How many people still do use traditional soaps and creams?

[Eeyore]

I found this in the 2012 report of the Dutch cosmetics retail sector. There was no distinction made between products for men and women, so I think the numbers are slightly skewed; I assume that men are more likely to use soaps and creams than women.

Approximate figures:

60% of the packages sold in 2012 are shaving gels
30% of the packages sold in 2012 are shaving foams
10% of the packages sold in 2012 are shaving soaps and creams

YoY the shaving products market has been in decline since 2010; even more so for the women's products.

So these figures indicate that about 10% of the Dutch non-electric(!) shaving men still use traditional soaps and creams. In practice, I think it is slightly higher, since I assume that most traditional products are bought by men, while most women use shaving gels.

It may be a niche market, but not insignificant.

Source: yearly report 2012, NVC Cosmetica, Netherlands

 

[nymtber]

All I have to do is look at the ingredient list of canned goo (gel or "cream"). Or, even most shaving creams that we all use.

Then I look at the ingredient list of Natural artisan soap, and I smile. I then shave and get the best, slickest, and most hydrating shave I have ever gotten. EVER.

People are lazy. Its easy to push a button and get lather, so that is what they do. I think most, if they tried traditional soap for a week with a boar brush, they would never go back! EVEN VDH deluxe gives me a better shave than canned goo, and a puck ($1.60) gives me 3-4 months of shaving every other day! I have full faith that cartridge razors will do just fine, IF you use a brush and soap/cream. They still cost too much and I love my Gillette's from the 30's-70's

 

[Eeyore]

I guess most soap users don't use artisan soaps here ... (and actually that wasn't the point I was trying to illustrate)

"De Vergulde Hand" definitely is the market leader here, both for soaps and brushes.

Those 10% soap / cream users aren't B&B users. They are the guys who walk into "Kruidvat" or "Etos", and grab a tub or stick of DVH soap. Or maybe Nivea cream if they want to get wild lol. Or "Kruidvat" when they want to go cheap.

Traditional shaving enthousiasts will likely be less than 1%, I guess? But those other 9% will keep the market alive, and will make that supermarkets and drugstores will keep stocking up wetshaving products. Wetshaving with soap and brush may be in the minority, but 10% is enough to keep the market alive (for now).

 

[Drbo]

I'm a week into traditional wet shaving, I will never go back. My father is now a wet shaver and I plan to buy my brother a setup when he graduates in a few weeks. Spreadin' the word!

 

[Eeyore]

Would anyone have figures for other parts of the world, even other EU countries?

 

[aihpcfl]

The Internet will probably have as much as anything to do with keeping me in DE shaving. Of course we all know the small market for this kind of shaving is evident when you walk into a drug or grocery store and look at the men's shaving section. I'm surprised it would even be 10% in the USA, but a small percentage of a big population is a lot of guys. And point and click shopping connects those guys to vendors that wouldn't exist if they only served a local market.

 

[sarimento1]

statistics are wonderful. keep in mind, that a soap puck will last far longer than a can of foam, so perhaps the number of shaves with soap/cream may be greater than 10 percent.

 

[Spotlit]

Sarimento has a good point. As long as the convenience products perform "adequately", I expect they will sell at a disproportionate volume. Granted, maybe not a 9:1 ratio if wetshaving were more popular...

 

[aihpcfl]

I see the point not being the disproportionate volumes, but the sales volumes for the soaps and creams. The proportion can be small provided the absolute volumes make it worthwhile to produce and sell. The OP thinks 10% is pretty good, and it probably does make for a large volume of sales.

As someone who loves MWF, for example, I don't care if the proportion of shavers using it is 0.0005*, or if a man gets a years worth of shaves from a puck. What I care is whether 0.0005 X the_total_number_of_shavers is large enough to support profitable production and sales of MWF.

*totally made up number

 

[fine wine]

I would have to say, and remember this is IMO, convenience will always bet out practically . What most already know here is it's the spa treatment we give ourselves that is the real draw to wet shaving................JR

 

[markmars]

I started using VDH deluxe and a boar brush from Walgreens over two years ago with disposables razors. It gave me a better more comfortable shave. I only use the can goo when I travel.
I still use VDH Deluxe but with a badger brush now.

 

[Eeyore]

Ok ... I was not really looking for testimonials ;-)

Two things:

1) the wet shaving market is still substantial, with 10% of all sales being soaps and creams. Maybe it turns out that effectively 15% of the wet shavers use traditional products, maybe somewhat less. Anyway, enough to have an impact.

2) how do these Dutch figures relate to the rest of the world? I would expect the German number for traditional products to be higher, and even more for Eastern Europe.
The USA looks like it is barren land ... but does anyone have recent market figures? Not of the Artisan and high end products, but of the regular drugstore sales for soaps and creams?

 

[sarimento1]

keep in mind, the statistic pertained to "# of packages sold". not 'volume of product sold'.

 

[aihpcfl]

I meant sales volumes as in numbers, units, packages, not literally volume. The point is taken that an ounce of shaving soap is not the equivalent of an ounce of gel in a can.

 

[aihpcfl]

..... The USA looks like it is barren land ... but does anyone have recent market figures? Not of the Artisan and high end products, but of the regular drugstore sales for soaps and creams?

For $495.00 you can find out the future, or rather read about it. http://www.amazon.com/2013-2018-Outlook-Shaving-United-States/dp/B00B4LQ3S2

Seriously, I can imagine even the retail environment is a lot different in most of the USA, and maybe Canada, than in most European communities and the UK. But I would imagine the proportions are similar to the proportions you posted. Still, we all know Amazon.com and the other sources like West Coast Shaving, etc. Yeah, you don't find classic wet shaving gear and products in stores hardly anymore, but there is a large enough user base to support the online sales.

 

[nwjs]

I think many are simply not aware of the alternatives. Most shops that sell shaving products don't sell soaps or creams anymore. And almost never brushes (the only brush I see every now and then on shelves is the Wilkinson classic boar).

 

[bokerfan]

rite-aid is never out of williams.a good product for the price.

 

[Eeyore]

I meant sales volumes as in numbers, units, packages, not literally volume. The point is taken that an ounce of shaving soap is not the equivalent of an ounce of gel in a can.

Good point indeed!

I do realize that sales figures don't need to give the full picture.

 

[elverdiblanco]

Here's an article from earlier this year in the Herald, a Scottish newspaper about Executive Shaving, a company that no doubt many on here will be familiar with. Turnover is £1.5 million for this year. Obviously I have no idea what their margins or profit on that turnover is but the turnover figure was a bit of a surprise to me.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/busin...urvives-close-shaves-to-enjoy-growth.21554204