Shave Soap---Stratified

Wow this is an interesting thread. So, I am going to repeat what Mick Jagger said in the song “You Can't Always Get What You Want”. He said: “And I went down to the demonstration To get my fair share of abuse”. No abuse just my opinion. Is the expensive or well known product better than the cheaper or less known product? Yes, sometimes. An Apple MacBook Pro which costs over $2,000 is better than a $400 Dell? Yes with out a doubt. I know I have used Apple products for 30 years. I had to once purchase a Dell with Windows and after 2 years I beat it to pieces with a hammer. I have three Harley Davidson motorcycles and the are worth the price compared to all of the other brands copy you bet they are. But lets get back down to earth and comment on shaving soap. I currently have 51 hard soaps, soft soaps and creams. I have a few expensive ones and inexpensive ones and I do not believe that an expensive one such as Acqua di Parma Shaving Cream is any better than Dr. Selby Shaving Cream; or Penhaligon’s soap any better than Proraso. In both examples I think no but it is very subjective.

A good example is one that “olschoolsteel” mentioned. I have a brick Cella it is inexpensive but I believe it is a great soap. In fact, it is a common soap used in barbershops in Italy. Inexpensive but good. One other example. Almost two years ago my wife came home with a tube of The Real Shaving Company cream which she purchased at a Rite Aid. This is manufactured in Great Britain. I tried to think of a way where I could not use it and not hurt my wife’s feelings. Surely, I thought this was not for me. A few days later a read a review that someone did on the The Real Shaving Company shaving cream vs. an expensive Art of Shaving cream. The individual said hands down the The Real Shaving Company product was much better than the other. So, I tried it and found that this was an incredible product. Now for the good part. First of all this is a cream used in many barbershops in London, same as Cella. The sorry part is my wife paid $4.99 for a 5 oz tube; Rite Aid was discontinuing it so the next day I went to five Rite Aids to purchase everything they had. But there was none left. I have found that expensive brands mean nothing when it comes to the quality of the shave. Pay attention to products used a lot in European barbershops (men in Europe tend to have barbers shave them more than we do in the States). And try an American artisan product, you may just like it.

Well olschoolsteel, to say this thread drew interest would be an understatement.  What has surprised me is how each of us seems to have come to answer your question from slightly different perspectives on exactly what you meant in your original post and all of them have some validity.  I have certainly never thought of shaving in terms of social or economic class but it is, indeed, an interesting thought.

 An Apple MacBook Pro which costs over $2,000 is better than a $400 Dell?  Yes with out a doubt.

That's hardware and as I sit here typing on a 9 year old macbookpro, I can objectively measure it and tell you with 100% certainly it has more than paid for its sunk cost many times over. This same argument is what I call the wallet argument. I used to buy cheap wallets when the last one fell apart. One year I wised up and bought one with a lifetime warranty costing far, far more than the cheap stuff sold in any chain dept store. And I will never buy another (unless I lose it). Ever. Guaranteed for life and they will replace it.

For these kinds of things, without doubt you get what you pay for.

But buying a macbookpro or some expensive wallet doesn't put me into another social class. Far from it. It only means that I know from experience that, in fact, for the most part you DO get what you pay for and OVER THE LONG HAUL, I will spend less money than those you buy the cheaper products every year.

When you are trying to make ends meet, thats a hard thing to swallow. But as you live longer, sometimes you realize that quality comes at a price but you only buy on some durable goods.

Ask the Maytag salesman

Sorry OP, I just don't buy into the social class argument on soap. This isn't liquid gold, its just soap.

 An Apple MacBook Pro which costs over $2,000 is better than a $400 Dell?  Yes with out a doubt.

That's hardware and as I sit here typing on a 9 year old macbookpro, I can objectively measure it and tell you with 100% certainly it has more than paid for its sunk cost many times over. This same argument is what I call the wallet argument. I used to buy cheap wallets when the last one fell apart. One year I wised up and bought one with a lifetime warranty costing far, far more than the cheap stuff sold in any chain dept store. And I will never buy another (unless I lose it). Ever. Guaranteed for life and they will replace it.

For these kinds of things, without doubt you get what you pay for.

But buying a macbookpro or some expensive wallet doesn't put me into another social class. Far from it. It only means that I know from experience that, in fact, for the most part you DO get what you pay for and OVER THE LONG HAUL, I will spend less money than those you buy the cheaper products every year.

When you are trying to make ends meet, thats a hard thing to swallow. But as you live longer, sometimes you realize that quality comes at a price but you only buy  on some durable goods.

Ask the Maytag salesman

Sorry OP, I just don't buy into the social class argument on soap. This isn't liquid gold, its just soap.

I am not sure that you actually understood what I was trying to say. I was in no way attempting to talk about social status. I will try agin. There are some things where price does matter, regardless of you social statue. To get these products it is called saving. However, shaving soap does not fit into that category. As I indicated price is no where a measure of a good shave. Less expensive products, not cheeper products, can be just as good. Subjective is the term not wealth class.

but the $42 shipping cost has led to the cart being abandoned in the aisle once again.

But shipping costs are not the cost of the item. It's the cost of doing business. If the cost is too high, then I would try to buy enough to get to the free shipping level, if possible.

grim I agree its a cost of doing business and in some cases its just too high.  I frequently make the decision that I don't need a particular product based on the total all-in cost.  If I can get a tub of B&M's latest release for CDN$24 and get free shipping from a Canadian based vendor, why do I want to pay crazy shipping costs and in US dollars? I do order from some US based vendors who actually have reasonable shipping costs for things I either can't get elsewhere of for timing reasons.  

On the issue of buying enough to qualify for free shipping - I haven't seen a US vendor that extends that offer to Canada. European vendors won't either.  Most of the Canadian vendors do extend the free shipping option to US based buyers but that is a function of the relative size of the markets rather than Canadian hospitality.  Canadian vendors need the US market a whole lot more than US vendors need the Canadian market - we're used to it.

I'm going to keep it short and simple, if I like and want it, I'll buy it.

Well olschoolsteel, to say this thread drew interest would be an understatement.  What has surprised me is how each of us seems to have come to answer your question from slightly different perspectives on exactly what you meant in your original post and all of them have some validity.  I have certainly never thought of shaving in terms of social or economic class but it is, indeed, an interesting thought.

Yes and I quite enjoy all of the responses. Uzi and Grim have given me alot to think about. One thing I havent done but I should do, do the math on the price per oz before purchase. I had heard of this before but somehow have forgotten to do the math. I suppose ohhing and aweing at the new and shiny soaps I lost sight of the actual price per oz.

I do get spoiled at some stores that do the math for you. I know its a simple equation that I need to apply more often.

Probly the biggest perspective I want to look into further is not looking at social class as a stratification, but more an accumulation of (fill in the blank). Thats a tough one to comprehend but it kind of makes sense. I might need to move that discussion with Uzi to PM. Its an interesting perspective I'd like to discuss with him.

Marco, I empathize with your Canadian plight. Having shipped and received item from Canada I could never understand why it costs so dang much. Our countries are so similar and share so many things, you would think it would be so much cheaper. I have seen where it can be cheaper to ship overseas as opposed to a couple hundred miles North. I am sure thats why its not cost effective for vendors to offer free shipping over x amount of money to Canada. I know we all expect a slight bump in price for shipping fees, but when the cost of shipping almost exceeds the purchase items, its easy to see why you leave the cart in the aisle.

I enjoy all the comments and diverse different views. This is what makes this community so exceptional.

I'm going to keep it short and simple, if I like and want it, I'll buy it.

X2.....

I agree its a cost of doing business and in some cases its just too high.

Agreed, my bad, I dont always look to see where the person is writing from and didn't know that free did not extend to CA.

 I agree its a cost of doing business and in some cases its just too high.  

Agreed, my bad, I dont always look to see where the person is writing from and didn't know that free did not extend to CA.

No worries, in most instances I can either collaborate with a friend or a brother to order enough product that the shipping cost on a per item basis is reasonable or as we know almost never happens, I can just order more stuff than I know I really need.