soap hardens.
Its final character develops.

This stage cannot be shortened without changing the soap itself.

Why Time Matters

Aleppo soap is shaped as much by waiting as by action. The long drying period allows the soap to become stable and durable, suitable for daily use without losing its integrity.

Time is not an extra step.
It is part of the method.

A Process Rooted in Place

This way of making soap developed naturally in Aleppo, shaped by climate, materials, and daily life. The process fits the environment it comes from, which is why it has endured.

The method does not aim to impress.
It aims to last.

Looking Ahead

Understanding how Aleppo soap is made helps explain why it remains relevant today. Its value lies in repetition, consistency, and care rather than innovation for its own sake.

From here, the story continues through one of its most defining ingredients: laurel oil, and the role it plays in shaping the different types of Aleppo soap.