When I heard that there was a French forum about straights, <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.coupechouclub.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.coupechouclub.com</a><!-- m --> , I signed up, something would come out from there at least my learning, at that time I had no straight razor, just my merkur 33C, .... but finally I'll get one ,.... These French, always so attached to their products because they were good apostles of soap of Martin de Candre, but one of them was not agree to the fragance, so ... he sold his travel soap, which is the one I have now .... And now I understand that's not french chauvinism, it's taste for quality because this soap worth it.
1.Ingredients: Simple as could be, only has half a dozen ingredients, all quite familiar as you can see in the picture
The coconut oil is the key, I think, because this soap offers exceptional performance, but not so much for leading this oil but more by how they treat ,.... No soap is like this by this feature. Be careful this is not a coconut soap, only a soap that uses coconut oil.
2.Package: 5.
My travel pot is in glass, it seems bad for me because in a trip you can have a slight problem, drop a bag, etc ... and broke the glass jar, I would have preferred a metallic tin.
3.Lifespan: 10.
Well, I do not know how much it can last, I've used mine from 6 months and I just lowered 1 mm deep, and the scent and the lather has been improved more than even.
4.Load of soap: 10.
Martin de Candre is an example of economy, in 5-7 seconds of loading the brush you have enough soap. I don't know a soap as this, it gives an outstanding performance , that is what makes it economic ,.... these French know what they do when they say that is inexpensive, is really inexpensive in its use ,.... you only need a little amount of soap. Look at the pic bellow and the following, you will see that the jar has not changed, still with the same patches of lather, instead the brush WOW! look at this lather is fantastic, and the quantity is enoug for a comfortable shave
5.Lather ability: 10.
Amazing, like Tabac or La Toja, No initial spongy or watery lather, the soap passes from a fine creamy froth to a dense lather and cushioned in few brush swirls, leaving the pleasant feeling that how easy is to lather
6. water/soap ratio: 10.
Optimal, on a brush drained, only 10 or 12 drops of water are needed to obtain a comfortable lather, a bit greasy, lubricant and soft, cushioned, but dense.
7.Quality of the lather: 10.
The best vegetable soap lather that I know by far, it's mysteriously dense, in spite of using a little amount of soap, as you can see in the pics, the lather sticks very well to the skin and the straight glides easily, it's even needed to dry the skin with a towel in order to strenght the skin for the shaving because the lubrication... . the lather is kept moist, dense and lubricant such as Mitchell's Wool fat and not dries as Tabac, it remains lubricant and moisturizing during the shave ,.... who has not tried it do not know what is losing
8.Protection and glide of the blade: 10.
One of the best features of this soap is the glide, as well as Mitchell's or Valobra or Arko or even more, without excessive consumption of soap of those two. In this way, it's a good lather for the shave with straight razor because it sticks to the face very well and provides good lubrication.
9.Feeling in the face: 10.
It is dense, slightly shiny and oily, it sticks to the skin, if massaged, the lather gives us a nice thin layer.
10.Moisturizing and after-shaving feeling: 9.
Surprised by how good is the skin with a soap so simple, I do not understand, what is the secret? It's a nice soap from this point of view, although it seems that there are people that the fragance reacts on their skin, so "Savonnerie Martin de Candre" is preparing an unscented version for sensitive skin which prototypes have been distributed France with good results.
11.Scent: 9.
It is a powerful scent, soothing, smells like ....lavender and mint ? I think not .... it smells like lavender but with a spicy component, very soothing, from benzoin, a resin used to make incense that is in this fragance. The scent of the soap reminds me the balsamic notes of some red wines,.... I'm hooked by this scent, but I recognize that some people don't like the scent,.... especially if you are in sweet scents. The fragrance evolves, it is more soothing as time pass by, is better to let the soap drying for 24 hours after use, and leave it without cover, if not, the smell becomes more "organic" and less pleasant.
12.Price:
34 € for 170gr. The 19 € for postage to Spain make it too expensive, I expect to see if they improve that aspect
13.Conclusion: This soap rocks, very natural, easy to get, expensive, yes, but economic performance. One of the best shaving products in Europe without doubt, but it's a shame that a company like this do not see the true potential and has a better commercial attitude, because is only sold on its website <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://savonnerie-martin-de-candre.ic-sites.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://savonnerie-martin-de-candre.ic-sites.com</a><!-- m -->
