I picked up two samples of Martin De Cadre soaps to try with my last order from Maggards. The two scents I selected were Fougere and Rose. In the past week I did three shaves, first two with Fougere and this morning I used the Rose. Samples in general can be trickier to work up a lather but I was successful, pressing a small scoop flat in my bowl, letting it bloom, and working up the lather with my boar brush. Lather was great, shave was excellent, the frequently noted post-face drying seemed real but since I am a balm man (Proraso Blue, and Stirling) the post drying was not an concern.
My only concern is the scent, or almost lack of a scent. The Fougere “in the sample cup“ was very light, while the Rose was almost non-existent. I had hoped that the scent would come to life as I worked up my lather, but No, nothing. For me, the wet shaving thing is not just about a good shave, (and it certainly is not about saving money), but the overall experience - working up a lather, massaging my face with the brush, and enjoying the wonderful scents of various soaps. I like slick soaps with a strong, pleasant scent and have spent a while buying mostly samples 40-50 to narrow down favorite soaps and the scents I prefer within their line. The last soap on my list of soap makers to try was MDC.
Bottom line, for me, soap is great, perhaps the best non-tallow soap I have tried (I lean strongly towards tallow), but where‘s the scent? Again, Fougere scent was nice but weak, but Rose was almost non-existant. I doubt I would know it was Rose scent if there was no label. If I compared it to my sample of let’s say, Maggards Lilac, the lather, slickness, shave is similar but the scent itself is potent. I wanted to think that perhaps being a sample it was taken from a jar that had aired out so the scent dissipated but my guess is they open soaps one jar at a time and fill the sample cups and close, so scent dissipation from long opened jars is unlikely. Plus, since MDC is a soap that boasts that a tub last years, and it has little to no moisture, that scent life should be long with properly care letting soap dry and closing lid)
Is my scent experience typical? What say you?
My only concern is the scent, or almost lack of a scent. The Fougere “in the sample cup“ was very light, while the Rose was almost non-existent. I had hoped that the scent would come to life as I worked up my lather, but No, nothing. For me, the wet shaving thing is not just about a good shave, (and it certainly is not about saving money), but the overall experience - working up a lather, massaging my face with the brush, and enjoying the wonderful scents of various soaps. I like slick soaps with a strong, pleasant scent and have spent a while buying mostly samples 40-50 to narrow down favorite soaps and the scents I prefer within their line. The last soap on my list of soap makers to try was MDC.
Bottom line, for me, soap is great, perhaps the best non-tallow soap I have tried (I lean strongly towards tallow), but where‘s the scent? Again, Fougere scent was nice but weak, but Rose was almost non-existant. I doubt I would know it was Rose scent if there was no label. If I compared it to my sample of let’s say, Maggards Lilac, the lather, slickness, shave is similar but the scent itself is potent. I wanted to think that perhaps being a sample it was taken from a jar that had aired out so the scent dissipated but my guess is they open soaps one jar at a time and fill the sample cups and close, so scent dissipation from long opened jars is unlikely. Plus, since MDC is a soap that boasts that a tub last years, and it has little to no moisture, that scent life should be long with properly care letting soap dry and closing lid)
Is my scent experience typical? What say you?
Based on browsing reddit, most of the samples I see there are of US artisans, so I imagine MdC is more of a "prepare on demand"—type product.
