# Fancy French Soap (from France!)



## CreativeWeirdo (Nov 13, 2021)

I just found these soaps that my co-worker brought back for me from a trip to France in Summer 2018!!!  I had left them in my desk and had packed them away when we had to move our office a few months ago, and I just got into that box.  I can't remember where exactly she said she got them; I'll ask her in an email Monday.  Bars are 125 g each; marked with a stamp.

I am bilingual (although my grammar is still, as it has always been, terrible) so I understand what is written on the bars.

Packaging is sealed with a sticker that says "fabrication artisanale" = Artisan Made

"Artisanat de provence" = Provincial Artisan

"Savon de Marseille" = Marseille Soap

"pur vegetal" = Pure Vegetable = Pure vegetable oil based soap [Edit: more like vegetarian/vegan oil base meaning no animal fat; not necessarily specifically what we know as "vegetable oil" in the grocery store.]

"Fleur d'oranges" = Orange Blossom

"Monoï" = Monoï oil = Perfume oil made by infusing the Tiaré flower (also called Tahitian Gardenia).  Fun fact: the Tiaré flower is the national flower of French Polynesia and the Cooks Islands.

From my very little research, traditional Savon de Marseille is very similar to traditional Castile Soap: HP, Olive oil base, using sea water from the Mediterranean Sea.

I'm quite chuffed that I found this, specially since I only recently started soaping.  I feel like I have a much better appreciation for it now than I would have 3 years ago!


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## Misschief (Nov 13, 2021)

Those should be some amazing soaps!! I'm a little jealous, tbh.


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## Ugeauxgirl (Nov 14, 2021)

Oooh- I'd be excited to find that.  Even though I probably have 10 years worth of my own soap in my guest bedroom...


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## Zany_in_CO (Nov 14, 2021)

What are you waiting for??? Lather up!!!


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## CreativeWeirdo (Nov 14, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> What are you waiting for??? Lather up!!!



My friend is coming to visit me starting this Tuesday.  She lives 8-hour drive north of me; we haven't seen each other in two and a half years.  She has a 6 month old, so I'm going to let her pick which one she wants for herself first.


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## conleenlyn (Dec 24, 2021)

Wow, I feel envy now too, I heard that such soap is quite popular, but I never knew where to buy it, and the composition seems good. As a person with various allergies, it's essential to have a parabens free soap on a natural basis. I have been allergic for about two or three years, and since then, I have only ordered soap from one online store. I also showed my dermatologist the composition of this soap I always buy to see if it'd work for my skin, and he agreed. After that, I have only been using soap with natural ingredients, but now I wanted to try how my skin would react to a soap-like one you were given.


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## CreativeWeirdo (Dec 25, 2021)

conleenlyn said:


> Wow, I feel envy now too, I heard that such soap is quite popular, but I never knew where to buy it, and the composition seems good. As a person with various allergies, it's essential to have a parabens free soap on a natural basis.



Then, my friend, let me introduce you to Zany's no slime castile


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## Ugeauxgirl (Dec 25, 2021)

CreativeWeirdo said:


> Then, my friend, let me introduce you to Zany's no slime castile


How was the soap?


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## MGM (Dec 25, 2021)

CreativeWeirdo said:


> My friend is coming to visit me starting this Tuesday.  She lives 8-hour drive north of me; we haven't seen each other in two and a half years.  She has a 6 month old, so I'm going to let her pick which one she wants for herself first.


Timmins? Kapuskasing? Wawa is too far....the Soo? 
I have some French soap I've been meaning to dig out and photograph for the board...maybe this will be my impetus!


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 26, 2021)

CreativeWeirdo said:


> Then, my friend, let me introduce you to Zany's no slime castile


 

Plus, here's a YouTube video that shows how easy it is to make:


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## Nancy Pederson (Dec 27, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Plus, here's a YouTube video that shows how easy it is to make:



Zany - I just wanted to say that I made your soap and it turned out wonderful!  Thank you for sharing it!


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 27, 2021)

Nancy Pederson said:


> Zany - I just wanted to say that I made your soap and it turned out wonderful!  Thank you for sharing it!


You're so very welcome!


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## Hope Ann (Dec 28, 2021)

Nancy Pederson said:


> Zany - I just wanted to say that I made your soap and it turned out wonderful!  Thank you for sharing it!



Isn't it the loveliest?

Hope


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## Gaisy59 (Dec 29, 2021)

@Zany_in_CO now I’m flummoxed! I thought castille soap was liquid not solid.


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 29, 2021)

Gaisy59 said:


> now I’m flummoxed! I thought castille soap was liquid not solid.


Castile Soap can be either liquid or solid.   

Examples: Dirk's Castile is a solid bar vs. Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Castile Soap.


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## Gaisy59 (Dec 29, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Castile Soap can be either liquid or solid.
> 
> Examples: Dirk's Castile is a solid bar vs. Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Liquid Castile Soap.


Ok so it just depends on which lye you use?


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 29, 2021)

Gaisy59 said:


> Ok so it just depends on which lye you use?


Which lye you use determines whether it is hard soap (NaOH) or liquid soap (KOH).

Which oils/fats/butters you use determines whether it is Castile or not. Castile soap, hard or liquid, by legal definition, contains no animal fats.


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## Gaisy59 (Dec 29, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Which lye you use determines whether it is hard soap (NaOH) or liquid soap (KOH).
> 
> Which oils/fats/butters you use determines whether it is Castile or not. Castile soap, hard or liquid, by legal definition, contains no animal fats.


Thanks Zany...one last question.  So you know how people make cleaning solutions, they use vinegar and Dawn dish soap.  So if i make olive oil castille with KOH will adding this to vinegar be the same as adding Dawn for a cleaning solution?


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## AliOop (Dec 29, 2021)

Not Zany, but I can say that adding regular liquid soap mixed with vinegar will work for some cleaning projects, but not others.

Dawn is detergent, not soap, so it behaves very differently than your homemade liquid soap. Dawn + vinegar will remove soap scum, whereas liquid soap + vinegar will at best not work as well, and in many cases, will actually contribute to more soap scum.

Thus, you will want to use the Dawn + vinegar to clean showers, tubs, and sinks, where soap scum tends to build up. You can use your homemade LS + vinegar for other cleaning projects that don't involve removal of soap scum.


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## Gaisy59 (Dec 29, 2021)

AliOop said:


> Not Zany, but I can say that adding regular liquid soap mixed with vinegar will work for some cleaning projects, but not others.


Ahhh ok, thanks very much.  Always a glitch but very informative.


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## Dana89 (Dec 30, 2021)

bring it! Mrs Jealious  Teacher!ativeWeirdo said:


> I just found these soaps that my co-worker brought back for me from a trip to France in Summer 2018!!!  I had left them in my desk and had packed them away when we had to move our office a few months ago, and I just got into that box.  I can't remember where exactly she said she got them; I'll ask her in an email Monday.  Bars are 125 g each; marked with a stamp.
> 
> I am bilingual (although my grammar is still, as it has always been, terrible) so I understand what is written on the bars.
> 
> ...


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