Belgian/Dutch/German Shaving Products

**Suzuki** · 06-22-2006, 11:28 AM

I know there are some Belgian and German members and wanted to know what local products you recommend, as I'm going to be in Brussels and possibly the Netherlands for business.

I'm particularly interested in any good shops in Brussels and local brands of soap, aftershave you think would be worth acquiring while in town.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

**SSLStudio** · 06-22-2006, 12:22 PM

I can advice for you to get the Vergulde hand . not so expensive and good quality Dutch original production for shaving.

http://www.drogisterij.net/index.php...=prod&x=17&y=6

http://www.drogisterij.net/index.php...19&prodindex=2

You can find these products at the local drugstores called

- Kruidvat
-Da Drogist
-Trekpleister

The top 3 drugstores from the Netherlands you will find either all 3 or atleast 1 of the 3 in every town,city,village.
cant miss !

**designwise1** · 06-22-2006, 12:43 PM

100ml costs between 3 and 4 Euros (De Vergulde Hand). I have read good things about it before and would like to try this myself.

**Stauff** · 06-23-2006, 11:37 AM

If you're a straight user, maybe you could get a Belgian sharpening stone. They're supposed to be the best in the world. As for soaps and aftershaves, i'd reccommend getting some German or French brands (like Tabac, Dovo, Golddachs, Plisson a.o.) that can be bought in most Belgian cities. In Brussels there is a shop Au grand Rasoir. Now if only I could remember the adress...

As for Vergulde Hand: With all respect and never having tried it myself, but our collegues on the German forum Nassrasur mostly say its not worth bothering about.

Good luck and welcome in Belgium!

**Suzuki** · 06-23-2006, 12:34 PM

Thanks - very helpful.

Any recommendations for good "drugstore-type" products - the French or German equivalent to Proraso?

**crackstar** · 06-23-2006, 02:14 PM

Suzuki, I strongly recommend Speick, Florena, Nivea, Balea and Cerrus. Cerrus is a nice, richly-lathered cream that when you brush it on, it feels like you're washing your face with cold water. It's mentholated, and it also smells nice. With that one you'll get a great shave and super moisturizing.

Jeff

**Suzuki** · 06-23-2006, 02:33 PM

Jeff:

Thanks for this information - I think we have similar approaches to the whole shaving soap/cream thing - I tend to like the foreign "drugstore" brands. I'm not about to get rid of my QED soaps (which are actually pretty cheap in the scheme of things), but I'm in no rush to drop cash on some of the more expensive brands that often don't work (or in many cases, smell) much better than the drugstore brands.

Not dissing the 3Ts or the other high end stuff (don't want to get ridden out on a rail), but sometimes more expensive just means...more expensive.

Thanks for the input.

**crackstar** · 06-23-2006, 03:28 PM

Oh, also I would recommend my all-time favorite which is none other than Arko! I know it's not available where I live, but www.tulumba.com always carries it, and the cylinder soap stick and any of the creams are in my honest opinion heavenly to shave with. They're also cheap as heck, and are they ever good! You're right about sometimes being more expensive just means more expensive, and another thing, I paid 25 bucks for a tub of Caswell-Massey sandalwood cream, and after a couple of shaves, I threw it away. So, it shows you, that sometimes you don't get what you pay for.

Jeff

**Stauff** · 06-24-2006, 12:59 AM

I'd recommend getting Tabac soap in the white jar. It gives me a better lather than some of the Trumpers soaps i've used in the past. It's in the mid-price range: more expensive than nivea but a lot cheaper than the English brands. IMHO Tabac can be seen as the German proraso (it's a very different product, but just like proraso it's mass produced top quality)
In Brussels the Inno Galeria department store in the Rue neuve/Nieuwstraat carries the whole Tabac range. While you're at it, get a bottle of aftershave as well: great value for the money and a terrific 'drugstore' type scent.

If you're going to visit my hometown Antwerp (a truly magnificent city, the diamond of the Low Countries!

), go to the Koordenwinkel in the Langegasthuisstraat. Lovely little shop; they also sell some nice creams and soaps.

**Suzuki** · 06-24-2006, 03:49 AM

Stauff, thanks for the recommendation. Tabac is definitely on the list and I will likely be right around the corner from the Galeria, so a few items are in order. Not sure if I'll get to Antwerp - although the SO wouldn't mind some diamonds, I'm sure - but I'll check out the Koordenwinkel (corner store?) if I do.

Jeff, I have a tube of Arko en route and am looking forward to giving it a go.

**LX_Emergency** · 06-25-2006, 12:18 PM

de Vergeulde Hand shaving soap is pretty good but since I shave with a straight it dries out too quick for me. I used it for a little bit and after doing half of my face I would see little clouds of fluff coming by. Maybe it's better now that I'm not looking for technique like I was in the beginning. I'll give it another try soon. And if anything I'm always willing to help people get products from here if they want to try.

**Jonnybc** · 06-25-2006, 01:42 PM

You might be able to pick up some of the European version of Palmolive, it's available in a 50g stick or a 100ml cream and very cheap. I haven't actually bought it in Belgium, Holland or Germany but have in Italy and France.

**LX_Emergency** · 06-26-2006, 12:33 AM

yeah, they have that here....is it any good because I've been wondering about that stuff.

**Jonnybc** · 06-26-2006, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

yeah, they have that here....is it any good because I've been wondering about that stuff.

Yes, it's excellent! It has a very traditional scent, a bit like soap. It was the first cream I ever used so it's sort of like my benchmark. It's easily as good as the more luxurious offerings from the three Ts.

**LX_Emergency** · 06-26-2006, 02:32 AM

awesome. I'll buy some today I think :)

**LX_Emergency** · 06-26-2006, 03:38 AM

and just to get back on my opinion on "De vergeulde hand" shaving soap:

It's good stuff. It does dry out a bit quicker than the expensive soaps but I used it today and it gave an excellent shave.

In fact I had one of the cheapest shaves ever today:

Vergeulde Hand shaving soap,: $3-$4
Kent 50/50 boar badger brush that I got from ebay :$5
MAN aftershave balm: $3

and it was one of the best ones.

So money does NOT equall quality.

And if you're in the market for a good cheap balm that's available in the Netherlands go to the Aldi supermarket and het MAN aftershave balm.
(and it smells rather nice too)

**jean-pierre** · 06-26-2006, 03:50 AM

Suzuki,

If you come in Brussels, you can go to a shop called 'Au Grand Rasoir, Maison Jamart'. It's a tiny shop in the center of Brussel, close to the 'Grand Place' (very touristic place). You can find there a lot of shaving stuffs and good advices.

Here a link http://www.brusselslife.be/detail.php?serial=1871

Hope this help you,

jean-pierre

**SSLStudio** · 06-26-2006, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

and just to get back on my opinion on "De vergeulde hand" shaving soap:

It's good stuff. It does dry out a bit quicker than the expensive soaps but I used it today and it gave an excellent shave.

In fact I had one of the cheapest shaves ever today:

Vergeulde Hand shaving soap,: $3-$4
Kent 50/50 boar badger brush that I got from ebay :$5
MAN aftershave balm: $3

and it was one of the best ones.

So money does NOT equall quality.

And if you're in the market for a good cheap balm that's available in the Netherlands go to the Aldi supermarket and het MAN aftershave balm.
(and it smells rather nice too)

Cool , I shop weekly at the Aldi, recently at Lidl aswell since my Chiro doctor lives in Lelystad we dont have a Lidl here because Alberthein protested against that shop to start here claiming he would loose too many customers. oh Duh really ! Man it is..

**Suzuki** · 06-26-2006, 06:19 AM

Thanks again to everyone for all the recommendations - I'll have to bring an extra bag for all of the shaving creams, soaps, aftershaves and other elixers.

The Palmolive sounds like its worth giving a go, as does the De vergeulde hand (can anyone provide a translation of the name?). Like I said in my earlier post, I'm a big fan of the good drugstore brands - in my humble opinion, they offer a much better price/value proposition than the high-end stuff (again, I hope the fans of the 3Ts, AOS, etc... don't take offence).

I also hope to make it to the Au Grand Rasoir, Maison Jamart - the pictures look great.

**LX_Emergency** · 06-26-2006, 06:25 AM

the vergulde (I misspelled earlier) hand means "The Gilded Hand" and next to gillete it's one of the main brands for wetshaving gear around here.

Also if you like the scent don't forget to buy some Tabac, it's not expensive overe here and widely available at almost every DA drugstore (drogisterij) in the netherlands. Plus it gets good reviews here. I don't use it because I don't like the scent but a friend of mine got some from me for his Birthday and loved the stuff.