The Discontinuation that MOST disappointed you...

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by Primotenore, Jul 5, 2020.

  1. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    As I am shaving this morning, I lamented greatly the fact that I Coloniali is no more. I also got to thinking, what shave product that has been discontinued, that most disappointed me?
    What is yours?
    I suggest some parameters for your choice:
    1) Product can be ANYTHING related to your shave.
    2) You MUST have been able to purchase this product NEW---not NOS while you were actively wet-shaving.
    3) Reformulations do not count.
    4) Use restraint and pick JUST ONE, after all, "most" is a superlative determiner.
    5) Product doesn't have to be the BEST thing you ever used, just one you most wish was still available.
    Got it?
    OK, here's mine.
    I Coloniali shave soap. This soap was unique in scent, and while it has "Mango" in the name, there is no mango scent. It contains mango oil. The scent is a bit woodsy, fruity and the touch of menthol is the real kicker.
    It's as hard of soap as anything I have ever used, so the small puck does last a long time. Every single time I shave with this soap, I lament its discontinuation.
     
  2. Flintstone65

    Flintstone65 Well-Known Member

    For me it's Valobra Shave Soap -- specifically the Fougère scent. So this one may be a bit controversial as Valobra was purchased by Ludovico Martelli (a company that owns several brands, including Proraso) back in December of 2018. Most folks thought (and the Italian press release suggested) that Valobra would just be another brand in the LM holding company, but product started disappearing from retail outlets and not being replaced -- this was well before the pandemic. There are some who are optimistic that this fine soap maker will return with perhaps different packaging; but with nearly every outlet out of stock, I am less optimistic. I've been in discussions and disagreements on other fora as to whether Valobra has been indeed discontinued, and I would be elated to be proven wrong; but my experience with these types of transactions (in similar markets) is that Valobra was not purchased to add a hard-soap (both shaving and bath) product to fill-in where Proraso lacks coverage; but rather was to thin out the competitive landscape in a saturated segment as well as acquire some useful assets for future or current endeavors. Again, I would love to eat my words and be completely wrong, but after two years, spotting Valobra shave soap is like spotting Big Foot. Now that said, I did find a retail outlet in Australia that still had some stock and putting my money where my mouth is I bought up their remaining stock of Fougere.

    So what I like about Valobra Fougere (aside from the scent) is it's performance both during the shave and after. Great slickness, excellent protection and after I rinse it off, my face feels soft and hydrated. It's a soap I definitely reach for whenever I'm using a straight razor, hair shaper or something with a good deal of blade exposure or aggressiveness. I've got super-slick soaps that do a good job of letting the blade glide across my face, but none that make my face feel (and smell) as good afterward. Thanks for letting me vent and lament!
     
  3. BamaT

    BamaT Well-Known Member

    I would have to say the original Old Spice after shave. I used to use this back in the early 70’s as I began shaving, then got away from it and for years didn’t even use after shave. I would shave first, then shower, so I thought what was the point? Then somewhere around maybe 2011 or 2012, I bought a Van Der Hagen brush, soap and bowl set, and really liked that compared to canned shave cream. I changed my routine to shower first then shave, and liked that much better. After I finally made the plunge into DE shaving, the first after shave I bought was Old Spice. It was so long ago that I had used it, I didn’t notice any difference. Then a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to smell and sample someone’s vintage Old spice. While the reformulated version is similar, the original was certainly superior in my opinion. I still buy and use the current version and like it, but I really wish the original was still around.
     
  4. ischiapp

    ischiapp New Product Bloodhound

    I really enjoyed the original Klar Kabinet Rose puck and the Barrister & Mann Latha Taiga.
    Of the second as well the aftershave toner was a great product.
    What I loved is the high quality / price ratio.
     
  5. BigMike

    BigMike Well-Known Member

    :signs011:
    Also, dropping the ceramic bottle for plastic.
    And no more commercials with the Old Spice jingle.
    I bet their market share was huge up through the early 80s. Judging by the shelf space at the market they are clearly a minor player now - - does anyone under 30 use Old spice?
    Argh, don't get me started about how screwed up this brand is.
     
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  6. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    Irisch Moos shave stick.
     
  7. brit

    brit in a box

    the handsome grouse shave soap for me.easily as rich and slick as MWF.i got 2 pucks and then it went out of production,small artisan in canada.i managed to secure what seems to be the last 3 left,so 5 in total.will last a long time but..
     
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  8. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    The big blocks of Klar Kabinett were a great deal. I was disappointed because it was inexpensive and worked well enough, but honestly it after a while I got tired of it and gave my last block away. There are a ton of decent soaps out there that won't break the bank. Like everything else, good products come and go. I see no sense in living in the past. Use it and enjoy it while you can, then move on to something else.
     
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  9. ischiapp

    ischiapp New Product Bloodhound

    I learned the lesson with 1000ml Vitos block.
    The red one It's the most used by barbershop in Italy because has a stellar q/p ratio.
    Actually a very good mechanics, with €6-8 for a kilo of soap.
    For me, best way is to cut in pieces and store in the freezer.
    I've some 50g portions left that are perfect as the day I made them.
    Several years ago ...

    Knowledge is the key.
    :D :D :D
     
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  10. ischiapp

    ischiapp New Product Bloodhound

    +1000
     
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  11. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Ralph Lauren Safari Aftershave, and by extension, Safari shave soap.
     
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  12. riverrun

    riverrun Well-Known Member

    Truefitt and Hill Lavender Shaving Cream.
    Best. Lavender. Ever.
    Discontinued just before I wanted to buy a second tub.
    I have a tiny bit left, so I can sniff and weep occasionally.
     
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  13. John Beeman

    John Beeman Little chicken in hot water

    TSD lanolin shave soap.

    Fortunately I have a decent stock on hand to last me awhile.
     
  14. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    Love KK. I agree about not living in the past, but we can still lament, can't we? Just a bit? Just for this thread? Pretty please?
     
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  15. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    :sad023:


    ;)
     
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  16. Lancre

    Lancre Well-Known Member

    Drunken Goat.
     
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  17. Primotenore

    Primotenore missed opera tunity

    Article Team
    Great product.
     
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  18. PanChango

    PanChango Not Cute

    Absolutely. Sorry if I am party pooper. Have at it and enjoy.

    This is not an absolute rule for me, I still keep and use my dad's Old Spice mug with modern Williams in it. It is a little different when a person is discontinued than a product, but it is the same general idea. I use it once or twice a year to remember and just reknotted his brush too.

    My only issue with Klar Kabinett is that when it was readily available no one really gave a crap about it. It was an inexpensive soap with a mild pleasing scent that worked fairly well, along the line of Arko etc. Once discontinued, it magically attained grail status and was harder to find than unicorn poop. I liked the soap, but honestly it was not anything overly special. It is unfortunate, but you see this with a number of products.
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2020
  19. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Not a shave "product" per se, but I wish shaveabuck.com was still around. It was THE source to buy a lot of bottom shelf drugstore type European shave creams, soaps, and aftershaves from Israel, Hungary, Russia, Portugal, Bulgaria, etc.
     
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  20. stingraysrock

    stingraysrock PIF'd away his custom title

    Very well stated Dale. I still half of the KK bar set and have no plans to pick it up any time soon.
     

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