Pre de Provence 63. WOW!!

[Atlantic59]

In my last few shaves I've been using almost exclusively Pre de Provence N°63 and La Maison du Savon de Marseille Monsieur, alternating them. Both are truly EXCELLENT and among the finest shave soaps available, in any price point IMHO. Performance is so close between them that I cannot really tell any major difference, with the sole exception of their scents. Oh, these two scents...

If you love PdP N°63 I strongly suggest getting LMdSdM Monsieur, too.

I'd like to try LMdSdM Monsieur soap, though it will take a few years to use up my two current PdP soaps!

So, Marco, how do you like these compared with some of your other favorites like Musgo Real hard soap? Are they similar?

 

[Marco]

I'd like to try LMdSdM Monsieur soap, though it will take a few years to use up my two current PdP soaps!

So, Marco, how do you like these compared with some of your other favorites like Musgo Real hard soap? Are they similar?

I do rank them among the very best. Especially in the post-shave department they provide a "tallow-like" performance. The other soaps in my den that behave similarly are the Haslingers V2.

 

[Owen Bawn]

My No 63 soap and EdT just arrived in today's mail. I had already shaved, but I tested the EdT on a piece of paper and it smells very nice. It smells really familiar, and although I can't put my finger on what it resembles exactly, it is a perfume scent I am certain I have encountered before.

 

[Atlantic59]

My No 63 soap and EdT just arrived in today's mail. I had already shaved, but I tested the EdT on a piece of paper and it smells very nice. It smells really familiar, but I can't put my finger on what it resembles exactly, but it is a perfume scent I am certain I have encountered before.

YSL La Nuit de l'Homme?
Bulgari Man in Black?
V&R Spicebomb?
Hanae Mori HIM?

 

[Owen Bawn]

YSL La Nuit de l'Homme?
Bulgari Man in Black?
Spicebomb?

Probably one or more of those products. I'm not personally familiar with, nor have I ever owned owned any of them, but I know I've smelled the No 63 scent somewhere on someone... probably some bloke on a crowded subway train!

 

[Atlantic59]

Probably one or more of those products. I'm not personally familiar with, nor have I ever owned owned any of them, but I know I've smelled the No 63 scent somewhere on someone... probably some bloke on a crowded subway train!

Maybe l'Occitane Eau des Baux? At a shopping mall near you...

 

[Owen Bawn]

Maybe l'Occitane Eau des Baux? At a shopping mall near you...

Perhaps... as I said, I have no idea. While my experience with owning and identifying fragrances might be lacking, my memory of scents is quite strong.

 

[Atlantic59]

Perhaps... as I said, I have no idea. While my experience with owning and identifying fragrances might be lacking, my memory of scents is quite strong.

Well, since Fall is coming, you picked a good time to get the #63.

 

[Owen Bawn]

Well, since Fall is coming, you picked a good time to get the #63.

Indeed! Looking forward to it. Thanks for trying to help me identify what it smells like- you've got a wealth of knowledge about fragrances.

 

[rockviper]

The 63 is still on my wish list; An in-person get together for Natas and coffee with @Somnos saw him provide me with a puck of the original. (Thanks, Ed!)

 

[alin]

@Marco How do you rate PDP 63 and La Maison du Savon de Marseille vs Musgo Ach.Brito? Are the two French soaps much over Musgo? La Maison du Savon soaps from Marseille Rebel and Monsieur are back in stock in Romania, but they cost 15 Euros with transport. and I bought Musgo for only 5 Euros. Does the quality / price balance tilt towards Musgo?

 

[Marco]

@Marco How do you rate PDP 63 and La Maison du Savon de Marseille vs Musgo Ach.Brito? Are the two French soaps much over Musgo? La Maison du Savon soaps from Marseille Rebel and Monsieur are back in stock in Romania, but they cost 15 Euros with transport. and I bought Musgo for only 5 Euros. Does the quality / price balance tilt towards Musgo?

I prefer the French soaps, Alin. As always IMHO.

 

[TommyCarioca]

PdP 63 - favorite fall shave

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[alin]

Thanks for the reply @Marco !
I try to stay away from this new temptation! I don't think I will be able to resist!

ps. I already have PDP 63, and it will take a few years to finish the reserve of Musgo, La Toja, Cella, Vitos, Tabac and Speick (which in Romania are cheaper) .

 

[Marco]

Performance and ingredients of the two soaps seem to be exactly the same, except for the scent.

For a long time the Bergamot & Thyme was the only PdP shaving soap scent available. Then, when #63 came out, a lot of people who tried it preferred this scent more.

I think of the B&T scent as more suited to Spring & Summer. The #63 scent is more suitable for Fall & Winter.

The scent of B&T is very French, like a Mediterranean garden. To some people, that is just not macho enough. The #63 smells like some Euro cologne, along the lines of YSL La Nuit de l'Homme or even Spicebomb. Opinions and tastes differ...

Soap	Favorable comments	Unfavorable comments
Bergamot & Thyme	Relaxing and fresh, very gentlemanly in a French kind of way.	Boring, smells like hand soap my wife would use, or fancy French laundry soap.
#63	Sexy and bold nighttime fragrance.	Smells like I just walked into a florist shop or a French bordello, perhaps both. Get it away from me!

Pictoral Representations:

Bergamot & Thyme:

View attachment 1318424

#63:

View attachment 1318426

My friend, I have a couple more questions for you regarding the Pre de Provence Bergamot & Thyme shaving soap. Above you declare that it smells like a mediterranean garden. Hence, can we describe it as an herbal scent? Are there any citrusy notes, since it's labelled as bergamot, too? Also, is it strong and overpowering or weak and inoffensive? Thanks!

 

[Steve56]

@Marco - I can cut a few grams off the back of or an unused puck an mail it to you in a letter envelope of you want.

 

[Marco]

@Marco - I can cut a few grams off the back of or an unused puck an mail it to you in a letter envelope of you want.

Steve, this is very much appreciated my friend! But there's really no need, thanks. I'm certainly going to order the full tin anyway with its matching balm (and I absolutely need the N°63 balm too!).

Sir, what are your thoughts on the Bergamot & Thyme's scent, please?

 

[Steve56]

Marco, compared to LMdSdM, it’s just slightly less citrus and a little more ‘clary sage’ type note, but the difference is not large. Both scents are very similar.

I haven’t had a lot of time with LMdSdM, but my initial impressions are that I prefer LMdSdM scent and PdP performance, but again they are very close in both aspects.

 

[Atlantic59]

My friend, I have a couple more questions for you regarding the Pre de Provence Bergamot & Thyme shaving soap. Above you declare that it smells like a mediterranean garden. Hence, can we describe it as an herbal scent? Are there any citrusy notes, since it's labelled as bergamot, too? Also, is it strong and overpowering or weak and inoffensive? Thanks!

I would say the soap has a mild aromatic herbal scent. If there is citrus, it is far in the background. I imagine it smells similar to a Clary Sage bath soap from a nice boutique hotel somewhere in the South of France. There are other notes like rosemary, thyme, juniper and so on. The scent will rinse off almost completely. The balm, on the other hand, has a more persistent, penetrating scent. You only need a small amount, say a pea-sized amount, applied to moist skin. The balm's scent might persist 60-90 minutes depending on the person.

It seems most people like the scent. You do see some comments along the lines of "the scent grew on me over time." Some would say it's too mild and not very exciting.

This soap lasts a very long time. I've noticed the soap scent has become even milder after a few years.

This is the original packaging, BTW.

 

[rockviper]

^^^
I have the same (i.e. older) tin. It has a light (delicate, perhaps?) herb scent that, if you didn't look for it, you might even think it was "just soap," but it doesn't smell soapy-soap MWF. BTW, I like MWF as well.