Savon de Marseille Specialists - Since 2012

Proper Soap - Packed and Dispatched from North Yorkshire

For Washing, Laundry & Cleaning
Natural Savon de Marseille – traditional white French soap made with palm and coconut oils

Traditional Natural Savon de Marseille

Fragrance-free soap made from plant oils according to the historic Marseille tradition. 

Unlike olive oil Savon de Marseille, this traditional natural formulation is typically produced from a blend of vegetable oils, often including sunflower, coconut and palm. This produces a firmer soap with a dense lather, strong cleansing ability and the same multi-use character for which Marseille soap has long been valued. 

Used for washing, laundry and household cleaning, this is traditional Savon de Marseille in its vegetable oil formulation, a distinct soap-making tradition in its own right. 

The soaps in this collection are produced predominantly from responsibly sourced RSPO-certified palm oil. 

Why Choose Traditional Natural Savon de Marseille? 

This formulation has long been valued for practical reasons. 

Its structure creates a hard, long-lasting soap, well suited to repeated everyday washing, laundry preparation and household use.  

  • Firm traditional soap with slow wear  
  • Rich lather from vegetable oil composition  
  • Suitable for laundry and household washing  
  • Fragrance-free and multi-purpose  
  • Rooted in historic Marseille soap-making practice 

Traditional Marseille Soap Made for Multi-Use Washing 

Historically, proper soap made to the Marseille process was not confined to one purpose. 

It was used broadly for washing skin, hand-washed laundry, stain treatment and household cleaning. That multi-use function remains central to understanding true Savon de Marseille. 

 Frequently Asked Questions 

What is natural Savon de Marseille? 

Natural Savon de Marseille generally refers to traditional Marseille soap made from vegetable oils other than predominantly olive oil. 

Is this different from olive oil Marseille soap? 

Yes. It is a distinct historic formulation, typically firmer, with a richer lather and slightly different cleansing character. 

Is traditional natural Savon de Marseille suitable for laundry? 

Yes. It has long been used for laundry, stain treatment and household washing. 

Are all soaps in this collection the same formulation? 

Yes. The primary difference is format, not soap composition. 

  • The Traditional Marseille Cauldron Process

    The Savon de Marseille in this collection is produced by heritage Marseille savonneries using the traditional cauldron method.

    Vegetable oils are slowly saponified in large open kettles before the soap paste is washed with salt water, poured into moulds and left to cure for several weeks. Once hardened, the soap is cut into cubes, blocks or slices and stamped with the mark of the producing savonnerie.

    This historic process produces the dense, long-lasting bars that have defined Savon de Marseille for generations.

  • Why Natural Marseille Soap Is Pale

    Unlike olive oil Marseille soap, which is naturally green, the vegetable oil formulation produces a pale cream or beige soap.

    The exact shade can vary slightly between batches depending on the oils used and the curing conditions during production. These subtle variations are a normal characteristic of traditional soapmaking.

  • A Durable Everyday Soap

    Marseille soap made primarily from palm-based plant oils produces a dense, long-lasting bar with a rich lather.

    These qualities made it especially suitable for everyday washing, laundry and general household use, which is why this formulation became one of the most widely produced forms of Savon de Marseille.

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

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