The Marseille Cube

The cube is the most recognisable form of Savon de Marseille. Traditionally poured, cut and stamped by the savonneries of Provence, these large blocks of soap were designed to be practical, long-lasting and versatile rather than decorative. Their size allows the soap to cure slowly and evenly, producing the dense, durable bars for which Marseille soap is known.

Cube Soaps Today

While the cube form originated from traditional slab-cut soap production, it is now also used for fragranced soaps produced by Provençal savonneries.

In these soaps the cube shape remains as a reference to the Marseille tradition, while the formulations may include fragrance and additional cosmetic ingredients depending on the savonnerie.

Formulations:
Traditional Marseille cubes are produced in two principal formulations:

Olive Marseille soap is made predominantly from olive oil. It produces a lower, creamier lather and is particularly effective at breaking down oily residues such as cooking fats or body oils, which is why it has long been used for laundry stain treatment and kitchen degreasing.

Natural or white Marseille soap is produced from a blend of vegetable oils. It tends to generate a more visible foam during washing and functions as a balanced, general-purpose household soap for laundry and cleaning.

Fragranced Soaps use Shea Buter
Produced using vegetable oils enriched with shea butter, modern fragranced soaps produce a rich, creamy lather and are valued for conditioning character during washing.

Shea butter contributes additional fatty acids to the soap, which can help support skin comfort while cleansing. For this reason soaps enriched with shea butter are often chosen for everyday washing of face, body and hands where a slightly more emollient soap is preferred.