Pre de Provence No 63 Mens Collection Shave Soap

I'm a shaving nerd. Over the years I've used artisan soaps, soaps and creams from established companies like Taylor of Old Bond Street, expensive soaps like Martin de Candre, and inexpensive soaps like Proraso, Cella, and Arko. I've used straights, DEs, SEs, shavettes, and cartridge razors. This soap equals the best I've tried. It was easy to lather. It's a hard soap that should last a long time, and it smells great. The lather was slick, cushiony, and protective. It's not inexpensive but it's not pricey and it will last. Pre de Provence makes wonderful soaps. Read more

Not too long ago I started to steer away from the classic shaving cream/gel that I grew up using into using the type of shaving creams that don't foam and shaving lotions instead...and now, I decided to give the classic brush and shave soap a try. Armed with my new Alexander Simpsons Shaving Brush and fresh No. 63 shaving soap, I set off to have my first brush/soap powered shave. The shave soap has a delightfully spicy, woody aroma to it and after a little bit of trial and error with figuring out how to best lather the soap and "paint" my face with it, I had one of the smoothest shaves I have had in some time. Would I suggest this product to those who are used to using shaving soaps and brush? Absolutely. Of course this comes from a bit of a novice, but I have little I can see I did not like about: the aroma was inviting and the shave was smooth. Would I suggest this to someone who has never used shaving soap before? Also yes, but with the caveat that it may be a bit much of a jump from normal shaving cream to this. I think if you are willing to put in the effort, and money, you could potentially find a new exciting and enjoyable way to shave; however, I would also invite you to maybe try a classic shave cream/lotion, one is also available from No. 63 but I first started going down this path by using the Cremo Classic Shave Cream which I found gave me a better shave than the normal stuff. Read more

No. 63 from Pre de Provence is a good shaving soap with a good scent. It lathers easily and provides a nice, slick cushion. It's a thirsty soap, so don't be afraid to use some extra water. It's quad milled, so it'll last a long time. The scent is spicy and masculine, but it's not very strong. Post shave is ok, but I did feel some dryness and tightening in my skin. The tin it comes in is nice, but it's rather flimsy (mine was obviously dropped during shipping). Keep in mind Pre de Provence is a soap company, not a shave company. This shaving soap is good, but it didn't perform as well as other shaving soaps I've used (e.g. Noble Otter, Barrister and Mann, Fine Accoutrements, Catie's Bubbles, and several others). That being said, it's still a good shaving soap with a nice scent. It'll last a really long time. I just don't see myself buying it again. Read more

You wouldn't really think a product one uses for a few minutes most mornings would be worth writing about. I've been using a "classic" double-edged razor for several years. I find the ritual of whipping up a warm lather with a badger brush, brushing it on my face, then performing an action that takes some attention to avoid spilling blood to be very pleasant. A cake of shaving soap typically lasts for more than a year. As my last cake was getting down to the dregs, I thought I might try something new--which brought me to this delightful product from the South of France. It's a little different from other soaps I've used. It seems to be softer, but I've found that it produces a copious, thick foam without whipping it up in my customary scuttle. It's also quite a bit slicker than other soaps, probably because of the shea butter. The razor glides more smoothly over my face than with any other soap I've used. The fragrance is herbal and a little floral--but very pleasing and not at all intrusive. I notice the aroma for several hours after shaving (I never use after shave because I'm not normally a big fan of fragrances). The price of shaving soap is sometimes surprising--the last one I bought, from a mall retailer, set me back some $34,00--but their stuff tends to be wildly overpriced. I never worry about it all that much because a cake lasts so long. This one, though is reasonably priced, probably will last as long as my earlier choices, and has a very pleasant feel and fragrance. I will definitely buy more just like it in a year or so, when I use this one up! Read more

I shave with a traditional straight if that helps put this in perspective. This kind of surprised me with how good a soap it is. I usually prefer tallow soaps for the post shave and protection but sometimes for the ease of the lather I will use a non tallow. It lathers really easily and well with thick smooth yogurt like suds. It provides excellent slickness and excellent protection. The best part of the experience is the post shave. It’s literally out of this world. My face is shiny it’s so smooth and soft. Better than anything else I have used and I have bought just about everything including Mikes naturals. It just leaves your face so soft and smooth and moist it’s wonderful. The scent is intriguing too. It’s def masculine and light with a little spice in there. I’m going to try the aftershave next and see if I really like it. But I have been using this all week and it just seems perfect. Read more