French Product Spotlight: Maison Berthe Guilhem

First published: June 29, 2021 by France Today Editors

We have all heard of the Cleopatra-endorsed benefits of bathing in ass’s milk, but using goat’s milk as a base for soaps is less well known. Maison Berthe Guilhem, a family-run company in the rural wilds of Ariège – in La Bastide-de-Besplas near the magnificent Regional Natural Park of Pyrénées Ariégeoises, to be precise – is out to change this perception, thanks to its wide range of face, hair and body products lovingly crafted at Ferme Garrabet.

The soaps are made using cold process for durability, with the mixture initially kneaded before being vigorously pressed and moulded by hand. The soap is then cut and each one stamped before being slow-dried for several weeks. All soaps are certified organic and labelled COSMEBIO, and are free from petrochemical ingredients. The firm says it uses goat’s milk for one vital reason: it provides an exceptional creaminess of foam!

Ingredients for other products, such as flowers and herbs, are picked by hand, with all infusions and ‘mother tinctures’ carefully chosen for their health properties and picked “with respect to nature’s rhythms”.