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

 I guess my equivalent of what MDC is for the OP would be SMN.  But maybe someday I'll come back to MDC.

Oh, SMN, IMO is the best of the elite. It's a cut above MdC. When I said MdC was an Every Day Workhorse I meant it in the sense thats its the more mundane of the elites. SMN is better in every way.

Agree 100% that SMN is elite. And I don't use it everyday, even though I should. As I just posted, my everyday workhorse is B&M.

I've been curious about SMN, but it's not available here. I've been wondering, is the performance really better than good artisan soaps I have right now, like B&M? What's the difference if someone can shed a light?

I agree with the OP, MdC is fantastic, but I find I get better post shave skin conditioning with other soaps.

I'm sure, eventually I wouldn't be able to contain my curiosity and try to hunt for an SMN of my own, but I'd like to know your opinions.

I have SMN (newest version, as best I know), and it's wonderful -- very slick including residual slickness, easy to work with -- but it's not so obviously above something like B&M Glissant that I'd go way out of my way, or pay money I don't have, to acquire it. At the end of the day, soaps like SMN, B&M Glissant, Acqua di Parma, and Nuavia are all in the top tier, and the differences between them are subtle and at the level of a connoisseur's discernment. Which can be fun, but it's important to do that reality check especially where your wallet is concerned.

I've been curious about SMN, but it's not available here. I've been wondering, is the performance really better than good artisan soaps I have right now, like B&M? What's the difference if someone can shed a light?

I've tried the standard B&M and no comparison. The only glissant I tried was Lavanille, couldn't stand the smell or the look. Still noticeably not as good.

Obviously, I have not listed B&M in my list of elite products. Yes, SMN is that good but within the group of elites, the differences are very minor and as onethinline notes the differences are subtle, although Nuavia is falling from my graces a tiny bit because of residual slickness.

In other words, the difference between ABC, Boellis, ADP, and SMN, IMO, is very slight but SMN comes out on top by the thinnest of margins (1%).

I've been curious about SMN, but it's not available here. I've been wondering, is the performance really better than good artisan soaps I have right now, like B&M? What's the difference if someone can shed a light?

I've tried the standard B&M and no comparison. The only glissant I tried was Lavanille, couldn't stand the smell or the look. Still noticeably not as good.

Obviously, I have not listed B&M in my list of elite products. Yes, SMN is that good but within the group of elites, the differences are very minor and as onethinline notes the differences are subtle, although Nuavia is falling from my graces a tiny bit because of residual slickness.

In other words, the difference between ABC, Boellis, ADP, and SMN, IMO, is very slight but SMN comes out on top by the thinnest of margins (1%).

What are good online stores to by SMN. I foound smnovella.com, aedes.com, wondering if you there is any place else from which I can get it cheaper

https://buy.smnovella.com/index.php/cosm...20-ml.html

The official SMN store. $71 plus shipping but its 7.4 fl oz, unlike the usual 3.5 or 4 oz. Don't buy on my recommendation. You could hate it. Remember, ymmv and its just an opinion.

I've been curious about SMN, but it's not available here. I've been wondering, is the performance really better than good artisan soaps I have right now, like B&M? What's the difference if someone can shed a light?

I've tried the standard B&M and no comparison. The only glissant I tried was Lavanille, couldn't stand the smell or the look. Still noticeably not as good.

Obviously, I have not listed B&M in my list of elite products. Yes, SMN is that good but within the group of elites, the differences are very minor and as onethinline notes the differences are subtle, although Nuavia is falling from my graces a tiny bit because of residual slickness.

In other words, the difference between ABC, Boellis, ADP, and SMN, IMO, is very slight but SMN comes out on top by the thinnest of margins (1%).

Notice none of these (bolded) have lanolin... Why then, when it comes to American artisans, do they all insist on including lanolin? ...And the market demands lanolin?
...when not 1 of the world's finest luxury brands has lanolin. MAKES NO SENSE.

SMN v3 shines in every area -- very easy to lather, dense and unctuous yogurt like foam, incredible residual slickness -- which for me is greater than any other soap or cream I've tried -- and good post shave feel. Also, I find the scent, with the combination of menthol/eucalyptus and tobacco flower, intoxicating. I don't have B&M Glissant, but I do have all the other B&M's and I can say that while B&M is very very good, SMN is just a little bit better. Given the exorbitant price, is it that much better? No, but if you want the best I think you'd find it hard to beat. YMMV and all, but I find it hard to imagine that anyone would hate SMN.

Whenever I use it, I have the same thought: "This is what all other soaps and creams want to be when they grow up."

I've been curious about SMN, but it's not available here. I've been wondering, is the performance really better than good artisan soaps I have right now, like B&M? What's the difference if someone can shed a light?

I've tried the standard B&M and no comparison. The only glissant I tried was Lavanille, couldn't stand the smell or the look. Still noticeably not as good.

Obviously, I have not listed B&M in my list of elite products. Yes, SMN is that good but within the group of elites, the differences are very minor and as onethinline notes the differences are subtle, although Nuavia is falling from my graces a tiny bit because of residual slickness.

In other words, the difference between ABC, Boellis, ADP, and SMN, IMO, is very slight but SMN comes out on top by the thinnest of margins (1%).

Notice none of these (bolded) have lanolin... Why then, when it comes to American artisans, do they all insist on including lanolin? ...And the market demands lanolin?
...when not 1 of the world's finest luxury brands has lanolin. MAKES NO SENSE.

And I'll add....
AdP and SMN used to have lanolin but removed it.

And now both of these formulas are miles better than their previous (lanolin) ones.

SMN v3 shines in every area --
Whenever I use it, I have the same thought: "This is what all other soaps and creams want to be when they grow up."

An Apt quote, well said. Yes, its that good.

Why don't the Italians use Lanolin? Don't know. The US artisans need to answer that.