Still in Italy but the majority of my traveling/site seeing is over: Rome, Athens, Santorini, Florence. As I was traveling with my son we made it a point to look in various farmacias and such. In Rome we came across this shop sitting across from the Pantheon selling Acqua Di Parma and some D.R. Harris items:
That tub was €57. A bit heavy for my wallet, but it did smell nice. Surprisingly, another shop on the opposite side of the piazza sold the same tub but for €51; I still didn't bite.
Leaving Rome, at the train station, we saw a full retail space you Tabac guys would love . . .
I've only ever come across Tabac at Target, even then just a tube. Once again, didn't buy any but of course we perused the goods.
All along we’ve been keeping our eyes open for Proraso and Omega brushes. Haven’t seen many Omegas, which seems surprising, and Proraso seems to be favored in can form. Finally, in Florence, we came to a profumeria, essentially a scent/perfume shop. They had all kinds of Proraso there—€2.50 for full tubs, and Proraso brushes for €8.50 . . . so I picked up 2 green, 2 red, and 2 brushes (going to give a set to someone I converted over to DE a few months ago) . . .
Prior to this trip I had yet to try Proraso. My son gave me a small sample of green to use when I got here, which I liked. But at €2.50 I just could not pass up getting some--same for the brush; at €8.50 my rabbit refused to be denied.
We walked across the Ponte Vecchio and stumbled into one of the most unexpected and cool experiences (shave related, that is)--happening upon a Mondial retail store in Florence. Figured I was in trouble the instant we stepped in the door. A full case of soaps with open tubs for sniffing as bait . . .
We sniffed, looked around a bit, came back, sniffed again, trying weakly to convince ourselves we were there to look and experience something new. Fat chance. I caved before he did. Very nice store, tasteful wood cabinetry and lighting. It also operates as t barbershop. They have straights, DE, (cough) cartridge razors, and their own line of brushes. Nice brushes but I don’t need more brushes right now--for that matter I don't need more soap either, but I digress. The DE razors were nice, but the heads look very much like my Merkur and I wasn’t going to shell out that kind of money for a similar razor no matter how much I liked the Tuscan olive wood or briarwood handles. But the soaps—sigh . . . my Achilles heel.
The woman we had assisting us was very nice and not pushy (which I appreciate greatly). She even set out all the soaps for us to smell yet again, not that we hadn't already opened them all ourselves and inhaled. There. i said it. Yes, I inhaled.
After much sniffing and debating between the wooden bowl (at about €12+ more) or plastic tub I settled on two, but seriously contemplated going for the Bergamotto Neroli (lime, lavender, and black pepper) and Zagara (orange blossom) scents. I already have way more soap than I need, but since I’m on vacation —what the hell. There was another scent we had sampled named Nobilis that I picked up, about €25 I think it was . . .
The other one I got was what they called their take on a barbershop scent, Antica Barberia. I like barbershop scents but I don't gravitate to them like I do clean, fresh scents like 'rain' or Kraken, but this one is really nice. Got the after-shave gel because, well, I could
I used Nobilis this morning, along with a Feather in a Merkur Futur--have never used the blade or razor before. Set the Futur to 1 for the first pass only because I know of Feather's reputation as an impartial butcher if not careful. No nicks or weepers the first go. Cranked it up half a step and went for pass 2--still pretty good, stayed nice and light on the strokes. Pass 3 was my undoing; I got cocky and paid for it. Put a nice nick in my lower lip that required some solid styptic time to close. But the shave was good, the soap was very, very nice, and the after-shave gel was very refreshing. I don't regret purchasing any of it.
Also come across a L’ Occitane shop just outside the Plaza della Signoria in Florence. They had one soap there, a refill puck, and an aluminum bowl with lid. I wasn’t blown away by the scent or the bowl, but I know L’ Occitane has its fans here.
That tub was €57. A bit heavy for my wallet, but it did smell nice. Surprisingly, another shop on the opposite side of the piazza sold the same tub but for €51; I still didn't bite.
Leaving Rome, at the train station, we saw a full retail space you Tabac guys would love . . .
I've only ever come across Tabac at Target, even then just a tube. Once again, didn't buy any but of course we perused the goods.
All along we’ve been keeping our eyes open for Proraso and Omega brushes. Haven’t seen many Omegas, which seems surprising, and Proraso seems to be favored in can form. Finally, in Florence, we came to a profumeria, essentially a scent/perfume shop. They had all kinds of Proraso there—€2.50 for full tubs, and Proraso brushes for €8.50 . . . so I picked up 2 green, 2 red, and 2 brushes (going to give a set to someone I converted over to DE a few months ago) . . .
Prior to this trip I had yet to try Proraso. My son gave me a small sample of green to use when I got here, which I liked. But at €2.50 I just could not pass up getting some--same for the brush; at €8.50 my rabbit refused to be denied.
We walked across the Ponte Vecchio and stumbled into one of the most unexpected and cool experiences (shave related, that is)--happening upon a Mondial retail store in Florence. Figured I was in trouble the instant we stepped in the door. A full case of soaps with open tubs for sniffing as bait . . .
We sniffed, looked around a bit, came back, sniffed again, trying weakly to convince ourselves we were there to look and experience something new. Fat chance. I caved before he did. Very nice store, tasteful wood cabinetry and lighting. It also operates as t barbershop. They have straights, DE, (cough) cartridge razors, and their own line of brushes. Nice brushes but I don’t need more brushes right now--for that matter I don't need more soap either, but I digress. The DE razors were nice, but the heads look very much like my Merkur and I wasn’t going to shell out that kind of money for a similar razor no matter how much I liked the Tuscan olive wood or briarwood handles. But the soaps—sigh . . . my Achilles heel.
The woman we had assisting us was very nice and not pushy (which I appreciate greatly). She even set out all the soaps for us to smell yet again, not that we hadn't already opened them all ourselves and inhaled. There. i said it. Yes, I inhaled.
After much sniffing and debating between the wooden bowl (at about €12+ more) or plastic tub I settled on two, but seriously contemplated going for the Bergamotto Neroli (lime, lavender, and black pepper) and Zagara (orange blossom) scents. I already have way more soap than I need, but since I’m on vacation —what the hell. There was another scent we had sampled named Nobilis that I picked up, about €25 I think it was . . .
The other one I got was what they called their take on a barbershop scent, Antica Barberia. I like barbershop scents but I don't gravitate to them like I do clean, fresh scents like 'rain' or Kraken, but this one is really nice. Got the after-shave gel because, well, I could
I used Nobilis this morning, along with a Feather in a Merkur Futur--have never used the blade or razor before. Set the Futur to 1 for the first pass only because I know of Feather's reputation as an impartial butcher if not careful. No nicks or weepers the first go. Cranked it up half a step and went for pass 2--still pretty good, stayed nice and light on the strokes. Pass 3 was my undoing; I got cocky and paid for it. Put a nice nick in my lower lip that required some solid styptic time to close. But the shave was good, the soap was very, very nice, and the after-shave gel was very refreshing. I don't regret purchasing any of it.
Also come across a L’ Occitane shop just outside the Plaza della Signoria in Florence. They had one soap there, a refill puck, and an aluminum bowl with lid. I wasn’t blown away by the scent or the bowl, but I know L’ Occitane has its fans here.
