Products That Grow On You

Have you ever bought a shaving item that you initially did not care for but that subsequently grew on you? I can think of a few. When I initially sniffed D.R. Harris Marlborough aftershave, it was a bit too woody for my taste but over time it has become a favorite. Likewise, I initially did not care for Wilkinson shave sticks but I now love them.

What products did you initially give a thumbs down to that you now consider among your favorites?

Musgo Real after shave lotion.

Arko shave stick.

Pitralon after shave splash.

Simpsons Wee Scot.

Omega Pro 49 Red brush.

1. Institute Karite Soap - Way on the powdery end for me when I first tried it. Kept using it because it was wedged in my favorite mug and could not get it out. This experience put it into my top 5 soaps and opened my eyes to other French soaps and balms.

2. Proraso AS splash - First try and thought meh. Kept using it to get rid of it and became my favorite. Now have 5 bottles in the cupboard. It feels great on the skin.

3. CE Bigelow White Cologne - rcvd it as a gift and was not impressed. Kept it in the bag I take to the pool to use after the shower. Now use it all the time as a casual scent.

Montale Musk Aoud. The first time I sprayed some on I thought "whoa, people actually like this?" I ended up trying my sample several more times and suddenly I loved it.

Thater Cream Stout 2. When I first unwrapped the brush I didn't like it. It wasn't packed densely enough, I didn't like the shape of the bulb, I didn't think it had enough backbone. I used it anyway. After the first shave I thought it was just ok. After the second shave I thought that maybe there was something to the brush after all. After shave number three I had a new favorite brush.

Truefitt & Hill #10 shave cream. At first the smell was...I'm not even sure how to describe it. It's very floral and medicinal. But after shaving with it a few times I think I have learned to accept it. I think.... Screw it, it's still trying to grow on me. At least it performs well.

Sir Irisch Moos tops my list. I was disappointed after the initial smell test but after the second shave with the cream followed with the first use of the AS I was hooked.

Both the DRH Marlborough and the Irisch Moos aftershaves are on my list too.

i went through a faze where I bought a lot of the most popular aftershaves. These 2 I hated right out the box, but now I use and enjoy both

Arko shave stick...I left it without its paper wrap for a month and smells much better now.
Boar brushes : I tried one when I was 19 and I thought,"what kind of rubbish is this???".In 2009 I did read Zach's tutorial about boar brushes,got the Semogue 2000 and since then Im a boar fan.

Oh yes Teiste...I need to add boar brushes to my list. A quality boar brush is a joy to use.

(03-17-2012, 06:42 AM)bullgoose Wrote: Oh yes Teiste...I need to add boar brushes to my list. A quality boar brush is a joy to use.

I know where you can buy some quality boar brushes.

My Valet Auto Strop razor. I tried it when I got it, with a fresh Feather blade, and was not impressed. A year later I tried it aqain, and probably due to better technique, I discovered that it can deliver a DFS with little effort. Only downside to my Valet is that it is silver plated, so I constantly have to make sure it is dried very well or the silver starts to tarnish.

Tabac for me, at first I didn't like it too much now it is seeing normal rotation

schick i1 injector

P.160 and the rest of almond smelling group of soaps.

I hated it the moment I opened the package and now I can't stop reaching for it.

Initially I wasn't too crazy about the RazoRock soft soaps, but after awhile now, I've come to really like them a lot, especially the XXX and the Italian Master Barber LE.

I have to add AOS shave soap to this list. When I used the Sandalwood shave soap the first few times I thought the performance was good but I did not like the undertone of clay in the scent. Today I do really notice the clay...all I notice is supreme performance. Nearly two years after picking up the AOS Sandalwood, I am seeking out more AOS soap. Great stuff!

Co Bigelow/poraso and menthol. My first few uses I was really wary and didn't like it, but the reality is that poraso probably gives me my absolute best shaves these days, and I've learned to enjoy the menthol, when the mood strikes me, as well.

My problem is that I get rid of stuff before I let them grow on me, then I re-acquire them when I "hope" they will grow on me. When I first got into traditional shaving, I was all-Proraso all the time. Then I got rid of it all and now I'm back in, so I had to re-acquire the AS splash and the AS lotion, which I love now. I'm also getting an Omega Pro 49 to go with the "all-Italian" nature of my shave.

This is easy! I'm fairly sensitive to scents.

I recently bought a kilo of Cella and quite frankly, it reeked, way too strong of a cheap amaretto/chemical scent. I hated it even though it performed fine as shave soap. It was much worse after it was lathered and on my face. I thought it might be an extremely fresh kilo, since so many folks talk about the scent in glowing terms. So I allowed it to age for a time with the lid open. Now it's pretty decent. I still like the almond soaps more, but the Cella in my possession is much better than when I first acquired it. I expect it'll get even better in a few more weeks.

Now I'm hoping the palmolive stick I got today ages and mellows out as well.

Vintage Woods of Windsor and Czech & Speake No. 88 shaving soaps intially didn't seem to me to have much scent, but with repeated use they both have improved significantly. Either that or my sniffer has gotten more sensitive.