Italian shaving soaps for all budgets

Just been trawling the web and it seems like finding any Valobra hard picks is gonna be a needle in a haystack job. But perseverance may well be the key. If all else fails, might have to settle for Czech and Speake - made by Valobra. How do the two actually compare in terms of performance, as they are made by the same company ?
 
Just been trawling the web and it seems like finding any Valobra hard picks is gonna be a needle in a haystack job. But perseverance may well be the key. If all else fails, might have to settle for Czech and Speake - made by Valobra. How do the two actually compare in terms of performance, as they are made by the same company ?
Previously the easiest way of obtaining a Valobra soap was to buy their shaving stick.
 
Valbora did a Cologne, a Fougere , a Patcholi and an unscented one.
Not very strong on the scents.

Czech & Speake (also made by Valobra) do / did a dark woody rose scent (88) and a lavender and Oakmoss ( Oxford & Cambridge) these scents are from C&S both very nice indeed. P.
Art of Shaving were available in Lemon, unscented, and Sandalwood.
 
Last edited:
Just been trawling the web and it seems like finding any Valobra hard picks is gonna be a needle in a haystack job. But perseverance may well be the key. If all else fails, might have to settle for Czech and Speake - made by Valobra. How do the two actually compare in terms of performance, as they are made by the same company ?
It is the same soap, only the scent was changed and the puck size went from 100g to 90g. The scents are better so a good bet all round.
 
Agree. The Valobra croap wasn't amazing, but the hard soap/stick is fantastic. I really hope Proraso haven't consigned them to history.

As for buying shaving products in Italy, I've read Proraso products are quite common but some of the other ones less so, a few shops might have Omega boar brushes for not too much.

There could be some good splashes available, again I imagine Proraso might dominate proceedings, but they'd be a fraction of the price.

I have travelled a lot to Italy over the last few years, and you're right; it's not that easy to find shaving products compared to online. Larger supermarkets have a few things simply because they can carry a large range. However, I've found it's worth popping into pharmacies; sometimes you find a shaving section with an eclectic mix.
 
I have travelled a lot to Italy over the last few years, and you're right; it's not that easy to find shaving products compared to online. Larger supermarkets have a few things simply because they can carry a large range. However, I've found it's worth popping into pharmacies; sometimes you find a shaving section with an eclectic mix.
Fingers crossed for me then
 
As I understand it the old Valobra factory has been closed and Ludovico Martelli are currently searching for new premises in which they can produce it. The Proraso factory only makes creams (the croaps are just "matured" creams) can only assume it doesn't have the needed capacity to do the Valobra stuff as well.

I hear on the grapevine that a cache of Valobra made C&S shaving soaps have been discovered which will feed the market from Sept/Oct onward but other than that it's just a case of wait & hope for fans of these soaps... At least there is a prospect of them returning at some point, if Martelli hadn't stepped in they would have been consigned to the dustbin of history immediately.
 
Art of Shaving were available in Lemon, unscented, and Sandalwood.

The sandalwood is my favorite sandalwood scent and I have about 10 sandalwood scents to compare...

I was lucky to find 2 pucks here on BST and I got 3 more from the States, I haven't seen the AOS by Valobra for sale again.
 
The sandalwood is my favorite sandalwood scent and I have about 10 sandalwood scents to compare...

I was lucky to find 2 pucks here on BST and I got 3 more from the States, I haven't seen the AOS by Valobra for sale again.
Very lucky indeed, i never got the chance to ever try AOS and I would have loved the sandalwood one I'm sure! I bet you have yours locked in a safe! :) P.
 
I had not realised just how many of what I regarded as USA products were in fact made in Italy. Just had a look at a good UK Shaving Vendor site, and see some nice sounding soaps at really reasonable prices. Can see my PayPal credit balance going very soon. Should really clear out the bowls of soaps that I do not use much these days.
 
Back
Top Bottom