Thread: Pre de Provence Shave soap

Hello, Komjong:

Yes, I use Pre de Province, soap and cream, and like it. Although I don't consider it in the highest tier of shaving soaps, it is still quality with a subtle and lovely floral scent.

The five French soaps I rotate with Trumper, Taylor, Truefitt & Hill, Harris, Edwin Jagger, Mitchell, Mama Bear and SRD, are, in order of quality and preference for me:

Prevence Sante Verlaine
Institute Karite
L'Occitane Cade
Lothantique Le Collectionneur
Pre de Pronvince

They all have lovely floral fragrances, which I like, and are spiked with a good dose of shea butter.

Regards,
Obie

Loccitane Cade
Xpec
MWF
Prov Sante
Trumpers
Ins Kar
Art of Shaving Sandalwood
C&S Oxford and Cam

Listed in no specific order, but all are quality soaps with will give you thick lather

I am not a fan of Taylors soaps.

I just purchased a tin of the Pre de Provence shave soap, but haven't used it yet.

The only shave soap I would recommend unreservedly at this point in my short time here at SRP is Mitchell's Wool Fat.

Originally Posted by AxelH

I don't know why people say that Pre de Provence has a sage-like smell to it. I've been fortunate enough to try it and it smells divine to me, but sagey it is not. The most I saw was some extract of rosemary listed in the ingredients. I often cook with these culinary herbs (mortar and pestle used more often than food processor or blender) and it smells like neither. It has the gentle fragrance of early morning spring floral garden. The freshness of it, not a heady nectar smell, it is, to me, a fantastic scent. The OP was very lucky to have this as his first shaving soap.

There's about 4-5 major genes that control for sense of taste/flavor/smell, this from an article or two I've read. For reference: I don't like the smell of Tabac (but don't hate it), I love Proraso, I like Mama Bear's "Awakenings", I love Crabtree & Evelyn's "Nomad", and even enjoy Wilkinson blue bowl. Oh, and I really like Straight Razor Design's "Sandlewood", I know someone who has a very old Caswell-Massey extract of Sandalwood and SRD was very loyal to it.

that's a bummer.. i was just going off of the description on westcoastshaving... i was looking forward to a sage soap.. perhaps i'll ask soaptopia if they want to make one.. i have a feeling they are reworking their shave soaps right now.

Not to worry, buddy. I'm not Native American but I have sweetgrass and sage smudge sticks and have burned them many times. Love the scent. I like "masculine" scents, earthy, woodsy, savory kinds of scents. You'll want to check out Mama Bear's soaps. I have the "Clary Sage & Lavender" and I can't detect any lavender, but it has a strong sage scent. I'm sure you would love it, at least the one I've got (maybe an early formula for lack of lavender or maybe the lavender scent faded). My inner mind's eye usually creates landscapes of the Great Plains and my memories of road trips through them when I use that soap. A classic celebration of the American Plains.

thanks axelh,

sage and lavender sounds good.. my dad's side of the family is rosebud sioux.. (i have family in minneapolis too) and i get sage sent to me from there all the time... i'm generally an almond or clove type of guy.. but i do love the smell of sage... i'll be burning some tonight.

I've been researching very interesting things about Shamanism in Native American and African tribes and I have deep respect for those spiritual healers. They are some very wise men. I heard a tribe in Nebraska uses verbena as a means to connect to the spirit world. Caswell Massey makes a fantastic aftershave version.

Originally Posted by komjong

I'm considering trying the " Taylor of Old Bond street" ( Lavender/ Sandalwood) brand

I have two pucks of Taylor's sandalwood, of of which in the wooden bowl. I really like this soap; it seems really light and frothy when lathered in a bowl, but to me feels rich when applied to my face. Their sandalwood seems quite cinnamon -infused, at least to my nose, which is quite pleasant. I'd recommend it in a wholeheartedly.

Going back to the original post, I have both TOBS and Fitjar. TOBS in both soap and cream fitjar only in soap as I prefer soaps to creams that's where moat of my experiance lies. Both are good product but for me I put the fitjar a little bit ahead of TOBS, just personal preference but I find it more moisterizing and easier to lather, I particularly like those containing tallow. Either way you can not go wrong but fitjar does have a wider selection AFAIK, and if you looking for a woodsy scent they have many to choose from.

Originally Posted by thehekler

Going back to the original post, I have both TOBS and Fitjar. TOBS in both soap and cream fitjar only in soap as I prefer soaps to creams that's where moat of my experiance lies. Both are good product but for me I put the fitjar a little bit ahead of TOBS, just personal preference but I find it more moisterizing and easier to lather, I particularly like those containing tallow. Either way you can not go wrong but fitjar does have a wider selection AFAIK, and if you looking for a woodsy scent they have many to choose from.

I am very interested in giving Fitjar a go. I've heard so many good things about it. Will order some this week and give my take on it. I'll try it with the new wade butcher i just acquired.

"Those who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like". A. Lincoln