The original natural soap
Aleppo soap is widely considered to be the first purest soap ever made, famous for its intensely moisturising qualities and all natural ingredients. Emanating from the Levant region in the Middle East and introduced to Europe by the Crusaders in the 11th Century, the techniques used to make Aleppo soap have remained unchanged to this day.
Aleppo soap is made from mixing oil from laurel (bay) trees with olive oil. Usually high concentrations of these oils are used to make the soap, between 60-98% for olive oil and between 2-40% for laurel oil. Other natural ingredients like honey, pure essential oils, red clay and Dead Sea salts can also be added.
Laurel is extremely resilient evergreen tree resistant to extreme temperatures and coastal conditions. The oil is dark green and somewhat dense with a strong scent. It has a luxurious, smooth and creamy feel, softening and refreshing the skin. Laurel oil is also an effective cleanser, antibiotic, anti-fungal and anti-itching agent, making it ideal for the treatment of sensitive and damaged skin. Compounds extracted from laurel bay trees have recently been identified as inhibitors of certain types of skin cancers and other human tumour cell growths such as amelanotic melanoma, renal cell adenocarcinoma, and breast cancer.
Olive oil has been used for centuries not only for its healing qualities but also as a natural, deep penetration moisturizer, regenerating skin cells and softening the tissue. The combination of Olive and Laurel oils in Aleppo soap can help calm inflammation, irritation and redness.
Aleppo soap uses no chemicals or other additives making it suitable for those with the most sensitive skin. It can be used daily for washing and shampooing, as shaving cream and for bathing babies. It also helps aid the recovery of scalp problems like dandruff and other skin ailments such as insect bites, skin allergies, irritated skin, eczema and dermatitis.
A list of much of the research to verify the efficacy of the Bay Tree or Laurel Oil is available at the GreenMedInfo website.