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First Jar of Martin De Candre

Nick Danger

Nick Danger

I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my very first jar of Martin De Candre unscented shaving soap.

I know there are mixed feelings about this soap here on B&B. I'll admit that the price, including shipping, was pretty outrageous. This was a treat for myself after landing a new job AND settling an ugly divorce battle (in my favor) after 18 months of hell. I deserved something nice.

This is one of those products that I really needed to try, based on the number of people here who love it. Do I expect it to be head and shoulders above the QCS unscented soap that is my current favorite? Not really. But if it's as easy to lather as the positive reviews claim, it might save me a couple of minutes in the morning and it sounds like a jar will last me a long time.

Stay tuned, and I'll post my first impressions once my jar arrives. It was shipped from France four days ago, so I expect it to arrive very soon.

Nick
 
R

rand77

MdC is almost universally considered a top tier soap, the performance is competitive with anything out there. It's the easiest soap to lather, as it loads much easier than almost any other soap out there. I think its due to the consistency which feels like a fine paste that has been formed into a shaving puck. It will lather easier than the QCS, but the resulting performance should be similar. Loading MdC is really easy, I can get away with several swirls with a damp brush and get enough lather for 4 passes.

The price is the issue that is contentious, a lot of people feel its not worth it. I actually really enjoy how the soap behaves, so I'm pretty happy with my purchase.
 
groovyd

groovyd

awesome choice, sure to be a favorite for you! should last forever just remember you only need about a half dozen swirls around the puck to get all the soap you need for an amazing shave. also make sure to leave the top of the jar between shaves and allow it to dry.
 
jpakstis

jpakstis

After everything you went through, you deserve it! Unrelated to MdC, right after college (16 years ago now, ugh!), I moved to DC to find a job. I had just got dumped by my girlfriend, and so when I found a job, I decided to treat myself by buying the Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds." Even when I listen to it now, I smile a little.

And even at full price, with shipping, MdC is a bargain!
 
demaro

demaro

I think that was a great way to treat yourself , especially after going through some tough times. MDC has always peaked my interest , hearing what a great soap it is , and being of French descent. Price has held me back , but I have decided to order some in the fall.. Enjoy life and all it has to offer..
 
Shave_Rat

Shave_Rat

The price, to me at least, is offset by how how efficient their soaps are at making lather with barely hitting the brush to the puck. What I actually do is remove a small portion from the main jar, and mash it into the bottom of a lidded pyrex/anchor bowl, so I'm never hitting the damp brush onto the actual main jar.

You can often save a few bucks watching for it to appear on the BST.
 
shavefreak

shavefreak

Good for you man, It sure is an elite soap, while there are equalls there is probably nothing better soap wise as well as the glass container which adds instant class for the new women that will be in your bathroom :biggrin1: For me the scent was to lemony to justify the price. I find ADP to be equal and a far more pleasing scent at about the same price.
 
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Rohrbach

Rohrbach

Currently using a sample of MdC and I am surprised how well the lather feels on my skin. With this soap I could just leave the lather on my skin, rather then washing it off at the end of the shave.
 
Henrik

Henrik

Of course you needed to be rewarded with a good soap.
MdC. A soap that has intrigued many of us and many have hesitated due to the price. Well- I was in Paris last week and I finally took the dive. Apparently its only sold on two locations in Paris and none of them were inexpensive- of course. EUR 50..
I have tried MANY soaps and I guess you could say that I am not easily impressed nowadays. The verdict? Outstanding. Yes it´s expensive but as someone here wrote. It will last forever. A few swirls and you are immediately pampered with stellar lather. So- I guess another way to see it- it´s not THAT expensive after all. And yes there are certainly other more inexpensive soaps that are terrific so I would not suggest this soap to newbies. Again- A FANTASTIC SOAP!!
 
wagstaff

wagstaff

Definitely a time-saver -- it lathers itself when you're not looking, pretty much.
Congrats on coming through two fires. I hope it arrives soon!
 
takeshi

takeshi

Nick Danger said:
I know there are mixed feelings about this soap here on B&B.
Click to expand...
Every soap has mixed feelings. No one soap works for everyone. That's why each person has to try the options out there and decide based on first hand experience no matter how much reading is done on any given soap.

rand77 said:
The price is the issue that is contentious, a lot of people feel its not worth it.
Click to expand...
It's not just price. If you read prior discussions there are plenty that aren't impressed with its performance.

...and I'm saying that as someone who solely uses MDC these days (aside from occasionally trying other options).
 
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Henrik

Henrik

takeshi said:
It's not just price. If you read prior discussions there are plenty that aren't impressed with its performance..
Click to expand...

Well now, plenty of peole not impressed... Please forward some links. I have surely not seen them yet over the net.. Yes it´s a pricey soap we all know that...
 
shavefreak

shavefreak

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Nick Danger

Nick Danger

My MdC arrived today, just as I was getting ready to shave. Good thing I was working at home today and didn't get around to shaving until afternoon.

I loaded my SOC 2012 Special Edition brush for 30 seconds, which turned out to be more than I needed. I'm not quite ready to try the 10-15 second load times that some guys report, but I can see that I'll need to load less than with any other soap I've tried.

Lathering was effortless. It's a bit of a thirsty soap, but not as much as Mike's.

The shave quality was superb. Very slick lather that stayed thick all the way through the last pass. My skin felt great when I was finished. No dryness, none of the red blotches I get from some other products, and no irritation. For a guy with skin as sensitive as mine, that's really saying something.

Until today, I was convinced that I'd never really love a non-tallow soap. I wasn't really that impressed with Kell's or Mama Bear (which I know are melt-and-pour soaps that are very different from how MdC is made.)

I still love my unscented QCS, but I can see MdC taking the top spot in my shaving den. The speed of loading and lathering is a definitive advantage for me on weekday mornings, when every minute counts. Still, it's the quality of the lather and the shave that matters most to me, and MdC really delivered.

Yes, I deserved a treat after all I've been through in the past few months. After only one shave, I'm pretty confident I made a good choice.

Nick
 
wagstaff

wagstaff

shavefreak said:
Not everyone knows what they are talking about. Bad Skin reactions to Tallow does not make a product bad. Allergies should not come into play. Of course if you are allergic to something it will rate lower than a lesser product you are not allergic to.
Click to expand...

And yet.... the MdC in particular had no tallow and the poster in that thread did not report an allergy to MdC. I think it's great stuff, too, but why disallow someone else's experience?
 
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