I do that all the time, but if I could say the selection I find is mediocre... that would be at least encouraging. I've found that in my country, wetshaving is an art forgotten and forever lost. - No DE Razors nor Str8 Razors - No DE blades - Only found 1 place that sells brushes (and they have only 1 brand) - No soaps - Only found 1 kind of shaving cream. - Stropes?... hah, that's a myth - Alum Block... only found Alum Porder - Witch Hazel can't be found no matter which language I say its name All my friends always get amazed when I tell them how I shave.. and most of them say "I just buy whatever razor shaves me in the least time. I just bought the ABC123 Electric razor and it's wonderful" I just giggle and think "you're happy with a candy while I am drowning in joy with a container of candies" ... that went way off topic sorry :ashamed001 Back on topic. Yes, I do exactly the same! I do find a decent variety of aftershaves, I think I'll try a Gillette next time.
:happy102 +1 I think I've progressed beyond simple intelligence gathering now though, I know where all the stuff is locally but I still have to cruise the aisle just to make sure they haven't thrown in something new. Regrettably, it's a rarity. Which reminds me, there's some Barbasol AS balm at a Publix near work that I still need to try.
Yep i do that also. But the only good product i end up is Proraso shaving soap, cream, pre-shave balm and if im lucky, aftershave.
Guilty as charged. There is a LifeCheck Drugs in Houston off of San Felipe and S. Post Oak that has a wonderful selection. They have all of the Col. Conk soaps, some Casswell Massey soaps and creams, Kent Creams, the entire Pinaud Line (Clubman, Lime Sec, Vanilla Musk, Bay Rum, etc.) some brushes (Caswell Massey and Altesse), Gillette Blades (red and black paper blister pack), Valobra Soap, and more. I also like checking out Marshalls. I got lucky once and got 2 oz. bottles of Royall Bay Rhum, Lyme, and Spyce for $4.00 each. I've seen good deals there on other A/S's there as well
I will have to check the whole foods here, I haven't seen anything else locally. Even the knife shop in the mall is closed.
Doing this led to the discovery that one grocery carries Williams soap, another grocery actually has Treet SE blades, most groceries and drugstores have some kind of DE blades (although usually poor quality and overpriced), CVS has Williams soap, cheap VdH boar brushes, SE blades, inexpensive generic Trac II and Atra compatible cartridges, and decent quality Injector blades, and also the discovery that I will write run-on sentences if I don't watch it. I don't go into stores for that reason, though. I just check out the shaving supplies while I'm there.
I survey the shaving suply of every drugstores I come across. Even if I know it's going to be mediocre. Just in case, just in case ...
I make a point of visiting the locally run, mom and pop pharmacies, in the hope that they haven't tossed/ discounted old inventory. I hope to one day find a stock of NOS Gillette's just waiting for a wet shaver to rediscover them.
My plan for tomorrow is "window" shopping in Alamogordo. I already have my route mapped out in my head.
Whole Foods has an excellent selection of oils: Jojoba, sweet almond, avocado, coconut, etc. They stock these for massage and Holistic Practices, but shavers can use them to formulate preshave treatments, cutting balms, Oil Cleansing Method, moisturizers, etc. I am particularly fond of a $10 bottle of Mountain Ocean Coconut Skin Trip moisturizer, purchased 3 weeks ago at Whole Foods. Link to mfrs web page HERE.
I perused the local privately owned drugstore last night while I waited for our order from the restaurant next door. I came upon a few goodies. Everything appears to be NOS. Older looking design, yellowed packaging. The blades in the photo are SE blades, but I think there were some DE blades on the rack below. And if I'm reading the full size photo correctly, I think they were priced at just a couple of bucks. I also found some old school hair products. Vitalis and Top Brass.
How much are those Ever-Ready brushes? If they're no to pricey I'm sure you could find some buyers around here.
I'll check back in a couple of days. I think I'm going to buy up all of the the Sword DE blades (5 packs of 10 at $2.59 a piece). I'll check the price on the Ever-Ready.
checked at my local cvs and walgreens just the common stuff pinaud a/s pinaud hair gel vdh shaving soap (glycerin) vdh brush williams shaving soap aqua velva
Glad to hear I am not alone. While being fairly new to this I am trying to learn as much as I can. My wife thinks I am totally nuts spending the evening watch shaving videos and reading this forum. She's like - isn't it just shaving? Whatever! Bill
