Thread: The Gentlemen's Quarter - Free Samples

Originally Posted by ffourteen

A couple/few other notes:

1) I have already purchased both fragrance and a full-sized puck from TGQ, so, my money is where my mouth (fingers?) is. Or are.

2) I would like to request, humbly and for the distant future, the availability of matching fragrance aftershave lotions. Nothing more disappointing than covering the soap’s incredible scent up with some other smell at the end of the shave.

3) Sign me up for any future rounds of product testing, please! I could product test these all day long...

Hi ffourteen

Over the years I've made several Aftershave prototypes, but to me what I have made is more of a tonic. I have several test products that I made. I LOVE testing lol....shoulda been a scientist Years ago I found the whole "Aftershave" issue puzzling. Men were calling aftershave what I consider to be a "weak cologne" or what I grew up with in the mountains called "Sweet Water". To me an "Aftershave" should be used to help soothe the skin, be healing, moisturizing, and smell yummy too. Annnnnd I still puzzle over it!

Not to get off track here....just bear with me. Several months ago the SBA and the WV HIVE Assoc. took an interest in my company because they'd never seen a business "out of business" yet still maintained a customer base lol. It's a strange, crazy, funny story, and one I'll share someday. They offered to help me get my business moved to the next level, and I agreed Part of the help I needed was with labeling.....and "Aftershave" labels are in the works....or, what I call "Sweet Water" in my mind. Not sure how far out we are in terms of time, because we've been working on the new "Shaving Soap" labels, and those are being finalized as we speak.

The Aftershave labels are next.....but there will be a delay because a new opportunity presented itself with our shaving soaps, and I'm preparing for that this week and part of next.

Well....I "think" I attached a picture of the new label, lol. I'm very pleased with the design and hope you will be too

OK....well, nope apparently not let me try that again. hmmmm. ok, it let me attach an earlier mock up of the new label. There have been revisions since, but the overall design is the same.

That label looks great. Sounds like an interesting story.
If you were ever selling in a store/market setting you may want labels with larger text. JMO
That design looks really good though. Classy Who was involved does nice work.

I agree, that label looks great, has a classy look to it.
Also on the part about soothing, healing, moisturizing.. many aftershaves seem to me to focus more on astringency and smell.. often too heavy on the smell and conflicting with other smells. IMHO.
I end up more often using a toner that does those three things and ph balances the skin.
That way I can use whichever cologne I want and having an aftershave that focuses on the most important elements of skin care without competing with the cologne.
Seems like you could have scented and non-scented?

Originally Posted by MikeT

I agree, that label looks great, has a classy look to it.
Also on the part about soothing, healing, moisturizing.. many aftershaves seem to me to focus more on astringency and smell.. often too heavy on the smell and conflicting with other smells. IMHO.
I end up more often using a toner that does those three things and ph balances the skin.
That way I can use whichever cologne I want and having an aftershave that focuses on the most important elements of skin care without competing with the cologne.
Seems like you could have scented and non-scented?

Hey MikeT, That's kinda my thought on the Aftershave too! Something that's soothing to skin I have one AS called "Workhorse".....that I've worked on for a really long time if I count my extended sabbatical lol, and actually sold it before closing up and moving to another state. It had excellent reviews back then. I named it workhorse, because it's good for all skin types, has no alcohol......but it does have a small amount of Witch Hazel Hydrosol. It's made with Calendula and Plantain.....that I pick myself, and make an infusion from, gently extracting all that goodness.

Other things too, that I've picked to add to it, but laws.....ya know I got to run to the store for coffee and bread. I'll be back later with a picture of the updated labels too. I'm so excited!

It's super nice.

Originally Posted by churley

OK....well, nope apparently not let me try that again. hmmmm. ok, it let me attach an earlier mock up of the new label. There have been revisions since, but the overall design is the same.

Excellent label! Classy and simple all at the same time. Luxurious (not a common word in my vocabulary). One of the best labels I have seen for a shave soap!

Good Morning, Steel

Thank you for the compliment! I tell ya we've gone round and round with the design lol, so I'm really pleased that you like the label. There've been a few revisions since the one above, let me see If I can attach a new one.

Good Morning, Gentlemen

Time to catch up. Earlier in our story, I promised that a woman who carries around a basket of shaving soap, traipsing back and forth thru the woods usually leads an interesting life Now I don't try for it to be that way, life just seems to work out that way on it's own.

Because I've been out of business for such a long time, I'll tell you true, that I feel a lot of pressure in needing to catch up, or get this business back up to speed ....and did I mention, I'm not getting any younger either.

A couple of months ago, I sent a message to a very kind man whom I met at someone's holiday gathering. ( I'm a shy girl, ya know....the stereotypical book nerd) So it took a lot of muster for me to send this message; after all, it had been two years.....like he's even gonna remember me right lol. I asked for guidance on how to get my product into "The Greenbrier Resort". The Greenbrier - America's Resort since 1778

A series of phone calls ensued .....and we've been given the opportunity to present our shaving soaps for a possible wholesale account at their incredibly beautiful resort/shops area. I'm beyond excited, and more than a little nervous. I'm ready.....but not.

I spoke with the person who is over purchasing, and based upon when we thought we'd have the labels ready, offered to send a box of finished product. However.......the labels turned out not to be ready but just a few days delay right.....I can handle that; but THEN......the printer I use is on vacation ALL week....omg. Me trying the door handle, hand covering brow trying to peer in thru the glass, so I can spot someone to tell them, no, no....y'all got to open back up, hell....now what!!! Holy smokes batman!

So, to buy a little time, I sent a box of shaving soap samples to the buyer (turns out he's a wet-shaver) I felt like this was a little risky......he's never seen our product, never heard of anything about TGQ. The samples he received were packaged the the same as yours. Nice plastic bags and all !! Holy cow! But in the end I decided that the important part was whether or not the shaving soap is a quality product, not the packaging. If he likes the product, then the packaging will be the icing on the cake.

I would like permission to share some of your comments about the product to the buyer. Is this ok ? I would like to use your name....I can do first initial, last name. Is this alright ?

Colleen

Hi Colleen,

Yeah I guess for me aftershave is something soothing, to calm the skin. I have really sensitive skin so a no alcohol product with witch hazel is exciting! Keep us updated on that!

The labels look nice, really classy and a good fit for your products. Another thing that I think might be useful is playing up the sourcing of the materials and their tradition within the context of the products… that was something that first caught my eye.

I’d be happy to let you use my feedback. Good luck on the deal!

Good Evening, Gentlemen

I've tried more than once to do a little update, and then found myself pulled away to another task. Many things happening here at TGQ! Next Wednesday I have a face to face meeting with my contact at the Greenbrier. Of the samples I sent him, he does have a favorite and he uses it everyday .....to me this was a crucial hurdle to pass.

Based on that alone, I feel confident in moving forward for our meeting, even though this will be a first for me. I am glued to youtube lol....studying presentation skills, whilst in the back of my mind I'm thinking things like....dear God, please don't let me knock anything over. I did go out and buy a nice business suit, and a carry tote on wheels. That one occurred to me as I envisioned my arrival at the Greenbrier....check....have my "readers"....check......got the goods....check.....wait a minute, hell....they're in a cardboard box. Ok, that won't work...

Stay tuned.....