Hi Folks!
With this thread I firstly just want to share my thoughts on the topic and secondly want you to bring in yours as maybe this will bring some clearance within my brain.
Why do many (not all for sure!) people purchase / possess more shaving soaps than they will ever be able to fully use up? This shall not offend anybody, I am really curious about this fact.
I have been wet-shaving for almost 17 years and 2 years ago I entered the field of traditional shaving. Having watched many shaving videos on YouTube and browsing through wet-shaving regarded fora, I firstly had the impression that many guys entered DE/SE-shaving due to lower costs and some even for environmental reason. Since 2015, from my perspective, the thing has changed and with the rising number of artisan soap makers coming up (which is a GREAT thing), it is as if almost all at least publicly active wet-shavers have developed an addiction to buy every latest soap that arrives the market. I am also very interested in new soaps from various soap makers, but I do not see the need to buy so much more shaving software than I actually can use. Of course, a shaving soap has a long shelf life, so one can have few to rotate. But some (well, many I would guess) do posses more than 30, 40, 50 shaving soaps.
So my questions are:
1. Are there guys out there that would publicly admit that they've developed an acquiring addiction?
2. What do you do with all these soaps that you'll probably only use a couple of times and then place back in your den? Do you do samples out of it (to hand them over to forum members), do you sell it, do you give it away to a family member, to friends?
3. Would you say that this is a general, broader trend in current western societies that one always thinks the newest is the best and due to the many opportunities / the huge variety one may think that one is missing/leaving something out that would be greater than the already great product/s that is/are working fine?
I wanted to make the change to, in my case, DE shaving for mainly two reasons: Better shaving results due to ingrown hair problems on my neck and to save money. I also bought and will continue to buy new products, especially from the great American, French and Italian soap makers (there are many more from other countries...I know..., currently I do posses 6 different shaving soaps. 3 mass-market and 3 artisan soaps. I always use them until their end and then get a new stocking, knowing that I'll miss the many that appear on the market meanwhile. But that does not bother me. I tend to think that the new ones that really are as good as the ones I already know / have, will be on the market (waiting for me) when I want to buy them (because they've proven the market to have the right to be there so to say).
Another thought I have especially regarding artisan soap makers: Don't they, despite the most important aspect of good sales figures, also want their products to be really/fully enjoyed? I just doubt that this is possible if one does not use their soaps until the end or just give up using after one, two, three times because of the scent or, see my question number 3.
To me, acquiring more and more and more somehow contradicts/deranges the notion of deceleration (slower down my life at least for the part I am alone with myself in the bathroom) and sustainability (although my daily behaviour does not always satisfies that demanding).
I also want artisan soap makers still on the market to be successful and new producers to show up, that is not my point!
I am really just interested in your thoughts on this topic and the way you think about it.
I REALLY APPRECIATE COMPLETELY CONTRARY STATEMENTS / OPINIONS AND AGAIN WANT TO LET ALL OF YOU FOLKS KNOW THAT I DO NOT INTEND TO OFFEND ANYBODY ON HERE.
I am a proud member of the B&B forum!
Cheers
Christian
With this thread I firstly just want to share my thoughts on the topic and secondly want you to bring in yours as maybe this will bring some clearance within my brain.
Why do many (not all for sure!) people purchase / possess more shaving soaps than they will ever be able to fully use up? This shall not offend anybody, I am really curious about this fact.
I have been wet-shaving for almost 17 years and 2 years ago I entered the field of traditional shaving. Having watched many shaving videos on YouTube and browsing through wet-shaving regarded fora, I firstly had the impression that many guys entered DE/SE-shaving due to lower costs and some even for environmental reason. Since 2015, from my perspective, the thing has changed and with the rising number of artisan soap makers coming up (which is a GREAT thing), it is as if almost all at least publicly active wet-shavers have developed an addiction to buy every latest soap that arrives the market. I am also very interested in new soaps from various soap makers, but I do not see the need to buy so much more shaving software than I actually can use. Of course, a shaving soap has a long shelf life, so one can have few to rotate. But some (well, many I would guess) do posses more than 30, 40, 50 shaving soaps.
So my questions are:
1. Are there guys out there that would publicly admit that they've developed an acquiring addiction?
2. What do you do with all these soaps that you'll probably only use a couple of times and then place back in your den? Do you do samples out of it (to hand them over to forum members), do you sell it, do you give it away to a family member, to friends?
3. Would you say that this is a general, broader trend in current western societies that one always thinks the newest is the best and due to the many opportunities / the huge variety one may think that one is missing/leaving something out that would be greater than the already great product/s that is/are working fine?
I wanted to make the change to, in my case, DE shaving for mainly two reasons: Better shaving results due to ingrown hair problems on my neck and to save money. I also bought and will continue to buy new products, especially from the great American, French and Italian soap makers (there are many more from other countries...I know..., currently I do posses 6 different shaving soaps. 3 mass-market and 3 artisan soaps. I always use them until their end and then get a new stocking, knowing that I'll miss the many that appear on the market meanwhile. But that does not bother me. I tend to think that the new ones that really are as good as the ones I already know / have, will be on the market (waiting for me) when I want to buy them (because they've proven the market to have the right to be there so to say).
Another thought I have especially regarding artisan soap makers: Don't they, despite the most important aspect of good sales figures, also want their products to be really/fully enjoyed? I just doubt that this is possible if one does not use their soaps until the end or just give up using after one, two, three times because of the scent or, see my question number 3.
To me, acquiring more and more and more somehow contradicts/deranges the notion of deceleration (slower down my life at least for the part I am alone with myself in the bathroom) and sustainability (although my daily behaviour does not always satisfies that demanding).
I also want artisan soap makers still on the market to be successful and new producers to show up, that is not my point!
I am really just interested in your thoughts on this topic and the way you think about it.
I REALLY APPRECIATE COMPLETELY CONTRARY STATEMENTS / OPINIONS AND AGAIN WANT TO LET ALL OF YOU FOLKS KNOW THAT I DO NOT INTEND TO OFFEND ANYBODY ON HERE.
I am a proud member of the B&B forum!
Cheers
Christian