Savon de Marseille 300g

Marseille soap  is a traditional hard soap made from vegetable oils that has been produced around Marseille , France, for about 600 years.
 

How is Savon de Marseille made?

It takes around two weeks to process Savon de Marseille and a month before the soap is ready for sale. First, oil and soda are mixed in a large cauldron and cooked at 120 degrees Celsius for eight to ten days. The long boiling process means that the finished soap bars can be kept for years without turning rancid.

The mixture is washed several times in salt water to eliminate the soda. It is tipped into huge molds and left to set for two days at 50-60 degrees Celsius. The soap is then cut into cube-shaped blocks and set out in a well-aired place to dry completely. It is turned from time to time to expose each of the six sides to the air.

Enthusiasts claim that the combination of Marseille’s fierce sun, Mistral wind and salty sea air contribute to its soap’s distinctive character. The characteristic white bloom on the finished soap is a faint residue of sea salt and soon washes off.

Savon de Marseille is totally biodegradable. The purity and simplicity of this iconic soap are increasingly being recognised as both ecological and economical. Marseille Soap is recommended by dermatologists throughout the world for people with skin allergies as well as for dry or sensitive skin.

Apart from being exquisite, ultra-moisturizing skin care, its also used for washing silk and other delicate fabrics. A folk remedy even claims that placing a bar of Marseille soap at the foot of your bed helps alleviate rheumatic pain.

In France, Savon de Marseille soaps have been trusted for generations to cleanse everything from linen to little faces.

By 1913 production had reached 180,000 tons, and in 1924 there were 132 soapmaking companies in the Marseille and Salon-de-Provence areas combined, but by 2000 only five remained.

Traditionally, the soap is made by mixing sea water from the Mediterranean Sea, olive oil, and the alkaline ash from sea plants together in a large cauldron (usually making about 8 tons). This mixture is then heated for several days, stirring constantly. The mixture is allowed to sit until ready, then poured into a mold and allowed to set slightly. While still soft it is cut into bars, stamped, and left to completely harden. The whole process can take up to a month.

Today, there are two main varieties of Marseille soap, a greenish hued made with olive oil and a white made of palm oil or a palm and copra oil mixture. Originally sold only in 5 kg and 20 kg blocks, today they come in sizes between 300 g and 1 kg, though larger sizes are often available, some up to 40 kg

The traditional cardboard packaging tied up with string makes a delightful gift.

Made in Provence, France