A fair while ago, I received a sample of TFS Bergamotto Neroli as part of a PIF from a fellow shaver. Over the last month or so I have sampled my way though the sample, and can give a short review of the soap.

TFS have been hailed online as a soap that is very much like Martin de Candre, a soap I would been more impressed with if it hadn’t been so darn expensive. For the most part, the other reviews online are correct; like the MdC the TFS makes lovely lather with plenty of slip and glide, it smells pretty good, don’t leave my face feeling dry and is an overall solid performer.

The two things about TFS that – in my eyes – makes it outperform MdC is the longevity and the lower cost of it. A similar sized sample lasted about 50% longer, and the price per gram (excluding shipping) runs to about half.

If you want a high end soap, you can’t go much wromg with TFS bergamotto Neroli – even if I personally gonna stick with Mike’s Natural Soaps fot the foreable future. Works just as well, and the scent’s are better suited for me.

A couple of years ago – a Norwegian couple, that is – I received a sample of Martin de Candre as part of a PiF from a fellow shaver. For the longest time I left it alone, but now I’ve have sampled my way through the sample.

Let me preface by repeating one of the basic tenants of traditional wetshaving:

That said…
I’ve read multiple reviews of MdC online, several made by wetshavers whose judgement I trusts. The overwhelming view seems to be that MdC is an awesome soap in every way. Personally I can’t see what the fuss is all about, less so given the high cost of it.

Yes, it is long lasting – but so are many of my other soaps.
Yes, it smells pretty nice – but so does many of my other soaps.
Yes, it makes great lather which cushions and provides great slip – but so does many of my other soaps.
No, it don’t leave my face feeling dry – but neither do many of my other soaps.
Yes, it is an overall solid performer – but so does many of my other soaps.
And yes, it’s costly – more so than many of my other soaps.

Perhaps my view on the McD would been different if I wasn’t blessed with soft water, perhaps I would been more awestruck by it if I wasn’t spoiled by a certain artisan soap maker…

Don’t get me wrong; there is nothing wrong with McD – far from it. But to me at least the McD isn’t so right I’ll go out and buy more – I rather stock up on more of Mike’s Natural Soaps which to me is just as good and comes in a lot more scents.

As I said, YMMV – but if you want to give McD a spin then do yourself a favour and get a sample first.