Anyone else obsessed with buying products with complete "sets"

[Eben Stone]

There are a few products I want to buy but they don't offer a complete set (ex: preshave and soap and aftershave) so I've been holding back.

For example, I want to try TOBS grapefruit soap but haven't bought it because they don't offer a grapefruit aftershave.

Same thing with Chiseled Face Santa Paula.

I'm reluctant to mix brands because I have a very strong sense of smell and I'm concerned the scents won't match close enough for my liking.

Should I just give up this nonsense of everythimg must match exactly and just buy individual items and mix brands and scents?

 

[MilkCrate]

I buy soap and AS sets

 

[RayClem]

I have puchased sets only when that is the only way a product is offered. I try to purchase shaving soaps that are so good that I do not need either a pre-shave product or a post-shave product. I do have a couple of pre-shaves and a small collection of balms, aftershaves and colognes, but I rarely use either of the added products. In contrast, I have a very large collection of soaps.

 

[musicman1951]

I don't use preshave or aftershave, but it sounds like a fine idea to me. Enjoy.

 

[Smooth and Sharp]

I only look for a matching AS when I like a soap a lot. So I dont buy them together. Only set I have is Barrister's reserve waves. Soon I'll receive Tabac AS because I really like the soap.

 

[Screeby]

I have been doing Stirling soap/as/edt as a set. I am the same way as you.

KM

 

[razorboi]

If you need a pre-shave, I can understand you're wanting to have the same scent as the shaving soap. But you're needlessly limiting yourself.
There are a lot of great shaving soaps that don't have a matching pre-shave. You could try an unscented pre-shave to go along with those, if necessary.
There are more soaps with matching after-shaves, but not all, and you needn't limit yourself there either. The shaving soap scent is really only meant to be enjoyed whilst shaving. The scent doesn't linger much, especially if rinsed off rather than merely wiped with a cloth.
I, for one, wouldn't hesitate to use a different shaving soap and after-shave. In fact, I do it most of the time. I don't notice the shaving-soap scent lingering and clashing with the after-shave. Indeed, the after-shave scent itself doesn't last very long, which is why I generally prefer to buy a cologne or EDT.
Some of the mail-order purveyors offer small samples of shaving soaps and creams. You could try out a new scent without committing yourself to a full-size puck or tube.

 

[Vespasian]

I guess I have two "sets:" Speick cream and AS; and Fine Italian Citrus soap and AS. The former because it is such an unusual aroma, the latter because the scent is so strong that is would overpower anything else. Normally, with milder aromatic soaps like MdC, I use 4711 cologne as an aftershave. I love the smell, and it doesn't linger.

 

[Peterv1]

Usually when I like a particular soap scent I look for the matching aftershave as well, as for buying a set these are the ones I purchased

Aqua di parma shave cream + aftershave balm
Barrister & mann seville + aftershave
Tobs jermyn street + aftershave
Tobs Mr Taylor + aftershave
Saponificio varesino 70th + aftershave

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I don't have a set of anything. I don't like one product dictating to me what other products I should use. I'm supposed to own them, not the other way around. I don't subscribe to brand loyalty either. I pick and choose as I see fit. Each individual product has to earn my money, not piggyback their way into my wallet off another product.

I tend towards unscented soaps, then add the scent with an aftershave or EdT, or use a scented soap and forego that additional scent... unless I already have something that I think might complement it.

I will choose a product that comes from a set, and has matching lotions and potions, but won't be swayed to buy it, just because it's from the same line as something else I own.

 

[RookieGuy]

The only set I have is Pinaud Clubman soap and aftershave. But that is more that I was curious about the soap. Soaps and aftershaves don't necessarily need to match to be complimentary.

 

[KrstGor]

I feel your pain, as I'm the same way.

Artisan makers will typically have a matching AS for each soap.

If you want a more budget friendly product, Proraso offers a matching aftershave scent for each of their soap/cream scent-profiles and 4 distinct pre-shaves.

TOBS offers a variety of AS's for their creams and soaps, but not all, as some of those creams are thrown out to "test the market" and if the sales volume do not meet expectations, the matching AS and EDT/EDC won't be developed and the product may eventually become discontinued.

If you're more of a fragrance guy, I guess a reasonable option can be to set for a scentless soap/AS, so you can use your preferred EDP after the shave.

Alternatively, you might want to have a look at companies like Stirling and RazoRock, as they have an entire line of products cloning well-known fragrances, including matching AS, balm, etc (and doing a pretty good job at that TBH).

Here's my thread sometime ago, about RR scent profiles, hope it helps.

Decoding RazoRock scents - clones identified?

Has anyone bothered to compile a guide to RazoRock scents? IIRC, RazoRock makes some excellent, yet inexpensive products and their marketing strategy is making “homage scents”, just like Stirling does. AFAIK, their #1 selling product/scent the XXX is the clone of AdP and the "Irish...

www.badgerandblade.com

If you want the very best soap money can buy, matched with AS and fantastic pre-shaves, I'd look into Saponificio Varesino.

 

[SillyPancake]

My take on this
Pre-shave: I am using Proraso blue, and the scent is so mild, that after 2 minutes you can't notice it.
Soap and AS combination: I dont have any matching combo. Mainly, because if I am 3017 a soap, I am not sure if I can use the AS at the same rate. AS tends to be longer lasting comparing to soap.

But, if you like matching combination, you could check out Gooffellas smile soap, and they have matching AS to them.

 

[samhain666]

No

 

[BigJ]

I take an hybrid approach, going for quality-products first.

Some product lines are well-suited to your approach: Tabac, Fine, Stirling, La Toja, Speick, etc.

Other very fine products are not really available as ‘sets,’ for example MdC, MWF, Haslinger. It is also fun to ‘mix’ and match different product lines!

 

[Ravenonrock]

Arko face wash
Arko pre shave
Arko Shave stick
Arko post shave balm
Arko Skin nutrition
Arko After ShaveSplash
Arko Cologne
Arko Citronella mosquito repellent....perhaps one day

 

[camoloc]

i like soap and AS combos.

only have a few that are this way.......

camo

 

[karacha]

I am not obsessed with it, but I like the option to buy a "set". One of the reasons I like Proraso or Stirling. Since my skin is not particularly sensitive and I only require a nice soap, nothing extravagant, I can use various Proraso sets, like I did this morning: Proraso green soap (with an Italian Flag synthetic brush), Proraso green aftershave, followed by Proraso Cypress & Vetiver cologne, which is the "green" option from their single blade line. I can also use a drop of their Cypress & Vetiver beard oil on my skin during colder and drier winter months for complete experience. Same thing goes for Proraso Red soap+splash, followed by the "red" Wood & Spice cologne and oil. They have a liquid soap for beard and skin too in those cologne scents as well as preshave green and red creams which can also be used post-shave.

As I mentioned, Stirling offers quite a few options as well, if you want a more artisanal soap. Their colognes are solid too, but no creams or oils. Proraso figured it out with these "colored lines" of their products.

 

[Luecke2326]

There are a few products I want to buy but they don't offer a complete set (ex: preshave and soap and aftershave) so I've been holding back.

For example, I want to try TOBS grapefruit soap but haven't bought it because they don't offer a grapefruit aftershave.

Same thing with Chiseled Face Santa Paula.

I'm reluctant to mix brands because I have a very strong sense of smell and I'm concerned the scents won't match close enough for my liking.

Should I just give up this nonsense of everythimg must match exactly and just buy individual items and mix brands and scents?

It's the only thing standing between you and $100's of dollars of shaving goods. It might be a good thing lol.

I'm the same, I prefer a matching aftershave splash, but on rare occasions I buy without a matching AS. For example MDC, I own all the MDC scents, none of them have matching AS.

SO, would it be a stretch to say you don't own any MDC?

 

[KrstGor]

I am not obsessed with it, but I like the option to buy a "set". One of the reasons I like Proraso or Stirling. Since my skin is not particularly sensitive and I only require a nice soap, nothing extravagant, I can use various Proraso sets, like I did this morning: Proraso green soap (with an Italian Flag synthetic brush), Proraso green aftershave, followed by Proraso Cypress & Vetiver cologne, which is the "green" option from their single blade line. I can also use a drop of their Cypress & Vetiver beard oil on my skin during colder and drier winter months for complete experience. Same thing goes for Proraso Red soap+splash, followed by the "red" Wood & Spice cologne and oil. They have a liquid soap for beard and skin too in those cologne scents as well as preshave green and red creams which can also be used post-shave.

As I mentioned, Stirling offers quite a few options as well, if you want a more artisanal soap. Their colognes are solid too, but no creams or oils. Proraso figured it out with these "colored lines" of their products.

Stirling balms are so thick and dense, you can easily consider them "cream". Of all Stirling products, I consider these balms to be the best. Their soaps are fine, AS splashes are okay, but balms are fantastic.