Thread: Vendors, Get Your Act Together...

OK, I need to warn you, this is a rant...

I went shopping today at lunch time, in the vain hope that I could buy some shaving cream. Three shops, all I could find is pressurised cans and that "Shave' (brown tube) cream (I'm not sure of the brand). I had the misguided hope that I might be able to buy Tabac shave soap, but of course, I came up empty handed.

I learnt here the other day that the prices for straight razors in American antique shops have gone up due to the 'known' resurgence in the popularity of straight razor shaving. Now I've no desire for straight razor shaving to be the 'thing' of the herd (as I don't wish to join the 'herd') but if this is the case one would have thought that someone in the Australian retail industry would have cottoned on and started to stock REAL shaving cream by now. The need surely is not linked to only straight razor shaving, but also wet shaving in general (DE, etc).

Men's Biz is a fine on-line retail store, but even they don't have some products I want, and I don't really want to wait for the e-cheque to clear and then for delivery (though delivery from Melbourne to SA is remarkably fast). And for those products Men's Biz don't stock, I have to wait almost a MONTH!

End of rant.

Hey Carl,
If there is anything I can get for you, I'll be happy to post it to you.
I'll see if I can source some Tabac shave soap for you here in Bris.
I got some Gaia shave cream in Coles - Priceline also have it I think - it's nice stuff too
Merry Christmas to you and the family.
Geoff

Try;

The Shaver Shop chain (expensive, but seem to be stocking more quality stuff lately.)

Crabtree & Evelyn (Their creams are very nice.)

L'Occitaine (Their Cade hard soap is very good.)

Most large malls will have one, if not all those shops. And don't discount the larger chemist stores. I have been surprised by what I have found in some of those, at least in Melbourne.

Also try the "ethnic" grocers. They often stock brands like Proraso, etc.

I found this for you Carl
Tabac Original Shaving Soap Refill Bowl | CD WOW! Australia
or this
http://www.fragrancesandcosmetics.co...wl_116994.html
Hope it helps

I hear what you're saying Carl, it is hard to find things in this country. I don't think the 'resurgence' of the cut-throat culture is quite as 'in' here as it is in a country like the US, but it is does seem to be on the rise, albeit, slowly and more towards DE than CT. Just my opinion though. I could well be wrong.
That "Brown Tube" is Fauldings shave cream and it isn't too bad...Certainly cheap enough if you find you don't like it.

You didn't mention the products you were hunting for. If you drop some names we might be able to help you some more. As Geoff (Havachat) said, Gaia is good stuff. I'm using that at the moment, I've also got a tub of Wahl and a C&E Sandalwood hard soap from the 'Shaver Shop'. Fauldings in my toiletry kit for travel. You can get (for a price of about $48) Penhaligon shave cream from Mens Shaving Cream | Use shave cream for a close shave. The Endymion has a fantastic scent, and is on my shopping list to get more. I love that stuff.

If you let us know though mate...


Mick

Originally Posted by Havachat45

Hey Carl,
If there is anything I can get for you, I'll be happy to post it to you.
I'll see if I can source some Tabac shave soap for you here in Bris.
I got some Gaia shave cream in Coles - Priceline also have it I think - it's nice stuff too
Merry Christmas to you and the family.
Geoff

That's very nice of you Geoff. I tried Priceline and couldn't even find the shaving gear at all. I didn't want to ask as normally I get blank stares when I say 'good' shaving cream and soap...I think Men's Biz will have to be it, they do stock Tabac and my favourite cream, Musgo Real. Guess I'll just need to be patient and put up with the delivery, which is quite quick actually. Because I don't have a credit card, i need to pay by e cheque, and I have to wait for that to clear (4 days)...

Thanks for the offer though, but I hate to burden other people...

Originally Posted by Havachat45

I found this for you Carl
Tabac Original Shaving Soap Refill Bowl | CD WOW! Australia
or this
Tabac Tabac Original Shaving Soap Refill Bowl discount cosmetics fragrances | Fresh™ | Buy Tabac products make up skincare beauty Australia online
Hope it helps

Wow! Very nice and helpful, Geoff! Men's Biz have the Tabac soap in a bowl for 25 buck, I think I'll order that now, that way I don't need to use another bowl and it has a lid. Thanks a lot for the help though!!

Originally Posted by MickR

I hear what you're saying Carl, it is hard to find things in this country. I don't think the 'resurgence' of the cut-throat culture is quite as 'in' here as it is in a country like the US, but it is does seem to be on the rise, albeit, slowly and more towards DE than CT. Just my opinion though. I could well be wrong.
That "Brown Tube" is Fauldings shave cream and it isn't too bad...Certainly cheap enough if you find you don't like it.

You didn't mention the products you were hunting for. If you drop some names we might be able to help you some more. As Geoff (Havachat) said, Gaia is good stuff. I'm using that at the moment, I've also got a tub of Wahl and a C&E Sandalwood hard soap from the 'Shaver Shop'. Fauldings in my toiletry kit for travel. You can get (for a price of about $48) Penhaligon shave cream from Mens Shaving Cream | Use shave cream for a close shave. The Endymion has a fantastic scent, and is on my shopping list to get more. I love that stuff.

If you let us know though mate...


Mick

That's right, Fauldings. Used to be a favourite, for a rather odd reason. The reason is that at Kapooka you could buy only two creams, and that was one. 48 recruits all shaving with one of two creams at the same time meant that it has special memories for me...

I'm looking for a bunch of stuff, from time to time (it changes), I guess most people need to go to different providers. It'd be good to find one place that stocks a whole bunch of things (creams, soaps, AS, etc). I guess men's Biz is one of the best in Aust that I've seen on line, but they don't have some of the aftershaves I want (like Pinaud Clubman). I'll look for Gaia. Actually, now I'm thinking maybe my 'rant' was a little unfair...

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

That's right, Fauldings. Used to be a favourite, for a rather odd reason. The reason is that at Kapooka you could buy only two creams, and that was one. 48 recruits all shaving with one of two creams at the same time meant that it has special memories for me...

I'm looking for a bunch of stuff, from time to time (it changes), I guess most people need to go to different providers. It'd be good to find one place that stocks a whole bunch of things (creams, soaps, AS, etc). I guess men's Biz is one of the best in Aust that I've seen on line, but they don't have some of the aftershaves I want (like Pinaud Clubman). I'll look for Gaia. Actually, now I'm thinking maybe my 'rant' was a little unfair...

I haven't been able to find Pinaud Clubman in Aus. It's funny, when I went to Pasteurs in NYC the only things I bought were a bottle of Pinaud and a stick of Arko. They are so cheap that I could never justify importing them and paying postage from OS. Both good products though, IMO.

There is also Himage.com in AUstralia too. They don't have Pinaud either though. I know, I'm looking for some myself. Shave shack has Ogallala Bay Rum. Get a sample pack of htat stuff to ry them all, but I recommend the Sandalwood flavour in that one. There is also The Shave Shed, Traditional Shaving to try.
It is a problem that no one place stocks all the varieties, but you gotta make do with what ya got in this country.


P.S Maybe we should all get together and email a selected vendor such as Mensbiz.com to stock some of these hard to gets.

Mick