but I really wish soaps didn't last so long. I honestly just kind of wish a puck or tub lasted like two weeks. I hate buying something and selling it after a short while just because I want to try something different. I've limited myself to 10 different soaps/creams but there are so many more that I've already discovered I like. I wish they just didn't last as long then I could buy more guilt-free. Ugh. I've started to load my brushes for 60-90 seconds to use them up quicker even though I usually only do a two-pass shave(I have very light facial hair.)
This might sound crazy.
- Thread starter ClintO
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Not crazy at all; although the folks that manufacture and sell the soaps probably would disagree with you. You might try some of the vendors from the Market Place section that sell samples; I find this to be a great (and economical) way to try various soaps, creams, etc. When you find one do like then buy the "regular" size.
I know what you mean. I've got a few things I want to try, but way too much on hand to be buying much else. If you don't want to BST it to get some of your money back, you could help out a lot of folks here by pif'ing it, and you could specify only to people who've never tried it so that in the end you'd be giving somebody the chance to try something to see if they like it without having to commit to a big jar/tub/tube of it.
Although I am not one of them, I think the people on sabbatical may tend to disagree with you. You could try using a brush with a larger knot, or a brush with more density. But when buying a soap I always take value into consideration. When a shaving soap is usually around $15 for a refill, I expect it to last a while. Will it take me a long time to go through my collection? Of course it will. But I don't want to buy anything that's not a great value.
Sounds like you like variety. I second the suggestion to focus on samples. I've had soap "samples" that have lasted longer than two weeks, so that's about what you described. I think I'm in the same boat, by the way. Other than a couple pucks of Stirling (they're only five bucks so who cares?) I've only purchased samples lately.
the only crazy thing is restricting yourself to 10 soaps.
sounds like you need a much bigger rotation, 100 may do it for you.............or just get samples as others have said.
sounds like you need a much bigger rotation, 100 may do it for you.............or just get samples as others have said.
i have started cutting mine in half and pif the other half -that way I get to try more soaps with less guilt!!!
I have a decent selection of soaps. There inevitably comes the time when you look at a soap that you haven't used in a long time and realize you don't have the urge to use. Or maybe you just don't like it for whatever reason.
Offer it it up for trade or PIF it. I've found that there's always someone around here who absolutely loves what you may dislike.
I just traded away away a tub of soap which is highly thought of around here but was of little use to me. I exchanged it for some blades that I wanted to try. I mailed out (PIF) a bottle of cologne a while back because someone else really wanted it.
I've also been the recipient of admirable generosity from fellow B&B members, so I always look to "pay it forward."
(It's amazing what guys like us will do to keep buying shave stuff...)
I have been going through samples and dont want to have 6 of them all in some sort of container. Drives me crazy trying to use one before going to the next but I dont want to toss it either. I have been trying to use them up some and end up washing a lot of lather down the drain
I'll tell you what I'm willing to do for you, just so you can have peace of mind. Just have your soaps and creams shipped to me first, and I'll do you the favor of removing 75% of the product and re-package it and forward it straight to you. It'll save you a substantial amount of time and effort doing all that extra loading. You know, just because I'm such a nice guy
I agree with the OP, and I wish that soap manufacturers would offer their soap pucks in a size that is bigger than a sample but smaller than the typical full puck.
Ideally they could offer both sizes, so we could choose which we wanted. That way if you found a scent you never wanted to be without, you could still order a full-size puck.
Ideally they could offer both sizes, so we could choose which we wanted. That way if you found a scent you never wanted to be without, you could still order a full-size puck.
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I think my problem is actually just liking too many things. I haven't really gotten rid of anything because I didn't like it.. I got rid of it because I wanted to make room in the den for something else to try. One of the reasons I don't really like the samples is because I'm a sucker for packaging. I love the wooden and ceramic bowls and dishes that a lot of these come in. I love the D. R. Harris bowls with the sticker on them. I love the MdC jar. I love the MWF ceramic dish. I even like the plain wooden bowl from the AOS. Now I'm eyeing the Floris and Penhaligon bowls of soap. I even got a Thuya bowl from MisterCitizen for some Haslinger. I'm a sucker, I know. The reason I limited my den to 10 soaps is because my wife saw my collection told me it was ridiculous. Thankfully she didn't see any price tags. I might have to grow my limit. I just don't like giving away or selling things that I like. I feel like it would feel more... satisfying to use it till the end. I just wish I could experience that satisfaction more quickly. That sounds pretentious, huh.
I actually wish the opposite. I want the largest size of everything so when I find out that I do like it (almost always do), I'll have plenty to enjoy. I plan on committing to the 2014 Sabbatical. Can't wait to start really narrowing down my favorites.
Since soaps basically last forever, you shouldn't worry about using one up before starting another. Just follow your bliss!
I think the answer that many of us B&B'ers end up arriving at is to spread out the insanity to multiple areas. Soaps is a common starting place.... and yes, I'm a sucker for the fancy bowls and dishes as well. Aftershaves was my thing at first..... then creams. Then I got comfortable lathering soaps and I realized that soaps last forever..... yeah..... they even get better with age! So I bought and I bought and I bought. I should've bought stock in IKEA with all the Grundtals I had to buy to store all of my soap in. Then I discovered vintage Gillettes. Don't get me started. Eventually you get to shaving brushes and you either go broke or end up in rehab.
Ben
Ben
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I stocked up on Grundtals too haha! I have at least 30 total. Love em. Finally got a good labeling system goin too.
I plan on movin my Panna Crema and PdP over this weekend.
I personally started with razors, then brushes/restores then soaps
Once you find a soap which you really like, use it daily until you have the urge to get rid of it. Then simply dry it, wrap it up and hide it somewhere in your den. You may rediscover it in April next year...
That sums it up!
YOu have no idea how much I have wished for this....
You're right - it DOES sound crazy
Once I've found a soap that I truly love everything about (Mystic Water Unscented) I get 'stressed' when I see the puck growing smaller.
I also get the same feeling these days for Stirlings bar soaps that I use for face (naked/unscented) and shower (sheep).
