I'm new to DE shaving and I got turned on to it by the Art of Shaving store in my local mall. But the more I research is the store and their product just trendy or are their products fairly good? I love the shave I get but am I missing more. If this store never exsisted I would still be using a mach3 with shave gel.
Their creams are excellent, but expensive for what you get. There are any choices in creams and soaps, within no time I am sure you will be like many of us and have dozens
Quality products but overpriced for almost everything if I recall correctly. There are many other soaps and creams available for a fraction of the price which perform just as good, if not better, the same can be said for brushes, razors, blades etc, that you find available there.
If you want to try Art of Shaving to see if you like it, stop by a Sephora Beauty Store They stock it in the mens section of some stores and Sephora will give you a free sample of anything you want to try. I found I got enough for about 3 shave. I tried the sandlewood and lemon shaving creams and found them excellent. Worth $25 a jar, perhaps not, but very nice. I also tried the AOS lemon shave oil and it was wonderful and allowed me to get some of the best, smoothest, least irritated shaves to date. Hope this helps...
As noted by the others, quality products, but overpriced. Their colognes, imho, are nothing to write home about tho. Very one dimensional.
You are welcome. Hope it works for you. The Sephora I usually go to with my wife has drastically cut back on mens stuff so if you find one, I hope they still carry the shave creams in the store.
I have some of their lavender cream and really like it but due to the price I'm going to look at other options next time around.
I sort of look at The Art of Shaving as a gateway drug for lack of a better comparison. It peaks your interest and gets you started but always leaves you wanting more. Then you discover TSD and all the ADs kick in. And I agree with everyone else, it's great stuff but not worth it at all compared to everything else that's available. But at least it got your foot in the door and started you out.
As stated rather on the pricey side, but does work. Pretty much all a friend of mine uses. The big plus with "Art of Shaving" is many times you can find it locally. However the fact that it got you interested in traditional shaving by seeing it in the mall, is what is really important here I think. I tend to do some research/reviews on the things I'm interested in and then start cheap and work my way up. I'd hate to use a really expensive product (preshave,soap,AS,etc.) when a much cheaper one exists that does the same job "lol".
I think I pretty much hit up on every AOS thread I see. Any shavers that know me well enough know that I am a huge AOS Sandalwood fanboy. They also know that I pretty much can't stand the company itself. A little background I read somewhere: They are owned, or at least work with (worked with?) the Italian soap company Valobra, which also makes really fantastic products. I can say these things: If you like AOS and can't find it for 75% retail, my standard for buying their products, through couponing, ebaying, forums, etc., then here are my personal recommendations for alternative products: Their hard soap: Tabac, Valobra, Palmolive, or Irish moos (a Tabac brand, I think) Their Creme: Cella, Valobra soft, Any of the 3T's (GFT, T&F, TOBS) I can't find anything to replace their balm or cologne, which are also staples and favorites of mine.
What is this "Valobra" of which you speak? I suppose I'll go ahead and admit, likely to my shame, that I have not heard of it! Tell me more, please—how does it relate to AOS?
http://www.italianbarber.com/valobra?osCsid=f543fd665ab209b26ac97daf69fa9b19 Valobra makes AoS. Same base, different scents AFAIK.
That is exactly how I started. Saw someone getting a straight razor shave and I looked around the store. Walked out with my Merkur 34c, alum block, and travel size starter kit. Everything worked great. Expensive yes, but you pay no shipping and don't have to sit at the mailbox waiting. After saying that, I have not re-purchased any AOS products but I am still trying other soaps after reading all the great recommendations here.
Their Sandalwood products are really good and while most of my purchases are online, going into an AOS store was like being in a candystore. It is the only pure shaving goods store that I have found within reasonable driving distance at the time.
I went to Sephoria yesterday and the girl gave me free samples of lavender and ocean kelp. She gave me little paint jars of the cream and after shave. She did not give me the oil. But overall it's exactly what I wanted. A lot of people are posting replys about the expense. But the way I see it that 100$ kit is going to last me a year. I shave every other day. So is that expensive 8$ a month??
Per shave cost is a great analysis. I personally choose to get just as good & possibly better for much less $$$. It's all worth what you feel it's worth. Just try it & if you enjoy it then repurchase it.