Damn Cork Sniffin'...

Easy to get caught up in it as a newb (can i not be newb after 3 months btw? How about experienced beginner?), and you miss the real gems out there.

So i live in the uk, and it would appear that the european wet shave market is much more alive than the US market. I discovered this because i found a place online that was importing euro products to the states and was charging like 7 pounds for things like Boots shave soap, Ingram shave cream and palmolive shave cream. This stuff costs like 2 pounds here.

Was i missing something?

Yes i was actually, in all my newb enthusiasm i missed the everyday stuff that i can buy in independent chemists. In fact the boots soap was my first soap, bought with a cheap brush and i discounted it as soon as i got my Trumpers cream. The fact i wasn't getting a good lather was way more to do with me being a beginner than the quality. You know what? it's not bad at all, good lather, nice smell etc etc. The Palmolive and Ingrams were insanely good for 2 quid.

And there's a whole bunch more stuff out there to try.

Quite right tekbow. Price is not always indicative of quality. Proraso is considered a "budget" brand yet is very good, as is Speick, which I understand is a cheap brand in its native Germany. They are in regular rotation with my other, more expensive, soaps and creams and I wouldn't want to be without any of them.

Happy sampling,

Ryan

there's the thing, maybe we shouldn't be considering things like these as "budget", rather as standard, and the things like Trumpers etc should be seen as luxury? The creams i mentioned will definitely be in my rotation and will be replaced with the same when they're used.

My friend has went back home to Romania on holiday and they're going to go get me some of the euro stuff not available off the shelf in the uk, so am looking forward to that. Hoping for some poraso given the proximity to italy and there's a palmolive aloe vera cream that's made there for the romanian market too.

A one time in the past I seem to remember something some business type wrote about how to extract the max out of someones wallet and calling it imported was one of the real buzzwords. Actually unless you go with a crafts-person who makes soap for instance I don't know of any commercial outfits making real quality shave soap or cream in the U.S.

I'm sure if there was Obie would have told us about it.:)

It is easy to forget about the staples, Proraso for example, in OZ that has always been available because of the massive Italian immigration after WW2, but it is a staple, there is a lot of crap out there also, so still get an opinion on it before you go and dive into the lower end stuff too much.

Quality stuff is quality stuff.

Haven't tried palmolive cream or soap (for some reason it doesn't seem to be available up here in Finland), but even their canned shaving gel is pretty damn good COMPARED TO OTHER CANNED GOO.
Being Dutch though, at home I have always shaved with De Vergulde Hand, which costs about €2,50 for a stic, €3 for a cup and available in abundance. For me it was even cheaper because I stole my dad's. I just had to have some of it, ordered a stick with some other stuff from back home, probably set me back for a grand total of €4,50.

Edit Ps: I still consider paying $15 (total import price) for a Mama Bear's soap which will last me quite a while pretty much low budget.

My folks were on holiday touring a few places in Europe and I gave them a small list of every day stuff from over there that is pricier than need be here in the states due to shipping. The Palmolive cream they gave me is outstanding. And it cost them two bucks. Can't get anything of that caliber here for that price. Closest thing is the re-branded Proraso. I envy your ease of access to decent stuff without a huge markup.

there must be a cheaper way of getting stuff like the palmolive and ingrams out to the states?

Maybe i can buy a case wholesale or something here if i can find out where and you guys can do a group buy covering the cost of that and postage to the states? it's bound to come in cheaper than the 11-14 dollars i see it imported for and sold seperately for over there

Bharner, I saw your other thread and I'm glad you having a great time with it :) i got some erasmic the other day for £2 (soap) and it's good stuff as well.

Pithor, am pretty sure they sell that in Holland, How often do you get home from Finland? will have to try the "DeVergulde Hand" you mentioned next time i work there

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

A one time in the past I seem to remember something some business type wrote about how to extract the max out of someones wallet and calling it imported was one of the real buzzwords. Actually unless you go with a crafts-person who makes soap for instance I don't know of any commercial outfits making real quality shave soap or cream in the U.S.

I'm sure if there was Obie would have told us about it.:)

---

My dear thebigspendur:

How right you are. I have yet to find a commercially made shave soap in the U.S. that I would consider of high quality. Sure, several mediocre soaps have been around for a long time, but we don't have much to brag about.

From what I can see, some artisan soaps are the best hope. There, too, I am careful to say "some" artisan soaps, since I have come across many at art fairs, specialty stores and flea markets that have been poor in lather, among other elements.

Regards,

Obie

Hey guys, little update after my friends come back from romania.. They broguht me some romanian market only palmolive with aloe vera, palmolive cool (same as palmolive italian menthol) something called Maxim and something called Denim. I am intrigued, and not one of the cost more thasn 2 euros

ok so, here's everything it was possible to buy in edinburgh with a few bits brought over from europe by my mate. None of these cost more than 2 pounds (in fact the palmolive shave stick which is tallow based cost 75p!!)

Attachment 73629

The first one i tried was the palmolive cool, and just wow. more tingley than the ingrams outright blast, but you know given these are 2 quid, and trumpers etc start at £15, there really isn't £13 of difference.. in fact some of them perfrom equally well.

Left to right , row by row we have

Boots the chemists shave soap, Palmolive classic (uk and europe), Erasmic shave soap (cream also available here), Ingrams menthol cream, Maxim menthol and aloe vera cream (romania), Denim (romania, still have to try), Palmolive (romania, slightly different fornulation apparently, Not the aloe one i thought it was but that's on its way) Palmolive cool (romanian market, menthol), and Palmolive shave stick (tallow for 75p)