Welcome!
This page aims to give you a brief introduction to the world of French Soap in a way that helps you navigate around our products.
French Soap, Traditional Savon de Marseille, is legendary: Dating back to the 1800's this soap is 100% Natural, completely hypo-allergenic, and totally versatile it's really the only product you actually need!
Made in a cauldron over 10-14 days with just Oil, Water, Salt and Soda, the finished product is renowned for its degreasing and natural cleaning properties.
Traditional Savon de Marseille can be used to wash you hair, body and teeth, whilst cleaning your dishes, work surfaces, dog, floor and furniture. As a laundry product it can be used in your washing machine and for handwashing. This wonder soap also soothes bites and stings, eases muscle cramps and deters moths. 
We stock two brands of Traditional Savon de Marseille: Fer a Cheval (founded in 1856) and La Corvette (founded in 1894).
How do they compare:
Two of the oldest surviving savonneries in Marseille they both make on their historical sites within Marseille using old historic cauldrons. The formulas are slightly different, Fer a Cheval use 100% Pure Olive Oil whilst La Corvette use 70% Olive Oil and 30% Coconut Oil. Both make a 'Natural' version too using RSPO Palm Oil. Scent is the key difference with some customers favouring the 'vegetable oil' scent to the 'dense olive' which is a bit of a love it or hate it smell!
Marseille Soap is free of preservatives, dyes, perfumes or animal fats. It is hypoallergenic , easily biodegradable , which makes it an ecological and healthy choice for the whole family .
Marseille Soap evolved from the oldest recorded soap in the world made in Aleppo, Syria. Just like Traditional Savon de Marseille this is made in a cauldron (between December and March each year) and left to set, then dries for 9 months before being ready to use. Aleppo Soap contains Olive Oil, Water, Salt and Soda AND Laurel (Bay) Oil. Renowned for supporting difficult skins, including psorasis, excema, this soap can be used by every skin type, just choose the oil content releveant for you.
Our Aleppo Soap is made in Aleppo City, Syria from a company heavy on ethics and investment in the region.
If you are new here and don't know where to start, buy a bar or cube of Traditional Savon de Marseille or Aleppo Soap. If you want to add something else, choose a Black Liquid Soap (read more on this further down the page).
If you are ready to learn more, read on:
Fragranced French Soap, commonly called 'savon de Marseille' meaning 'made in Marseille'.
These are, normally, bright colourful soaps with bold fragrances that you find on market stalls across Provence and beyond. Formulas vary although they will frequently use one or two of: Shea Butter, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil or Argan Oil. Fragranced with 'Parfum' they are generally soaps that please! They should contain a net. min. of 72% plant oils.
We stock Fragranced French Soaps from a number of brands, we will summarise them below:
La Maison du Savon de Marseille: Bright, bold market soaps. Shea butter formulas. Unwrapped.
Savonnerie Bleu Jaune: Hand crafted at a small family savonnerie, Bespoke Grasse fragrances. Shea Butter Formulas. Standard size boxed bars and supersize bars unwrapped bars.
Le Chatelard 1802: Hand Made colourful and fragrant soaps in two formulations: Rich and Extra Gentle, they use Almond Oil and Coconut Oil. Cellulose compostable wrapping
Tadé du Pays de Levant: Free from Colour these fragranced Marseille Soaps are made with Coconut Oil. FSC Paper wrapped
Fer a Cheval: Fragranced with Argan or Almond Oil. Free from colour, MSc paper wrapped.
La Corvette: Fragranced FSC paper wrapped authentic Marseille soaps with RSPO palm.
Maison Berthe Guilhem: from the Pyranees, this family specialise in Goat's Milk Soaps. Made with pure plant oils and fragranced with Essential Oils. Colour free and Boxed.
Also made in a Cauldron our Marseille Liquid Soap's gently cleanse hands and body. Rich in vegetable oils, naturally antibacterial, and with 98% of natural origin ingredients, the naturally occurring glycerin ensures these are never drying. Free from Sulphates, Parabens and so on they will not give a big lather, they will gently maintain a healthy balance for your skin biome.
We stock products from Fer a Cheval, Bleu Jaune and Tadé.
Household Cleaning
Black Liquid Soap is also made from 100% Natural ingredients, mainly olive pomace oil. However, its formula is designed to be a versatile all-in-one cleaner , ideal for everyday household tasks . This liquid or soft soap does not contain preservatives, solvents or dyes, thus offering an alternative to chemical detergents.
The manufacturing process of Black Soap, although simpler than that of Marseille Soap, guarantees a concentrated and sustainable formula , respectful of the environment.
Hypoallergenic Household cleaning
With formulas using Traditional Marseille Soap as a base, our home cleaning products are made without MIT and our dermatologist tested. These allergy free products have a light fragrance and use the natural properties of herbs such as Thyme and Sage, they are 98% or more natural and ready to use for glass, degreasing, limescale and more.
Laundry
100% natural and economical laundry, we really don't know why more people don't use Marseille Soap for all their washing. Chemical free, naturally antibacterial, naturally bug repelling these products clean delicate linens and tough stains more effortlessly than anything readily available on the high street.
Choose from pure soap flakes or pure soap flakes with essential oils. The Essential Oils give fragrance and have the benefit of their individual natural properties eg deterring moths.
Marseille Soap Stain Removing products are also renowned for removing the toughest of stains on the most delicate of fabrics. Cricket Whites, sofa covers...do consider storing one of these in your utility cupboard.
Designed by Provendi with the simple aim of creating a soap that made no mess, this was originally used in Schools across France. The iconic design never dates and they are super popular for small spaces, functional spaces eg garages as well as stylish kitchens and bathrooms.
The Support Acts
To compliment our soaps we have a small range of candles & diffusers from Geodesis (made in Brittany), along with accessories such as soap dishes and brushes. More bespoke body care products including shampoos, shaving soaps, face mists and hand creams complement our soap ranges from our core brands.
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We are always 'happy to help' so do call, email or chat, if you have any questions or would like help finding the most suitable products for your requirements.
T. 01423 803080 E.bonjour@frenchsoaps.co.uk
