Traditional Savon de Marseille
The historic vegetable oil soap of southern France, produced using time-honoured methods and a deliberately simple composition. Made from saponified oils, water, salt and soda, authentic Savon de Marseille has been valued for generations for its durability, versatility and gentle cleansing properties.
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What Makes Savon de Marseille Soap So Special
Each batch is cooked for 10-14 days in large cauldrons, then air-dried to create a hard, long-lasting soap that’s gentle on skin and tough on dirt. Always look for the Savon de Marseille cube mark, denoting a genuine product from an audited savonnerie in Marseille, following strict manufacturing standards.
Naturally Sustainable Soap
Traditional Marseille soap contains no parabens, synthetic colourants, or animal fats. It’s fully biodegradable, vegan-friendly, and plastic-free, making it the perfect choice for anyone reducing waste at home.
Our Heritage Producers
We’re proud to stock soaps from Marseille's Oldest savonneries: Savonnerie Fer à Cheval and La Corvette
Both are part of the Union des Professionnels du Savon de Marseille (UPSM), ensuring traditional methods, natural ingredients, and genuine provenance.
Savon de Marseille is one of Europe’s most enduring soap traditions. Produced by specialist savonneries in the Marseille region, the soap is recognised for its restrained formulation and practical performance.
Historically it has been made in two principal forms: soap based primarily on olive oil, and soap produced from other vegetable oils such as palm or coconut. Both follow the same traditional principles, differing mainly in composition, colour and lather characteristics.
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Olive Oil Marseille Soap
Marseille soap made primarily from olive oil is the most recognisable form of the tradition. Its natural green colour comes from the olive oil itself, and the lather is typically smooth and mild. Olive oil Savon de Marseille is widely appreciated for everyday washing and for applications where a simple, fragrance-free soap is preferred.
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Natural Vegetable Oil Marseille Soap
Alongside olive soap, Marseille savonneries have long produced soap from other vegetable oils. These formulations, often made with palm or coconut oil, create a firmer bar with a generous lather and excellent durability. Today these soaps remain an important part of the Marseille tradition and are commonly used for both personal washing and practical household tasks.
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Formats & Traditional Uses
Savon de Marseille is produced in several practical formats including cubes, bars and flakes. The formulation remains essentially the same; the shape simply reflects how the soap is intended to be used. Solid cubes and bars are commonly used for washing, while flakes or shavings dissolve easily for laundry and household cleaning. This adaptability is one of the reasons Marseille soap has remained a staple of everyday life for centuries.