Best French Soap 2023 (Our Top 14 Picks)
Our top pick? The L'Occitane Shea Verbena Extra-Gentle Soap
The best French soap brands are king when it comes to delivering an affordable, spa-like experience day after day. Never have my muscles felt so relaxed, and never has my skin felt so silky smooth. With every shower and wash of my hands, my mind is transported to the south of France; I'm always left feeling as refreshed as I would be had I been there for a week's holiday.
Until very recently, the thought of showering or bathing evoked some mind-numbingly monotonous mental imagery for me. That is, of course, until I discovered French soap. Long gone are the days when I had to shower; now, I *cannot wait* until I can next indulge in this divine, luxurious component of my everyday ritual.
Deciding which is the best for you, though, ultimately depends on preference. The FEMMENORDIC team has curated a comparison list for you of 14 of the best French soap options currently available in 2021, organised by brand, rating, affordability, efficacy and skin type compatibility. Enjoy!
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#1 — Shea Verbena Extra-Gentle Soap by L'Occitane
Price: $$$$
A must-have traditional Provence soap enriched with shea butter and perfumed with verbena.
What makes it special?
With a 100% vegetable base and supreme-quality shea butter sourced from a completely sustainable, fair-trade supply chain, this family size verbena scented soap ever-so-gently cleanses the skin, helping to preserve its natural moisture balance. It is beautifully creamy and leaves skin feeling silky soft - an absolute treat to use time after time.
Check out our best French body wash article for some body wash ideas that aren't in the form of solid bars or blocks!
Which skin type? Ideal for normal skin types.
#2 — Shea Milk Extra-Rich Soap by L'Occitane
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
An ultra-rich shea butter soap that gently cleanses the skin.
What makes it special? Ultra-rich in shea butter, its formula respects the equilibrium of even the most sensitive skin types and can be used on your face. Its intense and velvety lather leaves skin feeling squeaky-clean, supple and smooth, without drying it or stripping the moisture barrier. Our only qualm with it is the scent isn't what it used to be; it is slightly more potent now, although still very pleasant.
Which skin type? Perfect for sensitive skin types.
#3 — Shea Lavender Extra-Gentle Soap by L'Occitane
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
An alternative traditional Provence soap; this one is perfumed with lavender.
What makes it special? Since this is just a variation of the first soap, I will spare you a repeat of the description. However, it has more than earned its place in this top 14 review list as the lavender scent is a truly divine alternative to the citrusy verbena perfume. We adore how this series of soaps from L'Occitane are super eco-friendly and come wrapped in paper rather than plastic. Gentle on the planet as well as gentle on your skin!
Which skin type? Normal skin types will love this.
#4 — Charcoal Bar Soap by A La Maison de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A charcoal French bar soap.
What makes it special? Since research has shown that activated charcoal can absorb toxins in your body, some beauty experts believe that a charcoal soap can help draw impurities and dirt from your skin. A La Maison de Provence's charcoal soap cleans your face and body with natural ingredients that aren't harsh on the skin. The long-lasting suds contain no phthalates, SLS or parabens, and the bar has a light, pleasant scent derived from natural plant extracts.
Which skin type? Normal to oily skin types.
#5 — Coconut Charcoal Bar Soap by A La Maison de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A natural, moisturizing, French bar soap.
What makes it special? If you have never tried an all-natural soap before (i.e. one without chemicals), you are in for a delightful surprise with the rich, creamy lather of this soap. A La Maison de Provence's traditional recipe dates back to 1828 in France when Marseille soap masters first developed their famous French milled soap production process. The scent is, in their words: "soft and exotic with a hint of vanilla for joyful indulgence", and we whole-heartedly agree!
Which skin type? Normal skin types and those in need of extra moisture will *adore* this.
#6 — Sea Mud Bar Soap by A La Maison de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A sea-mud-infused French bar soap.
What makes it special? Sea mud is a surprisingly powerful skincare ingredient with evidence to suggest that it can help to treat problems such as acne and dryness. This bar is A La Maison de Provence's flagship product; it is long-lasting, lathering, cruelty-free, biodegradable, free from SLS, phthalates and parabens - just like the original 19th-century recipe.
Which skin type? Normal to problematic skin types.
#7 — Savon de Marseille Soap Cube by Compagnie de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A fragrance free Marseille soap in the form of a cube.
What makes it special? The symbolic cube of Marseille soap - a historic treasure trove of benefits for your hands - is made in Marseille and cooked in a cauldron, as per artisanal tradition. It contains 72% oil, the minimum required for any authentic Marseille soap, and is packed full of minerals that are ideal for treating acne-prone skin.
Which skin type? Great for acne-prone skin!
#8 — Savon de Marseille Soap Cube (Olive) by Compagnie de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
Another fragrance free Marseille soap in the form of a cube.
What makes it special? Gentle enough even for baby skin, every family member can use this soap in the shower or bath for a lovely, gentle cleaning experience. It is 100% natural, made artisanally from 100% vegetable oils (72% olive oil), meaning it is biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
Which skin type? Amazing for *all* skin types!
#9 — Shea Butter Soap Bar (Verbena) by Pre de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A luxurious Pre de Provence soap, made traditionally, with a verbena fragrance.
What makes it special? For centuries, the luxury of French milled soaps has remained the gold standard of excellence. Each time you begin to lather with it, you enter a time and place where quality and craftsmanship have stood still; Pre de Provence soap bars are no exception. They are not only carefully made today by dedicated soap makers in Provence following their proud traditions, but quad-milled to be smoother and have a richer lather to create our luxurious feel.
Which skin type? Primarily for normal to sensitive skin types.
#10 — Shea Butter Soap Bar (Olive Oil & Lavender) by Pre de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A luxurious Pre de Provence soap, made traditionally, with a lavender fragrance.
What makes it special? Using all pure, natural ingredients enriched with shea butter, you can really feel the difference with Pre de Provence's unique quad-milling process. This lavender soap bar will fill your bathroom with delicious scents down to the very last sliver of soap - all aromatic fragrances that transport you into a moment of serenity, vitality, and prosperity. How obvious is it that we are *obsessed* with this natural French soap?
Which skin type? Beyond amazing for dry skin types; super replenishing and hydrating!
#11 — Shea Butter Soap Bar (Sandalwood) by Pre de Provence
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A luxurious Pre de Provence soap, made traditionally, with a sandalwood fragrance.
What makes it special? From a woody base with scents from the fougère and chypre families, this Pre de Provence soap smells beyond heavenly. It creates a rich, creamy lather that moisturizes and softens your skin, and if nothing else, it would be the perfect hand soap for every bathroom in your house!
Which skin type? Mainly for normal skin types.
#12 — Savon de Marseille Bar Soap (Rose) by Freesens
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
Real Marseille soap with a natural rose scent.
What makes it special? Freesens are undeniably one of the best French soap brands, delivering some of the best Marseille soap available on the market. This particular bar is hypoallergenic, sanitizing, and extremely skin-softening. The luscious natural rose fragrance will transport your senses to another dimension or tranquillity. It comes with a metal box that preserves the scent of the soap, and you can use it as delightful decoration or storage once you've used up all the soap.
Which skin type? Great for normal skin types, also suitable for sensitive skin thanks to its hypoallergenic formula.
#13 — French Marseille Soap Bar Unscented by Le Petit Marseillais
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
An unscented, high-quality Marseille soap bar.
What makes it special? Simple, to-the-point, and exceedingly effective is how I would describe this unscented soap. It combines olive oils with skin-softening glycerin to produce a rich, luxurious lather that leaves skin naturally soft and supple. You cannot go wrong here, especially at such an affordable price considering how long it lasts!
Which skin type? Perfect for normal skin types.
#14 — Traditional Marseille Soap (Olive Green) by Rampal Latour
Our rating: ★★★★★
Price: $$$$
A true, extra-pure Marseille soap, certified by Ecocert.
What makes it special? This Marseille soap by Rampal Latour is guaranteed to be extra-pure, as it is developed in full respect of today's hygiene and traceability standards - while still using their original 1828 formula! It does not contain any perfume, artificial colouring agents, preserving agents, or any synthetic additives whatsoever. Thanks to the virtues of olive oil, your skin will feel healthy, soothed and protected.
Which skin type? Fantastic for *all* skin types, even sensitive skin will love this!
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Calum Torrington is the founder of FemmeNordic. He has worked as a beauty editor since 2020 and employs his analytical background in mathematics to thoroughly scrutinize complex INCI lists. Now, he helps over 1 million people per year to find the best beauty products.