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Are more expensive creams worth it? Money Vs Outcome

Is the extra money really worth it? I feel like after spending $15, the results are only marginally better.

I have yet to try most of these products, but from the reviews, my results seem to back up what I just said.

Proraso
Speik
Musgo
TOBS

VS

AoS
T&H
GFT
CF


Is spending $25-40 dollars on the higher end creams really worth it? Scent aside, is your shave THAT much better to justify the price?

My ultimate comfort form T&H is only slightly better than TOBS avocado/sandalwood. Yet I paid double the price for my UC.

Luckily for me, price is not really an issue, but as a finance guy, I try to find the best value for my money.

This really extends to any type of shaving product, thought I would post here though.
 

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger
Add to your expensive list:
- Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet (the cream, not the soap)
- Martin de Candre

These might seem expensive based on the initial cost, but you will get a boatload of wonderful shaves from these products.
 
The AOS is very good as is Castle Forbes but you can do a lot better for little money. Many of those offer creams and some are soap so I am including soap. Your choices are fine but mediocre and very similar.

The best standout soaps for value are in two lines. Razorock, their XXX is the best $10.00 soap out there. They also have a line called King of the Castle, which is a copy of CF but much cheaper and just as good if not better. Sterling soap for less but you need containers are also incredible at $5.00 a puck. The Anise is the best, the others are great.

My best standout soap is Strop Shoppe Special edition soaps with tallow. Just incredible soap.

All the above will me markedly better in an obvious way assuming you lather well and not over water.

After those, Panna Crema, Tabac, and the expensive Martin de Candre are other standout soaps. Mike's is also a great product to throw in the mix.
 
Not very much into creams,but about soaps for example,and this is only MY experience so far,which isn't much.
But for example, Arko soap costs €0.5 and Tabac costs €20. Is Tabac worth the extra €19.50? My answer is NO.
Will I buy it again? My answer is YES.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
Your question is a good one, but only you can answer it. There are two issues:
1. Can I perceive the difference in quality between a cheap product and an expensive one?
2. Do I think the difference is worth the money?

I'm assuming the possible third issue - can I afford the difference - is not relevant.

Will a Chevy get you down the road just as well as a Ferrari? They will both get you down the road. Are the products equal in quality? This may be a bad example as issue three really comes into play here (at least for me - I'd drive the Ferrari, but I can't afford one).

I have tried quite a few RR croaps and they are truly excellent products for the money. I don't use them any more because they are a notch below Castle Forbes for me. There is a sweet spot in pricing for many things. Highest quality car for your money will probably not be the Ferrari. Not that it isn't a better car, but that the difference between a $50,000 car and a $250,000 car represents the law of diminishing returns. The difference between a $25,000 car and a $50,000 car is huge by comparison.

For cream I find the sweet spot to be Ultimate Comfort and Castle Forbes. You must factor in the bigger tub and the fact that Castle Forbes requires about half the product as most lesser creams each day.

But #2 is significant. I have read enough "what's the best cream for under $3.78" to know that's an important issue for many people. I also learned an important lesson from a diamond seller - if you can't see a difference, don't pay for it.
 
You sound like a pragmatic gentleman. I value function over any other quality also. I, also, do not assign much value to minimal increases in function. To date, and I only have about 4 months into wet shaving, have yet to find a cream or soap that I couldn't lather adequately. Maybe it was luck that I chose decent products to begin with but Proraso cream and Stirling soap are on the shave shelf. These are also some of the least expensive lather bases you can find. Within those soaps/creams, it's a simple matter of choosing a scent to match my mood.
 
Gentlemen, this is a great discussion, and I am really enjoying the responses.

*tips hat*

Good info on the RR castle line, I was thinking about picking up the infamous CF Lavender :)

I feel bad because I started with TOBS, then jumped to T&H. I have a feeling the cheaper products will be just as good, and was just trying to be as efficient as possible.

Maybe I should stop looking at this like an economist, and start looking at it like a shaveaholic :drool:
 
Everyone sidesteps the word "value" for something in their lives. That's what makes people unique. Substitute the word cream for scotch,watch ,car ,cigar ,stereo, or anything people use and someone will notice a nuance that makes their choice the right one. You are not posting on a forum for shaving to get value . The fact you are here with the rest of us has already labelled you a bit of a fanatic to your co-workers ,so embrace it and try a new cream. The good ones last forever anyway so we return to "value"
 
I can only think of two creams that I will have around as long as they are producing them. Those two are Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet, and Castle Forbes. There is something about the Penhaligions that I just love. It is what I reach for on special occasions, and any time I want that special feeling. Castle Forbes is the cream I go to the day after a rough shave it is just superb. Both of these creams I've had for over a year and there is still plenty left. Don't get me wrong I had an excellent shave this morning with Musgo Real, but it just isn't the same as those other two.
 
I think some more expensive creams may have a slight increase in performance and nicer scents but my opinion is they last so long I don't mind spending $20 or more.
 
Is the extra money really worth it? I feel like after spending $15, the results are only marginally better.

I have yet to try most of these products, but from the reviews, my results seem to back up what I just said.

Proraso
Speik
Musgo
TOBS

VS

AoS
T&H
GFT
CF


Is spending $25-40 dollars on the higher end creams really worth it? Scent aside, is your shave THAT much better to justify the price?

My ultimate comfort form T&H is only slightly better than TOBS avocado/sandalwood. Yet I paid double the price for my UC.

Luckily for me, price is not really an issue, but as a finance guy, I try to find the best value for my money.

This really extends to any type of shaving product, thought I would post here though.

I will have to disagree with you hear LordH.......
I have used all,or most of the(cheaper) creams you have listed and I must say that with respect to using the following creams,I have enjoyed a Significantly better shaving experience(not marginally): Castle Forbes Lime,XPEC(Unscented)and T&H Rose are much superior to the cheaper ones you listed. But as we all know,its entirely subjective,however,that's my strong opinion.Also I forgot to mention Spencer Devon and Trumpers Coconut.

Craig
 
This is such a YMMV hobby, the answer to your question is always going to be different for each person (it would make for an interesting poll though). I get more use out of my more expensive products (ToBs, T&H), but I still use Proraso, Col. Conk, even Williams mug soap now and then.

-John
 
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