Shopping Centre ignorance.. or my own?

[Rossmeister]

Ok, so I went to a shopping centre here in Oslo and I decided to check a perfumer/health and beauty shop to look for shaving products.

To my surprise, I find this: vulfixoldoriginal.com/products-detail.asp?CatID=15&SubCatID=32&ProductID=68 At over triple the price compared to Vulfix'a home page, it was totally uninteresting, but I asked to smell it (it was sealed with tape).

The shop section manager says casually and matter-of-factly that it's exactly the same as this shaving.ie/product_images/uploaded_images/omega-shaving-cream-tub2.jpg

I was taken aback and to be honest I smelled bull****. "But this is sandalwood", I said, "they can't smell the same." He keeps saying that they're the same creams, that they're from the same producer and thay the omega has sandalwood in it as well.

I was really confused, annoyed and I don't know quite what to think. I ended up saying "if you say so," but the smell of BS/ignorance lingered.

Is he stupid, or am I the idiot here..?

 

[oversaturn]

...

Is he stupid...

This.

People should know better what they're selling. Period.

Omega is made by Proraso, and has eucalyptus oil and menthol. No relation whatsoever with Vulfix creams.

 

[LinuxMintyFresh]

Omega hasn't even a trace of sandalwood scent, and I don't think the consistency in those Vulfix photos looks even close to the way Omega is (very dense and almost soap-like). I'd say he is either lying, misinformed, or confused, not necessarily in that order.

 

[reyrascon]

He (the shopkeeper) is either stupid or just plain lazy. Those two products are so different, both are good, just very different. Like minty said, Omega is more of a soap, and Vulfix is a soft cream. Omega has no sandalwood in it, smells just like proraso. The vulfix sandalwood cream has a very sweet, maybe a hint of cinnamon, sandalwood scent.

 

[mmack66]

I was taken aback and to be honest I smelled bull****.

It's just as well, who would want to lather up a shaving cream that smelled like that?

 

[bbarton713]

It's just as well, who would want to lather up a shaving cream that smelled like that?

Did someone mention Williams?!?!!?

 

[Pontoppidan]

Mind if i ask what shop you were in?
I've never seen other wet shaving products than gillette, nivea and palmolive in Norway...

 

[Rossmeister]

Ponto, where in Norway are you? I know they sell Palmolive shaving sticks at Vita, along with some Old Spice product (only aftershave splashes I think). Esthetique at Strømmen storsenter has some stuff (omega cream in black boxes) and boar brushes of questionable quality. Some brushes I've seen in Norway say "do not soak in hot water." Make of that what you will... In the situation I described I was at Steen & Strøm in Oslo. I can't remember the retailer, but that also might've been Esthetique. You can't miss the shop. Ground floor and it's huge. The men's section is in a corner (go figure, hehe).

Anyway, thanks guys. I just can't believe my humility got the better of me on this one!

EDIT
Ponto, go to The Body Shop. They sell synthetic brushes tha are quite ok. I bought one for my brother for his birthday. They also have creams (the somewhat popular maca root cream) and aftershave balms. Also, barber Kaare Korperud (google him, can't remember the address) sells Fitjar out of his salon. More expensive than barbershop.no though, so I wouldn't bother, but you could always go smell them before deciding on what to buy. A shave costs 400 kr ($67), so I wouldn't bother with that either, but it's always cheaper than that other place in Oslo. I can never remember the name, but it's 700 there...

 

[Pontoppidan]

I live in Bergen, so Strømmen is a bit far But I'm sure others on this forum appreciate your tips. The VITA-tip is especially good. Their Palmolive shavestick is superb.

I've tried The Body Shops brush, and can't say I like it. To soft and "squishy" for my facelathering. I prefer my Simpson super badger

If there are any other wetshavers in Bergen, Lille Rips in Strandgaten (gågaten) sell Fitjar Products, a few razors and a couple of brushes. Their prices on Fitjar-products are somewhat similar to the prices you can get online. Not that I really care about that. I like to support vendors that market wet shaving products locally. If I just go there and sniff, and then buy online, they will sooner or later stop selling wet shaving products.

Thanks for the tip on barbers in Oslo, but I don't think I'll pay that much for a shave when i can get a good shave by my self
The only knife wielding barber (not shavette) I know in Norway, is a guy running a shop in Skien. A bit too far to check out

 

[Medic82]

Ponto, where in Norway are you? I know they sell Palmolive shaving sticks at Vita, along with some Old Spice product (only aftershave splashes I think). Esthetique at Strømmen storsenter has some stuff (omega cream in black boxes) and boar brushes of questionable quality. Some brushes I've seen in Norway say "do not soak in hot water." Make of that what you will... In the situation I described I was at Steen & Strøm in Oslo. I can't remember the retailer, but that also might've been Esthetique. You can't miss the shop. Ground floor and it's huge. The men's section is in a corner (go figure, hehe).

Anyway, thanks guys. I just can't believe my humility got the better of me on this one!

EDIT
Ponto, go to The Body Shop. They sell synthetic brushes tha are quite ok. I bought one for my brother for his birthday. They also have creams (the somewhat popular maca root cream) and aftershave balms. Also, barber Kaare Korperud (google him, can't remember the address) sells Fitjar out of his salon. More expensive than barbershop.no though, so I wouldn't bother, but you could always go smell them before deciding on what to buy. A shave costs 400 kr ($67), so I wouldn't bother with that either, but it's always cheaper than that other place in Oslo. I can never remember the name, but it's 700 there...

Perhaps I should pay them a visit with a tub of each and ask if he/she smells a difference?

 

[Rossmeister]

Okay, so I actually went back.

He tried denying he said they were the same, but I pressed him on it and he kind of admitted the mistake. They were from the same supplier anyway.

He was obviously not very well informed about brushes and shaving in general, because I overheard him reccommend something to another customer who was hardly convinced at all.

But anyway, we ended up talking for a bit and becoming friendly. He told me he personally liked C&E. He was also frustrated about the shopping centre using the same supplier, because it lead to insane prices. He said the prices were doubled automatically, AND the supplier was expensive. We also talked a bit about perfumes, since his section was stuffed with it. He didn't like most of what he had to sell, so I could tell he'd like things to be different.

They apparently sell loads of Tabac, but not to young people like myself I did see one good price though, on the Omega cream tube for 90 NOK (or 99, can't remember). That's the same as Norwegian online shops.

He also told me about how the shop runs its business. They like to keep an image that says exclusive and expensive, so they're never actually allowed to advertise sales or price reductions. He said that often there are items 50% off, and other special offers, but they weren't allowed to advertise it. What a crappy way to run a shop. But I suppose some people have too much money.

A Kent soap in wooden bowl costs about 80 dollars. Insanity.

 

[Zephyr]

I've been to the same shop looking for some shaving supplies, can't say I was very imressed by neither knowledge or prices I just can't justifie spending $335 for a Kent BK8 because quote: "you gotta know, this is the best shaving brush in the world" (This was a woman in the sixties, a typical west side lady)

At Egertorget there is a beautyshop for men only, they carry quite a few brushes, some soaps and creams and a few straights.
Not a very cheap place this either, but the customer service is excellent

I got in a conversation about wet shaving with a very nice lady that work there, bought a couple of things and got a tub of the Vulfix sandalwood with a good discount (originally the same price at Steen & Strøm)

It has soon become one of my favorite creams, it makes a very nice slick lather, and smells great.
I can send you an sample if you like, just PM me.

 

[binowatch]

: It is amazing to see this poor salesman has gotten slammed from Norway, Portugal, Utah, Illinois, Missouri and South Carolina-oh yea, and now from Washington State! This forum is terrific. You schould print out the replies and give them to him!

 

[Medic82]

At Egertorget there is a beutyshop for men only

Ohhh, where and wats it called?

 

[Zephyr]

Ohhh, where and wats it called?

If I'm not wrong it is a Estetique store, it is in the small shopping center called "Eger", it's on your right when facing the castle.
I had a bit troulbe finding it the first time, 'cause it is kinda hidden almost all the way in trough the hallway, just keep walking straight ahead when you get in, and you will find it on your left side.

But as I said, quite expensive, but very service minded.

 

[Medic82]

If I'm not wrong it is a Estetique store, it is in the small shopping center called "Eger", it's on your right when facing the castle.
I had a bit troulbe finding it the first time, 'cause it is kinda hidden almost all the way in trough the hallway, just keep walking straight ahead when you get in, and you will find it on your left side.

But as I said, quite expensive, but very service minded.

Takk It's worth a look