Aleppo Soap! The real thing!!!

[KristaY]

Krista, yes! I had the same thought as you . Last year, I infused bay leaves in olive oil but nothing smells like bay even after 6 months. Actually, it did not smell like bay at all.

So, I have purchased 1/2 oz Bay EO from Rose Mountain Herbs. It has such strong & deep scent which I love. A little goes a long way though. I only used 1/2 teaspoon of bay EO along with other EOs in 2 pound batch of soap but all I can smell is bay EO. The scent holds well even after 6 months in my soap rack so far. It's definitely pricy for me but it might be a worth to add in a special soap recipe - like Aleppo soap.

Good to know, Ellacho! I was worried about using up to 30% not only because of the cost but I know how potent the scent can be. Plus, 1/2 tsp in 2 lbs soap is about .3% which makes it much more feasible! Now I can try it without the guilt. :grin:

 

[Ellacho]

Good to know, Ellacho! I was worried about using up to 30% not only because of the cost but I know how potent the scent can be. Plus, 1/2 tsp in 2 lbs soap is about .3% which makes it much more feasible! Now I can try it without the guilt. :grin:

Before I knew about Aleppo soap, I have been wanting to purchase the laurel bay oil for my shampoo bar recipe. But all I could find was the bay EO.

Now that I learned about the Aleppo soap today, I want the bay oil even more for my next soap challenge: Aleppo soap .

I looked up the links CanaDawn posted but they were not located in the US. Please let me know if you find a reputable supplier that sells bay oil. Meanwhile I am going to look for it in middle eastern country groceries - who knows? I might find it, if I am lucky ;-).

 

[neeners]

I don't think there's anyone in the US that sells bay laurel oil. If you search through the forum, you'd know there have been lots of people looking (and talking about it), and not many with success on this side of the pond. your local middle eastern market will be your best bet. good luck.

 

[KristaY]

I don't think there's anyone in the US that sells bay laurel oil. If you search through the forum, you'd know there have been lots of people looking (and talking about it), and not many with success on this side of the pond. your local middle eastern market will be your best bet. good luck.

I read all those posts too, neeners. I also looked at the links from CanaDawn, Ellacho. When it said "contact for price quote" I immediately thought "out of my price range"! If you find it at a middle eastern market, Ellacho, I'd love to know. At least I'll have a place to start looking on this side of the pond. :grin:

 

[CanaDawn]

I read all those posts too, neeners. I also looked at the links from CanaDawn, Ellacho. When it said "contact for price quote" I immediately thought "out of my price range"! If you find it at a middle eastern market, Ellacho, I'd love to know. At least I'll have a place to start looking on this side of the pond. :grin:

I thought the same thing, but figured I would fling those links out there anyhow. As I mentioned, one of the links is actually someone that posts here, so there might be an "in"

I also found laurel LEAF oil fairly commonly in N.American suppliers' listings, but from what I am reading, that's not the thing that makes Aleppo soap in its traditional form (and like African Black Soap, there seems to be some regional differences in recipe, and some secrecy about it too! A little mystical allure is good for any soap, I say! )

 

[raywitt001]

Wow. I didn't even know such a soap existed! This is probably a really dumb question but what makes it so green? It is almost like a clay soap.
I would consider trying this but beyond the cost of the laurel oil, waiting a year to use it would be worse!

 

[CanaDawn]

The laurel seed oil gives the colour.

 

[Corinne]

Just a thought, you can buy bay laurel plants in the US and grow your own "berries"... but I read that it can take 10-30 years to get one to produce the fruit part of the plant. In the mean time, I suppose you could use the leaves for cooking. Wish I was thinking about this 7 years ago when we planted all our fruit trees.

Anyway just thought this might be an option for anyone willing to cold press or steam distill their own oils in the long run. Especially considering the cost.

 

[Ellacho]

I don't think there's anyone in the US that sells bay laurel oil. If you search through the forum, you'd know there have been lots of people looking (and talking about it), and not many with success on this side of the pond. your local middle eastern market will be your best bet. good luck.

I see....Thanks for letting me know Neeners!

 

[CanaDawn]

Maybe go in and request it specifically (laurel seed oil), because I see lots of wholesaler places that sell it in as little as 7kg min orders, and if there has not been a demand, the retailer would not look for it or stock it.

 

[Corinne]

Now I am a bit confused... is the oil you need laurel seed oil? Or laurel berry oil? And it is the bay laurel, correct? I was thinking that the oil was pressed from the "fruit" of the berry, but now I'm wondering if it is from the seed, or if I am even thinking of the right plant. Sorry if this has already been discussed in another thread. I don't think I'll be buying this any time soon, but it is interesting and might be helpful for future reference.

EDIT: Nevermind, after a bit of googling I think I understand now. Thanks!

 

[Be Love]

Wow! What a find. And thanks for all the history everyone! Enjoy your soap!

 

[Ellacho]

I just went to my Pakistani's grocery to look for laurel bay oil. I didn't find the bay oil but guess what I've found at the store??? The Aleppo soap!!! I go there often to buy fresh produce, oils & dried herbs(for my shampoo bar). My gosh, I never knew they have been selling Aleppo soap until today.

Thanks to Neeners for posting about the Aleppo soap!

Thanks to CanaDwan for sharing the Youtube link. It surely helped me to differentiate a real Aleppo soap ! I am thinking it might be from the same company...

 

[CanaDawn]

I just went to my Pakistani's grocery to look for laurel bay oil. I didn't find the bay oil but guess what I've found at the store??? The Aleppo soap!!!

Cool! Now I want to go and look, I have Syrian friends who probably stock it, and lots of "ethnic" markets if they don't

I don't know for sure, but I think the stamp is probably unique to the manufacturer because I have seen many different ones. Does it compare to the photos neeners posted?

 

[scotsman]

From what I have read there are two main types of bay laurel oil. There's the essential oil and there's the carrier oil. Not sure from what part of the plant each comes but from my research I seem to be seeing that it is the carrier oil that is used to make the traditional Aleppo soap. I remember seeing some of the posts by atragarden, who works for a company that sources and sells the oil. They don't have prices listed on the site, but an online search for the carrier oil brought back some pretty hefty prices. Not as pricey as the EO, mind you, but cost-prohibitive nonetheless. I was not able to find a single U.S.-based supplier or seller of the carrier oil and others online had said that it can't be shipped to the states. Maybe there's some kind of governmental regulation. If anybody out there does find a seller that will ship to the states please let me know as I would love to try my hand at making this fabled soap.

 

[Dorymae]

In looking around I noticed this :

The EU has banned the use of laurel oil as a cosmetic ingredient, by its 76/768/EWG directive. Laurel oil is suspected to provoke allergic reactions in certain cases.

I'm not sure if it's the same in the US but if it is it may be why it is so hard to find.

 

[CanaDawn]

From what I have read there are two main types of bay laurel oil. There's the essential oil and there's the carrier oil.

Can you link to something? Everything I read said it was cold pressed oil from the laurel berry seed, not an essential oil (which aren't really oils anyway), so we've been reading very different things.

I wouldn't expect a US based supplier, actually, but astragarden's site says "As small as 5 L could be sent anywhere in the world. No export papers required up to 150kg of packages. Contact for a quote. " so I am going to contact.

 

[CanaDawn]

In looking around I noticed this :

The EU has banned the use of laurel oil as a cosmetic ingredient, by its 76/768/EWG directive. Laurel oil is suspected to provoke allergic reactions in certain cases.

I'm not sure if it's the same in the US but if it is it may be why it is so hard to find.

FDA regulations http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scrip...part=182&showfr=1&subpartnode=21:3.0.1.1.13.1

"Essential oils, oleoresins (solvent-free), and natural extractives (including distillates) that are generally recognized as safe for their intended use, within the meaning of section 409 of the Act, are as follows: [and includes]
Laurel berries Laurus nobilis L.

 

[IrishLass]

Just thought these threads might be of help:


1) Here's a couple of old threads I dug up dating from 2011 -12, back when I was researching Aleppo soap in the hopes of making some:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=23873&highlight=aleppo


http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=30629&highlight=aleppo



2)... and here's Scrubbie's thread on her laurel berry soap experiment:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=38858&highlight=aleppo



3)....and here's engblom's thread on her Aleppo soap:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=42491&highlight=aleppo



4)....and here's a thread on recreating Aleppo soap:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=38938&highlight=aleppo


HTH!
IrishLass

 

[KristaY]

Oh! Thanks IrishLass! That last thread was the one I was looking for but just hadn't found yet. Sometimes weeding through many threads takes a lot of time so I have to do it sessions, lol.