Ottoman
Laurus nobilis
Bay laurel · Lorbeer · Defne
Bursa laurel — the heart of Defne Sabunu, the Ottoman hammam soap aged two years before it can be used.
Bursa laurel is the basis of Defne Sabunu, the Ottoman laurel soap aged for two years before it can be used. The Aleppo soap-makers brought the method into the Ottoman lands; Bursa refined it.
On the skin, laurel is gently antibacterial, mildly antifungal, deeply cleansing without alkaline harshness. The aged bar carries cineol and pinene at concentrations that the fresh-pressed soap cannot match.
Properties: cleansing, mildly antifungal, calming. Traditional uses: bath soap, scalp soap, foot bath, hammam ritual.
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