New CRSW ceramic bowl

I asked about this on another site, and was told that I must simply purchase the full-sized soap in order to know how it is. In my experience you won't get anywhere when asking after samples. Your best hope with CRSW, as I mentioned earlier, is to request a sample from someone who owns these soaps.

I'm with grim and SCShaver on the value of samples. I don't have the time nor the money to waste on soaps which don't perform as I'd like. Had I not been able to find samples of this brand, I'd have ended up buying three full-sized pucks and regretted every penny - they just don't work for me. Samples are a great way to ensure that you like the performance of the soap, that you aren't allergic to the fragrance oils, and that you enjoy the scent. Actually, for me samples are almost necessary - I rarely purchase full-sized products without sampling first since I have very sensitive skin.

There's Your answer. Thanks Neo!

The name on the bowl and lack of refills aren't that big a deal shevek - those are simple aesthetic preferences that could legitimately go either way. On the other hand, a lack of samples provides a significant barrier of entry to the brand, and I think my suggestion of going to a shaver who owns soaps from the brand is a helpful one (that's what worked for me).

Edit: Sure hrfdez! That seems to me the only way (that I know of anyway) to get ahold of CRSW samples. Many shavers will be happy to provide slices of their soaps for you to try.

It is interesting about samples, most high end products don't offer samples, but many of you, including me, own them, so come on and get real.

Easy to kick a man when he is down and can't defend himself. But I digress.

The name on the bowl and lack of refills aren't that big a deal shevek - those are simple aesthetic preferences that could legitimately go either way. On the other hand, a lack of samples provides a significant barrier of entry to the brand, and I think my suggestion of going to a shaver who owns soaps from the brand is a helpful one (that's what worked for me).

Edit: Sure hrfdez! That seems to me the only way (that I know of anyway) to get ahold of CRSW samples. Many shavers will be happy to provide slices of their soaps for you to try.

I guess...:-)

The name on the bowl and lack of refills aren't that big a deal shevek - those are simple aesthetic preferences that could legitimately go either way. On the other hand, a lack of samples provides a significant barrier of entry to the brand, and I think my suggestion of going to a shaver who owns soaps from the brand is a helpful one (that's what worked for me).

Edit: Sure hrfdez! That seems to me the only way (that I know of anyway) to get ahold of CRSW samples. Many shavers will be happy to provide slices of their soaps for you to try.

I guess...:-)

Its just a personal preference that's all, and it is something I very much appreciate as samples help out my use case. You're correct about high end or even mass market products not offering samples, but I've never experienced irritation from that. Its another story but artisans = irritation, non-artisans = no irritation. Why is this? Another story, not enough testing, not big enough customer base to figure these things out? Who knows. Anyway, perhaps we were piling on, duly noted. Its just something that I try to really praise artisans for because I found my very first artisan soaps based on samples and am able to continue to purchase them based on that.

I understand, specially as expensive as soaps can be a sample would be good on all of them if you ask me.

To address that point, I am being real - I've been able to get samples from almost every brand that I've tried, except (off the top of my head) Santa Maria Novella, Czech & Speake, Nuavia, and SV Colonia. SMN, Czech & Speake, and Nuavia I purchased based on excellent reviews and high praise from people with sensitive skin issues. I wasn't disappointed and these are now three of my favorite products. SV Colonia was also very good, but after using a sample that was provided for me by a fellow shaver, I probably wouldn't buy it. Anyway, whether or not samples are offered direct by a company, there are plenty of sample programs that offer products like ABC, MDC, Acqua di Parma, and many others.

CRSW doesn't offer samples as far as I know. I'm sure there are plenty of legitimate reasons for not offering samples. It may be time consuming, cost prohibitive, etc. In the end though, I'm not quite sure what there is to defend, since the reason for not offering them won't particularly matter to those who find samples useful or even necessary.

It is a legitimate criticism that is applicable to any of the brands I mentioned above. Those were less risky purchases for me, however.

The name on the bowl and lack of refills aren't that big a deal shevek - those are simple aesthetic preferences that could legitimately go either way. On the other hand, a lack of samples provides a significant barrier of entry to the brand, and I think my suggestion of going to a shaver who owns soaps from the brand is a helpful one (that's what worked for me).

Edit: Sure hrfdez! That seems to me the only way (that I know of anyway) to get ahold of CRSW samples. Many shavers will be happy to provide slices of their soaps for you to try.

I guess...:-)

Its just a personal preference that's all, and it is something I very much appreciate as samples help out my use case.  You're correct about high end or even mass market products not offering samples, but I've never experienced irritation from that.  Its another story but artisans = irritation, non-artisans = no irritation.  Why is this?  Another story, not enough testing, not big enough customer base to figure these things out? Who knows.  Anyway, perhaps we were piling on, duly noted.  Its just something that I try to really praise artisans for because I found my very first artisan soaps based on samples and am able to continue to purchase them based on that.

That's very interesting. Have you had problems with European artisans too?

Are you making the distinction because of the IFRA regulations Barrister_N_Mann? If so, that's also the first thing that crossed my mind when I read that post.

Are you making the distinction because of the IFRA regulations Barrister_N_Mann? If so, that's also the first thing that crossed my mind when I read that post.

Exactly. I'm curious as to whether fragrances that are IFRA-compliant are less likely to irritate his skin.