Member
Greenville, SC USA
(03-02-2016, 05:37 AM)celestino Wrote: Good review, Peter and I would concur with you that this is one of the best soaps I have tried, to date. I just wish they would offer refills, only.Where are you guys buying this soap?
Does Mean I Must Buy High End Shaving Gear?
--Roger--
--Roger--
. But one must always set ambitious goals!
Member
San Francisco
Great review of a truly great soap, NeoXerxes! Can't even add anything, except indeed, after reading so many accolades on various forums, I wasn't at all disappointed when I got mine and put it to the test. I got the Blu, my friend got the Rossa, and we were both so impressed with them (and envious of the fragrance we hadn't gotten) that we placed a second order so we could each have the full set. As someone else said, it's hard sometimes not just to use Nuàvia every day.
This is why I meant it as high praise that B&M's new Glissant base creates a lather that reminds me of Nuàvia (though they're not the same in other respects, and B&M is way up there for me, too).
The US store that I've heard carries it is Pasteur's in New York.
This is why I meant it as high praise that B&M's new Glissant base creates a lather that reminds me of Nuàvia (though they're not the same in other respects, and B&M is way up there for me, too).
The US store that I've heard carries it is Pasteur's in New York.
David : DE shaving since Nov 2014. Nowadays giving in to the single-edge siren call.
Member
San Francisco
(This post was last modified: 03-02-2016, 08:09 PM by onethinline.)
(03-02-2016, 07:33 PM)drjenkins Wrote: It would be great if Joe at IB would carry the Nuavia line since he stocks the standard products. That shipping is a bit of a buzzkill...
Shipping is free above a certain amount, and for my two orders, getting both Blu and Rossa in one order put me above that amount.
David : DE shaving since Nov 2014. Nowadays giving in to the single-edge siren call.
Member
Martin de Candre Fougere
Overall Rating: 10/10 (with a caveat - see the section on post-shave feel/look)
Packaging: Very solid glass bowl with a water-resistant label. Perfect marks for both fashion and functionality.
Olfactory impressions: This is a very fresh, clean, almost soapy fougere with a small touch of something that has the slightest hint of smoke in the background (maybe vetiver?). Anyway, this is a beautiful scent that fits a shaving product very well. Most of the time, I prefer shaving scents that are light, fresh, and clean, and in this regard Martin de Candre delivers.
Performance characteristics: Out of everything I have tried, this lathers the easiest. It explodes into a thick mass of lather almost by looking at it, which is great for new folks who aren't yet experienced with lathering hard soaps. Better still, it takes very little product to produce an extraordinary amount of lather, so in terms of economy of use this is one of the most economical soaps on the market.
In-shave performance is excellent, but it is important to keep in mind that this soap is very thirsty. I've seen some folks report bad performance with this soap, and I'm betting that in many of these cases the soap was simply not hydrated enough. The downside to its plentiful lather is that a lot of people seem to be shaving with protolather paste rather than a properly hydrated and workable lather. Both will shave just fine, but the properly hydrated lather will be extremely slick (much more than the alternative), very protective, and eminently comfortable.
I really enjoy shaving with this soap. Put simply, Martin de Candre is a no-nonsense shave soap with a very simple formula. It just works, and it works exceptionally well.
Post-shave feel and look: Some people describe this soap as "drying". I can see that. It is definitely not on the moisturizing end of the spectrum, however I wouldn't call it drying personally. I'd describe the post-shave feel by a simple comparison: It feels like you have just washed your skin with a quality soap. The skin feels clean, free of oil, and refreshed. I really enjoy this feeling since sometimes tallow soaps (in particular) and other heavily moisturizing products can make my skin feel fatty and heavy. As always with this soap, my complexion is good after the shave, but not as flawless as a few other soaps that I've tried.
One shave with Martin de Candre and my skin feels clean and refreshed - no other soap gives me that same cleansed feeling, so for me this is a must-have product. If you are the type that likes this sort of post-shave feeling, you might agree with my rating (it's surprisingly rare in shaving soaps). If not, this soap might be an 8/10 for you since it would likely lose a lot of points on the post-shave category (I acknowledge that most users would probably prefer a more moisturizing post-shave feel).
Who might like this product: Users that prefer simple formulas. If you prefer your shaving soaps to have a refreshing post-shave feel that actually feels like the skin was washed with soap, this might be for you. Lovers of fougeres and fresh scents shouldn't miss this one, and if you are a shaver that is concerned with value, one glass jar of Martin de Candre will last a very long time.
Who might not like this product: Some people describe the post-shave feel as "drying" - if you have very dry skin and don't use moisturizing or aftershave products, this might not be for you.
******
Thanks for reading gents! If you have any comments or suggestions on the format of this review, please let me know.
Overall Rating: 10/10 (with a caveat - see the section on post-shave feel/look)
Packaging: Very solid glass bowl with a water-resistant label. Perfect marks for both fashion and functionality.
Olfactory impressions: This is a very fresh, clean, almost soapy fougere with a small touch of something that has the slightest hint of smoke in the background (maybe vetiver?). Anyway, this is a beautiful scent that fits a shaving product very well. Most of the time, I prefer shaving scents that are light, fresh, and clean, and in this regard Martin de Candre delivers.
Performance characteristics: Out of everything I have tried, this lathers the easiest. It explodes into a thick mass of lather almost by looking at it, which is great for new folks who aren't yet experienced with lathering hard soaps. Better still, it takes very little product to produce an extraordinary amount of lather, so in terms of economy of use this is one of the most economical soaps on the market.
In-shave performance is excellent, but it is important to keep in mind that this soap is very thirsty. I've seen some folks report bad performance with this soap, and I'm betting that in many of these cases the soap was simply not hydrated enough. The downside to its plentiful lather is that a lot of people seem to be shaving with protolather paste rather than a properly hydrated and workable lather. Both will shave just fine, but the properly hydrated lather will be extremely slick (much more than the alternative), very protective, and eminently comfortable.
I really enjoy shaving with this soap. Put simply, Martin de Candre is a no-nonsense shave soap with a very simple formula. It just works, and it works exceptionally well.
Post-shave feel and look: Some people describe this soap as "drying". I can see that. It is definitely not on the moisturizing end of the spectrum, however I wouldn't call it drying personally. I'd describe the post-shave feel by a simple comparison: It feels like you have just washed your skin with a quality soap. The skin feels clean, free of oil, and refreshed. I really enjoy this feeling since sometimes tallow soaps (in particular) and other heavily moisturizing products can make my skin feel fatty and heavy. As always with this soap, my complexion is good after the shave, but not as flawless as a few other soaps that I've tried.
One shave with Martin de Candre and my skin feels clean and refreshed - no other soap gives me that same cleansed feeling, so for me this is a must-have product. If you are the type that likes this sort of post-shave feeling, you might agree with my rating (it's surprisingly rare in shaving soaps). If not, this soap might be an 8/10 for you since it would likely lose a lot of points on the post-shave category (I acknowledge that most users would probably prefer a more moisturizing post-shave feel).
Who might like this product: Users that prefer simple formulas. If you prefer your shaving soaps to have a refreshing post-shave feel that actually feels like the skin was washed with soap, this might be for you. Lovers of fougeres and fresh scents shouldn't miss this one, and if you are a shaver that is concerned with value, one glass jar of Martin de Candre will last a very long time.
Who might not like this product: Some people describe the post-shave feel as "drying" - if you have very dry skin and don't use moisturizing or aftershave products, this might not be for you.
******
Thanks for reading gents! If you have any comments or suggestions on the format of this review, please let me know.
Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)