Aleppo Soap for Your Face: A Gentle, Natural Cleanse for Oily and Blemish-Prone Skin

Your bathroom shelf is probably crowded with face washes, each promising something different and most of them built on the same synthetic foaming agents and fragrance. Aleppo soap does the opposite. It is one of the oldest cleansers in the world — just olive oil and laurel oil, saponified and aged for years — and it has quietly become a favourite for people with oily and blemish-prone skin who want to strip their routine back to something honest. If your skin feels tight, over-washed and confused by a shelf full of actives, a single, simple bar may be exactly the reset it needs. Try Jegit's original Aleppo soap and feel the difference for yourself.

Below, we explain what makes this olive-and-laurel bar suit oilier, breakout-prone skin, how to use it on your face without overdoing it, and when a lightweight moisturiser should follow.

Can you really wash your face with Aleppo soap?

Yes — and generations of people across the Levant have done exactly that. Aleppo soap is a true soap, made by saponifying olive oil and laurel berry oil, with nothing else added: no synthetic fragrance, no colourants, no SLS, no preservatives. For the face, that short ingredient list is the whole point. There is simply less in it to irritate reactive skin or to clog pores with heavy additives.

It is the same bar many people already use on their hair and body, which makes it an unusually versatile one to keep by the sink. If you are curious about the hair side, we cover it in our guide to washing your hair with Aleppo soap.

Why oily and blemish-prone skin gets on so well with a simple bar

Oily and breakout-prone skin is often not short of cleansing — it is over-cleansed with harsh detergents, then rebounds by producing even more oil. A gentle, additive-free bar breaks that cycle. Aleppo soap lifts away excess oil, sweat and the grime of the day and rinses clean, without the synthetic fragrance and foaming agents that so often leave sensitive skin red and reactive.

The star of the bar is the laurel oil. It is prized in traditional skincare precisely for how it behaves on oilier complexions — cleansing and clarifying while the olive-oil base keeps the bar mild. We dig into exactly what it does in our deep dive on laurel berry oil in Aleppo soap. The result is skin that feels properly clean but not stripped, squeaky or tight. Start your simpler routine with a bar here.

What makes Jegit's Aleppo soap worth keeping by the sink

Not all Aleppo soap is equal. Ours is made with 60% olive oil and 40% laurel oil and then aged for at least four years — the long cure is what gives it its mildness and its deep, earthy character. Each bar is traditionally hand-cut, so no two are identical, and it is made with no additives at all, which also makes it naturally vegan. One honest ingredient list, one bar for face, body and hair. For blemish-prone skin that reacts to everything, that simplicity is a feature, not a compromise. Secure your four-year-aged bar now.

How to wash your face with Aleppo soap, step by step

1. Patch test first. With any new cleanser, lather a little on your inner arm for a day or two before putting it on your face, especially if your skin is reactive.
2. Wet your face with lukewarm water. Hot water is drying and encourages more oil; lukewarm is kinder.
3. Build the lather in your hands, not on your face. Rub the bar briefly between wet palms to make a soft cream, then massage that gently over your skin for around 20–30 seconds. There is no need to scrub.
4. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Make sure no residue is left along the hairline and jaw, then pat — don't rub — with a clean towel.
5. Follow with a light moisturiser. Even oily skin needs hydration. A lightweight, non-greasy cream keeps the barrier happy — more on that below.

Start with once a day, in the evening, and see how your skin responds before building up. Let the bar dry out between uses on a well-drained dish and it will last far longer.

A gentle routine: cleanse, then nourish

Washing is only half the story. After a mild cleanse, oily and combination skin still needs a little moisture put back — skip it, and skin often overcompensates with more oil. The trick is to keep that step light. Our Soft Antioxidant Cream with Olive Leaf is made for exactly this: a feather-light, non-greasy moisturiser developed for oily and sensitive skin, rich in soothing olive-leaf extract. Cleanse with the bar, follow with a thin layer of the cream, and you have a complete two-step routine from the same olive tree. If you have ever wondered about putting the oil itself on your skin, our article on olive oil on your face is a useful companion read.

Frequently asked questions

Is Aleppo soap good for acne-prone skin?

Many people with oily and blemish-prone skin prefer it because it is a simple, fragrance-free cleanse that removes excess oil and impurities without harsh synthetic detergents. It is a gentle natural cleanser, not a medical treatment, so it will not replace advice from a dermatologist for persistent or severe acne — but as an everyday bar it is a kind, additive-free way to keep skin clean.

Will Aleppo soap dry out my face?

It is designed not to. The olive-oil base keeps it mild, so it cleanses without stripping the skin's natural oils the way many foaming washes do. Use lukewarm water, don't over-wash, and always follow with a light moisturiser, and most people find their skin feels balanced rather than tight.

How long does one bar last?

A long time — Aleppo soap is dense and used sparingly a little lathers a lot. Kept on a well-drained dish so it can dry between uses, a single bar used on the face will last for weeks, which makes it excellent value for a natural product.

Pour La Vie

You don't need a shelf of actives to look after your skin. Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for an oily, over-worked complexion is to strip the routine back to one honest bar — olive oil, laurel oil, time. That is all our four-year-aged Aleppo soap is, and for a lot of people it is all their skin was really asking for. Make the switch today — Pour La Vie.