Totally agree there. Some of those photos with stacks of every flavor an Aritsan makes are a bit ridiculous. I have about 5 soaps in the $10 - 25 dollar range. Just like all budget soaps are fairly similar (Arko, Williams, Palmolive, Derby, VDH et al) The soaps at the $10, $15, $20 and $25 dollar price points are all about the same as others in that group from what I've seen. So I don't need to try 150 of them now. As I use one up, I may repurchase if I like it or try something else. I don't even like having a bunch of cheap soaps around either. It's needless clutter.
Revisited Van Der Hagen Deluxe - Garbage!
- Thread starter Toothpick
- Start date
I feel the VDH Luxury line is a solid performer. Second to none.
Haven’t tried it. They used to have it in local stores but not anymore.
Same here. Use to be everywhere for awhile but not now. There's always online.
I go the other way. VDH, Conk are decent, but I learned on WMS and find it to be (for me) the slickest soap out there, second only to vintage Williams. I have more trouble finding the right soap/water balance for creams & croaps than the hard soaps.
As a retired empty-nester, I can take my time and enjoy my shave, so I've used more WMS than any other soap.
I like WMS and it only takes me maybe 30 seconds to get going. I’ve been trying the old fashioned method of leaving a synthetic brush right in the mug with the old soap still in it.
It’s definitely a finicky soap but you’re right, if you can tame it is really slick.
If you need replacements and can’t find them locally I got them from Walgreens.com with a 25% off coupon. They came to $1.10 shipped to the store. And $1.70 for VDH Deluxe. Plus tax.
I’d really like to try Vintage Williams but I’m not paying what they ask for it online. Hopefully I stumble across it someday or better yet they make an original formula again.
On a cost/benefit basis, modern wins. I can buy modern WMS for $0.99 at my local grocery store any time. The best price I ever found for vintage was about 4 times that, and usually much more.
I used to be able to get it locally for $0.99 but it seems like they pulled all of the shave soaps off the local shelves except 2 pucks of VDH Deluxe from a small grocery store for $1.99
I guess that’s the result of everyone buying Artisan soaps online. It is what it is though. Like someone else said the market will decide. It just hurts the people starting out I’d imagine.
A Camry is not a luxury product, but it is well made and the $25,000 MSRP can hardly be called inexpensive. I would consider this the equivalent of a $15 soap. VDH sells for less than $3.00 per puck; that is why I compared it to the Yugo which sold for $4000 in 1986.
How can you complain about a soap that costs $3 a puck? If someone said to me that it would work better if I put it in the microwave so I can transfer to a larger bowl, I'd do it gladly. My $3 plus the effort would be well worth it if I could get a good lather out of it. I've not tried VDH or Williams yet. I have a puck of Williams somewhere. And my local Shoprite sells the VDH. Maybe I'll get a puck of the VDH, nuke them both, put them both in decent sized tubs and see who they perform back to back. Just for curiosity sake.
@MntnMan62 Being tallow-based, Williams will not do well if nuked.
I hadn't thought of that. But you're correct. I think the Williams puck is safe from my idiocy. It's still sitting in a bin with all the other stuff I haven't used yet or don't use anymore.
I wouldnt nuke either. Just put the VDH in a mug and I think you'll get great results. The Williams will most likely be more tricky.
Amazon has the Luxury for around the same price that I saw them at Walmart before they stopped selling it. Try this link for a three pack.
I saw that. Looks like a good deal. I just got 10 williams and 10 VDH deluxe. If I buy another 3 pack now I might end up on an episode of hoarders.
LOLOL!
They actually have Williams for $1/puck at my local Winco.
Yeah, we dont have Winco around here. So I went full hoarder at $1.10 a puck.
