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Martin De Candre

I dont know that cheaper prices per shave is the issue, the superfatted artisan stuff seems to me to be way more expensive.

i think its not the newness and not pushing out new scents and formulas and is too simple a product for the FOMO crowd.

i’ve also heard nothing but nice things about mdc aa a vendor, just perhaps less convenient?
 
I always liked MdC, but never thought the performance was as good as what everyone raved about. There are way better soaps out now. I got rid of all my MdC. I sort of regret it, only because I loved the scent of the original.
 
I have and use both their Fougère and Vétyver and use them both regularly. The soap last forever and I always get a great lather. I think now that many US vendors have them in stock the caché of ownership might be less (with less to brag about on the forums), but for me it is still a top notch veggie soap. Also very simple ingredients list for those who like just the bare minimum. I also personally think that the fragrances are light and very well done.
 
EMG06 said:
...I think now that many US vendors have them in stock the caché of ownership might be less (with less to brag about on the forums)
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Was thinking the same thing. Importing brain bowls of MdC always felt like a "grail" thing to me back in 2014-ish. I was fortunate to have a chance to try MdC during a passaround box back in that 2014 timeframe as well and the performance, while decent, didn't live up to the hype nor the cost of shipping from France at that time.

I did see a video of MdC making those brain bowls on Instagram a couple of months back and they sure are pretty (despite not being all that functional I wouldn't think...)
 
MdC Original is now the soap I use almost every day when home. The 130 g la canele has gone 140 shaves with plenty more to go. While I did not buy this soap for 5he economy, it does last and I load heavy.

For me it lathers extremely well, is slick and protective and smells great to my nose. But what has really clinched it for me is the clean feel. The drying that some have mentioned is not a factor for me. My face has experienced no drying.

Prior to MdC my favorite soaps were in no particular order MWF, DR Harris Arlington, Tabac (tallow version) and Cella, all Fine soaps. Other than Cella, I have preferred a hard soap.

MdC may not be for everyone but it is my first choice. I recently purchased a Brain Bowl and am set for some time.
 
I have owned a Fougère, Original, and a Brain Bowl (original lavender). I shaved with the Brain Bowl for 30 straights shaves; got through half of the bowl and couldn't look at it anymore, so I piffed it. The Original I ended up trading for a tub of Antica Barbieria Colla. The other guy got the better end of that deal. Lastly, a few months ago and, again, 30+ straights shaves, I finished the jar of the fougère. THAT is their best scent...imo. Excellent soap, fairly priced. That jar of fougère lasted me over seven years.
 
I own a couple of the "original" MDC glass jar soaps, got them off eBay back when eBay was a place people could get a good deal on stuff. Back then it was terribly hard to get the stuff any other way, even with my living within an hour and a half of one of the few domestic retailers. I forget the price then and I can't say for sure what it's price is now but I CAN say it is very fine soap, made by people who know how to make a good soap and it is worth every penny of what I actually paid for it. Is it the cream of the crop? I can't answer that with a straight up yes or no but I can say it is an excellent example of what a shaving soap can/should be and what a soap made by skilled artisans can/should be like.

I have so many soaps I rarely use my MDC but I will never sell/trade/trash what I have because I would never want to feel like I am without. I never felt the soap dried my skin or left me without needed slickness or protection...or whatever else people look for in a soap but don't find in MDC, but I have always found the soap incredibly easy to lather. If someone new to the hobby were to ask me whether they should put a chunk of cash down on some MDC I don't think I would have any problem saying yes, I am sure they would be happy with the results for a LONG time.

From my perspective, I think MDC's seemingly simple formula and excessive price played a big part in helping to move the artisan soap community from melt-and-pour to custom made hot processed soaps. The basic MDC formula gave new artisans a place to start, was easy to experiment with or modify and the results were generally a step up from many melt and pours. I came a little late to the artisan soap explosion to I might have this all wrong...but, it sounds plausible.
 
I have a Fougere in the glass jar that I got from Bob (beginish) quite some time ago.
Funny thing for me is that it is the only non-tallow soap I have tried that doesn't dry out on my face. I tried that fancy one in the ceramic jars with the red blue and I think green stripes on the 3 flavors, PDP, SV, Prorasso, and a few others. Every one of them (and the few melt and pours I've tried) will dry out in the first pass of a 5 minute total shave.
Don't know why. Prorasso was the worst for me. I could have water running down my arm it was so wet, but before I got half my face done, it was dried out and flaky on my face.

For some reason though, MDC just works for me. Super easy to lather. I still have barely made a dent in the stupid thing. Slick. Leaves my face feeling good. And it smells good. I think it's expensive up front, but for the life you get out of it, it definitely balances out.

Are there better soaps out there? I think so. But I definitely would never get rid of mine as I do think it is right up there near the top.
 
ED3054 said:
You Guy’s all know that all this Positive Talk is Really Enabling Me.


"Why is it I always get my best ideas while shaving?" ~ Albert Einstein
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If you are going to keep hinting about being enabled, just get it already. 😜
 
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