Institut Karite shaving soap

N_Architect

N_Architect

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Another soap that few would like to know more about, a soap that is well known for its shea butter content but also for its high shipping costs (if ordered directly from IK France).

My review:

1. Packaging / size / appearance: A nice and round puck of 100gr./3.4oz. soap which will last a fairly long time. Texture is of a quite hard soap, though it softens pretty fast if immersed in warm water pre-shave (e.g. while you take a shower). Comes in a cardboard box (see pics) and actually the puck itself is in a sealed feather-textured wrap. Note the "3" month recommendation for use at the back of the box. Puck measures 73mm across and something less than 30mm height (approx.), fits with some slight slack inside a vintage Old Spice mug.

2. Price / availability: Quite expensive if ordered from IK in France and assuming we include the outrageous shipping costs. It retails for at Eur 13.50 for 100gr. plus approx. Eur 15 p&p for Europe; free p&p above Eur 70.

3. Scent: Milky and soapy, nothing else other than that.

4. Efficacy / Lather-ability: Good to very good, will not trouble you at all, even if you have hard water. Offers good cushion and pretty nice lather.

5. Moisturizing /after shave properties: Reportedly famous for its special way in leaving the skin well moisturized, naturally due to its shea butter content. Not a property that cannot be found in very few other soaps though, therefore an excellent performer here that nonetheless does not sit alone up there at the top.

6. Quality / overall: A very good quality hard soap that excels due to its moisturizing properties (shea butter content) but a try (or purchase) of a puck of Provence Sante should take precedence, especially if you're on the fence between these two soaps. Overall below par compared to MdC and marginally below Provence Sante.

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Summary - N_Architect's verdict:

1. Packaging / size / appearance: 4/5.
2. Price / availability: 3/5.
3. Scent: 4/5.
4. Efficacy / Latherability: 4/5.
5. Moisturizing /after shave properties: 5/5.
6. Quality / overall: 4/5 - Recommended.
 
RB73 said:
Another great review K.

Agreed on every aspect with regards to the review, i particularly liked the scent, very close to a cold cream type of soap scent.
Click to expand...

Yes, yet another very nice review, Konstantinos! I haven´t tried it, but after your review ... if I stumble on it, anyway (without the silly shipping cost) :D

Thanks!
 
I'll be honest: I think I rushed a bit, I should have asked you guys (before ordering).
For sure, from what I can see now, there would be 2-3 people who would want a puck and/or a balm.

Then it would just be the postage to Sweden, U.K. or whatever.

Next time, anyway...
 
I´m allways only a PM away :D and I´m sucker when it comes to shavings, errhhh savings, even though I buy a silly amount of stuff.
 
I love the French soaps and use these almost exclusively during the colder months. My face really does notice a difference!

I still have my puck of IK from before Xmas 2009 and it barely looks used. It will last a long time, I wouldn't soak it before use, just a few dabs of water will suffice.

One point I will disagree on here. I believe both IK and PS outperform MdC. There, I said it! I find the skincare better, and the overall shave better. I sometimes get odd nicks with MdC, not so with IK and PS.

PS has a slight edge in terms of moisturising.

I also have Pre de Provence, which is very nice also, but I prefer IK and PS and find them easier to get a thick, rich lather.

The IK balm works very well in combination with these soaps! :mrgreen:

John
 
Good soap, very classy fragrance!

Ease of lathering: 9/10--No problems generating a rich lather!

Longevity of lather: 9/10--It'll last for as long as you need it.

General skincare: 8/10--Leaves my skin feeling smooth and very clean.

Scent: 8/10--A classy and elegant scent. Matches certain fragrances I wear very well.

Price: 10/10--I actually received it in a trade, but I was told it's expensive.

Would I buy again: 8/10--Yes, quite possibly because it's very enjoyable.

I don't use too many French soaps, but this is one that I like quite fine. I enjoy the rich, easy-to-create lather, and the shea butter it contains does good things for my skin which is sensitive.
 
I gave this a whirl, here's my final thoughts:

Institut Karité was started in 2004 and the selling point of the whole brand is the use of shea butter in their products (karité is French for shea). It's a fruit grown in Africa that contains a nut from which shea butter is produced. It supposedly constitutes 25% of the soap, an unusually high amount.

Shea butter has been used for centuries as a moisuriser and that property certainly makes it into this soap. The post shave feel is excellent.

The soap also produces a huge bounty of lather, although soaking it tended to result in a slurry initially, one that required a combination of work and water to build.

Despite the great lather and excellent slickness I found the protection wasn't always up to par, with quite a few of my shaves resulting in a lot of nicks.

There's no real fragrance to speak of, just a subtle, chalky scent that is subtle at the best of times and entirely absent the rest.

For me, there are better performing soaps out there, which allow a better finish. In terms of slickness and post shave experience, this is hard to beat though. I'd love to try the aftershave balm as I'm sure it'll be excellent if it's anything like the soap, but in terms of end product I didn't find this to be as good as some.

Full review here.
 
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