Aleppo Soap Laurel Oil Percentage: How Much Laurel Oil Is Right for You?

If you have started shopping for Aleppo soap, you will have noticed that bars are labelled with a percentage: 20% laurel oil, 40%, sometimes 60% or more. That single number is the most important thing on the label, because it shapes how the soap feels, how it smells, what it costs and which skin it suits best. Yet almost no one explains what it actually means. This guide does exactly that, so you can choose your bar with confidence rather than guessing.

Aleppo soap is one of the oldest soaps in the world, traditionally made from just three ingredients: olive oil, laurel (bay) berry oil and water, saponified with a natural alkali and cured for years. The olive oil is the gentle, moisturising base. The laurel oil is the prized addition that gives the soap its earthy scent and its clarifying character. The percentage tells you the ratio between the two.

What the Laurel Oil Percentage Actually Means

The percentage refers to the share of laurel berry oil in the oil blend, with olive oil making up the rest. A bar described as 40% laurel oil is made from roughly 40% laurel oil and 60% olive oil. A 20% bar leans heavily on olive oil, while a 60% bar is laurel-dominant.

Laurel oil is harvested from the berries of the bay laurel tree and is far more time-consuming to produce than olive oil, which is why a higher laurel percentage almost always means a higher price. More laurel also means a stronger, greener, more resinous aroma and a more clarifying feel on the skin. Olive oil, by contrast, brings softness and moisture. Choosing a percentage is really about finding the balance between those two personalities.

Low Laurel Content (Around 10–20%)

Bars at the lower end are the mildest and the most affordable. With olive oil doing most of the work, they are soft, gentle and lightly scented. This makes them a comfortable starting point if you are new to Aleppo soap, buying for children, or you simply have calm, normal skin that does not need much clarifying.

The trade-off is that a low-laurel bar is softer, so it can wear down faster if left sitting in water, and the distinctive laurel aroma is subtle rather than pronounced. If you are looking for that signature earthy scent, you may find a very low percentage underwhelming.

Balanced Laurel Content (Around 30–40%)

For most people, a bar in the 30 to 40% range is the sweet spot, and it is the classic all-rounder that traditional Aleppo households reach for. There is enough laurel oil to give a clear, earthy scent and a clarifying, refreshing feel, while enough olive oil remains to keep the bar moisturising and kind to the skin.

This is the balance we chose for our own bar. Our Aleppo soap with 40% laurel oil and 60% olive oil is cured for at least four years and handles almost everything: face, body, hair, shaving lather and even gentle hand-washing of laundry. If you want a single bar that does it all without leaning too far in either direction, this is the range to pick.

High Laurel Content (50% and Above)

High-laurel bars are the connoisseur’s choice. The scent is bold and herbal, the feel is markedly more clarifying, and many people with oily or combination skin, or an oily scalp, prefer them for that reason. Because laurel oil is expensive, these bars command the highest price and are often treated as a treat rather than an everyday workhorse.

They are wonderful, but they are not automatically better. On very dry or reactive skin, a very high laurel percentage can feel too stripping, and the strong aroma is not to everyone’s taste. More laurel is not the same as higher quality; it is simply a different balance. Curing time and the purity of the ingredients matter just as much as the percentage.

How to Choose the Right Percentage for You

Start with your skin. If it is dry, sensitive or you are trying Aleppo soap for the first time, lean towards a lower or balanced laurel content so the olive oil keeps things soft. If your skin or scalp is oily and you enjoy a clarifying, refreshing wash, a higher percentage will feel more satisfying.

Then think about use. For a versatile bar that covers face, body and hair, a balanced 30 to 40% is hard to beat. For a dedicated clarifying bar or a scalp treatment, reach higher. And consider scent and budget honestly: more laurel means a stronger aroma and a higher price, so there is no need to pay for 60% if a 40% bar already does what you want.

Whatever you choose, look beyond the number. A genuine Aleppo soap should be cured for several years, made only from olive oil, laurel oil, water and a natural alkali, with no synthetic fragrance, colour or additives. A well-made, well-aged 40% bar will outperform a poorly made 60% one every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a higher laurel oil percentage always better?

No. A higher percentage means a stronger scent and a more clarifying feel, which suits oily skin, but it can be too stripping for dry or sensitive skin. Curing time and ingredient purity matter just as much as the percentage, so a well-aged balanced bar is often the better everyday choice.

Which laurel percentage is best for sensitive or dry skin?

Lean towards a lower or balanced laurel content, roughly 20 to 40%, where the higher share of olive oil keeps the bar soft and moisturising. Introduce any new soap gradually and see how your skin responds over a week or two.

Why do higher-laurel bars cost more?

Laurel berry oil is far more labour-intensive and lower-yielding to produce than olive oil. The more laurel oil a bar contains, the more of this costly ingredient goes into it, which is reflected in the price.

The laurel oil percentage is not a quality score but a personality: more laurel for a bold, clarifying wash, more olive oil for softness and care. Once you know what the number means, choosing your bar becomes simple. Pick the balance your skin will love, and enjoy the pure, unadorned ritual of a true Aleppo soap. Pour La Vie.