True...I use mine several times a week face lathering and my tub has lasted more than a year.
Acqua di Parma, Collezione Barbiere
- Thread starter Marco
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True...I use mine several times a week face lathering and my tub has lasted more than a year.
I picked a tub at Holt Renfrew during one of my visits to Toronto. All my doubts vanished after the first shave...it's an absolutely fantastic cream!! The chubby (1 or 2) and this cream is a match made in heaven 
It is by far my favourite soap/cream now. I'm definitely going to be trying some of the other exotic european soaps when I make a dent in my current rotation.
When P.160 was still readily available, I could obtain it for about €6,50 per kilo excluding S&H, meaning that I would be able to purchase nearly 8 kilograms of quality shaving soap instead of just a measly 125 grams. If my calculator didn't make any mistakes, the cost per unit weight is a staggering 63 times higher with Acqua di Parma's offering, for more or less the same ingredients responsible for the shave itself.
There is a limit to how much you can overcharge, and it is crossed with gusto by this product. But hey, it's your bank statement, not mine.
I have both and they are no where near the same offering, P.160 is good but not on the same planet as AdP. I will be another jar of AdP when I run out, P.160 probably not (if it were not discontinued).
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- #28
Excuse me mate, but your comparison between P.160 and Acqua di Parma is, in my opinion, wrong.
For the simple reason that you are comparing two products that are completely different and that were created for different purposes.
P.160 is a classic, traditional soap/cream created for professional Barbershop use and, therefore, it necessarily has to be much more reasonably priced ( 6.50 per kilo is correct).
Acqua di Parma, instead, was created with the clear intention to offer a luxurious, high quality, unique product.
So, when you buy AdP, you know that you are spending a lot of money, but you also know that you are purchasing a super exclusive shaving cream.
Just my thoughts.
I never even use mine. 
'Not on the same planet'...???? I severely doubt that, actually. They simply can't be, both for obvious and not so obvious reasons. We are on planet Earth still, for one thing
. For seconds, you may like the particular mix of fatty acids in AdP better than that of P.160: the genuine YMMV-issue surrounding any shaving product. This applies to myself too: regrettably I cannot shave with P.160 because of its almond fragrance which my skin objects to. But the YMMV-issue is not the point I was making. The point is that you're purchasing the same fatty acids, most likely from very similar sources; and despite all the impressive plant extracts there is nothing else in AdP shaving cream which could warrant its stellar price.No: you are, with all due respect, a customer willing to fork out a lot of cash for very common ingredients and tricking yourself into believing that because some (read: the marketing department at AdP) call it 'exclusive', the price ought to be high; and because the price is so high, it remains 'exclusive' because many people can't afford it.Marco said:
Please understand what I'm saying here: I'm sure that AdP is a fine cream in its own right, so by all means continue using and enjoying it. I will even readily admit to being interested in trying it for myself sometime. But anyone purchasing it at a price higher than €20 or so—I'm willing to be generous with the stylish packaging and the cost of the Colonia fragrance—is spending the considerable remainder on nothing but an abstract marketing idea, in fact a guilty pleasure of sorts. I don't quite see how that idea helps to improve the shave: to my knowledge the stubble and blade edges do not interact with the luxury and exclusiveness of the lather which surrounds them both. Then again I'm (very obviously) a down-to-Earth kinda guy who seeks pleasure in the skill of the shave itself and the compliments of his partner when he is finished
. Those aspects can't be bought or luxuried or made exclusive, after all.By the way, this argument applies equally to soaps and creams made by Penhaligon's, Floris, Creed, Castle Forbes, Martin de Candre, Knize 10, XPEC, and quite a few others who are too unknown ('exclusive'
) to appear on a forum such as this, so please don't think I'm singling out Acqua di Parma in any way.
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- #31
No: you are, with all due respect, a customer willing to fork out a lot of cash for very common ingredients and tricking yourself into believing that because some (read: the marketing department at AdP) call it 'exclusive', the price ought to be high; and because the price is so high, it remains 'exclusive' because many people can't afford it.
Please understand what I'm saying here: I'm sure that AdP is a fine cream in its own right, so by all means continue using and enjoying it. I will even readily admit to being interested in trying it for myself sometime. But anyone purchasing it at a price higher than €20 or so—I'm willing to be generous with the stylish packaging and the cost of the Colonia fragrance—is spending the considerable remainder on nothing but an abstract marketing idea, in fact a guilty pleasure of sorts. I don't quite see how that idea helps to improve the shave: to my knowledge the stubble and blade edges do not interact with the luxury and exclusiveness of the lather which surrounds them both. Then again I'm (very obviously) a down-to-Earth kinda guy who seeks pleasure in the skill of the shave itself and the compliments of his partner when he is finished
By the way, this argument applies equally to soaps and creams made by Penhaligon's, Floris, Creed, Castle Forbes, Martin de Candre, Knize 10, XPEC, and quite a few others who are too unknown ('exclusive'
Well, I respect your ideas.
But this is only your point of view, not mine.
I simply divide shaving soaps/creams into two categories: good ones and bad ones, regardless of price.
Acqua di Parma is one of the very best ones, and not because it is so much highly priced but because, for me, it represents the excellence under every aspect:
gorgeous packaging (the most refined I've ever seen), amazing scent, superb lather, outstanding performance and perfect shave.
At all this add that AdP is one of the most prestigious, renowned and appreciated brands all over the World, with a great tradition here in Italy.
It certainly has a life-time spot in my rotation of high quality creams.
Acqua di Parma is Acqua di Parma: top-notch, luxurious, unique.
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I love and use Aqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere shave cream on a regular basis; I even posted a review some time ago.....
Marco originally states that, "Therefore Old School wet shavers like me CANNOT consider Collezione Barbiere as a classical line with ages of history"
I'm curious to know his views on the 3T's of the British empire?
In most cases, the base creams comes from the same supplier, and although the barber shops have been in business for over 100 years, I don't think that the creams we love and use today are in any way what they were when it all got started. Some may have not been producing shave cream from their inception.
I may be completely off basis (wouldn't be the first time), and I would like to read well-sourced input on this topic.
Marco originally states that, "Therefore Old School wet shavers like me CANNOT consider Collezione Barbiere as a classical line with ages of history"
I'm curious to know his views on the 3T's of the British empire?
In most cases, the base creams comes from the same supplier, and although the barber shops have been in business for over 100 years, I don't think that the creams we love and use today are in any way what they were when it all got started. Some may have not been producing shave cream from their inception.
I may be completely off basis (wouldn't be the first time), and I would like to read well-sourced input on this topic.
I agree whole-heartedly with your assessment of Acqua di Parma...that tub sees regular counter use in my washroom...I absolutely love the cream.
I would appreciate a top 3-5 listing of your favourite creams/soaps...which ones do you consider to be up there with AdP?
I would appreciate a top 3-5 listing of your favourite creams/soaps...which ones do you consider to be up there with AdP?
I agree whole-heartedly with your assessment of Acqua di Parma...that tub sees regular counter use in my washroom...I absolutely love the cream.
I would appreciate a top 3-5 listing of your favourite creams/soaps...which ones do you consider to be up there with AdP?
I have AdP and think it is amazing. You also need very, very little, which makes it a bit more economical. I bet you could get a year of shaves out of one jar. $62 a year isn't that much for shaving cream.
Cymric, I do see your point. Would I buy another jar of AdP for $62? Heck no. But it is an outstanding shave? Heck yes!
Is a Rolls Royce that much better than a Mercedes costing 1/3 the price? Not really. But is a Mercedes 3 times better than a Hyundai? Heck yes. (IMHO).
For me, I like "Mercedes/Lexus" shaving soaps. I spend more, they last a long time, and I enjoy the shave so much more than a cheap shaving soap. I love the 3T's, Nancy Boy, CF, and Cade SS. There are some great cheap creams that I use (Proraso, Arko Commando) but I do prefer the good stuff. And if you surf the BST, they aren't that expensive.
Marco, thanks very much for this review. Quite informative! 
Edited to Add: my $0.02 on the question of cost is that the cost per weight is the wrong cost to use for comparison. It should be the cost per shave.
Example: say cream A costs $10 for 100 grams and cream B costs $30 for 50 grams. From cost per unit sold, I could conclude that B is a whopping 6 times more expensive than A. But let's look at the cost per shave. Say the shaver needs 0.5 grams of A for a shave and only 0.10 for B. This gives us:
100 grams / 0.5 grams = 200 shaves from cream A
50 grams / 0.1 grams = 500 shaves from cream B
200 shaves @ $10 is $0.05 per shave
500 shaves @ $30 is $0.06 per shave
B is still more expensive than A, but by 20%, not 600%. If sold in shave equivalent amounts, A would cost $5.00 for 100 shaves and B would cost $6.00 for 100.
I bring this up because in the case of Castle Forbes, you can get by with a shockingly small amount of cream to develop a bowl full of lather. On a cost per shave basis, I think it might even be as inexpensive as Omega or Proraso.
Edited AGAIN to add: I hope this doesn't creative further contentiousness on the subject; I just wanted to point out what I believe to be the correct unit of comparison. I've not used AdP, so I have no idea how little or much you have to use to get a shave's worth of lather. I hope, however, we can all agree that this is how we should be comparing cost.
Edited to Add: my $0.02 on the question of cost is that the cost per weight is the wrong cost to use for comparison. It should be the cost per shave.
Example: say cream A costs $10 for 100 grams and cream B costs $30 for 50 grams. From cost per unit sold, I could conclude that B is a whopping 6 times more expensive than A. But let's look at the cost per shave. Say the shaver needs 0.5 grams of A for a shave and only 0.10 for B. This gives us:
100 grams / 0.5 grams = 200 shaves from cream A
50 grams / 0.1 grams = 500 shaves from cream B
200 shaves @ $10 is $0.05 per shave
500 shaves @ $30 is $0.06 per shave
B is still more expensive than A, but by 20%, not 600%. If sold in shave equivalent amounts, A would cost $5.00 for 100 shaves and B would cost $6.00 for 100.
I bring this up because in the case of Castle Forbes, you can get by with a shockingly small amount of cream to develop a bowl full of lather. On a cost per shave basis, I think it might even be as inexpensive as Omega or Proraso.
Edited AGAIN to add: I hope this doesn't creative further contentiousness on the subject; I just wanted to point out what I believe to be the correct unit of comparison. I've not used AdP, so I have no idea how little or much you have to use to get a shave's worth of lather. I hope, however, we can all agree that this is how we should be comparing cost.
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- Thread starter
- #36
I agree whole-heartedly with your assessment of Acqua di Parma...that tub sees regular counter use in my washroom...I absolutely love the cream.
I would appreciate a top 3-5 listing of your favourite creams/soaps...which ones do you consider to be up there with AdP?
Thank you, mate.
A top list of my favourite creams/soaps?
Sure, here you are:
Castle Forbes Lime Oil (favourite top-shelf shaving cream),
Cella crema sapone extra extra purissima (favourite shaving soap),
Proraso (favourite low cost shaving cream/soap).
But also:
Acqua di Parma Collezione Barbiere (most luxurious cream),
Crema da Barba Santa Maria Novella (most traditional, "Proraso like" soap/cream),
Castle Forbes Lavender Oil (same overall quality as CF L.O. cream),
T&H Ultimate Comfort (best T&H cream),
Trumpers Extract of Limes (favourite GFT cream).
Thanks Marco...now I have a list to keep around when my stock needs replenishing!!!
- Thread starter
- #38
Thanks Marco...now I have a list to keep around when my stock needs replenishing!!!
I forgot to add P.160 and Figaro!
Marco, I enjoyed very much your review of AdP, including the company history. I've also enjoyed reading the discussion on it's value, with the different perspectives around how to determine the value of shaving creams, and soaps, too. There's an interesting blend here of the quality of ingredients and packaging that contributes to both the effectiveness of a product, and the enjoyment of a product. Seems to me there is plenty of room for variances in opinion in both areas. I still haven't found "the one" shaving cream that tops my list in both areas such that I will only use that one shaving cream from now on. There's more reasons for me to decide which cream to use than just "cost per gram" or "cost per shave", or even which one gives the very best shave. There's some value in variety. To me, it's somewhat similar to food. Sometimes I want steak, and sometimes I want a chili dog.
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- #40
Thank you very much.
And yes, we have seen different ideas and different opinions here regarding the "real value" of a shaving product, and with real value I intend something that goes much further than the sole price or cost per gram.
I totally agree with you on this point.
Just one shaving cream or soap?
No!
One of the greatest pleasures of wet shaving is variety, as you properly stated above.
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