What would you buy in Europe?

MrT

MrT

Commander of Soap
State Rep - NSW
Group Buy Associate
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
So, I'm going to the UK and Spain to visit some people in September. If you were me, what would you buy while you are over there? I am able to purchase in advance and have it shipped to their place too.

And before you ask, no, I won't be able to bring back stuff for everyone though sorry. But considering that having it posted to Aus saves you the VAT, you're probably better off buying a bulk order from Gifts and Care anyway...
 
Definitely Gillette 'White' Platinums - aka 'Gillette Platinum Hoja de Afeitar Clásica'. Here's the mob I bought from initially (via their eBay listings). @Drubbing loves them except the availability and price. Postage costs via Correos is ridiculous and make AusPost pricing look attractive. I would nearly guarantee that even paying VAT you would end up paying less in person. The same would go for the Dark Platinums if you can find them cheaply, although the pricing from Romanian eBay sellers & reasonable postage seems to be much more attractive.

La Toja sticks & aftershaves will be cheap everywhere there, so pick them up. Postage triples the price. Even better if you can find the glass bowl version.

Vie Long has a soap stick also but it looks like it is just a version of the Lea stick.

Haslinger soaps are available and cheap there too. Again, postage to here tends to kill the value.

Otherwise I would buy anything that you cannot get to Australia cheaply. This means any of the aftershaves and the like - possibly bulk soaps. I would also be checking if you can get some things posted to the UK which might end up cheaper than buying locally.
 
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Aqua Velva Williams Expert in glass bottle :D
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200ml
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400ml
 
Monsta_AU said:
Haslinger soaps are available and cheap there too. Again, postage to here tends to kill the value.
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I will be back in Vienna in June - only 5 days there but might just be able to visit the Haslinger factory again...

You could maybe visit the Vie-Long factory in Spain and if you make it to the Isle the Simpson factory?
 
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European Old Spice, much better than the Canadian stuff available here and it still comes in a glass bottle.
 
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alfredus said:
... if you make it to the Isle the Simpson factory?
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I seriously looked at visiting when in the UK last September by myself. It worked out quite a process to get across there and stay etc etc. A big investment in visiting a factory!
 
There's so much to see and do in Europe, so why waste time hunting down speciality shaving shops or brush manufacturers unless you happen to be in the right spot at the right time. When I'm there, the only concession I make to this ridiculous past time/hobby of ours is to dive in to a few pharmacies or chemists when strolling down a high street somewhere to see if there's anything that the locals use that I would be interested in. On the whole there isn't. Go and find a nice pub and report back to us what the latest beer brewing novelties are.
 
I couldn't agree with @Pjotr


more. Although I have been known to hunt out a decent coffee shop if I researched there was one in the vicinity of where we were staying.
 
Europe is the same as anywhere else. Most people are shaving with Mach3. As PJ says, there are far better things to do.
 
Thanks everyone for your input. I'll keep an eye out for some blades and maybe some aftershaves.

I agree there are better things to do than drag my wife around looking for shaving stuff @Pjotr. My point is that I can easily have stuff posted to my sister in Spain or my mate in UK and then put in my suitcase for the trip home. Lighten up a little...

So what things would you all think are worth while doing this for?
 
MrT said:
... My point is that I can easily have stuff posted to my sister in Spain or my mate in UK and then put in my suitcase for the trip home. Lighten up a little...

So what things would you all think are worth while doing this for?
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I think I'd go to the Connaught website and put together a cart of stuff, especially aftershaves, and see how that works. B&M are far less reliable sources of stuff.
 
Mark1966 said:
I think I'd go to the Connaught website and put together a cart of stuff, especially aftershaves, and see how that works. B&M are far less reliable sources of stuff.
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This. Then get them sent on to you when you arrive.

Aftershaves are about the only thing worth buying, because you can't get them shipped in here easily or affordably anymore. And all the niche stuff shave nerds are into, are online. They don't exist in stores anymore. Not even in quaint little spanish villages. as for the big British brands - you're only going to find those in the big London stores like Harrods, Harvey Nic's and Selfridges, which are only a stones throw from TOBS et al in Jermyn St and Mayfair anyway.
 
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