What's up with the Art of Shaving?

[DigitalGee]

All I can say is, "You guys ROCK!"

Finding this website makes me (echoing Lou Gehrig) consider myself "the luckiest man in the world." (Fill in your own stadium loudspeaker echoes.) Thank you ALL for your responses to my questions above.

[Doctor]

I HATE going to an AoS store. The SA just won't leave you alone. And on top of that they don't have the slightest information on wet shaving.

[Agravic]

AoS

soap/cream/aftershave - quality product at a premium price

service - spotty akin to any other 'big-box' franchise retailer

overall - can do better with B+B for advice and info on online vendors

[Jefebadskin]

What everyone else said. I'm also a soap guy so no cream recs of value, but I prefer the fat, Mystic Waters, and Mikes over AoS. It still performs well though, and beats anything without tallow (for my tastes).

[Tillerman7]

Best to do your research here. But again, you can lather many different ways. Stay the course.

[N2theBreech]

FWIW - I'm coming up on a year of traditional shaving and somehow I managed to do it without entering a single AOS store, or buying one AOS product! :)

I got my advice from the good folks here at B&B. I bought my stuff mostly from B&B vendors, with the occasional Amazon purchase if I need something quick. I guess my preference is to support the small vendors whose hearts are in it, rather than a big chain whose stockholders hearts are on... the quarterly earnings report.

One service they provide is to raise visibility of alternative ways of shaving.

[Bejaar]

One time I threw them a wild pitch, while in a store in Michigan. The associate came up to me and asked if I needed help with brushes. "Sure, what is the knot size and loft on this one?" After a 30 ]second pause, and a "deer in lights" stare, she went over to the other associate to get an answer. They both commenced to have smoke blow out their ears, eyes spinning backwards, and metal springs pop out their necks. Ok, so maybe all that didn't happen, but they stopped following me around after that. I agree with a previous comment of "a gateway to shaving". AOS is where I started, but after being a member on this site, options opened up. Having exposure at large venues is their strength in the market. Just as most companies operate, they use consumer ignorance as a tool to attract and sell as much as they can. Sites like B&B are beneficial because it arms it's members with the knowledge to make informed decisions about their purchases. At the end of the day you vote with your dollars, and you can choose not to pay for overpriced items. Stick to these forums and one day you'll say, "AOS who?" While compared to the cost of gel in a can, AOS can be cheaper, compare the cost of an AOS, to Mike's Natural, QCS, Mama Bears, TOBS, C.O.B, Proraso, even to a brick of P.160. The point is, there are options, which work as well (or better), comparable or higher quality, and a lower cost. Even as "splurge" items, any of these options or others make the grade.

[PFP_Dad]

I think they have great soap, but even their supposed "Master Barbers" are shockingly uninformed compared to even the newest members of this board.

[CGW409]

Agreed on the "entry level" status of AOS,good creams but I can find just as good quality or better for the same prices at Merz.
Last time in an AOS I picked up a brush holder for my wife's grandfather's brush and chatting with a few other customers while waiting for help.
After mentioning some of my vintage Gillette razors in earshot of a salesperson I kind of got the "well he's a lost cause" look from said salesperson.

[Predict]

AOS is a top notch product but I wouldn't set foot in their store from all I've heard about their sales people. That being said the products you ordered are great as well. I recommend you try mystic water and queen Charlotte for some great shaving soaps

[mdevine]

We are sometimes a little too hard on the AoS people. The members here are an unusually well informed group; shaving "geeks" who have, via their numerous ADs, tried a plethora of hardware and software. We overlook the fact that AoS is, in most places they operate, the only brick and mortar store dedicated to the wet-shaving experience. Without it, many people wouldn't even know that soaps, brushes, straights and DE razors are still an option. As to their products, I haven't found a soap that out performs it. I have found some as good at a better price. However, I like it enough that I'll probably buy more when the pucks I have are gone.

Mike

[Archer808]

I was discussing different soaps in another thread and PugslyCat broke it down pretty well for a beginner like me:

Here is a list of soaps and creams that I think anybody in this as a hobby needs to try just to see what the fuss is about. I haven't tried most of these myself, but hope to in the next year or so:

• Arko - Has it's own cult. Supposedly borrows the scent from a urinal puck, but the guys seem to get over that or fall in love with it quickly enough. Seems to be a good first shaving stick for most folks. I haven't tried it, but supposedly fool proof to lather.
• Tabac - Not to say it's a long lasting soap, but you should consider leaving it to the parrot in your will. Known for it's classic scent. Possible cult status for this one as well.
• Cella - If you really like it you can refill the tubs from a 1 KG block.
• MWF - As mentioned above, might be tough to get a good lather.
• QCS - Gets lots of love here.
• Razorock - Another one that gets lots of love here.
• Mama Bear - A personal favorite. Lots of variety and made by an artisan here in the Midwest. Many scents that pair up well with common aftershaves.
• Van Der Hagen - A good one to get to know just because of its wide availability. A good soap for the price. Several variants of this are widely available including the Deluxe and Luxury products. The Deluxe is probably the soap you are most likely to encounter in a retail shop.
• Williams - Tough to get good lather with until you learn how. Another one you need to know just because it is so widely available. Probably the least expensive soap on the market in the United States.
• Proraso/ C. O. Bigelow - Actually a cream, but again, one you should try just because it is ubiquitous.

[JonM]

I was discussing different soaps in another thread and PugslyCat broke it down pretty well for a beginner like me:

What? No love for TOBS? For shame...

[mgoldmann]

About a month ago, the first AOS store opened in Wisconsin. From visiting them and from looking at their website, I came to the conclusion that most of their products can be had for much less at other suppliers. They have certain items that might justify dealing with them (for instance, if you wanted to buy a custom Mach3 handle for someone) but that would be the exception for me.

[ricardo9505]

LOL!
too funny.just sales pitches and trying to sound like she knows what she's talking about. I despise arrogance in sales people (having been in sales myself for so many years).
you've got some great products coming. check out the vendor sites also. westcoastshaving, shoeboxshaveshop, classicshaving.
Taylors is good cream from what I read. I just jumped into some new soap and loving this D.R. Harris lavender. 6 weeks and still looks new.
I use razorock, la famiglia, which si like proraso. good stuff. I love the proraso red sandalwood cream. I always keep that handy and of course, NO shaving cabinet is complete without a stick of arko. (or a tub in my case)

[ricardo9505]

it's just the lather and slickness of arko that I love. I drop mycreams in my arko tub and get that uber-lather. mmmm

[skleice]

Products are average and not worth the $$$ IMO. Some scents are nice, but the performance is lacking.

[Foyle]

The soap is really great, worth the money IMO. For the most part the sales people don't know what they are talking about, but at the AOS store here there is one sales man who really knows his stuff. It turns out he's one of the "mentors" on SRP.

[jsmith]

the first time i went to an AOS store the sales lady tried to tell me that the ONLY difference between a pure badger and a silvertip was the color, other wise they were EQUAL. I figure they are just like anyone else who works in a retail or department store, shaving products is their job, not necessarily their passion like it is for so many of us. That being said I don't walk into an AOS without having decided what it is I am buying, but I can turn down a tough salesman all day long.

[JonnyVain]

I feel like their cream dried out my face.

Never trust what people who work in a store say. They aren't barbers, they're store clerks.