Pre de Provence No. 63

[BackyardBuck]

Like many of us, I have almost too many shaving soaps to fit in the space my wife allows me to keep them in. Actually, I have been placed on a "one goes in, one goes out" restriction. Which is not actually bad, because their is no restriction to buying a new soap as long as one hits the road, as well. Anyway to my point, Pre de Provence No. 63 is a soap that I picked up along the way, that has won a place in my shaving heart. After shaving with it today, I thought I should make a post about it, because I don't think I have seen it very much in other shave posts, and yet thought some of you might enjoy it. The No. 63 has a truly delightful fresh, clean, and floral scent, while retaining a bit of masculinity. If you do any cooking it smells no less French than an excellent blend of Herbs de Provence. It produces IMO a very thick, silky, husky, lather that is one of the slickest in my collection. The lather has staying power and holds well in my lather bowl for 3 passes if I choose to do them. The application for the last pass is no less substantial than the first. I don't have the matching after shave but find that No. 63 blends very well with Chantillon Luz "Gratiot League Square". For todays shave, I combined No. 63 with a blend of pre shave oil, I made at the local apothecary consisting of 1/2 and 1/2 almond oil and grapeseed oil with some essence of cedar thrown in for fragrance.

 

[Grundi]

Very nice review, @BackyardBuck!! And +1 on many of your points for this soap.

Funny story and unorthodox approach with PdP No. 63. I received a puck of PdP No. 63 for Fathers Day. I've been using Palmolive Shave Stick for the past week or so (and really like Palmolive). When poking around B&B for any review of No. 63, I came across a thread where someone said that they used No. 63 like a shave stick. Now I've got the "hmmm, just maybe" rolling around in my brain!! So I do just like the other B&B'er (whether he was joking or not, it does work, just a little big), I've used it several times like a shave stick with excellent results!! I wet my face really well, dip the bottom of the puck in very warm water, and rub it on my whiskers, just like I would with a shave stick. Due to my coarse beard hair, I only need to make a single, medium pressure pass over my whiskers until the shave area has a very thin coat of soap. Then I face lather, dipping my brush (which I soak in hot water, and moderately shake out the excess water before lathering) as needed. The lather is definitely thick and slick, with a great scent, and more than enough for my two passes and touch ups.

 

[BackyardBuck]

Today I used a Semogue badger brush but pretty much any brush be it Badger , Boar, or synthetic seams to work up a smooth, thick, lather. I have used them all and get pretty much the same result. I love the stuff, and find my self reaching for it when ever I feel I need a lift to my spirit.

 

[REV579]

It's a winner. The Shave Cream seems to work best as a brushless cream. The puck is a keeper and seems to work best when bloomed. The bar soap is a solid performer too. The Shower Gel has a great scent, but it's a little different from the bar soap.

 

[ajkel64]

Thanks for the review.

 

[BigJ]

Terrific review! I need to consider this for my ‘to try list’ (once I finish the 2018 Shave Purchase Sabbatical)!

 

[cryhavoc]

Terrific review! I need to consider this for my ‘to try list’ (once I finish the 2018 Shave Purchase Sabbatical)!

I've noticed you say that a lot BigJ, you may go broke when 2018 ends

 

[BigJ]

I've noticed you say that a lot BigJ, you may go broke when 2018 ends

Yes indeed! So much stuff to try!

 

[JimDandy]

I haven't been wet shaving that long, since Feb 2018, and the PdP 63 was one of the first soaps I bought. At the time, I wanted a puck, a crème and a 'croap' to see which I liked best. I too think its underrated, every time I use it I enjoy it a bit more. Thanks for reminding me about it.

 

[Grundi]

Yes indeed! So much stuff to try!

Be strong @BigJ, only 189 Days, 09 Hours, 14 Minutes to go!!

 

[steveclarkus]

This soap came in one of Anthony Esposito’s videos.

 

[REV579]

And w/i 190 days the aftershave ought to be released...

 

[BigJ]

Be strong @BigJ, only 189 Days, 09 Hours, 14 Minutes to go!!

UGH!!

 

[shaveSymptomatic]

Smells exactly like spice bomb for men.

 

[MilkCrate]

I’ve got this on my “to try” list as well.

 

[Brompton]

The after shave balm is great too!

 

[REV579]

The after shave balm is great too!

Best I’ve found.

 

[nav]

I finally got both PdP soaps after 10 years of DE shaving...and anxiously love both of them!

The 63 is particularly intoxicating! I adore the scent and tend to sniff it often from the tin here and there

Massively underrated soap!!

 

[RayClem]

When I first purchased PdP 63, I did not like either the scent or the performance. However, I kept the soap in my den and pulled it out from time to time. The more I worked with the soap, the more I liked it. Personally, I prefer the performance of tallow-based soaps; but this is one of the few vegan soaps that has earned a spot in my soap rotation.

 

[dabrock]

When I first purchased PdP 63, I did not like either the scent or the performance. However, I kept the soap in my den and pulled it out from time to time. The more I worked with the soap, the more I liked it. Personally, I prefer the performance of tallow-based soaps; but this is one of the few vegan soaps that has earned a spot in my soap rotation.

PdP seems to be many people's first introduction to a really good vegan soap.