I have a bar of Zest in my travel soap dish now because the French-milled soap I was using for six months finally depleted (I got it some time ago at a department store, and started using it last summer). They don’t seem to stock it in supermarkets around here. I don’t like bar soap that turns into mush as soon as it gets wet.
ETA: “Here” is Portland Oregon.
ETA: I prefer going to a store to ordering it online.
What is “french milled”, anyway? Can it (whatever “it” entails) be done by the Swiss or the Albanians, or like Champagne, there are certain EU regulations that apply?
I dunno. When I’ve found it before (usually in hotel bathrooms, though not lately) it just said that on the label. The one I had was much bigger than hospitality-industry sized, though.
I would try a google search for “buy Marseille soap near me”. I know you said that you’d rather buy it in a store but if you can’t find a store near you that sells it, there are good on-line options.
Marseille soap and French-milled soap aren’t the same things. Marseille soap is a specific product- it’s traditionally mostly olive oil, and made in some specific fashion.
French-milled soap is a process. Basically it’s the same thing as "triple-milled soap’, which means that they pass it through a sort of soap mill three times, making the finished product denser and drier versus normal soap (it removes some moisture on each pass).
Online, you’ve got an embarrassment of riches.
In person, These guys have good products- I’m familiar with their shaving stuff. They also are sold in brick & mortar stores - the store locator shows a bunch in the Portland area.
There’s a L’Occitane store here, which is in the Portland area.
9520 SW Washington Square Road
97223 Tigard
Aah. I did not realize that. In that case Duke Cannon sell triple milled soap in masculine scents and they can be found at Target.
Their soap is a bit big for a travel kit though; when they say “brick of soap”, they’re not kidding.
Even at that, it’s kind of expensive for what amounts to regular old soap.
In catalogs - maybe Vermont Country Store. I’ve seen it in stores like TJ Maxx, and Marshall’s. No doubt Amazon has a billion options.
Yeah, they are big and they are a little expensive but they should last a good long while and Naval Diplomacy matches the blue in my new main bathroom.
Ideally, it will fit in my covered soap dish, but that’s just because I’ve made a habit of keeping it in one in my bathroom. But as long as it’s not the quick-dissolving type, I can learn a new habit. I’ll be bringing the dish into the store anyway, just to check.
Thanks for the help!
ETA: There’s one not five minutes away from my apartment, which is nice!
If it is too big, you could whittle it down to size.I remember whittling soap as a cub scout.
Specifically it says “Big Ass Brick of Soap”, but you’re not wrong. I think it costs about 6 bucks. I don’t know if it is French-milled though.
And it can clean other body parts, too!
Ha! It also says “Smells like Naval Superiority” on the box. I bought one just to have. At the price though I’m too scared to use it.
Pre de Provence Artisanal Soap, been using it for a few years. I can’t use normal soaps due to the oils and fragrances they add. All the flavors can be found on Amazon, I normally buy it at a small shop in Coupeville, Washington, it’s cheaper there. They also have small bars that are perfect for travel. Amazon.com: Pre de Provence
I’m surprised that no one has come in here to say if it’s not French, it’s just sparkling soap.
Sorry! 
Do you live on Whidbey?
My bro flew jets at the NAS and I have a lot of memories of visiting that lovely island.
And of freezing my desert-acclimated ass off. But it was insanely green.
I live a couple hours south in Auburn. We visit some friends in Oak Harbor a couple times a year. I spent 2 years at the NAS back in the mid 70’s.
Yep…TJ Maxx, Burke’s, Tuesday Morning, any of those places will have it. At deep discounts. You get what they have tho’, it won’t be there the next time.
French milled is triple milled. It’s smoother, harder and more luxurious foaming(
)
And better for the skin because it rinses better
More of the lye is leeched or sucked or pressed out. Not sure how they get it out. But the milling process does it.
And it has to have been triple milled for that to be on the label.
You can make it in your back shed. But don’t. Lye is nasty to work with.