The percentage system is the first thing that confuses new Aleppo soap buyers. Most soaps are just soap. Aleppo soap comes with a number that seems to require a decision. 5%? 16%? 40%? What does the percentage mean and which one do you actually want?
The good news: it is simpler than it seems once you understand the single principle at work.
The one thing you need to understand
Laurel oil is the active ingredient in Aleppo soap. It is the antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory component — the ingredient that gives Aleppo soap its therapeutic properties beyond ordinary cleansing.
Olive oil is the nourishing base — the moisturising, barrier-supporting foundation.
Low percentage = more olive oil dominant = gentler, more moisturising.
High percentage = more laurel oil dominant = more active, more medicinal.
That is the entire framework. Everything else is application.
Where to start for most people
The Avlia 16% Laurel Oil Bar is the beginner recommendation for most skin types. It sits at the balance point: enough laurel oil to deliver the genuine antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits that make Aleppo soap worth using; enough olive oil to keep the bar gentle and moisturising for daily use. Most people who try the 16% Bar describe it as the first soap they have not needed to immediately follow with body lotion.
If you have a specific skin condition or use case, here are the starting points:
Very dry or sensitive skin: Avlia 5% Bar. As gentle as Aleppo soap gets while still containing some active laurel.
Oily skin or mild acne: Avlia 30% Bar. The antibacterial action is meaningful at this percentage; the olive oil base prevents the stripping-rebound cycle.
Dandruff or scalp issues: Avlia 100% Laurel Shampoo Bar or the Avlia 40% Bar for body-and-scalp combined use.
Eczema or psoriasis: Avlia 5% Bar. Introduce slowly, every other day initially.
Just want to try it and see: Avlia 16% Bar.
What to expect in the first week
Your skin and scalp have been using synthetic cleansers. The lather from Avlia is different — creamier, less voluminous, more adhesive to skin. The post-wash feel is different — moisturised rather than tight. Some people love this immediately. Others find it unfamiliar.
The adjustment period is real. Your scalp, particularly, has been calibrated to the stripping action of sulfate shampoos. For the first one to three weeks after switching to Avlia for hair, it may feel oilier between washes than expected. This is the scalp recalibrating its sebum production. It resolves.
Stick with the bar for at least four weeks before evaluating.
How to use it: the short version
Wet skin or hair. Build lather between wet hands — do not rub the bar directly on your face. Apply lather. Leave for thirty seconds minimum (body) or sixty seconds (scalp). Rinse thoroughly with cool water. Pat dry.
For a soap dish: use one with drainage slats. A bar sitting in a puddle of water dissolves faster and loses its character.
After you find your starting point
After two to four weeks with your starting bar, you will know whether you want more activity or more gentleness. Avlia's range spans from 0% to 75% laurel plus specialty bars — there is a specific bar for where you want to go from wherever you begin.
These bars are made by Syrian Sabonji artisans in Turkey — craftspeople whose 2,000-year tradition was inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage in December 2024. The bar you are holding is part of something genuinely old and genuinely remarkable.
Start at avliahome.com.