View Full Version : Martin de Candre
I am considering my first soap purchase, and I was thinking about buying Martin de Candre Lavender and Mint shave soap. Has anyone here tried this product, what were your impressions?
Regards,
AJS
For your first soap purchase, could you possibly pick out a more obscure product?
rtaylor61
05-28-2006, 08:31 PM
Is THIS (http://frenchgardening.com/item.tmpl?SKU=GISF40) the soap you are referring to? Looks nice, but EXPENSIVE! If anyone has tried it, it will probably be Ron or Chris Fisher (fisherc).
Randy
It's ok. Smells wonderful - but there are better options. Although it may seem expensive - it is a 6oz cake of soap - so it is about 2X the size of a cake of DR Harris.
Austin
05-28-2006, 08:41 PM
I thought it was a decent soap but overpriced. Try DR Harris soaps instead.
roughrider
05-28-2006, 10:01 PM
Why not pick a tried and true soap like the Truefitt & Hill soap or QED Lime or Sandalwood?
rtaylor61
05-28-2006, 10:30 PM
Why not pick a tried and true soap like the Truefitt & Hill soap or QED Lime or Sandalwood?
The T&H soap is great. Also, Crabtree & Evelyn's Almond soap (http://store.crabtree-evelyn.com/alm3039.html)is great. Lot's of products out there.
Randy
For your first soap purchase, could you possibly pick out a more obscure product?
Give me a little while and I will see what I can come up with!
Seriously, I have always gravitated towards the esoteric and the obscure, and I guess this soap fits in with that. Also, giving the glowing reviews that French soaps in general seem to receive, I am definitely leaning towards this, L'Occitane CADE or the Lothantique Pere et Fils for my first purchase.
With regard to the English soaps, I was looking at the T+H soap as a definite purchase somewhere down the line.
Warm regards,
AJS
Give me a little while and I will see what I can come up with!
Seriously, I have always gravitated towards the esoteric and the obscure, and I guess this soap fits in with that. Also, giving the glowing reviews that French soaps in general seem to receive, I am definitely leaning towards this, L'Occitane CADE or the Lothantique Pere et Fils for my first purchase.
With regard to the English soaps, I was looking at the T+H soap as a definite purchase somewhere down the line.
Warm regards,
AJS
Don't get me wrong, I like individuality as much as the next guy, but there is a reason that all of the aforementioned products are popular. They Work.
The problem with trying something obscure/non-standard before sampling some of the tried and true soaps is that if you get a terrible shave, how will you know if it is the fault of the product or the fault of your technique, etc. You will have no measuring stick for comparison.
I had the same inclination when I first started wet shaving. I went out and purchased an obscure soap and had such a horrendous experience that I almost quit wet shaving all together.
My suggestion for the first soap purchase would be, go with the L'Occitane or another brand that several members have used so that if things don't go well for you, you at least have a point of reference.
roughrider
05-29-2006, 12:19 PM
Most guys here are steering you in the direction of popular soaps because if you have a problem later on with anything; we can help you without worrying about your soap being a factor.
Thanks for the help everybody, it is appreciated. Following your advice, I have decided to opt for the L'Occitane soap to start out with; I'll update you on my progress and I am sure I will need some help with it (you have been warned!)
Warm regards,
AJS
Good first choice. If you want esoteric, get it in the nifty metal container.:tongue_sm
slcsteve
05-29-2006, 01:36 PM
I use Martin De Candre in a rotation of sorts and I find it to be of the highest quality. If you purchase it you certainly won't be disappointed in the quality. Some others that I use and also on the pricy side are Acqua Di Parma and Creed Green Irish Tweed. All are superb. That said, I have very few shaving creams or soaps that I personally dislike and you can spend your money on less costly soaps that will work just as well. One that I really found to be high in cost, albeit excellent is Boellis. You can spend $35 for Boellis or purchase Valobra for $10 and find very little, if any, difference in quality. L'Occitane is fine but not what I'd deem special. It's your money so buy what you like.
You mention Acqua di Parma, I was thinking about adding that to my rapidly expanding (read that as out of control) collection of shave creams. Would you mind posting some feedback on this particular cream?
Warm regards,
AJS
slcsteve
05-29-2006, 06:18 PM
AJS
I'll tell you what. I'm presently away from home right now but if you pm your address i'll send you a small sample that I have when I return home and you can judge for yourself. As far a latherability (perhaps a word) i'd rate it high but seems to favor a stiffer brush. Very similar in texture to Martin De Candre and very nice stuff. Not really any better than the better English soaps (D R Harris etc.) just a bit different.
BTW: the Acqua de Parma is $54 a tub and Creed is $55 a wooden tub.
Just remember this too....If you get something and don't like it it'll be much easier to seel to one of us if we've used it before or know what it is. Gotta cover all the bases.
-Tye
Nothing like pulling an old thread out of mothballs. :biggrin:
I just purchased this soap (http://www.soaps-martin-de-candre.ic-sites.com/shaving-soap.html). Used it this morning for the first time.
I bought it in the beechwood bowl. When I unwrapped it last night, my first thought was it looked like one of those decorative candles you see in a fancy knick-knack store. There's no top to the bowl; the soap literally rises up & above the rim. It looks like frozen lather, or bumpy ice cream. I expected to see a wick sticking out of the middle.
Scent-wise, the description is lavender & mint. I'm not sure that's what it smells like to me but whatever. It sure smells good -- fresh, gentle, soapy & clean. Shave-wise, this stuff's amazing. It produced a thick, unctuous lather that lasted through my 3-pass-plus-touchups shave with plenty left over for more. I used a 5 day-old Feather in a Slant and only got one little weeper at a very sensitive point on my neck. Otherwise, the shave was smooth, comfortable & BBS. I didn't want it to end.
It's expensive but to Joel's point above, you get 6 oz. of soap -- almost double the size of most pucks. I'll have this thing forever. Highly recommended, gents!
joshmpdx
11-21-2008, 12:15 PM
Great post to a great thread resurection!
Thanks for the summery, i think you just sold me!
Cuttingboard
10-04-2009, 07:08 PM
Nothing like pulling an old thread out of mothballs. :biggrin:
I just purchased this soap (http://www.soaps-martin-de-candre.ic-sites.com/shaving-soap.html). Used it this morning for the first time.
I bought it in the beechwood bowl. When I unwrapped it last night, my first thought was it looked like one of those decorative candles you see in a fancy knick-knack store. There's no top to the bowl; the soap literally rises up & above the rim. It looks like frozen lather, or bumpy ice cream. I expected to see a wick sticking out of the middle.
Scent-wise, the description is lavender & mint. I'm not sure that's what it smells like to me but whatever. It sure smells good -- fresh, gentle, soapy & clean. Shave-wise, this stuff's amazing. It produced a thick, unctuous lather that lasted through my 3-pass-plus-touchups shave with plenty left over for more. I used a 5 day-old Feather in a Slant and only got one little weeper at a very sensitive point on my neck. Otherwise, the shave was smooth, comfortable & BBS. I didn't want it to end.
It's expensive but to Joel's point above, you get 6 oz. of soap -- almost double the size of most pucks. I'll have this thing forever. Highly recommended, gents!
Is there a place in the US that carries the large bowl? I can only find the small tin.
Nothing like pulling an old thread out of mothballs. :biggrin:
I just purchased this soap (http://www.soaps-martin-de-candre.ic-sites.com/shaving-soap.html). Used it this morning for the first time.
I bought it in the beechwood bowl. When I unwrapped it last night, my first thought was it looked like one of those decorative candles you see in a fancy knick-knack store. There's no top to the bowl; the soap literally rises up & above the rim. It looks like frozen lather, or bumpy ice cream. I expected to see a wick sticking out of the middle.
Scent-wise, the description is lavender & mint. I'm not sure that's what it smells like to me but whatever. It sure smells good -- fresh, gentle, soapy & clean. Shave-wise, this stuff's amazing. It produced a thick, unctuous lather that lasted through my 3-pass-plus-touchups shave with plenty left over for more. I used a 5 day-old Feather in a Slant and only got one little weeper at a very sensitive point on my neck. Otherwise, the shave was smooth, comfortable & BBS. I didn't want it to end.
It's expensive but to Joel's point above, you get 6 oz. of soap -- almost double the size of most pucks. I'll have this thing forever. Highly recommended, gents!
After looking at the photo, I'm guessing it's very messy to lather -- at least until you get the soap below the top lip of the bowl. Do you wind up wasting a lot of soap at the beginning? Have you had any problems with the soap drying up, since there is not a lid to the bowl?
Cuttingboard
10-05-2009, 06:22 AM
AJS
BTW: the Acqua de Parma is $54 a tub and Creed is $55 a wooden tub.
I bought a Creed Original Vetiver refill puck yesterday at Nordstrom's for $33.
Fozz7769
02-15-2010, 12:13 PM
Is MdC availiable in the US?
Cuttingboard
02-15-2010, 07:28 PM
Is MdC availiable in the US?
Martin de Candre lavender-mint shave soap (http://www.frenchgardening.com/item.html?pid=GISF40)
The site says it ships directly from France. Economy shipping is $21 and Priority is $26.
Shipping is based on the weight of the order up to 15kg
So I guess you could load up on other stuff if you wanted to.
Martin de Candre lavender-mint shave soap (http://www.frenchgardening.com/item.html?pid=GISF40)
Cuttingboard
02-16-2010, 08:25 AM
The site says it ships directly from France. Economy shipping is $21 and Priority is $26.
Shipping is based on the weight of the order up to 15kg
So I guess you could load up on other stuff if you wanted to.
My bad...I didn't realize that the product ships from France. :thumbdown
Cuttingboard
02-16-2010, 06:16 PM
If you're going to have to order from France, you might as well order a large bowl from the source. Savonnerie-Martin de Candre (http://savonnerie-martin-de-candre.ic-sites.com/index.php?osCsid=09c78dad5ce4c1fe8008a50033b22ec3)
On the French shaving forums, this stuff is better than gold. I tried it and I don't like the scent. Fortunatly, someone sent me a sample from their soap for me to try instead of buying a whole puck.
If you get it, you might enjoy the scent but, YMMV!
LB4LB
06-24-2010, 05:59 AM
This may be an old post, but just thought I'd share my experience (little experience) with mdc.
I'm here in Paris for work and stopped by a local shave shop and after talking to the guy for awhile, I can certainly vouch that they view this stuff as "gold"
He ranted and raved, showed me articles and all sorts, needless to say, I picked up a large (and expensive) puck of it.
Confilo
06-24-2010, 12:06 PM
My wife gave me a bowl awhile ago. I use it regularly and still is almost to the top. It is strange looking like hardened cottage cheese but is a great shaver.
She ordered from France at their MC shop
du212
06-24-2010, 12:48 PM
I use MdC for my Shaves, is one of the better soaps I've tried EVER. It's a very simple soap, only natural ingredients, it gives lather as Tabac,....and the lubrication is optimal.
The scent is as the wine, it's better in a long time,....let the soap tin OPENED for well drying the soap, and you can find that the balsamic and spicy notes of scent are better day by day
I wrote a post about some popular soaps: MWF, MdC and Tabac
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=129038
Cuttingboard
08-06-2010, 10:39 AM
He ranted and raved, showed me articles and all sorts, needless to say, I picked up a large (and expensive) puck of it.
Well...we're waiting?:biggrin1:
Ru4scuba?
08-06-2010, 03:31 PM
I gotta say, dont know why...strongly leaning toward a bowl of this stuff...just feel like I need it for my soap collection! :lol:
I gotta say, dont know why...strongly leaning toward a bowl of this stuff...just feel like I need it for my soap collection! :lol:
It really is wonderful stuff. You won't regret it. :thumbup1:
Cuttingboard
08-06-2010, 05:50 PM
I gotta say, dont know why...strongly leaning toward a bowl of this stuff...just feel like I need it for my soap collection! :lol:
I'm thinking the same thing...maybe they'll double-up shipping for us in the DC area.
Ru4scuba?
08-07-2010, 03:32 AM
I'm thinking the same thing...maybe they'll double-up shipping for us in the DC area.
You know what...thats not a bad idea at all!
Cuttingboard
08-07-2010, 07:51 AM
You know what...thats not a bad idea at all!
:thumbup: How much is shipping to the US?
kingfisher
08-07-2010, 08:04 AM
:thumbup: How much is shipping to the US?
Way too much.
Cuttingboard
08-07-2010, 08:18 AM
:thumbup: How much is shipping to the US?
$22 shipping. :huh: May as well order the large bowl.
drandall
08-07-2010, 09:10 AM
i got a PIF sample of MdC and after hearing mixed reviews wasn't expecting much. i was pleasantly surprised by the thick effortless lather and unique scent.
i wish it were less expensive. it goes against my grain to pay more in shipping than you do for the product. still, it's a very unique product. i just wish it was easier to obtain
The Last Chimney
08-07-2010, 09:24 AM
Anyone who buys this soap will NOT be disappointed by the performance. You get thick, slick lather for a minimum of effort. This is probably the best-lathering soap I've ever tried.
The scent is hit or miss, though. I absolutely hated it. Sort of an industrial, chemical awfulness.
drandall
08-07-2010, 05:55 PM
i emailed Rasage Poulin today asking whether they'd consider carrying MdC so we could have a reseller in north america. They wrote back saying they wanted to carry it, but was told that MdC had no interest in working with resellers
: (
i have written MdC and voiced my frustration over the lack of availability and the large shipping charges. perhaps it will do some good.
:blink:
Ru4scuba?
08-09-2010, 05:36 PM
Man that would be awesome but I wont hold my breath!
DavidH
10-07-2011, 01:23 PM
After looking at the photo, I'm guessing it's very messy to lather -- at least until you get the soap below the top lip of the bowl. Do you wind up wasting a lot of soap at the beginning? Have you had any problems with the soap drying up, since there is not a lid to the bowl?
I realize this is a rather old thread now but here is my two cents for those who are still interested:
I bought this in the glass pot. The soap doesnt look anything like the pictures above in the wooden bowl - mine is solid and flat, more like a soap than a cream.
Anyway . . . it lathers like mad and tends to spill over the rim. But I just use my finger to wipe it from the rim and put it in my skuttle. It lasts forever; I've been using it in rotation with 3 others for about 6 months and the pot is still 3/4 full. It is excellent cream; one of my favorites.
Regarding the fact that the wooden bowl doesn't have a lid: MdC recommends leaving the cream open to dry out between shaves. This is what they say on their site: "The cover will only be used for transportation, at your place, leave the recipient open for a better drying. A recipient of 170g must last for 1 year!!!" The glass pot came with a lid but I leave it off for that reason.
Another great feature of this cream is that it rinses off my brush easier and more completely than any other cream or soap I have used.
more like a soap than a cream.
No surprise, as it IS a soap, not a cream. :001_smile
ruebis
10-07-2011, 06:32 PM
If Martin de Candre is your first soap mate, I hate to tell you, but it's all down hill from here.
FANTASTIC soap.
ruebis
10-07-2011, 07:32 PM
So I guess you could load up on other stuff if you wanted to.
Said it before, worth repeating, their lemon after shave balm is some of the best stuff your face will ever meet. If you're looking to add something to in, that's it.
DavidH
11-07-2011, 09:31 AM
well hit me with an old fish :a19: do i feel dumb! lol
Rushman2112
11-07-2011, 11:42 AM
I went to their store in Fontrevaud today and bought a wooden bowl of the soap - I have to wait till I get home Saturday before I can use it...
Rushman2112
11-11-2011, 06:57 PM
I used the MdC today for the first time - I had a couple of practice goes at lathering and I have to say it's excellent. Subtle fragrance, smooth creamy lather, good shave, and my skin feels soft and the missus approves. I may never use another soap again...
Rushman2112
11-11-2011, 09:47 PM
199808
And here I am outside the store with my bag of goodies!
neville77
11-11-2011, 10:13 PM
And here I am outside the store with my bag of goodies!
My friend, you are living like a king. I am doing my best to try to emulate your experience one day soon.
Rushman2112
11-11-2011, 11:41 PM
My friend, you are living like a king. I am doing my best to try to emulate your experience one day soon.
Well, if you discount the cost of the airfare from Singapore - as we were going to France anyway I feel we can! - the goodies were reasonably priced in the store. Well worth the effort to get there, and we stopped for a very nice lunch in Chinon so it was a good day out.
Marco
11-12-2011, 01:04 AM
199808
And here I am outside the store with my bag of goodies!
Excellent! :clap: I totally understand that huge smile on your face, mate! :001_smile:wink2::thumbup1:
leonidas
11-12-2011, 01:59 AM
....i haven't tried Martin de Candre.......... but how can it best Cella Love??
Rushman2112
11-12-2011, 06:07 AM
Excellent! :clap: I totally understand that huge smile on your face, mate! :001_smile:wink2::thumbup1:
Ha ha! It was an excellent day mate!
kbuzbee
11-12-2011, 07:18 AM
Ha ha! It was an excellent day mate!
I envy your day! Simply wonderful. I currently have 3 of the wooden bowls myself. One in use and two waiting in the wings. It's my daily driver and by far the best soap I own. Congratulations! Now don't let airport security confiscate them, eh?
Ken
miatapaul
11-12-2011, 01:11 PM
Well, if you discount the cost of the airfare from Singapore - as we were going to France anyway I feel we can! - the goodies were reasonably priced in the store. Well worth the effort to get there, and we stopped for a very nice lunch in Chinon so it was a good day out.
Well since you went so far to get some good shaving soap, you might as well stick around. I hear there may be some other things to do while you are there. You might even be able to find a good meal!
Rushman2112
11-12-2011, 06:11 PM
I envy your day! Simply wonderful. I currently have 3 of the wooden bowls myself. One in use and two waiting in the wings. It's my daily driver and by far the best soap I own. Congratulations! Now don't let airport security confiscate them, eh?
Ken
It all went in the check-in bags! I had taken some bubblewrap with me for the purpose...
Rushman2112
11-12-2011, 06:12 PM
Well since you went so far to get some good shaving soap, you might as well stick around. I hear there may be some other things to do while you are there. You might even be able to find a good meal!
Two weeks went by in a blur as usual. A blur helped by eating and drinking very well indeed!!
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