I am trying to find more soaps that I like the feel and aroma of but can't seem to find any shops in the area that carry anything but Proraso. Do most people order online and hope they like it or do you have better shops by you than I do?
Brick/mortor or online?
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I would wager most order samples first.
No shave shops locally, so online for me.
BFX
Lots of choices out there, so have fun..BFX
BFX
Lots of choices out there, so have fun..BFX
If you're near NYC, Pasteurs might let you sniff the soaps, but I doubt they'd let you test lather them. Maggard Razors sells samples of several of the soaps they carry.
Have you searched barber & beauty supply stores.l?
I am lucky have two in my area Rubino’s Barber Supply & Razor Empourium.
^^^^
Maggard usually has a nice selection of samples for purchase.
Granted, you do have to scoop them out and bowl lather(unless you are a micro person with a micro brush) but the samples contain enough for several shaves.
Stirling also sells 1oz sample size pucks that will last even longer.
They do have a good selection of samples. The only problem I have is that most of them are in super small containers and they’re only a quarter ounce
I have never purchased either soap or blades locally.
I live in NYC so Pasteur's is always my 1st choice but, besides Maggards & Stirling, Barrister and Mann sells very usable samples.
Also, if you're not averse to PAA you can order just about any of their scents as an aftershave sample.
Also, if you're not averse to PAA you can order just about any of their scents as an aftershave sample.
Best to try samples but, my favorite soaps such as Tabac, Speick and MWF don’t offer samples. If you can find a store near you, that would be best. Doesn’t seem like that’s an option for you, unfortunately. Reviewing opinions in here is your best option, I suppose.
I got one 'local'shave shop 10 miles from me. It's a vacum cleaner store. Shaving's a side hussle for the guy. Not much there, but what they have is nice. So mostly online purchasing for me
There may still be a decent shop 80 odd miles from me that may still stock some shaving supplies. I did pick up an aftershave there once upon a decade ago. Otherwise, I’d have to cross a continent.
Online and often cheaper buying internationally from a local country of the producer including shipping. And I get a fresher product generally. That goes for all gear categories often.
Online and often cheaper buying internationally from a local country of the producer including shipping. And I get a fresher product generally. That goes for all gear categories often.
We are lucky to have a B & M store in town. Pretty good selection too. D.H. Harris, TOBS, Trufitt & Hill, some local artisans, and all of their attendant aftershaves, colognes, etc. Nice place.
Pasteur's in NYC is the bomb. Great selection, very reasonable prices. Wish there were more stores like this.
Out here in Australia I mainly buy online. Most of our local shops mainly sell canned or tubed creams and gels. Any decent shaving supply shop is miles and miles away and it is easier to buy off them online. Have you looked at some of our Vendors here on the forum? I know that @Captain Pre-Capsize sells shaving soap samples in his store. Definitely worth a look and Scott is a fantastic person to deal with.
F
firebox
Check the boards here. They are always those that tried different soaps and stuff and they ready to move them on at a savings for others that want to try them out. Check out 'clearing the den' posts. Someone else's first bite at the apple might make a second bite a litttle more palatable. Just my humble opinion.
I have ~15 different soaps and never ordered a sample. They were all blind purchases based on reading through B&B threads. I am also extremely happy with all of my purchases. If you are very particular, samples make sense. But if you are like me and want a variety of great soap to put into rotation, I think reading other people's reviews of soap works very well. I wasn't looking for a particular fragrance except when seeking out a tobacco aroma, and then I chose Barrister and Mann Leviathan and the Full Measure of Man. Both soaps have a distinct tobacco aroma, and the reviews proved accurate. For most of my Saponificio Varesino soaps, I only knew that people liked them and had no idea what they would smell like. I am very happy with the SV products, and there were enough reviews that I felt comfortable buying blind. Like you, I have no local options to smell anything before a purchase.
I guess I'm lucky: Maggard's is "only" 200 miles south of me.
Never been there...and shop online (including Maggard's).
Most of my soap has come from Stirling after getting samples, and three of my four tubs of MdC were purchased from Your Shaving in Spain (?) after buying samples from Maggard. The sample jars are tiny, but still more appealing to me than lathering from the soap-impregnated-sheet-of-paper samples offered by MdC.
I've also got four tubs/jars of Razorock purchased blind from Italian Barber, which is one of my favorite soaps, especially xXx.
The rest of my soaps and creams were singles purchased blind from the 'Zon, ebay, and the BST forum, or gifts.
Of the soaps and creams I've purchased online and used, there has only been a few I don't care for...perfectly usable on occasion...I just won't buy those again.
Never been there...and shop online (including Maggard's).
Most of my soap has come from Stirling after getting samples, and three of my four tubs of MdC were purchased from Your Shaving in Spain (?) after buying samples from Maggard. The sample jars are tiny, but still more appealing to me than lathering from the soap-impregnated-sheet-of-paper samples offered by MdC.
I've also got four tubs/jars of Razorock purchased blind from Italian Barber, which is one of my favorite soaps, especially xXx.
The rest of my soaps and creams were singles purchased blind from the 'Zon, ebay, and the BST forum, or gifts.
Of the soaps and creams I've purchased online and used, there has only been a few I don't care for...perfectly usable on occasion...I just won't buy those again.
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Funny that you mentioned tobacco aroma as that is what I was looking for. I searched through all Maggard’s samples reading each one to find notes of leather, tobacco, or bourbon. I have about 12 in my cart at the moment. I’m not much in fruity aroma so I usually stear clear of them.
I would definitely suggest Leviathan or The Full Measure of Man by Barrister and Mann. Both have a great tobacco scent, and I have the soap, aftershave, and EdT for each. I would pit the EdT in the same category as Tom Ford Tobacco Oud. It is that good!
