Black Sea Soap Tradition: A Natural Care Heritage Spanning from Çayeli to the World

The Black Sea Region is Türkiye's most biodiverse geography. High humidity, abundant rainfall, and fertile soil enable the cultivation of tea (Camellia sinensis), hazelnut (Corylus avellana), kiwi, and hundreds of endemic plant species. This natural wealth has been reflected for centuries in the daily care habits of the region's people; traditional soaps made with plant oils, tars, and lye water have been used by generations.

This article is not a product advertisement. The information presented herein contains no therapeutic claims.

Black Sea's soap heritage: from lye water to cold process

In Black Sea villages, soap making began long before industrial cosmetics. The traditional method relied on mixing wood ash with water to obtain lye water (potassium carbonate solution), then boiling animal or plant oils with this solution. This method is considered the ancestor of modern hot process (hot method) saponification in soap craft.

The primary oils used in the region: hazelnut oil (Corylus avellana), corn oil, and butter residues. Hazelnut oil in particular is the Black Sea's most valuable plant material — its rich oleic acid content gives soap a creamy texture and soft feel. The importance of hazelnut oil in Chailea's recipes stems from this traditional knowledge base.

Çayeli: where the tea plant meets soap craftsmanship

Çayeli, a district in Rize, is the center of Türkiye's tea production. The leaf, stem, and seed oil of Camellia sinensis are rich in polyphenols, catechins, and antioxidant compounds. Tea seed oil (tea seed oil) has recently gained interest in the cosmetics sector and is being explored in soap formulations.

The fatty acid profile of tea seed oil resembles olive oil: oleic acid 78–83%, linoleic acid 7–11%, palmitic acid 8–10% (Zhang et al., 2020). This profile is ideal for achieving a moisturizing and soft bar in soap. Chailea's establishment in Çayeli provides direct access to this local raw material.

Polyphenol richness

The polyphenols in tea plant leaves — particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) — demonstrate strong antioxidant activity. When tea extract is used in soap making, some of these compounds can remain in the soap bar after saponification. However, it is known that EGCG loses stability in high-pH environments (soap pH 9–10) (Chen et al., 2018). For this reason, tea extract should be added at trace stage and stored in darkness during the curing process.

Traditional Black Sea ingredients and modern soap making

The raw materials the Black Sea region offers to soap making are not limited to hazelnut oil and tea. Other plant sources traditionally used in the region include:

Linden (Tilia)

Linden flowers, abundant in Black Sea highlands, are traditionally known for their soothing and calming properties. In soap making, linden infusion can be added to the water phase. Tilia extract's anti-inflammatory potential continues to be a subject of research in cosmetic formulations (Kosakowska et al., 2021).

Alpine Rose (Rhododendron)

Alpine rose (Rhododendron ponticum), an endemic plant of the Black Sea, has traditional folk medicinal topical use. However, due to grayanotoxin content in Rhododendron species, caution should be exercised in soap formulations. While antimicrobial activity of leaf extract has been reported (Popescu and Kopp, 2013), sufficient safety data for cosmetic use has not yet been established.

Chestnut honey

The Black Sea Region is Türkiye's most important chestnut honey production center. Chestnut honey stands apart from other honey types with its high mineral content and dark color. In soap making, honey serves as a natural humectant, providing moisture-drawing properties. In Chailea's Honey & Goat Milk Soap, this traditional knowledge is combined with modern formulation.

Sustainable cosmetics and local production

Today, the slow cosmetics movement advocates for local, small-scale, and transparent production against the environmental impact of industrial manufacturing. The Black Sea's soap tradition aligns with the core principles of this movement:

Local materials: Raw materials such as hazelnut oil, tea seed oil, and honey are produced in the region — carbon footprint is low. Handmade production: Cold process soap making, unlike industrial boiling methods, consumes less energy and preserves glycerin in the soap bar. Minimal packaging: Solid soaps require less plastic packaging compared to liquid cosmetics. GMP standards: Chailea's workshop in Çayeli combines traditional knowledge with modern production standards within the ISO 22716 (Cosmetic GMP) framework.

Safety and regulatory framework

The use of traditional plant raw materials in cosmetic products is regulated under the Turkish Cosmetics Regulation and the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC/1223/2009). Each raw material must undergo a safety assessment, be correctly listed on the INCI (International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredients) list, and where necessary, reference CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel assessments.

The Raw Materials Encyclopedia on Chaileapedia presents these assessments individually for each raw material.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Black Sea soap tradition?

The Black Sea soap tradition is a legacy of handmade soap production using plant oils (hazelnut oil, tea seed oil) and natural additives (honey, lye water) grown in the region. This tradition forms one of the Anatolian roots of modern cold-process soap crafting.

Can tea seed oil be used in soap making?

Yes, tea seed oil (Camellia sinensis seed oil) can be used as a base oil in soap formulations due to its oleic acid-rich composition. It imparts a moisturizing feel and medium firmness to the soap bar. The SAP value (NaOH) is approximately 0.1362.

Why is hazelnut oil preferred in Black Sea soaps?

Hazelnut oil (Corylus avellana seed oil) is preferred in Black Sea soaps not only because it is abundant and accessible in the region but also because its oleic acid content (75–80%) gives soap a creamy texture, soft lather, and moisturizing properties. Additionally, its linoleic acid content supports skin barrier function.

Is traditional soap production safe?

Traditional lye water soaps are not standardized, and their use without pH control can be risky. Modern cold-process soap making ensures safe products through precise calculation of NaOH (sodium hydroxide) quantities, pH testing, and a 4–6 week curing period. All Chailea soaps are produced within the Turkish Cosmetics Regulation framework.

References

1. Zhang, Y. et al. (2020). Physicochemical properties and fatty acid composition of tea seed oil. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 57(8), 2903–2911. DOI: 10.1007/s13197-020-04325-z
2. Chen, Z. et al. (2018). Stability of tea polyphenols under different pH conditions. Food Chemistry, 264, 114–120. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.05.019
3. Kosakowska, O. et al. (2021). Tilia species — phytochemistry and pharmacological properties. Phytochemistry Reviews, 20, 1065–1093. DOI: 10.1007/s11101-021-09751-z
4. Popescu, R., Kopp, B. (2013). The genus Rhododendron: An ethnopharmacological and toxicological review. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 147(1), 42–62. DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2013.02.022

This article is part of the Chaileapedia knowledge center and has been prepared by Chailea Academy. All content is produced from the perspective of a Master Chemist, based on scientific literature.

Chailea Soaps Made with Black Sea Inspiration

Chailea recipes inspired by the region's rich raw materials:

• Natural Chestnut Honey Soap — Moisture with Black Sea honey
• Natural Bitumen Soap — Anatolian tradition
• Natural Tea Tree Soap