Savon de Marseille Specialists - Since 2012

Proper Soap - Packed and Dispatched from North Yorkshire

For Washing, Laundry & Cleaning
Pure Olive Savon de Marseille – traditional French soap cube made with 100% olive oi
Traditional Savon de Marseille – Olive Oil Soap

Fragrance-Free Plant Oil Soap

Savon de Marseille refers to the long-established tradition of plat oil soap produced in and around the Marseille region. For generations the savonneries of southern France produced this soap in large blocks that were cut, dried and distributed throughout the Mediterranean and beyond.

Traditional Savon de Marseille is the foundational form of this soap: a simple plant oil formulation made without added fragrance or colour.

Olive oil formulations are among the most recognisable within the Marseille tradition. The oil gives the soap its natural green colour and produces a smooth, mild lather suited to everyday washing.

Many historic savonneries continue to produce Marseille soap using the traditional cauldron method, slowly transforming vegetable oils with salt, soda and water before pouring, cutting and drying the soap.

The heritage savonnerie we work most closely with continues this practice today, producing its Marseille soap using 100% pure olive oil and the classic cauldron process.

Savon de Marseille has historically been produced in a range of practical shapes and sizes, allowing the same soap to be used for bathing, laundry or household cleaning depending on the form chosen.

  • Why Marseille Soap Varies in Colour

    The colour of Savon de Marseille naturally varies.

    Olive oil formulations are typically green, but the exact shade can change from batch to batch depending on the character of the olive harvest. Soil conditions, rainfall and growing temperatures all influence the colour of the oil and therefore the finished soap.

    The appearance of the soap can also vary slightly depending on conditions during production and drying. Temperature and humidity influence how the soap cures, which may affect the final shade and surface texture.

    These natural variations are part of traditional soapmaking and reflect the agricultural origins of the oils used.

  • How Marseille Soap Changes as It Ages

    Savon de Marseille continues to evolve after it is cut and dried. Like many traditional soaps, it slowly loses moisture over time, becoming harder and more concentrated.

    As the soap ages it typically becomes denser, longer lasting and produces a finer lather. This gradual hardening is a natural part of traditional soapmaking and reflects the simple composition of the soap itself.

    Older Marseille soap is often valued for this reason. A well-dried cube can last significantly longer in use than a freshly cut bar.

    Small visual changes may also occur as the soap matures. The colour can deepen slightly and the surface may develop a pale bloom as moisture continues to evaporate.

    These changes are normal and simply reflect the natural ageing of a traditional vegetable oil soap.

  • The Traditional Marseille Cauldron Process

    Authentic Savon de Marseille is produced using the historic cauldron method developed by Marseille’s savonneries. Vegetable oils are slowly saponified in large open kettles, a process that takes several days and involves multiple stages of heating, washing and settling.

    During production the soap paste is repeatedly washed with sea salt, a step that helps purify the soap and concentrate the finished material. Once complete, the soap is poured into large frames, allowed to set, and cut into blocks while still warm.

    The blocks are then dried for several weeks before being stamped with the mark of the producing savonnerie.

    This method produces the dense, long-lasting cubes that have become the hallmark of traditional Marseille soapmaking.

Proper soap, since 2012
Packed and dispatched from North Yorkshire.

Unit 14, Ousegill Business Park, Carr Side Road, Great Ouseburn, YO26 9AE