Thread: Institut Karite

Originally Posted by Obie

The best shaving soap I have found, however, is Provente Sante Verlaine. Granted, I have not tried everything. From what I have tried, some 20 or 30 brands, Provence Sante Verlaine is tops — for me. Provence Sante Verlaine is almost perfect — for my Hollywood face. Institute Karite is probably in the second or third tier of quality soaps.
Regards,
Obie

I tried Prov.Sante on Obie's recommendation. It really is the best I've used - got to use a friend's sample, and it was wonderful. Thick, slick, moist. 'Didn't need any ASB afterwards.

Originally Posted by vthomlinson

. i don't mean to stray too far off topic.. but have you used Pre de Provence? i like the idea of have a sage scented soap in my collection.

The scent is nice. My sense of smell isn't that sensitive, but the smell is very good. That said, scent is my lowest priority. Pre works okay for me, but just okay. For the $$, the Provence Sante beats it all to heck (except for scent).

I find all the french soaps wonderful,specially IK and Martin de Candre.PdP,PS,Cade,Monsavon are very good too.The only one I had problems with it was Lothantique,which is a shame since I love its scent,but making a good,thick,stable lather with it its simply impossible for me,however you can have an awesome shave without lather.

Okay, I bashed PdP in favor of Provence Sante, which I tried on Obie's recommendation. I read some more about needing to spend more time loading up the brush & working up the lather. I did this today w/ PdP, and I have to admit - it wasn't bad at all. And, as Obie said, it wasn't as good as PS, but very good.
I guess I need to say so if I think I've been to harsh on something - especially when it was my technique driving the negative feedback. If I'm gonna bash, I've gotta say so when I'm wrong, and I was wrong.

Originally Posted by ZethLent

I found that I needed a lot more product in the brush when using IK soap. The scent I love. That clean soap scent. But I will admit that after 18 months of on and off with IK soap, I did end up tossing it. It went along with a few others before I moved at the beginning of the year.

Keep working with it and see if you can find the sweet spot, as some people have. I am actually contemplating buying it again just to put in a drawer as a potpuri for my shirts or something.

If anyone knows of another soap with superior performance, but with the same scent I would appreciate a PM with that info.

Revisiting this thread after a while with an update to my experience with IK. Above I mentioned that 18 months and no success that warranted its continuation in my rotation.

Well, in the interceding months I read somewhere (maybe even in this thread) that prolonged use of IK can overly soften a brush, in part to all of the shea butta. I decided to take one of my Omega Boar brushes that is broken in but remains very stiff and practice a little fidelity with the brush and a new tablet of IK.

I have used IK and the same brush for the last 30 shaves and I have to say that my opinion of it is much more positive now. I have always loved the scent. One of my top three. It appears that all I lacked was a proper brush for this soap. I say 'proper' brush, in that one that would work for me with this soap. The brush has worked and it did right from the start of the trial.

The trial has turned into a daily routine. I love the scent and the broken in and gradually softening Omeag boar have been very very rewarding. I plan on keeping at it until the IK is completely gone. Perhaps that will be in January.

I add my voice to the lovers of IK, as I always loved the scent, but now love the shaving experience I get out of it also.