Alep Soap

Bodycare is a way of life in the Middle East and Alep soap, from Syria, is still made by the age-old traditional methods. Olive oil (a welcome change from palm oil) water, soda and essential oils are cooked in copper cauldrons for 24 hours. The mixture is poured out in great slabs and left to go cold before being cut into rough blocks by hand. The blocks of soap are then stacked to dry and mature for 9 months, when we first saw a column of them we thought they were green and brown tiles. The soap is often enriched with bay tree oil to soothe sensitive skin, or red clay for a purifying body scrub. It’s really versatile and can be used as a face mask, shaving soap, dry on insect bites, to hand wash clothes and traditionally pieces are put in cupboards as a long lasting, natural moth-repellent. Rich in vitamin E too. All about 210-220g.

Traditional 8% bay tree oil £2.75
Superior 35% bay tree oil (boxed) £5.75