MdC vs Pannacrema

[fistfullofbeer]

Couple of shaves with the Pannacrema now. One with the Nera and one with the Rossa. So far, the Pannacrema wins for me because of two reasons:

- Scent: This is not even close for me. I prefer the scents of the Pannacrema more than the MdC.
- Post-shave: Stealing from @Chandu , neither of these two 'moisturize' my face. However, I feel like the MdC leaves my face feeling dry whereas the Pannacrema is more neutral. I definitely need to use AS + CeraVe with either of these soaps whereas I can do just with the AS when I use any of my Tallow based soaps.

The one area where I feel the MdC is better is the building lather part. To make it clear the quality of the lather is great from both soaps but this is just specific to the process.

1. Its quicker because the MdC appears to be less thirsty. A damp brush, a few swirls and I am good to go with the MdC.
2. The MdC is also simpler because of the above process. The Pannacrema requires me to take a little bit of soap out, spread it on a bowl and then lather. Takes slightly longer (more swirls) and I do need to add a few drops of water here and there to get the mix just right to start building good lather.

I do realize that (2) is something that is going to get way quicker as I get used to the soap. Plus we are talking seconds or maybe minutes of additional time. Since I am in shaving for enjoying the experience it does not bother me as much.

I am very glad I went with samples of the soaps before buying them. Gave me a good idea on what works better for me.

 

[Noodles]

I have all of the MdC's (sample) except for the Rose. I didn't mind the Argumes, Original and Fougere but they were fairly neutral scents to me. Not a fan of the Vetyver at all. My wife disliked each and every one of them.

I LOVE MdC Rose and I'm not much of a rose fan normally. I like it better than Agrumes, Fougere, and Vetyver. I did not like Vetyver at all when the sample arrived, but grew to like it fine with use. It's pretty subtle.

 

[pwill112]

Pannacrema Blu is such a pleasure to use. It will always be in my rotation. MDC is Okay but not on the top of my list.

 

[TechClone]

So the general consensus is that MdC is slightly easier to lather but Pannacrema has a better post shave feel. Pannacrema includes a butter and oil, which is likely the reason behind these differences.

Pannacrema seems to be a clear winner on the fragrance side though.

 

[fistfullofbeer]

So the general consensus is that MdC is slightly easier to lather but Pannacrema has a better post shave feel. Pannacrema includes a butter and oil, which is likely the reason behind these differences.

Pannacrema seems to be a clear winner on the fragrance side though.

I have not purchased either MdC or Pannacrema outside of samples. From a fragrance/scent perspective I dont feel there is any competition at all. I rank the scent's for the Pannacrema in the following order:

Blu > Verde > Nera > Rossa

The MdC's were as follows:

Fougere > Argumes > Original > Vetyver (did not sample Rossa)

For me, I rank the Nera in front of the the best scent in the MdC line.

 

[It's Hedley]

I must be in the minority, I think Pannacrema is one of the most overrated soaps. I had the Blu and Verde and sold them. I really did not understand the hype. The old jars were special, but the soap is a challenge and the scents are just so so for me.

On the other hand, I find MdC at the very top of the soap pyramid for lather, scent and value. All the scents are very natural, subtle and not off putting at all. The lather always consistently excellent. A jar will last forever. So good.

 

[fistfullofbeer]

I must be in the minority, I think Pannacrema is one of the most overrated soaps. I had the Blu and Verde and sold them. I really did not understand the hype. The old jars were special, but the soap is a challenge and the scents are just so so for me.

On the other hand, I find MdC at the very top of the soap pyramid for lather, scent and value. All the scents are very natural, subtle and not off putting at all. The lather always consistently excellent. A jar will last forever. So good.

I don't think its a minority thing. Its really a preference thing. Like most things shaving. I don't like using the word overrated simply because of how so many factors can influence someone's shaving experience.

I have never used a soft soap before, like Pannacrema, where I had to scoop it out into a bowl and load it that way. I face lather so it seems like an additional step but the quality of lather was no issue at all to me. At par with the MdC. Building the lather takes a few seconds longer but nothing big. 3 shaves in and I already have a fairly decent idea on how much soap I need to scoop out.

Post shave is an area where Pannacrema wins for me. But again, I will end up using CeraVe with either MdC or Pannacrema so the post-shave while better is not that substantial of a difference. I cannot comment on longevity because I am still using samples.

The scents are where this gets extremely subjective. If someone prefers subtle scents, I am not sure they will like Pannacrema. Its a very complex and yet strong scent. I can definitely see some people feeling that its 'overpowering'. But for me, the scents are what makes the whole thing so one-sided. I did not like MdC Vetyver but the other scents were all 'ok' to me. On the other all the scents of Pannacrema are 'good'. I would not be surprised if this is one of the major factors where people decide whether they prefer MdC or Pannacrema.

 

[JeffPryznyk]

Older thread I know, but MDC original soap plus PC Blu aftershave is a winner. Also, earlier in the thread someone noted that the PC “Rossa” didn’t smell like ”rose”. Rossa is red, Rosa is rose.

 

[flat_tire]

Thanks for the thread bump. Because of this I just ordered two soap and after shave combos of pannacrema. Went with the Blu and Verde scents based on recommendations here.
Just ordered some different MDC scents earlier this week so it’s a race to see which one gets here first.
was nice to get $10 off per “combo” and then free shipping. Makes the cost easier to swallow.

 

[jayjacque]

I've only had the blu a short time. Maybe used it 4 times. Love the scent and feel! Also got the A/S Balm. What I discovered so far was the leftover soap in the brush works just as well if not better than the balm for post shave, as long as you use a lot of it. Nice creamy stuff. Rub it on and enjoy!