Pre de Provence Meh!!

[Haber Dashing]

Its like coffee grounds and hay are having tea on a lilypad. I tried a sample of this stuff, and I am most grateful for it, cause I wouldn't have been happy if I had bought it. Loaded the brush and it was a dead after one face lather. No cuts, nicks, or burns to be fair. It also didn't dry out my face.

I do not like foamy frothy chunky bubbles that disappear quicker then you would if waking up next to two midgets and a little pony in the morning after a night of hard drinking. I've tried to get this stuff to make a decent lather and I have an easier time with Williams and a better quality lather at that.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

Its like coffee grounds and hay are having tea on a lilypad. I tried a sample of this stuff, and I am most grateful for it, cause I wouldn't have been happy if I had bought it. Loaded the brush and it was a dead after one face lather. No cuts, nicks, or burns to be fair. It also didn't dry out my face.

I do not like foamy frothy chunky bubbles that disappear quicker then you would if waking up next to two midgets and a little pony in the morning after a night of hard drinking. I've tried to get this stuff to make a decent lather and I have an easier time with Williams and a better quality lather at that.

I don't know what you're talking about. If I wake up to that I'm sticking around. I have some questions.

 

[nemo]

Well, that certainly hasn't been my experience! I get a nice creamy dense lather that has given plenty of great shaves. Maybe loading my brushes on a full sized puck has given me more product than is available from a sample.

Anyway, give it another chance. Shea butter may never take the place of tallow but this is a soap I go back to often.

 

[johnniegold]

I certainly have not had the same experience with PdP as the OP.

I seem to get a nice rich, dense lather that after loading up my brush gives me enough for a 3-pass shave.

I wet the puck first while showering to soften it up and then load up the brush. how much water do you use?

 

[Cuttingboard]

I wet the puck first while showering to soften it up and then load up the brush. how much water do you use?

This is what I do with all my hard soaps. I used Provence Sante this morning and it always provides a very soothing and wonderful shave.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

I certainly have not had the same experience with PdP as the OP.

That's what your story is now..... 4 months or so into your tour of duty is when the 2 little guys with the pony show up....

 

[MoJoe]

YMMV, but I get a ton of rich, creamy lather from PdP each and every time I use it.

 

[jrhudgins]

foamy frothy chunky bubbles that disappear

This is how I started out experiencing soaps of any sort until I figured out that I tended to add too much water at the beginning of the lather-building.

YMMV, but for me it took loading my brush more heavily, then slowly adding water a few drops at a time. With any soap.
PdP (and Valobra) are the most reliable soaps I have. Thick, creamy lather. The ones you would go to if in a big hurry, with a hangover, needing to put on a white shirt immediately after shaving, and run out the door to an important meeting.
Maybe the sample you used was small enough to tilt the ratio in favor of water rather than soap?

 

[tsmba]

My experience with PdP is exactly opposite of yours. As others have suggested, perhaps you should try adjusting your lather-building technique. I cannot judge any soap with a single try.

 

[johnniegold]

That's what your story is now..... 4 months or so into your tour of duty is when the 2 little guys with the pony show up....

 

[SmoovD]

+1 on starting with a drier brush.

 

[Schwert]

PdP is one of my most favorite soaps. I do not think I have ever had a thin bubbly lather with it. I have loaded one of my gluestick shave sticks with it and even with minimal soap (1/8" of the stick) I get more than enough dense creamy lather for my standard 2-pass.

You really need to try this one again, as I think you are way way off the mark.

 

[Haber Dashing]

Perhaps I just haven't nailed this particular soap's sweet spot. I normally soak the brush while I am in the shower, and flick it 3-4 times till the brush is damp, closer to dry, then proceed to load the brush, and add water a little at a time (half teaspoon to a few drops off the tips of my finger) till I get the water/soap ratio I so desire. This works well for me with both soaps and creams from TOBS cream, Speick stick, even Williams and more. I've only used it about 3 times though, and maybe it just needs a little more coaxing.

To be honest though, the last time I loaded it on the brush for almost a minute and it only lasted one pass on the face before it was spent (a very very thin layer of soap left for the second pass hence I stopped in disgust). Dare I say, the soap lathered like (looking both ways- like it was reformulated), but I can't be certain since I've never actually used it before. Anyways, I shall keep on keepin on.

 

[Schwert]

I never bowl lather....so I can only address PdP from a face lathers view. I just have never had a single instance with PdP that was not close to perfect. Rich creamy dense wonderfully smelling lather with minimal effort. I load my brush with the water well squeezed out...but have never had to be all that careful....PdP just seems to work no matter what for me.

 

[shavervinnie]

PdP soap (and cream) have been nothing short of excellent for me. I know YMMV usually applies to most situations, but typically not with this product. Yours is the first complaint I've ever read about it. It's great stuff, IMO.