Thread: French Shaving Soaps

Great reviews! I'll have to dig around and post some. I have dozens of soaps and creams laying around.

I haven't tried the IK soap, but would like to. I like PdP. I'm not too hot on L'Ocitane.

I have the Roget & Gallet (wanna buy it? ). I don't think it's that great. It has a pretty heavy scent and doesn't protect very well. Not particularly moisturizing either. YMMV.

Jordan

Great start to the reviews! I love French soaps as well. They perform great, are as hard and longlasting as any other triple milled soap, but they are not as "heavy" feeling (for lack of a better description) on my face as the tallow soaps.

My experience has been a little different. I prefer the Pre de Provence to IK, as I seem to get a thicker, more protective lather with it. I also like the scent.

Just to add to the review, my favorite (by a very small margin) of the Frenchies is Provence Sante. Performance wise, like the other french soaps, but it is the only one that has a "powdery" feeling on my skin, and the scent is just so light and fresh. Very subjective, I know, but that is what sets it apart for me. Plus the fact that it is the least expensive of the lot, and available at t brick and mortar store in the next town (Madison, for anyone this side of CT). If you are planning to get one, skip the clay pot it comes in. The puck fits perfectly in an old spice mug.

Ok, I gotta get that Provence Sante. Is the clay pot cool, or is so blah I might as well use an anchor hocking?

Originally Posted by loueedacat

Ok, I gotta get that Provence Sante. Is the clay pot cool, or is so blah I might as well use an anchor hocking?

I would skip the clay pot. Besides, the anchor hocking has a lid.

I actually use the clay pot myself, but agree with RayG, it's not really a value add other than being cute. I don't really dislike it, but it's relatively narrow and deep for what it is, and can be a bit constricting when lathering. On the positive side, I tend to soak my soaps, and the porous clay dries better than plastic/glass. If you're not a soap-soaker, it's no upside at all. I'd go with the Anchor Hocking.

But the Provence Sante soap itself can be had shrink-wrapped without the clay pot for about $10 last time I bought, and it's easily on par with the *very* best soaps I've ever tried over the past two years, at two to four times the price. And I've tried a bunch of them, being a soap fiend. IK and Provence Sante are standouts, the French seem to have fine soaps pretty well figured out.

If you like the scent of the Provence Sante soap as much as I do, it's called "Verlaine" (combination of vervain and linden, two plants native to Provence). It's available in AS or cologne for less than $20! I've tried the AS, and it's a bit oily because of the very high shea butter content, but the scent is heaven, and it lasts well for AS. I'm going to try the cologne soon.

L'Occitane is what I use. Pricey but lasts a Loooonng time due to the hardness. Because it has no shea butter, I add 3 drops of liquid glycerine before working up the lather. That gives close comfortable shaves with very little irritation afterward. Gotta love the smell! As soon as I put hot water on the cake it starts to smell nice. If you like juniper..my.02.