octobre 2009 - aafi-afics - UNOG

HEALTH
Marseille soap
For many generations housewives swore by a 400 gramme square cube of household soap first produced in
Marseille around 1370. In 1688 an edict limited the use of the name savon de Marseille to soap produced in
the Marseille region, which comforted the prosperity of the manufacturers.. Marseille soap is traditionally
green or white. In 1840 they started to use palm, groundnut and copra oils, which made a whiter soap with a
better lather. The green variety is made essentially with olive oil, abundant in the region, It takes the
soapmaster two weeks to make Marseille soap. The delicate mixture of olive and vegetable oils, alkaline ash
from sea plants and Mediterranean Sea salt water are heated for ten days in antique cauldrons..
By 1913, 90 manufacturers were producing some 180’000 tons of soap each year. However, with the advent
of detergents and soap powders after the war, business dwindled and today only ten or so small factories
still produce the little cube.
Today, however, these soapy cubes – not always presented nowadays in the shape of a cube - are once
again becoming popular amongst consumers in search of natural products. They are totally biodegradable,
and entirely free of additives, artificial colouring, and preservatives. They are unequalled for removing spots
and stains and are gentle to even the most sensitive skins. They can be used as shampoos, under the
shower and in the kitchen, for washing babies or linen, are recommended by dermatologists and are
absolutely pure.
Every day we read, see, hear that one way to combat A(H1N1) flu is to practice effective personal hygiene.
Remember that Marseille soap is an excellent antiseptic.
E-M. Belchamber
Source:Wikipedia and information provided by C. Kind
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