Rampal Latour, a natural soap brand made using traditional French methods, is gaining popularity. The soap brand, which began sales in Japan in 2012 and is primarily sold in department stores, was founded in Marseille in 1828 by the Rampal family as a family business. It moved to Provence in 1907 and has continued to produce its soap for five generations, receiving government certification as "Marseille Soap." Marseille soap is a general term for soap made using traditional French methods under strict manufacturing standards established by King Louis XIV. National certification is required to use the name. Rampal Latour's popular "Extra Pure Marseille Soap 72%" is one example, but only a few companies in France sell certified products.

Jean-Louis PLOT bought the Rampal Latour business, which had been in operation for five generations, and is now the highly skilled CEO of Rampal Latour. He worked as a chemical engineer for seven years at a food-related company and also earned an MBA. He met Rampal, the fifth-generation Rampal, who was 87 years old at the time and looking for a successor, and was instantly captivated by the soap's appeal, deciding to become the owner.

What attracted him most was the high quality that comes from the manufacturing process. "'BIO' Organic Oval Soap and Raffine Round Soap are ultra-luxury products made by compressing the pure ingredients through a process of hardening, scraping, removing moisture, hardening, scraping, removing moisture... six times. While products that have undergone this hardening and scraping process three times are considered luxury products, this soap, which has been densely packed by repeating it six times, lasts longer and retains its shape until the very end. The fragrance also lingers until the last drop."

They are also particular about the ingredients. "There are many products out there claiming to be 'organic,' but our 'BIO' Organic Oval Soap, marked by its oval shape, is an Ecocert-certified product. This certification is only given to products that meet the requirements of Ecocert, a third-party certification organization. It uses 100% natural fragrances and 100% plant oils, and is completely free of chemical fragrances, animal oils, parabens, and preservatives," they say proudly.

"It contains a lot of plant oils, so it has a high moisturizing effect and is great for people with dry skin. We've seen a very positive response in Japan, with shops in Japan that have used samples placing orders the next day," says Plott.

What's more, this soap can be used on everything from hair to teeth. "As a toothpaste, the Olive Oil flavor from Extra Pure Marseille Soap is the best. Our products are all-purpose classics that have been used since ancient times. They're the kind of products that are always available at your grandma's house because they're so good for you."

Finally, when asked what items she would recommend for the Japanese summer, she replied, "Verbena from Raffine Round Soap." "Verbena is a flower that blooms in Provence in the height of summer, from June to August, and has a refreshing citrus scent like lemon. Lavender is also a summer flower that has relaxing properties. For children, we recommend a soft, sweet scent like peach. However, be careful not to be tempted by the smell and eat it (lol). Our "BIO" Organic Oval Soap contains clay in its "Clay & Verbena" formulation, so it is recommended for people who want to thoroughly remove sebum."