A traditional rose-scented soap from Tripoli, Lebanon, handcrafted in the old perfumed-soap tradition.
Traditional Motayab Soap from Tripoli, Lebanon
Made by Masbanat Awaida in Tripoli, Lebanon, Motayab is a traditional perfumed soap rooted in the city’s distinctive soapmaking heritage. While Aleppo became known for olive and laurel soap and Nablus for pale, unscented olive oil bars, Tripoli developed a broader tradition of perfumed and decorative soaps.
In Tripoli, scented soaps became more than an everyday household staple. They were also associated with hospitality and gift-giving, particularly for weddings and other special occasions. Motayab belongs to this historic perfumed branch of Tripoli’s soapmaking tradition.
Motayab is not simply a modern scented version of traditional olive-oil soap. Its name comes from the Arabic mutayyab, meaning “perfumed” or “scented,” and refers to a traditional type of soap in which fragrance is deliberately incorporated into the bar. Masbanat Awaida has produced Motayab across generations as part of this tradition.
The current Motayab is scented with rose. Its perfume is prepared by a longstanding perfumery in Switzerland and then incorporated into the soap during production at the Masbanat Awaida workshop in Tripoli, reflecting a tradition in which the scent may change while the soap itself remains Motayab.
Like Masbanat Awaida’s other traditional soaps, Motayab is made by hot process: the soap is boiled, poured, cut by hand, stamped, and cured before it is ready for use. The result is a traditional olive-oil-based soap with a distinctly different character—one that reflects Tripoli’s long association with fragrance as part of soapmaking.
Ingredients: Olive oil, refined vegetable oils (coconut, castor, and sustainably sourced palm), lye water, fragrance.*
The rose scent comes from a Swiss-crafted botanical perfume made with Damask rose water and Damask rose essential oil, with no synthetic fragrance.
Traditionally sized bar: Each bar is hand-cut, so weights and dimensions may vary slightly. Variations in color, texture, and surface appearance reflect its handmade nature.
Weight: 155 g (5.5 oz)
Dimensions: Approximately 6 × 6 × 4 cm (2.4 × 2.4 × 1.6 in)
Packaging: Each bar arrives individually wrapped in its original printed paper wrapper.
