How should I spend my gift certificate?

[bludman]

I was recently given a generous $175 gift certificate to art of shaving for my birthday. I'm a student in NYC so getting to a branch is not a problem. I'm a big fan of the sandalwood shaving cream (was my first expensive cream and I love the scent and quality of lather I get). My problem is, I don't know how I should spend the money. I've been combating my ADs for a while and my next purchase was going to be a Chubby 2, but now I have this money I have to spend on AOS so I don't know what to get. Should I buy a soap in each scent which should last a long time and keep well (vs the cream which I find dries out quite a bit with time)? Maybe I should use it for an over priced brush? I purchased a silvertip brush on sale two summers ago (mostly because I was just getting started and wanted to try a silvertip and it was a discontinued line so was 50% off) but wasn't so happy with the brush since it's so floppy for my taste.

What do you gents think? Brush? Soaps? Creams?

 

[wdwrx]

Get a straight, mate!

 

[ptirmal]

Soaps.

 

[MikeyAces]

175 bucks is a lot of soap. If I were you, I'd spend 55 bucks on a brush, 50 bucks on one of their DE's, and the remainder on soaps.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I'd buy a few soaps, a DE and would probably spring for one of their professional shaves and a haircut.

 

[pauls51]

I'd say a bit of everything!!! Go nuts!

 

[WastedResources]

Recklessly!

Seriously, buy yourself something you'd normally feel guilty about.

 

[dadwasright]

With $150 purchase online, you get a $25 reward card. I don't know if they have an equivalent in the stores. So all items listed below would be supplemented by the gift card.

Option 1: Fine Badger Brush in Horn; $175

Option 2: Fine Badger Brush white or black; $110 PLUS two (2) Sandalwood Shaving Cream 5oz - $22;

Option 3: Pure Badger Brush in white or black; $55 PLUS Sandalwood Eau de Toilette 3.5oz - $70 PLUS two (2) Sandalwood Shaving Cream 5oz - $22


Rick

 

[BroJohn]

Soaps.

Soap sticks, too.

175 bucks is a lot of soap. If I were you, I'd spend 55 bucks on a brush, 50 bucks on one of their DE's, and the remainder on soaps.

Get a good vintage Gillette and at least a hundred really good blades. A tub of Cyril Salter shave cream would be nice, as well.

-- John Gehman

 

[sanfranciscian]

Get a straight, mate!
__________________
-Chris

+1 before its too late

 

[dpmtherrien]

I think you should spend it anyway you'd like. But really $175 on soap should last you your lifetime. You have lots of options, but take a look at a couple of nice brushes in super badger, they won't be so floppy, look at the Vulfix line, great brushes that won't break the bank. I have 3 and use them often. Take a look at some razors that interest you, and anything else shave related. You can pick up some nice gear for that kind of money. Shop around. Good luck.

 

[Blue_2]

Get a straight, mate!

+1 before its too late

You'd need a strop to go with it which puts you way over the certificate. There are much better ways to get started with straights.

I tend to agree with John. Soaps, blades, creams.

 

[Saxmoore]

I've been using the AOS Fine brush along with a Moos stick for the last week and it has been working...fine Before that, I used a Simpson Commodore in Best for several months. It seems to be a little scritchy to my face. I recently tried my silvertip from Baxter and it was such a difference in softness (of course). However, I wanted a little more backbone and tried the AOS brush. I thought it might be too big for face lathering, but I've been enjoying it. If you can find them when they are on sale, they're not a bad brush.

 

[Saxmoore]

Hey, just saw that they have the brush and sets on sale right now for $150.

http://www.theartofshaving.com/shop/group/33/32

 

[Niles]

option 3: pure badger brush in white or black; $55 plus sandalwood eau de toilette 3.5oz - $70 plus two (2) sandalwood shaving cream 5oz - $22


rick

+1

 

[Crawford Montizano]

soaps.

+1 +1 + 1 +1

 

[bludman]

Thanks for all the advice guys, keep it coming.
I have an ok straight (and a few I want to restore) but i find I don't really have the time to devote to perfecting my skills yet, and the straights (at 135 and 170) seem overpriced too.

They only sell a few DEs and only merkur blade. So really, I'm leaning towards AOS specific products since the few products they sell that aren't really theirs, I can get cheaper elsewhere.

It would be nice to get a new brush (I use a pure badger Italian brush that I think is great) but I'm afraid of the silvertip being too floppy and for $110 for fine badger, I just keep saying to myself, I could have gotten a chubby from another store. The value packs are a great deal (relatively speaking) but I don't use preshave oil, and prefer other aftershaves.

I'll make sure to let you know what I end up going with, but keep the suggestions coming!

 

[tob1303]

Get a shave, the royal shave!

Go to the woman in the Madison Ave branch. She does a fine job. DO NOT GO TO THE MAN THERE!

 

[Iakona]

Make sure you smell the soaps before you buy them. The sandalwood cream smells waaay different than the soap. I find that the soap is actually pretty stanky in comparison.

 

[maj3289]

don't get a haircut or shave there. you'll be doing a better job with your goodies