Thread: Favourite brick and mortar obtainable soaps/creams?

About the only soap or cream available at local stores in the Chicago area that I will use is Cremo. Although its performance is not nearly as good as the products I use routinely, it is my product of choice for travel. I carry a synthetic brush and can whip up a lather in a coffee cup from the hotel room. Although Cremo is designed to be used without a brush, I prefer lathering it with a brush.

It does produce a very slick lather. Unfortunately, the cushion and post shave feel are just average. Overall, it gets the job done, so it is a convenient product for travel.

If only Pasteur Pharmacy was my local pharmacy!

Originally Posted by RayClem

About the only soap or cream available at local stores in the Chicago area that I will use is Cremo. Although its performance is not nearly as good as the products I use routinely, it is my product of choice for travel. I carry a synthetic brush and can whip up a lather in a coffee cup from the hotel room. Although Cremo is designed to be used without a brush, I prefer lathering it with a brush.

It does produce a very slick lather. Unfortunately, the cushion and post shave feel are just average. Overall, it gets the job done, so it is a convenient product for travel.

Looks like this place in Chicago has a lot of excellent shaving brands.

https://www.merzapothecary.com/

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Looks like this place in Chicago has a lot of excellent shaving brands.

https://www.merzapothecary.com/

Bob

Mertz Apothecary is also known as Smallflower or Q Shaves. I have purchased from them. Although I live in the Chicago area, Mertz is hardly local for me They have two locations. One is downtown. One is in Lincoln Park. I live about 45 miles northwest of downtown. However, with the normal Chicago traffic, it is a two hour drive each way.
I only make the trip downtown once every 2-3 years.

I have purchased from Smallflower, but only online. I can order and get it delivered in 1-2 days. That is a lot less hassle than trying to visit in person.

Originally Posted by RayClem

Mertz Apothecary is also known as Smallflower or Q Shaves. I have purchased from them. Although I live in the Chicago area, Mertz is hardly local for me They have two locations. One is downtown. One is in Lincoln Park. I live about 45 miles northwest of downtown. However, with the normal Chicago traffic, it is a two hour drive each way.
I only make the trip downtown once every 2-3 years.

I have purchased from Smallflower, but only online. I can order and get it delivered in 1-2 days. That is a lot less hassle than trying to visit in person.

You know I think I would make the drive at least once just to be able to walk into a place like that with all those shaving goods on display. As you say though ordering online is easier.

Bob

fortunately i'm only a hour away from Maggards in MI. Don't get there a lot, but They have definitely got a awesome selection. Of the two brick and mortars i've been to it's definitely the best.

Lucky - I’d love a visit to the Maggards physical store

There was no internet when I got started in this. Williams was my first and it never worked well for me. Of course, I knew very little in those days and I'm willing to believe it was my technique. An old barber advised that I add a little Noxema cold cream to the lather and I remember that helping. (I have no desire to revisit Williams.)

Then one day I found Poraso at the local Target and that was, to coin a phrase, a great leap forward. When Target stopped stocking Poraso, I turned to Van Der Hagen and that was a decent performer. It's easy to look down one's nose at VDH but it is a solid 'good' soap and it amazes me how many more expensive soaps don't work any better for me.

For perspective, my current go-to soap is Stirling which to my frugal mind offers performance that is worth the extra cost over VDH.

Semper circa,
LG Roy

Barber up the road aways has a small selection of Fine beand soaps and aftershaves+ a beauty supply place my wife will frequent sells tubes of Green Bugelow Cream.. Could live and be content with those for a while if needed..