The answer is Levant, Primarily Aleppo!

The women of levant had a culture of producing hard soaps from olive oil, laurel oil, water, and other materials that were locally available in the Levant region. The history of producing soap in Levant is not clear, but it dates back to prior to the first Crusades.

What we know for a fact is that Europeans significantly enhanced their personal hygiene when they encountered the Muslims of Levant. During the 11th century Crusades, Europeans took with them the know-how of producing olive oil-based soaps, and since then they’ve been producing their own soaps in the Mediterranean area, namely Italy and Spain.

Different variations of what is now called “Castile Soap” existed in Levant, the most popular of which were the Aleppo soap, and the Nablus soap originating in modern day Palestine.

The soap being made in Castile became known for its superiority and became popular with Spanish royalty, which then spread to royalty in other countries.

Originally, the soap was made with laurel oil (bay leaves) which is the same recipe as the Aleppo soap, but because laurel oil was inaccessible in Spain, olive oil was used because it was available in abundance.

As the centuries went by, Castile hard soap spread over Europe and entered England during mid 1500s where it essentially remained unchanged for several hundred years more. Prior to the 18th century, however, soap use of any kind still was not wide spread. Not only was it unaffordable to most but the wealthy, but most soap had an unpleasant aroma as well.

Since then, essential oils made its way in the production of Castile soap to enhance the aroma and the scent of the soap, and to add other health benefits to the soap itself.

We at RIWA, produce Castile soap in the traditional Levantine method, with a wide variety of scents and variations to fit all taste and needs.

You can shop for your favorite Castile soap here

The post The True Origins of Castile Soap: Palestine and Aleppo appeared first on RIWA.

Interest in essential oils has revived in recent decades with the popularity of aromatherapy, a branch of alternative medicine that uses essential oils and other aromatic compounds. With the advancement of medicine and technology, we can now study the chemical composition of essential oils to better understand its benefits.

As counterintuitive as it sounds, some essential oils possess properties that helps you solve your oily skin issues.

Some folks try to combat congested skin by using harsh, stripping products that remove all oils from the skin. This causes the skin to over-compensate for the reduction of oils by producing even more, which in turn worsens the congestion. On the other hand, essential oils are packed with vitamins, amino acids and anti-oxidants to heal, protect and balance the skin and oil production in a natural way.

We asked Najwa Mohammed our soap specialist to share with us her preferred top 3 essential oils that helps balance skin and oil production for oily skins, and here are her favourites:

1- Tea Tree Oil:

One of the best essential oils for oily skin is melaleuca oil, also known as tea tree oil. This is an oil derived from the tea tree, a multi-trunked tree found in Australia. You will see that the oil is especially popular these days, especially in places where massage therapists practice.

The antibacterial properties of tea tree oil makes it ideal in treating skin conditions common for oily skin such as acne, psoriasis and dermatitis.

Tea tree oil is a potent oil that needs to be always diluted with a carrier oil to avoid allergic skin reactions 

2- Rosemary Oil

Rosemary is another antiseptic and antimicrobial essential oil reducing the spread of bacteria. It naturally rejuvenates the skin. Rosemary essential oil is also wonderful for the blood circulation keeping the skin healthy and bright. Using it in a spritzer it makes an excellent natural alternative to commercial toners.

3- Lavender Oil

Lavender essential oil is one of the most popular and versatile essential oils used in aromatherapy. Distilled from the plant Lavandula angustifolia, the oil promotes relaxation and believed to treat anxiety, fungal infections, allergies, depression, insomnia, eczema, nausea, and menstrual cramps.

In essential oil practices, lavender is a multipurpose oil. It is purported to have anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, as well as antispasmodic, analgesic, detoxifying, hypotensive, and sedative effects.

The oil has antiseptic and antimicrobial qualities that are good for oily skin and for reducing the spread of bacteria. It naturally rejuvenates the skin and is an excellent natural alternative to commercial toners

The post 3 Essential Oils that Work Best for Oily Skin appeared first on RIWA.