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MdC soap envelope

MdC has invented a new way to provide samples. I saw these envelopes, available in 6 scents, on their website and couldn't figure out what they were so I sent them a note and they got back with the following response.
Our soap envelopes are an innovative packaging (which doesn't exist on the shaving field) to propose for our clients the possibility to try between 7 and 12 shavings with the perfume that they wish.

Inside this envelope you will find a sheet of paper with a thin layer of our dry shaving soap ; on this sheet you will pass your moist badger in a corner to create with a few passes the required foam for your shaving.

After that you can let the sheet drying to use it once again.
Looks like a cool way to sample their soaps except that shipping, even for one envelope, is almost €20.00 (slightly less for a single envelope and builds up slowly as you add more).
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
Very interesting although quite pricey. Never heard of this type of envelope before.
 
It's a lot to pay for a sample, but it's a lot better than ordering an entire tub and then finding out that one does not like the scent or that the soap is irritating one's skin. Many such examples as stuff ends up on BST. I know because I did it. :)
 
It's a lot to pay for a sample, but it's a lot better than ordering an entire tub and then finding out that one does not like the scent or that the soap is irritating one's skin. Many such examples as stuff ends up on BST. I know because I did it. :)
I don't know. Paying that much for shipping a MdC Envelope to the States seems kind of crazy. Especially given the fact that one can get a whole jar from The English Shaving Company for less than $50. Inviting including shipping! If the sample doesn't work for someone, they are left with a virtually worthless bit of soap. If one decides to sell or trade the MdC jar, they have a very desirable item to offer!
 
I think it's probably mostly to sample scents when you order a bowl of your usual soap. Still, it says something about the company. Most companies would just throw small samples of new scents in with your order to let you try them. They choose to sell it for more than what some entire pucks of soap cost. They make a decent soap, but it's not a miracle product, it's a very simple recipe that a number of soap makers have copied and produced equally good and far cheaper alternatives.
 
I think it's probably mostly to sample scents when you order a bowl of your usual soap. Still, it says something about the company. Most companies would just throw small samples of new scents in with your order to let you try them. They choose to sell it for more than what some entire pucks of soap cost. They make a decent soap, but it's not a miracle product, it's a very simple recipe that a number of soap makers have copied and produced equally good and far cheaper alternatives.

I didn't realize that. Which soap makers used the MdC recipe?
 
The one I remember was an Etsy seller who used to be a vendor (and member) here. She had two formulations and one was basically the same recipe as Mdc. Someone help me out with the name. She was a former chemist or chemical engineer... I wanna say from Texas?

But there were at least three similar mdc copies out there at one point. I would be surprised if there aren’t even more now.
 
The one I remember was an Etsy seller who used to be a vendor (and member) here. She had two formulations and one was basically the same recipe as Mdc. Someone help me out with the name. She was a former chemist or chemical engineer... I wanna say from Texas?

But there were at least three similar mdc copies out there at one point. I would be surprised if there aren’t even more now.

Sounds like you are talking about Tiki bar soap which I think was in Mississippi. I never used the vegan formula but the ingredients were very similar to MdC as are Catties Bubbles. And you are right that there are probably several others.
 

shavefan

I’m not a fan
Copying MdC isn't difficult, it's one of the simplest soap bases out there. Do the others dry their soaps for months I wonder?
 
Do the others dry their soaps for months I wonder?
I think that this is the primary difference. Along with the fact that when you buy 200 g of MdC, you're getting the equivalent of more (250g?) soap from a competitor because of all the drying.
 
Copying MdC isn't difficult, it's one of the simplest soap bases out there. Do the others dry their soaps for months I wonder?

Good point!

I know they cure their soaps for months. This does make a big difference as it removes moisture that's within the soap when it's first made. It also increases the hardness of the soap. I've talked to at least 4 very well known Artisan soap makers and they all pretty much said the same thing. MDC has been making soap for a very long time and some may think by using the same ingredients they will get the same results. Not that easy. MDC has their formula down to a science and along with the curing it's not an easy soap to copy according to some very well respected soap makers here in the USA.
 
I think it's probably mostly to sample scents when you order a bowl of your usual soap. Still, it says something about the company. Most companies would just throw small samples of new scents in with your order to let you try them. They choose to sell it for more than what some entire pucks of soap cost. They make a decent soap, but it's not a miracle product, it's a very simple recipe that a number of soap makers have copied and produced equally good and far cheaper alternatives.

Having owned a tub of MdC since 2015, and tried many US artisan euivalents I agree entirely with Mr. Oflife.
 
Good point!

I know they cure their soaps for months. This does make a big difference as it removes moisture that's within the soap when it's first made. It also increases the hardness of the soap. I've talked to at least 4 very well known Artisan soap makers and they all pretty much said the same thing. MDC has been making soap for a very long time and some may think by using the same ingredients they will get the same results. Not that easy. MDC has their formula down to a science and along with the curing it's not an easy soap to copy according to some very well respected soap makers here in the USA.

Sampson's shave soap cures their soap for at least a couple months, and they use the MdC recipe. I ahve both and it is extremely similar. Not same, but no less quality. Call it Coke and Pepsi- the same but different.
 
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MdC is a stand up company. More than can be said for many of the fly by night soap sellers.

Don't like the price, don't buy it. If you do buy a jar and don't like it, it sells used for the nearly the same price as you pay new.

As for selling samples, everyone does it. They throw in generous amount of samples when you buy a product directly from them. Not sure if you get samples when you buy MdC from an aftermarket seller, I would never go that route if I was buying again.
 
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rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
While expensive for a sample, it makes sense to spend a few bucks to see if you like the soap before spending the big bucks.
 
I shaved with a 2 year old jar of MdC Agrumes just this morning. Great product and worth every penny.

Shaving soap isn't MdC's primary product. My wife has been buying MdC soaps and other products for years. She buys directly from them and I believe places about 2 orders per year with MdC. Next time she places an order I'm going to have her drop a couple of their shaving soap samples in the cart. I want to see if I like MdC's Fougere before I order a full jar.

As @brucered said, MdC is a stand up company. They give their customers first class treatment. A number of years ago my wife had ordered some bath soaps, hand soaps, and I dont know what all else. :001_huh: This was years before I had tried MdC shaving soap. The package arrived and all was well except one bar of bath soap was not the scent she had ordered. A simple mistake and whatever scent they accidentally delivered my wife loved, so she wasnt going to raise the issue with MdC. I suggested she contact them anyway. My wife got an immediate response. MdC shipped a replacement bar, and I dont recall how many other products...but based on MdC's prices it was significant. Also in the package was a scented envelope with a hand written letter offering a sincere apology and expressing deep embarrassment at the mistake. I'm a pretty crusty old guy and the fact that I can even recall that letter years later illustrates how impactful it was.

Oh...with every order always comes some free samples of other products. Their may be a few small US soap makers trying to copy MdC's formula....I sincerely doubt they can copy MdC's scent profiles, they are masters of their craft. Some of the samples SWMBO receives are other worldly. I know MdC are the family intials.....but in my household MdC stands for Master Dang Craftsmen.
 
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