Murphy & McNeil

[tim33z]

I am a huge fan of Murphy and McNeil and have made several posts praising Claddagh in another forum. That said, I would not limit myself to comparing M&M to GD’s duck fat base. One reason is that Claddagh has both duck fat and beef tallow. IIRC GD also has duck fat and Beef tallow soaps, or at least it has had them. This brings me to a second point, namely that GD is such a moving target - something which frustrates even some GD fans. (It frustrates me sometimes).

Personally, if I were comparing at all, I would compare the best of M&M (for me) with the best of GD (for me). In any case, if I had to shave with M&M for the rest of my life, I would feel like a very lucky shaver.

That’s a good point and I’m not solely wishing to compare to the GD soap alone. I only have 1 GD soap which is After the fire (bought off a buddy) and while it performs quite well, I wouldn’t say it’s amazing compared to many other soaps when worked properly. The scent is also very strong which makes the shave experience a little overwhelming tbh. I’ll be glad once it’s finished. And I’ve been using it hard lately.

I’ve also ordered Trinity from maggards so can compare both bases from M&M. Reading on here and elsewhere, it seems to be a winner, add to this the great cause the company supports.

 

[Steinmetzify]

sotd

Went all out....bought all the **** including the bar soap, not pictured.

This is the smell of every ****in hippie store you've ever been in, the New Age crystal selling, little weird boxes and black light posters, the incense etc...I don't want to make it seem like that's all it is, it's more complex than that for sure, but that's what it reminded me of, instantly.

It's pretty awesome, if you dig that sort of thing. I have good memories of stuff like that just hanging with my wife before we were together, going into places like that in different states on different trips we've taken, as well as doing it since we've been together.

It's not a 'home' smell, but really familiar. Top note reminds me of patchouli, but WAY more complex and darker. Wife says sandalwood, daughter says frankincense, so who knows. Both really liked it tho...and I met a friend for drinks this afternoon and 4 people asked me what I was wearing for cologne.

I shaved this afternoon about 3, as of now it's a little after 8pm and this stuff is still going strong....keep in mind I used the soap, AS and AS balm, but still. This stuff is STRONG. I don't know that I've ever used a shaving product that's hung around this long.

Performance wise, this stuff is top level out of what I've tried...I like this as much if not more than all the TFS stuff. It's pretty great, actually. Really soft, and I went to go use as much as I would have if it were TFS/another harder soap.....that was a mistake. I also didn't use enough water, another mistake. It ended up gooey, sticky and stringy the first run; fixed it 2nd pass with way more water and it expanded and worked great. Never used anything as slick as this stuff is before.

Economically, I think this would last longer than a regular tub of TFS or whatever.....it's 5.5oz vs 4oz, plus you need to use WAY less. $17 free shipping.

Two pass seriously good DFS, new favorite.

9.5/10

 

[ryinzana]

sotd

Went all out....bought all the **** including the bar soap, not pictured.

This is the smell of every ****in hippie store you've ever been in, the New Age crystal selling, little weird boxes and black light posters, the incense etc...I don't want to make it seem like that's all it is, it's more complex than that for sure, but that's what it reminded me of, instantly.

It's pretty awesome, if you dig that sort of thing. I have good memories of stuff like that just hanging with my wife before we were together, going into places like that in different states on different trips we've taken, as well as doing it since we've been together.

It's not a 'home' smell, but really familiar. Top note reminds me of patchouli, but WAY more complex and darker. Wife says sandalwood, daughter says frankincense, so who knows. Both really liked it tho...and I met a friend for drinks this afternoon and 4 people asked me what I was wearing for cologne.

I shaved this afternoon about 3, as of now it's a little after 8pm and this stuff is still going strong....keep in mind I used the soap, AS and AS balm, but still. This stuff is STRONG. I don't know that I've ever used a shaving product that's hung around this long.

Performance wise, this stuff is top level out of what I've tried...I like this as much if not more than all the TFS stuff. It's pretty great, actually. Really soft, and I went to go use as much as I would have if it were TFS/another harder soap.....that was a mistake. I also didn't use enough water, another mistake. It ended up gooey, sticky and stringy the first run; fixed it 2nd pass with way more water and it expanded and worked great. Never used anything as slick as this stuff is before.

Economically, I think this would last longer than a regular tub of TFS or whatever.....it's 5.5oz vs 4oz, plus you need to use WAY less. $17 free shipping.

Two pass seriously good DFS, new favorite.

9.5/10

Excellent review! Is the scent an incense type smell? If so, I may have to pick up a sample at some point!

 

[Steinmetzify]

Excellent review! Is the scent an incense type smell? If so, I may have to pick up a sample at some point!

Dude I wanna say yes, just given what I’ve been exposed to.

If you enjoy the scent of incense I think you’d LOVE this. It’s awesome.

 

[ryinzana]

Dude I wanna say yes, just given what I’ve been exposed to.

If you enjoy the scent of incense I think you’d LOVE this. It’s awesome.

I actually just looked up the scent profile and it did include incense which I love. This is on the short list to try. Too bad I just ordered a tub I could have added a sample!

 

[Ad Astra]

Patchouli is the classic hippie incense scent ...now I need a third M&M soap!

AA

 

[Dzaw]

So I just jumped in with an order for a sample of each soap they still have available.

Hoping it lives up to the reviews I am seeing here!

 

[ryinzana]

So I just jumped in with an order for a sample of each soap they still have available.

Hoping it lives up to the reviews I am seeing here!

Let us know your thoughts!

 

[Dzaw]

Let us know your thoughts!

Definitely will do!

Was hoping to get in on the Garda Siochana - What a wonderful way to support an important and sometimes maligned cause.

I can really get behind a company like this: A quality product at a solid value, offered by a small company which seems to take personal notice of its customers, and has the sort of real social conscience that I can respect and admire - both first responders and autism awareness. My eldest is autistic, and while it seemed to be all the buzz a few years ago, it seems no like the media landscape has largely forgotten about the sorts of challenges faced daily by him and others like him.

I don't have the sorts of experience with a lot of very high end soaps that some of the others here who have already chimed in on this company's products have, but I'd be happy to pipe up with some reactions to both the scents and performance from more of a beginner's/ layperson's perspective.

 

[ryinzana]

Definitely will do!

Was hoping to get in on the Garda Siochana - What a wonderful way to support an important and sometimes maligned cause.

I can really get behind a company like this: A quality product at a solid value, offered by a small company which seems to take personal notice of its customers, and has the sort of real social conscience that I can respect and admire - both first responders and autism awareness. My eldest is autistic, and while it seemed to be all the buzz a few years ago, it seems no like the media landscape has largely forgotten about the sorts of challenges faced daily by him and others like him.

I don't have the sorts of experience with a lot of very high end soaps that some of the others here who have already chimed in on this company's products have, but I'd be happy to pipe up with some reactions to both the scents and performance from more of a beginner's/ layperson's perspective.

That’d be great! I think we value everyone’s perspective here. I agree with you about the points on awareness. It’s great seeing the company doing something positive with their proceeds!

 

[bgolfo]

Used Claddagh for the Easter shave and I’m going in the record by saying that it gives GD duck base a run for its money. I know M&M has beef tallow in it as well so the two bases are not the same but I think it performs just as well or maybe a bit better for me

 

[steffenapelz]

I have been using these soaps for a few weeks now and if I judge them purely on performance, they are among the very best soaps in my den. To think how young this company is and to have achieved this level of product success is mindboggling.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

 

[Steinmetzify]

2nd with MM today, used a lot less, and more water. Worked perfectly.

10/10 shave.

 

[Ad Astra]

I have been using these soaps for a few weeks now and if I judge them purely on performance, they are among the very best soaps in my den. To think how young this company is and to have achieved this level of product success is mindboggling.

Sent from my SM-T810 using Tapatalk

Agree! Like stomping the accelerator in a Tesla!

I was just surfing for soaps on the bay … liked the graphics, so I read the ingredients. Liked the ingredients, so I tried one. Amazing!


AA

 

[Upland]

My tub of Claddagh should be here in a day or two. Really looking forward to it. Samples were incredible

 

[FloridaCreekIndian]

Are the soaps in the tubs as soft as the sample soaps?

 

[shavefan]

Are the soaps in the tubs as soft as the sample soaps?

Good question and one I was going to ask too.

When I first opened my sample of M&M I thought it was a cream. So much so that I went to my account on their website to make sure I didn't order something by mistake. Of course they don't make a cream but the soap is so soft... Not that it's an issue, I'm liking the samples, but I am also curious if the full tubs are as soft as the samples.

 

[steffenapelz]

Are the soaps in the tubs as soft as the sample soaps?

Good question and one I was going to ask too.

When I first opened my sample of M&M I thought it was a cream. So much so that I went to my account on their website to make sure I didn't order something by mistake. Of course they don't make a cream but the soap is so soft... Not that it's an issue, I'm liking the samples, but I am also curious if the full tubs are as soft as the samples.

Yes. M&McN soaps are very soft. Almost to the point of being a cream. When you load, it pays to load with a VERY wet brush or else you can get glue like soap consistency in the brush which can be hard to get a lather out of by simply adding water at that point. But it is ultimately still WAY easier to load and whip up than any B&M Reserve soap I have tried.

 

[shavefan]

Yes. M&McN soaps are very soft. Almost to the point of being a cream. When you load, it pays to load with a VERY wet brush or else you can get glue like soap consistency in the brush which can be hard to get a lather out of by simply adding water at that point. But it is ultimately still WAY easier to load and whip up than any B&M Reserve soap I have tried.

Thanks for confirming. The softness doesn't bother me at all.

I agree that M&M is easy to load and create lather, very easy. My first shave with it I way overloaded and had that paste like consistency, but by adding water and some time, I got a very nice lather but enough for probably five 3 pass shaves lol. A little goes a long way!

Thinking about it, given its ease of use, price, and performance, M&M is a great soap for newbies getting into wet shaving. And of course for seasoned wet shavers too.

 

[Ad Astra]

Yes; easiest soap ever. Modern Williams, it is not.


AA