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Do you stockpile your favorites? Unopened tubes shelf life?

Sort of a multi-part question. I really like the old favorites (Palmolive classic and menthol, Lider, Karo, etc)

Do you stockpile your favorites?

I’m wondering if I should buy 8-10 of each to use the next decade in a rotation just in case they unexpectedly discontinue like the Palmolive sticks?

Thoughts on any of this nonsense? :)
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
There is no harm in stockpiling a few tubes; they should keep fine for years unopened. I have used shave creams which were fine after being open for several decades. They had dried out a bit and in one case set completely solid such that I had to cut the tube open to remove the solidified cream. Once I packed the cream into a mug it worked wonderfully as a hard soap. I have 40+ year old Yardley cream in an unopened tube and it is still soft. I have a stockpile of soaps but they are all no longer in production.
 
I just finished a tube of Proraso Blue that was at least 8-9 years old and it was fine. Having said that, I personally wouldn't stockpile stuff. You might get bored of it over that long of a period. If it gets discontinued, just try something new.
 
I have stock piled loads of stuff I love, never had an issue with it. I am quite careful though, to keep it all in a dry, cool and dark place.
I only regret that I did not stock pile more of stuff that actually did end up being discontinued -- Like the Polsilver blades, and Velobra soaps. The Palmolive green stick is not discontinued as you seem to indicate -- but I have piled loads and loads of it because of rumors. The fact is, it's just not sold in the UK any longer. I think I have some 40-50 sticks of it, but it is easily available in the rest of Europe ... :straight:
 
I have stock piled loads of stuff I love, never had an issue with it. I am quite careful though, to keep it all in a dry, cool and dark place.
I only regret that I did not stock pile more of stuff that actually did end up being discontinued -- Like the Polsilver blades, and Velobra soaps. The Palmolive green stick is not discontinued as you seem to indicate -- but I have piled loads and loads of it because of rumors. The fact is, it's just not sold in the UK any longer. I think I have some 40-50 sticks of it, but it is easily available in the rest of Europe ... :straight:


The only place I see the Palmolive stick for folks in the USA is on eBay from one seller who hoarded it here…for $23 per stick. :0


I have a vacuum sealer. I was thinking about using that for Arko Sticks. I buy those by the dozen. Just because I like the stuff. Just a box in a drawer somewhere for the tubes.
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
The fact is, it's just not sold in the UK any longer. I think I have some 40-50 sticks of it, but it is easily available in the rest of Europe ...
Given the final sale prices that Palmolive sticks are achieving on Ebay UK, I am surprised to hear that. Single sticks regularly sell for more than £20 plus postage; seems madness to me as I pay that for a bowl of Yardley Black Label.
 
I would love to know where these Palmolive sticks are being sold in europe on the regular. I find it hard to believe that nobody has been selling them or why these sticks have not been made available to online vendors or distributed elsewhere. I rather believe that they have been completely discontinued and whatever stock is available is being sold throughout europe is being done through a larger european stockpile from a local distributing warehouse. I would love to be completely wrong though.

In regards to hoarding I did buy 10 pucks of Tabac and a new one in the jar before they changed their soap base from tallow to vegan but aside from that I haven't done anything else like that since in regards to soap but when it comes to blades that is a different matter. I usually would buy blades in packs of 100 even if I am just curious and if I really like them I would buy many more. I can't do that now but if I could I would be buying many more blades. I think I learned my lesson when Pol-Silver blades vanished. The problem with Pol-Silver blades is that many times people cried wolf and then when it actually happened nobody believed it at least me until it was too late.
I still have maybe 200 to 300 Pol-Silver blades but use them sparingly but have since found several other blades that work well for me also.
 
I would love to know where these Palmolive sticks are being sold in europe on the regular. I find it hard to believe that nobody has been selling them or why these sticks have not been made available to online vendors or distributed elsewhere. I rather believe that they have been completely discontinued and whatever stock is available is being sold throughout europe is being done through a larger european stockpile from a local distributing warehouse. I would love to be completely wrong though.

I can get them locally in Canada for $4-5 each at “the German store,” so I’m guessing they are sold regularly in Germany.
 
I have a vacuum sealer. I was thinking about using that for Arko Sticks. I buy those by the dozen. Just because I like the stuff. Just a box in a drawer somewhere for the tubes.

I would vacuum seal Argo too…but for a different reason :001_tongu.

My only productive comment is I found a partially used Body Shop tube that was ~7 years old and it was fine. I’ve stocked up on some discontinued stuff and usually regret it. Lots of good choices available…
 
I can get them locally in Canada for $4-5 each at “the German store,” so I’m guessing they are sold regularly in Germany.

I am afraid you are guessing wrong. :wink2:
Last time I was in Germany (10/2022) they had disappeared from the shelves from all the major drugstore chains.

The Palmolive sticks were quite good (selling for around €/$1 in drugstores), but I would. not pay €/$5 for them when La Toja can be had for €/$ 2.75.

C$ 4-5 is not too bad and it might be worth stocking up, as I doubt they will be able to replenish stocks.
For me, I use sticks mainly when travelling and caan managa with La Toja…


B.
 
I would not stockpile anything. If there is a product which you would like to try because you have heard it is a solid performer, buy one. There will always be great performing soaps and creams for you to try if that one product changes formulation or is discontinued.
 
If it’s something that know you really like. I don’t see a problem with having a stockpile.

As you mentioned. You never know when it may go out of production or a reformulation.

I kind of wished that I would have tried more of the European shave sticks/soaps a few years back. When I started wet shaving.

That said I did stock up on Turkish shave sticks. I’m sure I would have found another (brand) one or two, that I would have liked and stocked up on.
 
I’ve stockpiled Lider and Palmolive creams. I got the Lider while on vacation in Poland last fall and it was super cheap there. The Palmolive I can’t find locally and if I’m paying shipping I stock up.
 
I stockpiled 100 Palmolive sticks roughly 14 years ago. I’m glad I did because it was the soap I used when I first started shaving and it’s been a constant performer ever since. On the other hand a few pucks of MWF or Stirling scots pine sheep work just as well.
 
I stockpiled 100 Palmolive sticks roughly 14 years ago. I’m glad I did because it was the soap I used when I first started shaving and it’s been a constant performer ever since. On the other hand a few pucks of MWF or Stirling scots pine sheep work just as well.


100! And here I thought the box of 12 Arko sticks I bought a couple days ago for $20 on Amazon might have been excessive.
 
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