Martin de Candre: Review

Rev-O

Rev-O

Joined
Friday July 10, 2009
Following some seasonal piffing, there's a bit of this stuff in circulation, so I thought it was time for a review.

I'll start the ball rolling here, but I'm looking for others to come along and chip in their thoughts.

First, I should say that I've now had a chance to play with it a bit (using it with different brushes/razors, varying the water ratio, trying direct face lathering etc) and it's my considered opinion that this is really fantastic stuff: it's like all shaving soaps should be - the platonic ideal.

I especially appreciated the following features:

¶ it's soft -- not a cream so you don't pick up too much on the brush, but at least as soft as Cella or P160. In many ways it is the perfect consistency for bowl lathering.

¶ it's utterly non allergenic/irritant (unlike some of the almond-scented or coconut-based soaps/creams, many of which give me at least a tingle and sometimes a rash)

¶ it producing oodles of rich creamy lather with lots of slip and lubrication, and seems quite forgiving of water:soap ratio variances.

¶ a lovely fragrance, almost pure lavender with a hint of mint - a mild, clean, fresh smell which is strong enough to be pleasant while in use but leaves little trace afterwards, thus clearing the way for subsequent products

¶ and finally it has an absolutely neutral effect on the skin (neither drying nor moisturising, again, leaving the field clear for alum, balm etc.)

Do I like it? No. I love it.

Thanks to my piffer for the kind gift; Martin de Candre is, in short, simple but utterly wonderful -- it is the epitome, apex and apotheosis of all a shaving soap should be.

9/10 (loses half a mark for price and availability respectively)
 
So far just had one shave with this lovely 'scream' but am already inclined to agree with Ollie. Someone needs to get on to MdC and persuade them to let them be their UK vendor.
 
Can´t you go and preach or something!? I don´t need more soaps :evil: It´s on the wanted list for sure, the price is :shock: though and the french soap makers a :eek: and :? to deal with. I think Martin has tried and contact them, but nothing happened and Max tried to buy direct from them with the same result (remember?).
 
+1 Rev.

To add from my experience i found the smell to be more like stale spices, performance wise, some get close but just fall short. Of all the soaps i've tried this one is always niggling me to get more. May have to oblige... :roll:
 
M de C charge 19 euros for shipping the 170g soap in a bowl to the UK, It is .416 kg.

From the UK sent to France as Airmail Small Packet it would cost £3.37. Can any of our French friends shed any light on the charge made by M de C for UK delivery?
 
Fido said:
M de C charge 19 euros for shipping the 170g soap in a bowl to the UK, It is .416 kg.

From the UK sent to France as Airmail Small Packet it would cost £3.37. Can any of our French friends shed any light on the charge made by M de C for UK delivery?
Click to expand...

Well, I guess they do sell the soap at a loss so any attempt to offset some of that by bumping up the postage is understandable.

And now the French have to retire at 50 - poor things, I think it's absolutely disgusting. They should complain.
 
If I would have to choose only one soap of all that I have,Ill choose Martin de Candre.
Good review of one of the best soaps ever made.
 
OK this has probably already been tried, but I did a search for UK suppliers and found this:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.thefrenchhouse.net/prodrange/show/5819" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.thefrenchhouse.net/prodrange/show/5819</a><!-- m -->

As you can see they already stock MdeC hand/bath soap. I phoned them to see if they could order the shaving soap but they came back to me saying not. It is all rather bizarre. I cannot understand a company that has the opportunity for business and doesn't take it. Perhaps I am far too capitalist. :roll:

Edit: Reply from the French House: "We spoke earlier regarding your enquiry, and I have since chatted to our buyer. He said the company do not wholesale their shaving soap as they are such a small operation."

Perhaps the point is that if they scale up their business then the soap just wouldn't be the same. Now that kind of makes sense I suppose.
 
antdad said:
Still a good try PC.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate. That shop did suggest I might like to try this:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.thefrenchhouse.net/prodrange/show/5521" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.thefrenchhouse.net/prodrange/show/5521</a><!-- m -->

I told them it wasn't something I'd purchase for myself but they could send me a sample as I could review it here at TSR. No reply as yet. I did that because doing a search it has had a small number of pretty good reviews, for a brushless cream that is. I know it won't appeal to most of us but might be of interest nonetheless. No reply as yet.
 
I did a group buy and it worked out about 12 quid each (based on 4)

<!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2053</a><!-- l -->

This is the only way you are going to get it for a reasonable price I think.Just needs someone to organise it.
 
Still willing to send on if people feel like it.

40 quid will buy you a complete soap (170g) and pay for shipping from them to me, and on to you (UK)

25 quid will buy you a 50g soap (in a jar) to your door, if I've got more than 4 takers.

Max
 
I'm another recipient, a bit late with this I'm afraid.

Leaving aside price, shipping and availability, I can't find anything wrong with this soap at all, it really is exceptional. The creaminess which Ollie mentions is very striking, as is the stability of the lather, both of which are better than any other soap I've tried. It gives a strong impression of being a very natural product: I'm sure a regular diet of this would do the skin no end of good. Best of all is that lavender scent which is getting on for pungent, and obviously the real thing, plus that touch of mint.

Factoring in the price, this would have to be a treat though. Frankly, Nanny's lavender soap is also superlative (just that little bit more protective for use with a cut throat, too), and the price is very attractive. If she were to chuck a few mint leaves into a batch, it wouldn't be a bad imitation at all, and more appropriate to my wallet.

I'm lucky to have got the chance to try this soap, and it's all I could have hoped for. Many thanks to Ollie - and the original donor - for your generosity.
 
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