Are there any retail bricks and morter stores where you can buy soaps? I would like to find some local without ordering online.
Crabtree and Evelyn. Try a few tobacco shops and see if they have Col Conk. Other than that you will probably have to find a specialty shaving shop but that could be hard to find. Good Luck.
Art of Shaving......... You could always check your local drugstores and WalMarts for VDH soaps. They are cheap, and come in multiple versions.
My experience,,, Lowes Foods... Kiss My Face Shaving Creams Thayers Witch Hazel Rite Aid... Dickinson Witch Hazel Real Shave Company Shave Cream Whole Foods... Kiss My Face products
I do not know if you have a Food Lion near you, but the one over this way has KMF in the organic section. You might want to check the organic section in your local stores for KMF. It is a decent, and easy to lather product.
'round there here parts (Northeast Ohio) Walmart and Target both sell William's Mug Soap. I'm of the thinking that the soap doesn't need to smell fancey (or, really like anything), but the AS/face balm/cologne should be your mode of scent. Any thoughts? Maybe I'm missing out on some great shaves b/c I only use WMS.
IMHO, Williams is complete garbage compared to what you could be using. C.O. Bigelow stocks GFT and some stock D.R. Harris. Nordstroms usually stocks T&H. Bloomingdales/nieman marcus sometimes stock Castle Forbes.
Pirates Coves soaps are bought online but they are cheap $3 a puck for about 3 oz and the shipping is quick and very cheap. The soaps are fantastic
I think Williams is a fine soap, especially if you are strapped for cash. I have been using it the last week and it has proven to be a great shave. My C&E Nomad was complete garbage for the first few shaves, Williams was giving me BBS shave from the first shave. With that said, I would agree that it is not like a French Mill, or Glycerine, it surely holds it own. I like to put some water on it, it a coffee cup. Then I tilt it too the side and run my brush through that. Then I take it to the mug/bowl to lather up. Once I dropped my brush in the water, but was able to recover quite nicely. Never count out Williams.
For a few dollars I rather use Col. Conk glycerine soap or the old Body Shop cream. There are also a ton of very cheap creams.
Wal Greens and CVS carry VDH soap. I'm sure other corner pharmacies do as well. If you're also interested in creams The Body Shop sells a good house cream. Bath and Body Works has CO Bigelow.
I found AOS products at a retailer in my town by going to the Art of Shaving website and looking up their retailer locations.
