# Recreating aleppo soap



## Sanguine (Sep 25, 2013)

Hii!
When ordering a bunch of herbs a few days I noticed that that supplier sells laurel oil! And not even at those insane prices I've heard before.
So, looking at wikipedia, the "recipe" was like 2-30% laurel oil + olive oil. It also said that they use seawater. That's where I hit a wall...
I was thinking about using 20% laurel oil and 80% olive. The mediterranean sea contains 38% of seasalt in the water near syria. I don't want to add salt to my soap batter but I'd like to have it dissolved in my lye water. However, it's gonna be a big challenge to dissolve 38% in water (24% was already difficult when I was making brine for my cheese). Is it safe to add lye to salt water? 
To those that made aleppo soap, what did you do with the salt?


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## boyago (Sep 25, 2013)

Which supplier is this?


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## neeners (Sep 25, 2013)

I've never made the soap, but this is just a thought - can you heat up the water to dissolve the salt.  when salt is fully dissolved then leave the mixture overnight to cool or in the fridge?  I've read people using sea water as the lye solution, so I would think just to add the lye in the mixture?

I hope someone with more experience can pipe up for you....  i'm very interested in your results!


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## squyars (Sep 25, 2013)

Ok, not meaning to sound like a smart alec, but when they say salt water is used, could they be referring to the lye water?  I mean it is water that has SODIUM hydroxide.  Sodium meaning salt.  Just a thought.

Also, I'm curious where you found the oil.  I have found plenty of EO,  but I have had a devil of a time finding the actual oil from the plant.  I have heard horror stories of people ordering cheaper Laurel oil, only to find it has been adulterated.  I would love to try my hand at an Aleppo-type soap.  Not sure if I would have the patience to wait a year to cure though.  ;-)

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2


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## eyeroll (Sep 25, 2013)

I would also love to know where you found bay laurel oil (not bay laurel essential oil).  


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## Lindy (Sep 25, 2013)

I've used sea water and there is no problem with the lye in it.  It works a treat and I love having it in my soap since I live on the sea...


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## DeeAnna (Sep 25, 2013)

"...when they say salt water is used, could they be referring to the lye water? I mean it is water that has SODIUM hydroxide. Sodium meaning salt...."

No, they really do mean salt as in salt from the sea, aka table salt, aka sodium chloride, aka NaCl. Totally different from sodium hydroxide, NaOH. And pure sodium is a metal, not a salt in the chemistry sense.


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## squyars (Sep 25, 2013)

I would be worried about organics in sea water.  Do you filter it or something to "clean" the sea water?

It's funny,I got into soap making because of issues with dermatitis.  Aleppo soap was one of my first researches.  The REAL stuff is terribly expensive, and now threatened by the war in Syria.  I have been searching for the oil to make my own, but no luck so far.  I have read up on several processing methods, but the primary recipe is HP OO, with the bay laurel oil added after it has "cooked".  No EO' s or other addatives.  Then cured at least a year.  Could not find on Wikipedia where they use seawater, but perhaps I missed it.  Makes sense though, since Aleppo is near the coast.

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## scrubbie (Sep 25, 2013)

Yes where did you get the oil?!


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## scrubbie (Sep 25, 2013)

Im going to do it in hot process Friday. I have some from a friend in Turkey. I test the bay laurel at 100% for a 4oz bar. I learned alot. Pricy experiment. But i learned an awful lot. The oil has an incredible smell as well as cleansing properties. I am super interested in learning more. Here is one of the videos I made to test [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rWVq3agO8g&feature=c4-overview&list=UU5h8BTrio-tZOLu9Rr8epJAs[/ame]


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## squyars (Sep 25, 2013)

Wish I had a friend in Turkey!  

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## CaraCara (Sep 25, 2013)

I'd love to know who the supplier is as well.


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## Sanguine (Sep 26, 2013)

Hii!
I don't know how to quote multiple people so I'm gonna try it like this

About cleaning the oil:
if you'd actually use sea water I think that when you boil it the bad things will float on top and you can scoop it of. But that's just my idea, don't  know if it actually works like this. I've also read about the method they use where they hp the olive oil and add the laurel oil after the cook, but this worries me. The laurel oil is used up to 30%. If nothing of that is actually saponified, won't the soap have DOS?

About adding the salt to boiling water:
The water needs to be atleast 80°c to absorb it's maximum capacity of salt. (Did this for making my brine for my cheeses) you can add your entire 38% to boiling water but the salt the water can't take up will just lie in the bottom of your container.

The oil the supplier sells is 
INCI: Laurus nobilis oil so I think this is the real oil, not the e.o.
The supplier is www.kenkkruidenshop.nl the "nl" part is probably bad news for people in the US since it's a supplier from the netherlands...
http://www.kenkkruidenshop.nl/c-1596470/laurier-olie/
And for the non-dutch speaking people:
http://translate.google.be/translat...p.nl/c-1596470/laurier-olie/&biw=1024&bih=671
I'm not sure they send orders all over the world...

Wanna hear the stupid part? I already placed my order in the weekend which was send yesterday, and I forgot to order the bay laurel oil! roblem:


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## Sanguine (Sep 26, 2013)

Looks like they do send orders all over the world but it's expensive! €24.30 for 0-2kg for the US.... Sending packages is pretty expensive here :sad:


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## dagmar88 (Sep 26, 2013)

Sanguine said:


> Looks like they do send orders all over the world but it's expensive! €24.30 for 0-2kg for the US.... Sending packages is pretty expensive here :sad:



Yes, I would have loved to do a coop, but shipping is outrageous.
It would be around €38 for one kilo of bay laurel and with 20 kg you'd pay about €10 per kilo for shipping it all to one US based person...


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## Sanguine (Sep 26, 2013)

Belgium is even slightly more expensive. And then they are surprised no one uses the post anymore... What are they trying to reach with this?


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## squyars (Sep 26, 2013)

Wish I had a friend in the Netherlands.  ;-)


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## manwithbeers (Sep 26, 2013)

I have to point out that Seawater isn't 38% salt. (38/100). It is 38 ppt, 38/1000 or 38 grams per Kilo of water. Worldwide the average is closer to 35 ppt. Pretty easy to dissolve that actually. Has been for my Aleppo homage anyway.

Cheers,


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## Sanguine (Sep 27, 2013)

Omg you're right! I didnt notice the extra ° on the right side of the %. Tnx!


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## nframe (Sep 27, 2013)

CaraCara said:


> I'd love to know who the supplier is as well.



Hello,

I managed to find some Oleum Lauri Expressum (bay laurel oil, not bay laurel essential oil) a while ago from a chemist in Freiburg, Germany (http://internet-apotheke-freiburg.de/). I know they ship abroad since I live in the UK and they sent it to me.  I can't remember what the postage was and I don't know whether they would post to the US/Canada.  You can contact them, they speak some English.

I haven't made my Aleppo soap yet because I am not sure what recipe to use and I don't want to waste that oil as it was very expensive!

Good luck.


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## squyars (Sep 27, 2013)

Thanks for the link.  It appears they do ship worldwide.  Although they are currently out of stock of the 1 L, they do have 100 and 250 no available.  

I ran the 1 L through the shopping cart, and the total with shipping outside of Europe would run just below 104 Euros, or about $145.  It's a shame it's not available in North America.

How does yours look and smell?  Is it the black paste everyone has described?

Williamsburg, VA


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## nframe (Sep 27, 2013)

squyars said:


> Thanks for the link.  It appears they do ship worldwide.  Although they are currently out of stock of the 1 L, they do have 100 and 250 no available.
> 
> I ran the 1 L through the shopping cart, and the total with shipping outside of Europe would run just below 104 Euros, or about $145.  It's a shame it's not available in North America.
> 
> ...



Yes, it is a very thick paste but it is not black.  It is dark green and it smells quite nice.  As I said, when I am sure of the recipe, I will give it a go.  I don't know what percentage of bay laurel oil to use.  I have seen soaps with 30% bay laurel oil but I seem to remember reading that it was too much.  So, I don't really know what to do...


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## neeners (Sep 27, 2013)

I found this article about laurel oil...I hope it helps

https://fitjarsoap.no/articles/11/aleppo-soaps


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## nframe (Sep 27, 2013)

neeners said:


> I found this article about laurel oil...I hope it helps
> 
> https://fitjarsoap.no/articles/11/aleppo-soaps



Thank you.  I notice that some soaps even go as high as 40%!!!


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## neeners (Sep 27, 2013)

ya!  thought it was interesting!


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## AtraGarden (Dec 21, 2013)

Hello all, let me know if you have any questions about Laurel Berry Oil and making soap with it.


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## nframe (Dec 21, 2013)

htown said:


> Hello all, let me know if you have any questions about Laurel Berry Oil and making soap with it.



Thank you for your offer to answer questions about this.  Have you made some Aleppo soap yourself?  What percentage of laurel berry oil did you use?  And lastly, did you use any EO and, if so, which one(s)?

I am about to make some Aleppo soap but cannot decide what EO to use.  I have some laurel EO but am not sure whether to use that on its own or mix it with something else or make the soap unscented.  Also, I cannot decide which percentage of laurel berry oil to use.  I have seen soaps with 40% laurel berry oil.  I bought this oil a while ago but have not used it yet because I can't decide what to do.  It was so expensive, I don't want to waste it.

Lastly, I have read that it is better to use extra virgin olive oil for this type of soap (rather than the normal one).  Is this correct?  I am also planning to use the cold process.  Is this OK?

I hope you can answer all these questions!  Thanks in advance.


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## AtraGarden (Dec 21, 2013)

Yes, I have been making Aleppo Soaps for the last 3 years. The percentage of the Laurel Berry Oil is up to you. You may mix as much as you like. I even make soap with only Laurel Berry Oil. I would recommend you to add at least 20% of Laurel Berry Oil to get its scent and benefits If you are gonna mix it with Olive Oil. Moreover, the more you add Laurel Berry Oil the more you get lather.  I do not add Essential Oil to it but you may add around %0,1. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil has great properties. You may want to use it on your skin. On the other hand, virgin oil that has good smell and color is also suitable for Cold Process. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Traditional Laurel Berry Oil = Happy Showers)


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## nframe (Dec 21, 2013)

htown said:


> Yes, I have been making Aleppo Soaps for the last 3 years. The percentage of the Laurel Berry Oil is up to you. You may mix as much as you like. I even make soap with only Laurel Berry Oil. I would recommend you to add at least 20% of Laurel Berry Oil to get its scent and benefits If you are gonna mix it with Olive Oil. Moreover, the more you add Laurel Berry Oil the more you get lather.  I do not add Essential Oil to it but you may add around %0,1.
> 
> Extra Virgin Olive Oil has great properties. You may want to use it on your skin. On the other hand, virgin oil that has good smell and color is also suitable for Cold Process.
> 
> Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Traditional Laurel Berry Oil = Happy Showers)



Thank you so much.  If I make it now, I can have ready for next Christmas!


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## AtraGarden (Dec 21, 2013)

nframe said:


> Thank you so much.  If I make it now, I can have ready for next Christmas!


Let me know how it goes...


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## nframe (Dec 21, 2013)

htown said:


> Yes, I have been making Aleppo Soaps for the last 3 years. The percentage of the Laurel Berry Oil is up to you. You may mix as much as you like. I even make soap with only Laurel Berry Oil. I would recommend you to add at least 20% of Laurel Berry Oil to get its scent and benefits If you are gonna mix it with Olive Oil. Moreover, the more you add Laurel Berry Oil the more you get lather.  I do not add Essential Oil to it but you may add around %0,1.
> 
> Extra Virgin Olive Oil has great properties. You may want to use it on your skin. On the other hand, virgin oil that has good smell and color is also suitable for Cold Process.
> 
> Extra Virgin Olive Oil + Traditional Laurel Berry Oil = Happy Showers)



Thank you so much.  If I make it now, I can have ready for next Christmas!


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## nframe (Dec 21, 2013)

Sorry about the last message.  I clicked twice on Submit reply!


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## AtraGarden (Dec 21, 2013)

squyars said:


> Wish I had a friend in Turkey!
> 
> Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2


Maybe I could help with that


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## boyago (Dec 21, 2013)

Does anyone know what the traditional method of making this soap is?  HP, CP, Elf method?


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## AtraGarden (Dec 23, 2013)

boyago said:


> Does anyone know what the traditional method of making this soap is?  HP, CP, Elf method?


The traditional method of making this soap is HP with lots of seawater. It is made in large pots with drainage at bottom. 

1. Seawater and half of the caustic soda you are gonna use brought to boil. 
2. Oils added
3. Mixture of seawater and rest of the caustic soda added while oils are turning soap.
4. Pot boils for 4-6 hours
5. Water is drained and fresh water added in 4-6 hours of boiling (The reason doing that is to drain excessive caustic soda and foreign objects if there is any) 
6. The soap is let rested for 4-8 hours ( Water goes down while resting)
7. The soap is taken out from the pot to large mixer if there is any essential oil is going to be added. (if not it goes straight to #8)
8. The soap is poured into molds. ( Aleppo style is pouring into molds on the ground that are 1,5 -2,5 inch in height)
9. Soap is rested for 4-5 days and cut. 
10. Soap is rested for at least 3-4 months depending on the climate conditions.


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## AtraGarden (Dec 23, 2013)

nframe said:


> Yes, it is a very thick paste but it is not black.  It is dark green and it smells quite nice.  As I said, when I am sure of the recipe, I will give it a go.  I don't know what percentage of bay laurel oil to use.  I have seen soaps with 30% bay laurel oil but I seem to remember reading that it was too much.  So, I don't really know what to do...


The right address is to buy Laurel Oil is Turkey. Aleppo soaps are famous but the Laurel Oil used in it even goes from Turkey. Let me know if you need any.


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## nframe (Dec 23, 2013)

htown said:


> The right address is to buy Laurel Oil is Turkey. Aleppo soaps are famous but the Laurel Oil used in it even goes from Turkey. Let me know if you need any.



Well, I finally made it!  I decided to go for 35% laurel oil and 65% olive oil.  I also added some salt (since I don't have any sea water) and some laurel EO.  I unmoulded it today.  It is still a bit soft, but it has a lovely colour (pale green) and smells quite nice.  I have to leave it for quite a long time, I know.  That will be the most difficult bit!

I wouldn't mind making some more so am interested in your supply from Turkey.  How could I get it?


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## AtraGarden (Dec 23, 2013)

nframe said:


> Well, I finally made it!  I decided to go for 35% laurel oil and 65% olive oil.  I also added some salt (since I don't have any sea water) and some laurel EO.  I unmoulded it today.  It is still a bit soft, but it has a lovely colour (pale green) and smells quite nice.  I have to leave it for quite a long time, I know.  That will be the most difficult bit!
> 
> I wouldn't mind making some more so am interested in your supply from Turkey.  How could I get it?


Great news....It is gonna probably lose its color as it dries but still great. Did you do HP?  I actually signed up here to see what the end users are thinking about this product and help them with it. Just google Atra Garden Laurel Berry Oil and get in touch for it.


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## nframe (Dec 24, 2013)

htown said:


> Great news....It is gonna probably lose its color as it dries but still great. Did you do HP?  I actually signed up here to see what the end users are thinking about this product and help them with it. Just google Atra Garden Laurel Berry Oil and get in touch for it.



I did CP.  As for the Atra website, I had a look at it but they only seem to sell the laurel oil in batches of 25 kg and the smallest essential oil is 1 kg.  Even though I make a lot of soap, this is too much for me!

Thank you anyway.


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## engblom (Dec 27, 2013)

AtraGarden said:


> The traditional method of making this soap is HP with lots of seawater. It is made in large pots with drainage at bottom.
> 
> 1. Seawater and half of the caustic soda you are gonna use brought to boil.
> 2. Oils added
> ...



I want to check up a few things, so I know I understand right. 

1. Is only half the lye solution added because you want to reach "trace" faster? About how long time into boiling are you adding the other half of the lye solution?

2. Is NaOH or KOH used nowadays? It looks like traditionally it was made by ashes, which would mean KOH. Would NaOH make a too hard soap?

3. Is it really true that the soap is boiled at 200C (not F) as some sites are claiming?

4. When fresh water is added, how do you exactly do it? Do you mix in the water properly? I mean, does not the soap solve up into the water and you end up with a gel? How do you prevent soap loss when draining the water? With how much water do you rinse it? Like same amount as soap?

I have only made soap where I have had no excess water nor excess lye solution so this with extra much water is very confusing for me. I want to learn as much as possible before I order any oil.


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## AtraGarden (Dec 27, 2013)

engblom said:


> I want to check up a few things, so I know I understand right.
> 
> 1. Is only half the lye solution added because you want to reach "trace" faster? About how long time into boiling are you adding the other half of the lye solution?
> 
> ...


Hello there, 
The example I have given is on 500kg pot. Small kitchen pots do not take as much time. 

1. The half of the lye solution added because you wouldnt want oils to saponify fast, this is 4-6 hours process. Half at start and the other after 3-4 hours. (Slow paced saponification)
2. Naoh is certainly used nowadays. I know guys that tried ash but no performance and yes it was made using ash instead of Naoh( they didnt have Naoh long time ago )
3. To be honest I never measure the tempetarure. 
4. The reason is to use seawater is that being salty. Salty water rinse faster than fresh water. When I mentioned fresh water I meant ''newly made salty water'' (sorry). and yes it becomes like jel at first. You drain till you see the soap coming out. The amount of water is 1:5-6 depending on the oils you are using. If the oil has an unpleasant smell or you added unfiltered base oil etc. you use more salty water. 


It is very confusing, I do not even make my batches. There is an second generation artisian here that I hire to make.


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## AtraGarden (Dec 27, 2013)

nframe said:


> I did CP.  As for the Atra website, I had a look at it but they only seem to sell the laurel oil in batches of 25 kg and the smallest essential oil is 1 kg.  Even though I make a lot of soap, this is too much for me!
> 
> Thank you anyway.


Small packages are coming soon.


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## engblom (Dec 27, 2013)

AtraGarden said:


> Small packages are coming soon.



How long time does the oil keep without going rancid? EU is having a ban on using Laurel Berry Oil in cosmetic products,  so at this point only small quantities for hobby can be used (unless exporting the product out of EU)


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## AtraGarden (Dec 27, 2013)

engblom said:


> How long time does the oil keep without going rancid? EU is having a ban on using Laurel Berry Oil in cosmetic products,  so at this point only small quantities for hobby can be used (unless exporting the product out of EU)


Shelf life is 3 years. Just sent out 90kg to France and sending another 150kg to UK. I did not have any problem. I know that there are lab tests that each country requires at import export level of the business. I also export Olive Oil and it is applied to it as well. Aleppian soapmaker export Laurel Berry Soaps to every country in EU. 

I would like to know and read the source on banning Laurel Berry Oil.


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## seven (Dec 27, 2013)

AtraGarden said:


> Small packages are coming soon.



how soon? 

i did inquire about having the oil shipped to indonesia, but to be honest the minimum quantity is way too much for me.


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## AtraGarden (Dec 27, 2013)

Waiting on filling equipment. Probably in two weeks.


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## DeeAnna (Dec 28, 2013)

Here is my take on your questions, based on the literature search I have done. I am not personally experienced in "boiled" soap, so I'm just passing on what I've read.

1. Is only half the lye solution added because you want to reach "trace" faster? About how long time into boiling are you adding the other half of the lye solution?

Adding the lye in several batches to a hand-stirred "boiled" soap, which is how most soap was made 100+ years ago, will slow the saponification reaction. There are two reasons for this -- the soap will be easier to stir by hand and the saponification of the oils will be more complete. 

If you add the lye too quickly, soap particles form quickly enough that they will make a solid mass at the top of the kettle. This soap mass is so thick and stiff that it cannot be easily mixed by hand. The water-salt-lye solution below the soap layer cannot be mixed with the the oils trapped in the soap layer, so the batch will not saponify efficiently. By adding the lye slowly, the soap mass remains more fluid so it can be stirred more easily, and you'll get better results with this type of method.

2. Is NaOH or KOH used nowadays? It looks like traditionally it was made by ashes, which would mean KOH. Would NaOH make a too hard soap?

Lye made from ashes is not necessarily entirely KOH. It depends on the vegetation -- what kind of plant and the location in which it grew. Certain plants that grow near salt water naturally have more sodium in the ash than other plants or plants grown inland. 

Furthermore, the use of salt water (or seawater) in the soap making process provides an additional source of sodium. This free sodium reacts with KOH soap molecules to partially convert the KOH soap to an NaOH soap.

3. Is it really true that the soap is boiled at 200C (not F) as some sites are claiming?

That is absolutely incorrect. Boiled soap is a water-based system. Water at normal air pressure (0 bar gauge or 0 psi gauge) boils about 100 C (212 F). You'd have to have an expensive pressure vessel rated for well over 14 barG (200 psig) to raise the boiling point of a water solution to 200 C (392 F). Even a home pressure canner cannot get anywhere close to that. Bottom line -- the people who say that are confusing their Celcius with their Fahrenheit. That kind of pressure equipment ain't gonna be available with a handcrafted soap.

4. When fresh water is added, how do you exactly do it? Do you mix in the water properly? I mean, does not the soap solve up into the water and you end up with a gel? How do you prevent soap loss when draining the water? With how much water do you rinse it? Like same amount as soap?

The fresh water will indeed dissolve the soap. Dump it in and mix it up. This step is intended to reduce the amount of free lye in the soap (and also to remove the glycerin). This step has to be followed by a salt water rinse to drop the soap back out of solution.  Yes, some soap is lost when you drain out the water. 

The amount of salt required depends on the soap. Coconut soap will require more salt. An olive based soap will require less. How much water? How much salt? You will have to figure that out by trial and error. That is why boiled soap is as much an art as a science -- you have to have enough experience in this type of soap making to be able to "read" the soap and respond appropriately. I'd learn the technique by making a soap similar to the aleppo, but using cheaper materials.


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## AtraGarden (Dec 28, 2013)

DeeAnna said:


> Here is my take on your questions, based on the literature search I have done. I am not personally experienced in "boiled" soap, so I'm just passing on what I've read.
> 
> 1. Is only half the lye solution added because you want to reach "trace" faster? About how long time into boiling are you adding the other half of the lye solution?
> 
> ...


Two thumbs way up


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## engblom (Dec 28, 2013)

Thank you, you two, for very much information. I should try to find a good tutorial about boiled soap.

I have quite a lot of own made liquid Castile soap (made with KOH) ready at home. I decided to experiment with it. I added a lot of water to it, then added salt. Then I poured it into a glass jar to be able to observe what happens. After some time the soap begun to separate. What was on top floating was very soft and runny. How do you get the salt water out of the ready product? Do you filter it out? Salt is killing the lather, so the floating soap had almost no lather at all.

What salt concentration is used in Aleppo soap for washing the soap?


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## DeeAnna (Dec 28, 2013)

I truly do not know. Sorry! If I had any personal experience on the matter, I'd be glad to share, but I don't.


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## AtraGarden (Dec 28, 2013)

I also do not have experience with liquid soaps. Ask me anything with HP aleppo style soapmaking. I will quickly find out, If I cant answer.


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## alialakhdar (Dec 31, 2013)

*hi*

Edited for rule violation.



oldad said:


> *Please keep these rules in mind as you use our soap making message board:*
> 
> 
> 
> 14 - Usernames may not be an URL or an email address. Members who sign  up  with either will have their accounts deleted. Also, _*please do not  post  email addresses. Email addresses can be harvested from public  forums and  then used by spammers.*_ They can use the addresses to not  only send you  spam but they can also use your address to hide their  identity to send  spam to other people.  Please request a person to send  you a private  message (PM) if you want personal feedback.


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## cmzaha (Jan 1, 2014)

Sent you a message through your site


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## AtraGarden (Jan 1, 2014)

cmzaha said:


> Sent you a message through your site




Got back to you.


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## babysoap (Jan 7, 2014)

AtraGarden said:


> Hello all, let me know if you have any questions about Laurel Berry Oil and making soap with it.



What colour is Laurel oil supposed to be?


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## AtraGarden (Jan 7, 2014)

babysoap said:


> What colour is Laurel oil supposed to be?


Mixture of green, brown and black. There are some pics and a video of its soap on the forum.


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## snowleopard68 (Jan 31, 2014)

Hi, do you have contact details for the supplier? Where in the world are they?


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## AtraGarden (Jan 31, 2014)

snowleopard68 said:


> Hi, do you have contact details for the supplier? Where in the world are they?


I could help you out with that. This oil is produced in some of Mediterranean countries. Check out sponsor display section on the forum.


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## snowleopard68 (Jan 31, 2014)

Hello, is it possible to take the Lauris nobilis leaves and dry them and macerate in olive oil to get the bay oil and what procedure would you recommend if so ie what weight bay leaves to oil. I have attempted it in a small quantity and the soaps smell good and look pretty good although at this time still curing?


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## snowleopard68 (Jan 31, 2014)

Check out sponsor display section on the forum...I am new to soapforum....what does this mean??


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## AtraGarden (Jan 31, 2014)

snowleopard68 said:


> Hello, is it possible to take the Lauris nobilis leaves and dry them and macerate in olive oil to get the bay oil and what procedure would you recommend if so ie what weight bay leaves to oil. I have attempted it in a small quantity and the soaps smell good and look pretty good although at this time still curing?


Berries and leaves yield two different product. We produce Laurel Leaf Essential oil by steam distillation which has a long process and can't be done at home. If you macerate leaves into Olive Oil, you will only get a flavor. Fresh leaves also smell great, you may also try it that way.



snowleopard68 said:


> Check out sponsor display section on the forum...I am new to soapforum....what does this mean??


I can't advertise on this section. Here is contact info. 

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=41503


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## djk17 (Feb 5, 2014)

AtraGarden said:


> Shelf life is 3 years. Just sent out 90kg to France and sending another 150kg to UK. I did not have any problem. I know that there are lab tests that each country requires at import export level of the business. I also export Olive Oil and it is applied to it as well. Aleppian soapmaker export Laurel Berry Soaps to every country in EU.
> 
> I would like to know and read the source on banning Laurel Berry Oil.




It is E.U. Directive 76/768/EWG

http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/sectors/cosmetics/documents/directive/

If you read Annex II you will see that laurel berry oil is banned in cosmetics sold in the EU. 

In this document--a "toilet soap", e.g. soap for face and body, is included as a cosmetic.


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## engblom (Feb 5, 2014)

I made some more research about this. The oil is not banned as long as it does not contain oil from the seeds of the berries. It is the oil from the seed that is banned.


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## AtraGarden (Feb 5, 2014)

djk17 said:


> It is E.U. Directive 76/768/EWG
> 
> http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/sectors/cosmetics/documents/directive/
> 
> ...


Hello there, Thanks for the input, you can't imagine how good is to learn from others and share the information you have. Your post led me to search the COSING ingredients in EU and I found out that the CAS numbers are really mixed up. 

I have attached COSING Sheet of Laurus Nobilis Fruit Oil also known as Laurel Berry Oil and it is Skin Conditioner according to EU. If annex II was the case Aleppo Soaps, Marseille Soaps, Shampoos, Creams and Aromatherapists should be banned in EU. We have come to that great thread '' Entering the murky world of EU regulations''. 

I have run into the restricted one which is Oil from the seeds of Laurus nobilis L. (this L. at the end is very important, what is it?) but could not find any explanation to it. What is it and why is it restricted? Maybe it is the seed to plant the tree Thanks


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## seven (Feb 5, 2014)

Nevermind


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## AtraGarden (Feb 5, 2014)

seven said:


> Nevermind


 I deleted too.


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## Raf (Nov 28, 2018)

What about the smell of Aleppo soap? I have made lots of batches of Aleppo and smell like the laurel oil, which is ok but the real Aleppo soap doesn´t smell like that at all, it´s another kind of smell that I love. I wonder what is the secret behind the smell of Aleppo soap. Maybe they use a blend of mediterranean herbs?? Does anyone have any idea?


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## DeeAnna (Nov 28, 2018)

Please do not resurrect threads that haven't been active for years. It's called "necroposting" and we discourage this practice.

This thread is almost 5 years old. Many of the posters are no longer active members.

There's nothing wrong with asking your question, but please start a new thread to do this. You may also want to provide a link in your new thread to this old one.


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## Raf (Nov 28, 2018)

Sorry, about the "necroposting thing", didn´t have a clue !  I´m new.


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## DeeAnna (Nov 28, 2018)

You can learn more about the forum rules and culture here: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/forums/smf-announcements-comments-help-rules.21/


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