Little Martin De Candre help please?

[Cesare]

Initial cost is not actual cost. I buy 2 jars at a time directly from France and one jar goes for about 13 months of daily 3 pass shaves. That's three times longer than WK longevity. I pay about $45 a year for MdC, which makes it my cheapest soap. WK would be around $75.

I suggest you check the direct price, especially if you're ordering more than one.

It is, by the by, my favorite soap. I use it so often that I never put the lid on the jar, for what that's worth.

Have you bought the wooden bowl, instead of the jars?! I have a sample (Rose) from shavedash on its way. I’ve never tried MdC but, if I like it, that wooden bowl overflowing with soap will be high on my list!

 

[DaveHStone]

I understand that. I've started collecting SV tins haha.




Thats also my experience with SV. The initial cost may be high but they last so long that in the long run SV is the least expensive soap on my shelf out of the 14 others in rotation.

+1... SV lasts "forever"

 

[Silky Glide]

I started with a jar of the original scene a few years ago to see what all the hubbub was about. I found the soap to be pricey but a great performer with a decent scent and it became part of a very large soap rotation (so large, that I lose track of things and sometimes do not come back to a particular soap for a year or more - to my shame, the word "hoarding" would not be an inappropriate description). I still have most of the jar of MDC original left, and after I discovered and took a deep dive into fougre scents earlier this year (SV Fern, Phoenix Fougre, WCS Fougre, each with a bottle of the matching A/S, and also a bottle of the fantastic Houbigant Fougre Royale EDC), I decided to try the MDC fougre (200 grams from West Coast Shaving for a good price with free shipping). Honestly, I found that the scent on both the MDC original and the fougre varieties, while pleasant (the MDC Fougre is an exact match for Fougre Royale) the scent of MDC soaps is so subtle that I can use either with any a/s. I wouldn't mind if they made the scents more intense. I find MDC be my best performing soap - If I could only use MDC every day, I would be fully satisfied, even at the price point, because as many have already stated, a jar last a long long time. But I have a pretty big soap rotation to get through before that ever happens!

 

[RicoSuave]

Did you adjust your analysis to note the average artisan soap has about 50% to 60% of the amount of soap compared to the MDC 200g soaps? That makes the difference per ounce much smaller. MDC may still be more expensive, but not as radically as your analysis portrays.

Taking your logic further, Williams/Arko users could make the same argument about artisan soap users. It’s just a classist argument. Why I should care how anybody else decides to spend their shaving money is beyond me. About the only way I would care is if Trump/Buffet/Gates/[pick your favorite rich guy] decides to shave with a new puck of Mike’s each day and toss it at the end if his shave. I would only care about that as Mike’s production line appears to lack the capacity to fill that demand along with his normal demand and I might not be able to source my preferred soap.

Now, if a bloke wants to buy in bulk to lock in his price and cut the per item shipping cost, that may be a sound financial decision. Once I dialed in on my DE blade, I noted prices were just starting to rise. I bought 700 of them figuring that would get me to somewhere between the age of 70 & 75. I use my SEs less, so I bought 100 blades. You might find such a buy extravagant, but I saw myself locking in a price and minimizing shipping on a product that I will use up over time - God willing. I also got to spend working life funds that will fund retirement life shaves.

Thanks for your input, @Shutterbug57, but I think you may be OVERTHINKING what was OBVIOUSLY meant to be a FLIP comment by me.

That said, no, I did not bother to compare grams between soaps. I simply took into account the AVERAGE price of an artisanal soap, which, I think most would agree, runs between $15-25 a tub, making “MdC,” at approx. $50/tub, one of a number of outliers, pricewise.

I hope I made myself CLEAR. I believe that’s about ALL I have to contribute to this topic/thread.

 

[DaveHStone]

I started with a jar of the original scene a few years ago to see what all the hubbub was about. I found the soap to be pricey but a great performer with a decent scent and it became part of a very large soap rotation (so large, that I lose track of things and sometimes do not come back to a particular soap for a year or more - to my shame, the word "hoarding" would not be an inappropriate description). I still have most of the jar of MDC original left, and after I discovered and took a deep dive into fougre scents earlier this year (SV Fern, Phoenix Fougre, WCS Fougre, each with a bottle of the matching A/S, and also a bottle of the fantastic Houbigant Fougre Royale EDC), I decided to try the MDC fougre (200 grams from West Coast Shaving for a good price with free shipping). Honestly, I found that the scent on both the MDC original and the fougre varieties, while pleasant (the MDC Fougre is an exact match for Fougre Royale) the scent of MDC soaps is so subtle that I can use either with any a/s. I wouldn't mind if they made the scents more intense. I find MDC be my best performing soap - If I could only use MDC every day, I would be fully satisfied, even at the price point, because as many have already stated, a jar last a long long time. But I have a pretty big soap rotation to get through before that ever happens!

@Silky Glide you make a valid point regarding MdC scent's strength. This is exactly why I like it so, as the one I opted for (Rose) is so subtle and so linear that it can be used with virtually any aftershave. I'm not sure if that's the case with the rest of their soaps, but with Rose I have found a great soap - fantastic scent throughout the shave that can be topped with any A/S in my collection and then some! The day before yesterday shave was topped with TOBS Bay Rum and it was sensational

 

[ask4Edge]

Initial cost is not actual cost. I buy 2 jars at a time directly from France and one jar goes for about 13 months of daily 3 pass shaves. That's three times longer than WK longevity. I pay about $45 a year for MdC, which makes it my cheapest soap. WK would be around $75...

Indeed, MdC's extensive curing cuts cost/shave.

(Their cured bath soaps last a long time too.)

 

[Alacrity59]

I treated myself for Christmas last year. I'm glad I did. I bought the Fern (Fougère) and Vétyver. I used the Fern everyday for six months. I may be 1/4" down on the 200g jar. I've not opened the Vétyver yet. I have hard water but seriously 10 seconds of brush on soap and you have lots . . . I like a bit more personally.

With shipping etc. it cost me 104 Euros.

 

[Sipwell]

My MdC soap purchase was the 200g plastic jar with lid. I would buy the same container again and would recommend it. I was advised to keep the lid off for several hours after shaving to let the soap dry, and this ultimately meant I almost always had the lid off. However, the lid was immensely useful whenever I traveled with it. The container still looked classy enough to leave out on my shave accoutrements tray.
I haven't been crazy about the experience of using soap pucks sitting in a wooden bowl. By the way, the MdC soap is soft enough; I never had any drying out or cracking despite living in a very dry climate.

 

[merovirginian]

I really love my MdC Agrumes. I was lucky enough to be in France a few years ago and smelled all their soaps. Agrumes stood out. With the cost of MdC, I strongly encourage people to try samples. I purchased a sample of MdC Fougere from Maggard's last year. It's nice. A lovely, clean woody fougere. For me? No. I've used the sample five times, I can't see a dent in it. It might last me 40+ more shaves. That sample that cost about $6 shows that it's not expensive per shave (I think there's a post about how long it took someone to finish one 200ml tub of MdC and it took two years). I hope everyone tries a sample of MdC for themselves.

Martin de Candre Artisan Shaving Soap Samples

Created in 1974, the traditional soap factory Martin de Candre decided to promote one of its specialties which became more and more demanded and searched for: The shaving soap. A product entirely fabricated at the factory with a paste like consistency. It is manufactured through a saponification...

maggardrazors.com

PIF: How Long to 3017 MdC?

ALCON, Open to all World Wide shipping Winner gets an unused and unopened full to the top tub of MdC (I’ll PM the winner with the flavors I have and the choice will be theirs) Our home was flooded in June We lost pretty much everything except what was most important: OUR LIVES We have lived...

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[musicman1951]

Have you bought the wooden bowl, instead of the jars?! I have a sample (Rose) from shavedash on its way. I’ve never tried MdC but, if I like it, that wooden bowl overflowing with soap will be high on my list!

I have only purchased jars.

 

[musicman1951]

I understand that. I've started collecting SV tins haha.




Thats also my experience with SV. The initial cost may be high but they last so long that in the long run SV is the least expensive soap on my shelf out of the 14 others in rotation.

I am currently running a longevity test on SV and my impression is that it won't last nearly as long as the MdC, although it's really hard to tell how far down the tin I am at this point. It certainly is a lovely soap, and I will no doubt buy more when it's gone - no matter how long it lasts.

 

[musicman1951]

As for the specific topic of brother @luvmysuper’s purchase of a “horde” of MdC soaps, I was simply stating that many, not ALL, may consider such a purchase extravagant, as MdC’s soaps average about $50/tub, whereas the average artisan soap may run about half that, if not less. I attempted to express said opinion in a HUMOROUS fashion (hint the attached emojis), but apparently said attempt at humor was not recognized by ALL.

Since I am the most sarcastic person most people know, I never take offense at anyone's humor. I even put up with people who like the smell of Arko, so you can't bother m e one iota.

And at the risk of being the one note poster, WK Pasha's Pride is one of my favorites. I buy it even though it actually cost me the equivalent of $75 a year when MdC cost is $45 a year. So I politely disagree that the average artisan soap runs half of MdC, as I believe you are only factoring in purchase price - which obviously irritates me in ways requiring another post!

 

[Luc]

On the French forums, they only recommend MdC. It’s a really nice soap but…. To be honest… if they would sell a puck refill, it would drive the price down quite a bit.

i think that if you could sample a piece, that would be best. I often look for the deal but didn’t find it yet. I would be happy to have it but I can’t justify the price right now.

 

[Smooth and Sharp]

On the French forums, they only recommend MdC. It’s a really nice soap but…. To be honest… if they would sell a puck refill, it would drive the price down quite a bit.

i think that if you could sample a piece, that would be best. I often look for the deal but didn’t find it yet. I would be happy to have it but I can’t justify the price right now.

Got my first at wcs 20% Black Friday sale. Never seen cheaper.

 

[Henry Green]

I am currently running a longevity test on SV and my impression is that it won't last nearly as long as the MdC, although it's really hard to tell how far down the tin I am at this point. It certainly is a lovely soap, and I will no doubt buy more when it's gone - no matter how long it lasts.

I have the same impression. The SV is 150 grams vs 200 for the MDC, but I’ve put a much larger dent in the SV with relatively the same number of shaves. Once the ring of doom appeared I got the idea to use the lid of the tin to lather - less of the brush hitting the sides of the tin.

 

[macintoshBR]

My MdC in the wooden bowl is 7 years old and still performs wonderfully, no issue about lids. It has lost most of the scent, but it’s so dense and concentrated that so little product is used each time.

MdC is top notch. My favorite is Fougere (I have it in the old real glass jar). this thread makes me wanna use it often

I have been eyeing the rose for while, but with 4 other MdCs in my den I haven’t gotten the courage to pull the trigger…. Yet

 

[Cino]

I have the same impression. The SV is 150 grams vs 200 for the MDC, but I’ve put a much larger dent in the SV with relatively the same number of shaves. Once the ring of doom appeared I got the idea to use the lid of the tin to lather - less of the brush hitting the sides of the tin.

Never would have thought of that. Good idea.

 

[Blood donor]

So what as the verdict when they turned up, OP?! Don't leave us hanging...

 

[luvmysuper]

So what as the verdict when they turned up, OP?! Don't leave us hanging...

It's a very good shaving soap.
My personal opinion is that it is a top tier soap without a doubt. I don't know that it is my number one choice, and I'm not sure what my number one choice is frankly, but it's near the top.
I was sent a few sample bath soaps in the order, and these are also fantastic.

 

[CJB3]

MdC is one of the top performers in my den as well. It does what a shave soap should do perfectly, IMO.