Great thread!
In addition to the excellent ideas above, I suggest you stop by local shops and pharmacies which is alway fun!
In addition to the excellent ideas above, I suggest you stop by local shops and pharmacies which is alway fun!
Shipping Overseas
- Thread starter WetShavingRules
- Start date
I know both Stirling and B&M have vendors in Europe. Will from B&M touched on that a bit in his instagram live earlier today
Some drop-shipping companies may send alcohol based aftershave. Will from B&M mentioned it in his IG live earlier today but I’m taking it with a grain of salt
Smallflower ship aftershaves and colognes overseas. As you would expect, you pay more for hazardous freight, but if you order enough, it is justifiable (well it is for me given the paucity of choice down here).
I remember looking at having some black powder substitute shipped a few years ago and the hazmat fees were about $75. From what I saw on B&M’s IG live that’s why they won’t ship internationally if you order directly from them. I guess they would for their EU vendors but I think wholesale hazmat shipping is different than vendor to customer shipping
As far as I can tell, hazardous materials like alcohol can only be shipped by courier, so it is vendors that manage volumes that allow then to negotiate favorable rates with international courier companies that are in the running.
Rasoigoodfellas | Online sale of the best men's care products - https://www.rasoigoodfellas.eu has the biggest selection of artisan soaps (US included) in Europe and will deliever to pretty much everywhere on the mainland, free shipping as well if you meet a certain threshold.
Anticatura shaving - shaving suplies and vintage restored razors - https://www.anticatura.com is the place to go if you want stuff that pretty much nobody else carries such as House of Mammoth, Shannons, Declaration Grooming, MacDuffs etc. There is free shipping but its over 100€. In my humble opinion the best vendor in Europe, Anel is a dedicated guy who runs a one man operation.
Soul Objects, Berlin´s Unique Concept Store - https://soulobjects.de, www.aboutbodycare.de are shops in Germany, they have loads of stuff
GIFTS & CARE - https://www.giftsandcare.com/en & Las mejores marcas para un afeitado clasico y unico en Yourshaving.com - https://www.yourshaving.com/en are based in Spain and have a big selection as well
Lots of good advice in this thread already but I'll butt in with some more tips.
If you ever plan to have anything delivered from outside of the EU, be aware there's usually a minimum of 20% VAT you'll have to pay. In addition to that there will always be a handling fee by the courier. Most foreign packages, from couriers that have no counter part in germany (UPS exists in germany, so does FedEx), will be handled by DHL. They charge a 6€ handling fee for every package that goes through customs. With DHL (note that german DHL and international DHL only share the name, german DHL and Deutsche Post are basically one company) you can opt out of this, it's called "Selbstverzoller" and you can apply to it online. I only know that it works for residential addresses, not sure where you'll live. When you're a Selbstverzoller, in theory you have to drive to the customs office in your area and pick up the package yourself instead of having DHL deliver it. In reality this doesn't really work, DHL delivers it anyway and you have to complain to get your 6€ back. DHL Express charges 15€ and UPS 14€.
Shipping from outside the EU can be quite a bit cheaper if you have a friend proxy it for you. Have it sent from a residential address, declare the value lower than what it might or might not be. If you're not shipping a ****ton of stuff the customs usually don't double check the prices. You can send alcohol like AS and parfums too if you don't declare it. Or at least that's what my friend told me, this is neither legal nor financial advice and I do not advocate for tax evasion.
Heldenlounge.de also has some good products. If you want seasonal stuff by B&M you're **** ouf of luck mate. Artisan stuff from the USA is often sold out but I've had good experiences with Rasoigoodfellas and Anticatura giving me ETAs when certain products will be restocked (I'll ignore the one time Anel ghosted me).
If you want to buy Tabac soap in a store, do not make the same mistake as me and think they sell it in a bowl. It might say "SHAVING SOAP BOWL" on the packaging, but if you keep reading it says "REFILL" at the very bottom. Don't make the same dumb mistake as I did... For some reason it's literally impossible to find Tabac in a bowl in store here, I've been to 2 dozen drug stores and a few shaving equipment stores and not one single store stocked it. Hell, I live less than 1h away from the Mäurer & Wirtz factory and can't find this anywhere except online.
And finally I recommend exploring the cheap european AS classics that are still around today. Hattric, Sir Irisch Moos, Tabac obviously, Pitralon (or even better Pitralon F if you find yourself in Czechia, the german Pitralon has a different formula than the original) and whatever else you find at Rossmann, DM and Müller. Supposedly Klar makes good shaving soaps too, I have yet to try them.
If you ever plan to have anything delivered from outside of the EU, be aware there's usually a minimum of 20% VAT you'll have to pay. In addition to that there will always be a handling fee by the courier. Most foreign packages, from couriers that have no counter part in germany (UPS exists in germany, so does FedEx), will be handled by DHL. They charge a 6€ handling fee for every package that goes through customs. With DHL (note that german DHL and international DHL only share the name, german DHL and Deutsche Post are basically one company) you can opt out of this, it's called "Selbstverzoller" and you can apply to it online. I only know that it works for residential addresses, not sure where you'll live. When you're a Selbstverzoller, in theory you have to drive to the customs office in your area and pick up the package yourself instead of having DHL deliver it. In reality this doesn't really work, DHL delivers it anyway and you have to complain to get your 6€ back. DHL Express charges 15€ and UPS 14€.
Shipping from outside the EU can be quite a bit cheaper if you have a friend proxy it for you. Have it sent from a residential address, declare the value lower than what it might or might not be. If you're not shipping a ****ton of stuff the customs usually don't double check the prices. You can send alcohol like AS and parfums too if you don't declare it. Or at least that's what my friend told me, this is neither legal nor financial advice and I do not advocate for tax evasion.
Heldenlounge.de also has some good products. If you want seasonal stuff by B&M you're **** ouf of luck mate. Artisan stuff from the USA is often sold out but I've had good experiences with Rasoigoodfellas and Anticatura giving me ETAs when certain products will be restocked (I'll ignore the one time Anel ghosted me).
If you want to buy Tabac soap in a store, do not make the same mistake as me and think they sell it in a bowl. It might say "SHAVING SOAP BOWL" on the packaging, but if you keep reading it says "REFILL" at the very bottom. Don't make the same dumb mistake as I did... For some reason it's literally impossible to find Tabac in a bowl in store here, I've been to 2 dozen drug stores and a few shaving equipment stores and not one single store stocked it. Hell, I live less than 1h away from the Mäurer & Wirtz factory and can't find this anywhere except online.
And finally I recommend exploring the cheap european AS classics that are still around today. Hattric, Sir Irisch Moos, Tabac obviously, Pitralon (or even better Pitralon F if you find yourself in Czechia, the german Pitralon has a different formula than the original) and whatever else you find at Rossmann, DM and Müller. Supposedly Klar makes good shaving soaps too, I have yet to try them.
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- Thread starter
- #28
Wow, so grateful to log back in and find all of this wonderful shaving information! Not to mention the heads-up on local transportation. 
Just about settled in in Germany. Got here less than two weeks ago, and we were lucky enough to find a place in Weilerbach, a stone’s throw from Ramstein AFB.
Neither of us can wait to experience all of the fine fragrances Europe has to offer!
Just about settled in in Germany. Got here less than two weeks ago, and we were lucky enough to find a place in Weilerbach, a stone’s throw from Ramstein AFB.
Neither of us can wait to experience all of the fine fragrances Europe has to offer!
Welcome to Germany!Wow, so grateful to log back in and find all of this wonderful shaving information! Not to mention the heads-up on local transportation.
Just about settled in in Germany. Got here less than two weeks ago, and we were lucky enough to find a place in Weilerbach, a stone’s throw from Ramstein AFB.
Neither of us can wait to experience all of the fine fragrances Europe has to offer!
I don't know if you are into white wine, but if so, you are located nearby (less than a 75 minutes drive each) to two epicenters of german Riesling (Palatine region in the east, Mosel region in the north west)... definitely worth a trip (even if you are the driver
)Cheers!
Guido
No Breweries close by?Welcome to Germany!
I don't know if you are into white wine, but if so, you are located nearby (less than a 75 minutes drive each) to two epicenters of german Riesling (Palatine region in the east, Mosel region in the north west)... definitely worth a trip (even if you are the driver
Cheers!
Guido
- Thread starter
- #31
As far as recreational carbohydrates go, I’ve fallen into the habit of just walking down to then Lidl down the street and buying whatever looks like a Helles or Pilsner.No Breweries close by?
- Thread starter
- #32
So after finding myself on the “love it” side of the Tabacc fence recently, I’ve been seeing some ads for the “Italy Crest” aftershaves, and the ”Hey Ma’am, it’s….” aftershaves. Anyone had any experience with either?
On the beer side of things, tried some Slovakian Porter in the Tatras mountain range the other week that just blew my socks off.
On the beer side of things, tried some Slovakian Porter in the Tatras mountain range the other week that just blew my socks off.
Well you problem is like moving any place new. Improvise, adapt, and overcome.
Sort of like moving from either coast to middle America. You can not get fresh fish, or shell fish.
But soon you will adapt, and find local stuff you love.
I am sure in Germany you will find things that are available only locally.
Some you will love, orther not so much.
Sort of like moving from either coast to middle America. You can not get fresh fish, or shell fish.
But soon you will adapt, and find local stuff you love.
I am sure in Germany you will find things that are available only locally.
Some you will love, orther not so much.
Living outside a military base area in Germany will cater to American tastes a lot more than farther away. It can be a bit like going to a McDonald's at the Spanish Steps in Rome! 
On the flip side, the Saturday markets at the central church in town was super awesome for me when I was there near Ravensburg. One day, a vendor had Green Herring in a truck driven straight in from the coast with salt water still on them, thought this "Yank" was a crazy one when I went back for my THIRD plate of those raw delicious Herring! I felt like a kid in a Candy store that day with a Daddy's 'piggybank'!
Doner Kebob/Kebap was a huge thing for me too! Those Turkish vendors put out a wonderful sandwich-style offering generally in a Pita or similar style bread, though it varied some from region to region.
On the flip side, the Saturday markets at the central church in town was super awesome for me when I was there near Ravensburg. One day, a vendor had Green Herring in a truck driven straight in from the coast with salt water still on them, thought this "Yank" was a crazy one when I went back for my THIRD plate of those raw delicious Herring! I felt like a kid in a Candy store that day with a Daddy's 'piggybank'!
Doner Kebob/Kebap was a huge thing for me too! Those Turkish vendors put out a wonderful sandwich-style offering generally in a Pita or similar style bread, though it varied some from region to region.
- Thread starter
- #35
There’s a Doner place literally over the hill. And a vending machine for steak, which has already begun to cut into my retirement savings 
- Thread starter
- #36
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