The first time you wash your hair with Aleppo soap, it probably will not feel right. There will be a certain flatness — a lack of the voluminous lather you associate with a good shampoo. And in the days that follow, your hair might feel different. Heavier. Not quite dirty, but not quite clean in the way you expect.
This is not the soap failing. This is years of silicone-laden shampoo leaving the building.
Why your hair feels wrong at first
Modern silicone shampoos work by coating the hair shaft. This coating creates the smooth, shiny, tangle-free result that made silicone a standard shampoo ingredient from the 1990s onward. It also builds up over time — layer on layer of a compound that water and natural soap cannot dissolve quickly. When you first wash with Aleppo soap, you are washing the hair itself but the silicone coating is still there. The mismatch between clean hair and coated surface is what feels off.
The transition period is real and it varies from person to person — usually between two and four weeks. During this time, the scalp is also adjusting. It has been receiving the signal from sulfate shampoos that its surface is being aggressively stripped, so it has been producing excess sebum to compensate. Removing that aggressive stripping changes the signal. For a few weeks, the scalp may still produce the same high volume of oil it was producing to compensate for the shampoo. Over time, it recalibrates to produce what the hair actually needs.
This is not a failure. This is the adjustment.
The ACV rinse: your transition tool
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) dissolved in water is the traditional solution to the transition period. The acidity of ACV helps dissolve silicone and mineral buildup, restores the scalp's pH balance, and seals the hair cuticle — which improves shine and reduces frizz.
Ratio: one tablespoon of raw, unfiltered ACV in one cup of warm water. After washing your hair with Avlia soap and rinsing the soap out, pour the ACV solution over your scalp and through your hair. Massage gently. Leave for two minutes. Rinse with cool water.
The ACV smell dissipates completely when the hair dries. You will not smell of vinegar. The hair will feel noticeably smoother after the rinse than it did without it.
Week by week: what to expect
Week 1: Hair may feel different — flatter, slightly heavier, or slightly waxy. Scalp may still be oily. Use the ACV rinse after every wash. Resist the urge to go back to commercial shampoo.
Week 2: The silicone coating continues clearing. Some people notice their hair beginning to feel lighter and more natural. Others still in the heavy phase. ACV rinse continues.
Week 3: The majority of the transition resolves here. Scalp sebum production begins calibrating. Hair feels clean in a different way — not the artificial lightness of silicone-coated hair, but the actual texture of your natural hair. Many people find this is when they stop wanting to go back.
Week 4 and beyond: Hair that formerly became oily by mid-afternoon may now stay fresh into the following morning. Scalp conditions — dandruff, itchiness, sensitivity — begin to improve for many users.
Which Avlia bar for hair
The dedicated Avlia 100% Laurel Oil Shampoo Bar is the flagship choice. Pure laurel oil soap, no olive oil dilution — maximum antifungal and antibacterial scalp activity. The scent is intensely herbal and earthy. It is the most medicinal bar in the Avlia range.
For a gentler shampoo experience — particularly if your scalp is not presenting with dandruff or specific conditions — the Avlia 30% Laurel Oil Bar is the body-and-hair crossover. It works well for most hair types and provides significant scalp-cleansing action without being as potent as the 100% bar.
For dry or colour-treated hair, the Avlia 16% Bar balances cleaning with moisture retention.
How to wash correctly
Wet hair thoroughly. Work the Avlia bar between your wet palms until a lather forms. Apply this lather directly to the scalp — not the lengths of the hair. Massage the scalp in small circular motions for sixty seconds. The scalp is where the cleaning needs to happen; the lengths are cleaned by the lather running through them during the rinse.
Rinse thoroughly with cool water. Warm or hot water leaves pores open on the scalp and strips more moisture. Cool water closes the cuticle and adds shine.
Follow with ACV rinse during the transition period. After four to six weeks, you may find you need it less frequently.
These bars are made by Syrian Sabonji artisans in Turkey — craftspeople whose 2,000-year-old tradition of producing Aleppo soap is now recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. The 100% Laurel Shampoo Bar and the 30% Laurel Oil Bar are both available at avliahome.com.