Shopping Abroad

[Rustyshackelford]

Howdy all,

I am presently on a 2 week cruise in Germany, ending in Switzerland. While here, I was planning to stick up on the German/European products that aren’t so common or reasonably priced back in the states. I am open to recommendations as to what retailers carry a broad selection. To choose from. So far, I managed to pick up 7 items at a shop in Munich. Due to a time crunch(pushy family members we are traveling with) I didn’t get to browse any other retailers.

At this point, I’ve picked up a coupe tabac refill pucks, Tabac Man A/S, Tabac Man Gravity A/S, Tabac Original Craftsman A/S, 4711 A/S, and Pitralon classic & polar A/S.

Please advise as to others I should be on the hunt to locate. While not German, I’m hoping to come across some Alt-Innsbruck, and LaToja.

Thanks for your advice in advance!
RS.

 

[La Malice]

Palmolive cream in a tube, easily available in must french supermarket, I would assume the same in switzerland (less than 2 euros last summer), Wilkinson sword soap in a bowl was also widely available in France

 

[Ron R]

Buy some Speick stick triple milled soap. I have Tabac also but the Speick is a mild spicy scented soap and I think it is a better soap for scent and performance and Tabac is a good standard to out do. Speick comes also in tube and tub I believe.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Swiss Pitralon Original AS
Florena cream
Balea cream
Nivea cream
Various Denim AS
Weleda cream and AS

All these should be available in Drugstore chains (Müller, Rossmann, Bipa, DM).

Haslinger soaps and Alt Innsbruck you will most probably only find in a dedicated shaving supply shop so we would need to know which cities you will visit.

 

[Arebus]

Florena cream

I miss the Arctic series back then.

 

[FarmerTan]

Anyone know if any Irisch Moos is available in Germany? The aftershave is on my bucket list. I see it once in awhile listed on the 'Bay, always wonder if it's legit...

 

[Multum in parvo]

Anyone know if any Irisch Moos is available in Germany? The aftershave is on my bucket list. I see it once in awhile listed on the 'Bay, always wonder if it's legit...

The AS yes, the stick is discontinued.

 

[FarmerTan]

The AS yes, the stick is discontinued.

I just NEED to smell it, lol. What smells like it available in the US of A?

Hi, I'm Dave, and I'm addicted to scents.

 

[LRod]

I don't know if you're interested in any razors, but since you end up in Switzerland, I'd be wondering how much a Blutt BR-1 razor costs over there!
And while you're at it, I'd probably inquire about a Pils 101NE while in Germany

 

[Multum in parvo]

I just NEED to smell it, lol. What smells like it available in the US of A?

Hi, I'm Dave, and I'm addicted to scents.

I have to search for the bottle to try it - too much open ones…

Edit: don’t take pics without glasses on

 

[Rhody]

I’m predicting the world’s largest toiletries bag upon your arrival home.
“Anything to declare?”
Umm nooooo

 

[Valerius]

If you visit Muller Drogerie you will find a quite good offering from different brands.

 

[Brutus]

Anyone know if any Irisch Moos is available in Germany? The aftershave is on my bucket list. I see it once in awhile listed on the 'Bay, always wonder if it's legit...

As per their website, Irisch Moos Eau de Toilette, After Shave, Pre Shave and deodorants (aerosol and natural spray) are still available.


As far as shopping is concerned, I found on my once regular trips to Europe that ordering online and having it shipped to a local address (e.g. friends, family or hotel after having asked them) opens a much wider variety in European shaving goods than trying to find them in local drug or department stores. Prices tend to be better too.
Many products are made in Europe, but for specialised items like shaving goods that does not mean that they are widely available there.

For fairly common items in Germany/Austria (e.g. Tabac, 4711, Nivea, Palmolive or Speick) local stores may do, but if you want items (Myrsol, La Toja, Floïd, etc.) from neighbouring European countries you are better served by online stores. Countries like Spain, Portugal and Italy have a lot of interesting shaving goods worth talking a close look at . So do the Brits, but since Brexit shipping from the U.K. to the EU has become a lot more complex and expensive.

If you have an account, you could use amazon.de even with your non-German log-in credentials or you could use reliable online stores like Gifts & Care (PayPal and credit card payments accepted) that, unlike for overseas destinations, are able to ship items with alcohol content within Europe.
For that reason and weight/space limitations when flying home, I would rather concentrate on fragrances like Eau de Colognes, aftershaves, etc. and shaving soaps than fairly ordinary shaving creams like Nivea, Palmolive etc.


I know; it’s easy for me to talk, since we moved to Portugal after retirement…


B.

 

[SlimChicken]

When I was in Poland the last 2 weeks of September I would just pop into aptekas (pharmacies) and see what they had. Even within the same brand of pharmacy (Rossman) the selection would vary. I even hit a Carrefour grocery store with some luck. I managed to come home with a few aftershaves and a fair amount of tubes of cream. The creams were especially very affordable and easy to pack in luggage.

I do wish I'd have seen some Speick products but wasn't able to track any down.

 

[BigJ]

I always enjoy visiting local shops when traveling!

Always fun to see what the locals have and to see products ‘in the flesh,’ much more fun than ordering online IMO.

 

[La Malice]

I always enjoy visiting local shops when traveling!

Nothing like going to a foreign grocery store to b lost in translation.

 

[Brutus]

I always enjoy visiting local shops when traveling!

Always fun to see what the locals have and to see products ‘in the flesh,’ much more fun than ordering online IMO.

Yes, when I still worked as an airline captain on international flights that was my kind of European ‘sightseeing’, especially in destinations where I had done the classical sights before.

Some places (e.g. Esbjerg in Vienna) have brick and mortar stores for shaving goods, but they are few and far in-between.
So sending stuff to a friendly concierge service seemed the way to go and, unlike hotels in North America, I was never asked to pay for this service.


B.

 

[lloydw]

meissner tremonia - awesome soaps are in Germany, I am not aware of availability in regular stores - but they have teir own store and online shopping

 

[Rustyshackelford]

Keep them coming guys. Today I visited visited Nürnberg for another Müller location and also made a small purchase at a DM shop as well. Scored some Speick cream and A/S, plus two bottles of the mythical Nivea 2 in 1 A/S.

 

[Rustyshackelford]

Anyone know if any Irisch Moos is available in Germany? The aftershave is on my bucket list. I see it once in awhile listed on the 'Bay, always wonder if it's legit...

I can pick some up for you. I have sniffed the samplers twice and didn’t pull the trigger, just didn’t really call out to me. Let me know.