Thread: Whatever happened to....

I've been around these parts for quite some time. During this time I've seen them come and go. What everyone was raving about seems to fall by the wayside and something else becomes the darling brand.

Since this is the Soaps and Creams Forum, whatever happened to Xpec? At one time it was the heavyweight champ. Nothing else came close. it was numero uno. I still have mine and I used it today and I still think it's tops.

What do you all think and and what about other contenders that have seemingly lost favor around here?

I really liked Xpec. I finished a tub of it and plan on getting another once I use some of my current soap supply.

It seems a lot of the formerly go-to soaps so many of us were recommended when I started this almost 10 years ago don't get much play anymore: Tabac, MWF, Proraso and some other old stalwarts now take a back seat to all of the amazing artisan-level soaps such as MDC, Wholly Kaw, Noble Otter and so many others I can't keep up with. They're just a whole other level in most cases even above such old-time stalwarts. Though I'm near the end of a puck of MWF, and would like another tube of Tabac cream, I've got years worth of soaps and creams in my rotation as it is! I'm sure that many if not most of the smaller makers can't last long-term, and that the market will decide which ones survive. We have such a dizzying array of choices now!

About 5 years ago I went from 2 tabac pucks a year soap budget to buying anything and everything. End of the day it's soap. It works. They all do. I'm not saying I regret it though. Now my goal is to live long enough to use all of it.

Last time I checked Xpec was sold out everywhere. I wanted to get some but never found any available. Maybe things are different now.

There is always a new flavour of the month so I have given up on the game of buying soaps. I'll just try to use up what I have and stick to the old stalwarts as they just plain work.

Bob

The market is oversaturated with too many excellent soaps for there to be a heavyweight champ. I have fun trying a lot of different soaps although most don't enter my regular rotation. I have a handful of soaps that are my personal "champs" that I use most days of the week, and probably always will as long as they are available, but I doubt that I'll ever tire of reading about and trying something new, just for the fun of it.

Xpec was (is ) something really special. From a technical standpoint it was perfect with every characteristic you would want in soap in spades. The scent was from heaven. it was a type of almost universal floral scent that everyone seemed to love. I never heard anyone ever say they didn't like it as opposed to those who dislike MDC or CF.

Eventually Obie will chime in and I'm sure he has more to say on this.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Last time I checked Xpec was sold out everywhere. I wanted to get some but never found any available. Maybe things are different now.

I understand Smallflower has it in stock. Not cheap at $62 for 250ml.

I bought some from The Old Town Shaving Company two years ago ($59 + shipping). Heck, I was so tempted to buy another tub at 25% off when they ran a final clearance last year before closing shop for good.

The main reason I didn't order another tub had more to do with my preference for the cream formulation...and the constant allure of so many of other lather champs like MdC, CF, Alvarez Gomez, ....

OBTW, 250 ml is 25% more than the traditional 200ml cream/croap/soap container. Just FYI.