In Praise of Martin de Candre – an Every Day Work Horse

MdC, oddly enough, was among the first products I picked up a few years ago when starting with DE shaving. Measured by today's standards, yes - there are (a lot of) better soaps out there. Mostly when it comes to face feel, you're right. The lather itself is pretty solid though, and the scents simple, elegant and nice. I got one of the first batches of the fougére, when they didn't know quite how much scent to put in. Alas, it doesn't smell that much different than the original (I have both).

One trick I figured out kind of late... When I first got it, I marveled at how I could load for only 5s and have a scuttle full of suds. On a lark, I loaded for a full 30s a while back... Yes, it obviously produced more lather. But! The quality of the lather was astoundingly better as well. So if you've been chincy on loading, try it!

I don't get it. Used two jars and a brain bowl over the years and realized it's just average soap at best. Took me a while with the nice presentation but the simple ingredient list,(not in a good way) awful post shave, no slickness, and price, I finally felt I was being scammed. And I was.

I agree. I have two of their offerings and they are ok. I can think of other soaps I own that kick MDC to the curve hands down. SdM, Tim's Soap, CRSW, and Mike's, just to mention a few that I own and can compare it to.

One trick I figured out kind of late...  When I first got it, I marveled at how I could load for only 5s and have a scuttle full of suds.  On a lark, I loaded for a full 30s a while back...  Yes, it obviously produced more lather.  But!  The quality of the lather was astoundingly better as well.  So if you've been chincy on loading, try it!

I agree with this and not just with MdC. The overwhelming majority of lather issues can be easily resolved with a decent load; next comes more water [gradually]. Voila!

I agree with this and not just with MdC. The overwhelming majority of lather issues can be easily resolved with a decent load; next comes more water [gradually]. Voila!

Absolutely... And why everyone's favorite quote, "Load it like you hate it!" really is true.

In my defense, I haven't used MdC much over the years - so when I grabbed it recently, I just loaded it like I do everything else these days (25-30s). Of course, with this newfound appreciation, I plan to use it a lot more...

I agree with this and not just with MdC. The overwhelming majority of lather issues can be easily resolved with a decent load; next comes more water [gradually]. Voila!

Absolutely...  And why everyone's favorite quote, "Load it like you hate it!" really is true.

In my defense, I haven't used MdC much over the years - so when I grabbed it recently, I just loaded it like I do everything else these days (25-30s).  Of course, with this newfound appreciation, I plan to use it a lot more...

Nice- I love it when I "rediscover" something in a different light!

Really nice post Grim,

I tried Marrin de Candre original over the weekend for the first time and really enjoyed the shave and the scent too..just the right strength for me.

I also have the MdC Fougere, SMN and AdP (all yet to try)..looking forward to using them when I get round to it..

I also have the MdC Fougere, SMN and AdP (all yet to try)..looking forward to using them when I get round to it..

Ahh, ADP, I used it today.  Truly excellent elite stuff. My Sunday Drive with the Ferrari shaving cream for the hot, lazy,
hazy days of Summer https://damnfineshave.com/thread-in-prai...day-luxury  Great stuff.

And SMN, the king of them all (IMO of course)


You don't mess around.

MdC, oddly enough, was among the first products I picked up a few years ago when starting with DE shaving.  Measured by today's standards, yes - there are (a lot of) better soaps out there. Mostly when it comes to face feel, you're right.   The lather itself is pretty solid though, and the scents simple, elegant and nice.  I got one of the first batches of the fougére, when they didn't know quite how much scent to put in.  Alas, it doesn't smell that much different than the original (I have both).

The post shave of MdC is awful.   But still,  the only soap I've tried that is better then MdC is Nuavia, which gives you the best face feel (again, out of any of the soaps I've used).    I actually prefer the lather consistency of MdC.   The protection and the slickness of both soaps is about the same.    Nuavia puts MdC to shame when it comes to scent and post-shave feel.    MdC might be the better value based on the reports I've read of how little product you need to get a ton of lather.   I always use aftershaves, so the fact that MdC makes your face feel like a dry piece of leather is not a deal braker to me (a little balm or AS makes things right).

I still have to try many high-end soaps, but Nuavia and MdC are the best soaps out of all the stuff I have been able to get my hands on.


So...I wrote all of that to basically say that I agree with you.  

 Nuavia puts MdC to shame when it comes to scent and post-shave feel.   ... I always use aftershaves, so the fact that MdC makes your face feel like a dry piece of

While I do believe that after shave feel is becoming the new attribute that is separating the big boys from the also rans, to be fair, Mystic is much better and almost on par with Nuavia for a tiny fraction of the price of Nuavia, so little to become meaningless. But you hit it on the head that a balm takes care of it. Nevertheless, if after shave feel is important, I'd use Mystic in a heartbeat for 1/6 the price.

That said, this after shave feel, which I now consider an attribute of a soap in evaluating it, is a factor, but not as important as others to me.

And of yeah, YMMV, etc, I really don't care for the Nuavia scents so much. Rossa is OK, the other two - not so much.

I don't get it. Used two jars and a brain bowl over the years and realized it's just average soap at best. Took me a while with the nice presentation but the simple ingredient list,(not in a good way) awful post shave, no slickness, and price, I finally felt I was being scammed. And I was.

+1