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Do I need to bring 1000 razors to Korea?
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balzor



Joined: 14 Feb 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rumdiary wrote:
You will need a year long supply of razors, toothpaste and deodorant. Bring extra so that you can trade with foreigners who lack your foresight.
This is absolutely NOT true. I buy Gillette Fusion buy the pack here, and the toothpaste here is just fine. Deodorant is something you should bring 3-4 sticks of then have someone ship you replacements later
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balzor



Joined: 14 Feb 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jun 01, 2010 11:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mattdsoares wrote:
If you're living in Seoul you absolutely don't need to bring razors. They sell refills for Mach3 and Fusion razors at every grocery store and even some convenience stores. Emart actually has a Fusion with 8 refills on sale right now. While Koreans are generally clean shaven and don't grow beards WELL they are still men and still grow facial hair which they need to shave, ergo western shaving supplies including shave cream, razors, and electric trimmers are easy to find.

Do bring deoderant as most Korean places don't sell it as Koreans don't experience the body oder that whites do. You CAN get it here, but it is expensive, so it's worth throwing a few extra sticks in your bag.

As for toothpaste...it is cheap and easy to get here...BUT they don't readily sell American brands. No Crest, Colgate, or Aquafresh. You'll be stuck with Korean brands which do not include fluoride (not a big deal unless you're a kid) and taste different. If you're ok with that (I am) then just buy toothpaste here. If you're a stickler for a specific flavor or brand, then pack extra tubes.

Another good thing to pack is a BIG towel. Korean towels are generally rather small and I've had a hard time finding a giant fluffy bath towel like you can get at Walmart or Target back in the States.

Also, bring shoes that are comfortable and will last. You can buy shoes here for a good price, but anything over a US size 10.5 is hit or miss whether a store will have it. For example, EMart generally doesn't sell mens shoes bigger than size US 11 or so. So if you have big feet, finding decent shoes is far from impossible, but might be a pain in the ass and carry a higher pricetag.
That's a joke right? Also I buy big towels at Homeplus, they are fine for me and I'm a big guy
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Sector7G



Joined: 24 May 2008

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ukon wrote:
razors? No....Deodorant yes


Seconded! Homeplus has a pretty good generic version of Atra and sells the blades too, so no problem there. Deodorant, is a different story. Hard to find and expensive when you do find it. Bring as much as you can.
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thegadfly



Joined: 01 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 1:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have any brand preferences, you may want to bring enough of that to last you -- I like shaving gel rather than foam, and I haven't yet seen it at Emart or anywhere else, so I bring it/have it shipped. I also bring the soap I like (Coast), because I haven't seen it here, nor found the Korean equivalent yet. There are plenty of kinds of soap to choose from, but I don't like the "feel" or scent, and so I have abandoned the search, and just pack enough to last.

Bring taco seasoning, though...and some good coffee, if that is your thing....
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AsiaESLbound



Joined: 07 Jan 2010
Location: Truck Stop Missouri

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Should you find that you need an American fix such as with deodorant, there is a tiny shop without a name on a street with no name called, "Red Door," because it has some red trim around the door. An old Korean lady has access to stuff from an American military base AAFES PX and sells it for about double what you pay back home. She can also get you things she doesn't have on hand if you put in a request and she understands as there is only so much you can keep on hand in a broom closet sized store. I noticed I needed another stick of deodorant so I paid about $9 for a $3 stick of Right Guard.

Razors are usually average twin blade and quite a bit cheaper than back home. I snagged a European electric razor that plugs in and runs good where my comfortable shaving need is met while I lug on home brewed Starbucks which runs about 4X higher in Korea ounce for ounce of the beans. You are going to pay premium price for the luxuries of things like good coffee, fresh fruits, lean cuts of meat, salmon, and juice.

Personally I do just fine with Arm and Hammer baking soda toothpaste from Lotte Mart, a corporate chain department store. Costco and many resellers on Gmarket website also sell this, "Kirkland," American brand of American products that are quite decent quality usually in larger quantities than what you'll find in Korean stores. You don't just get a tiny over priced pack of it, you get a family value sized bargain of whatever it is you can get.
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fergalreid



Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 2:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Switch to a double-edge safety razor. Replacement blades are dirt cheap and take up a tiny amount of space. If you brought six or seven packets of ten, you'd be good for the year.
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Senior



Joined: 31 Jan 2010

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 3:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

fergalreid wrote:
Switch to a double-edge safety razor. Replacement blades are dirt cheap and take up a tiny amount of space. If you brought six or seven packets of ten, you'd be good for the year.


Eek. They scare me. There is quite a learning curve to them, I understand?

There is decent tooth paste here. I buy Close Up. It's exactly the same as back home except there's a generic Asian looking family smiling on the box, instead of a generic White, smiling family on the box.
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hari seldon



Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Location: Incheon

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 4:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As others have said, deodorant is expensive in South Korea. Also, skin lotion is expensive. If you have room in your luggage, I'd suggest bringing some large bottles of Nivea.

Others have complained that good toothpaste isn't available. This isn't entirely true. There is a brand called Median clinic n that is similar to Colgate Total.
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young_clinton



Joined: 09 Sep 2009

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 4:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stores like "Buy the Way" sell 4 bladed razors that are quite nice and fairly cheap 1100 Won.
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fergalreid



Joined: 02 Apr 2010
Location: Dublin, Ireland

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Senior wrote:
fergalreid wrote:
Switch to a double-edge safety razor. Replacement blades are dirt cheap and take up a tiny amount of space. If you brought six or seven packets of ten, you'd be good for the year.


Eek. They scare me. There is quite a learning curve to them, I understand?


Maybe a day or two. I broke out in a sweat the first time I used one but after five months I would never willingly go back to Mach Whatever and its shitty ilk. The quality of the shave cannot be compared and the value for money is ridiculous.

I've a Merkur Progress and I use Japanese Feather blades on the grade 3 setting, and I couldn't be happier.

Epic length thread but it does the business in terms of info.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055448697
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definitely maybe



Joined: 16 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

isisaredead wrote:
Captain Corea wrote:
I have no troubles getting razors and aftershave here.


seriously.

if anything, i find blades for my mach3 significantly cheaper in korea.

as for the deoderant debate - just buy some cologne and use some talcum powder. i never understood the big deal about deoderant in korea. are people really addicted to their AXE body spray?


I don't know where you guys are from, but Gillette razor cartridges and shaving gel are significantly cheaper where my folks live in the states. We're talking about $5.00 per can of shaving gel and another $5-6 for a 20 (or is it 1Cool pack of cartridges. Sure they can be found here, but at a price.
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discostu333



Joined: 18 Nov 2009

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ignore any posts saying you need to bring a year's supply of toiletries. Razors / skincare stuff is actually one of the easier things to find. Homeplus and Watsons are where I pick up most of my stuff. You can get Nivea /L'oreal men's stuff no problem and it's not that much more expensive than home. Razors are about the same price. Gillette, Wilkinson Sword etc are the standard.

Deodorant isn't that hard to find either. E-mart, Homeplus and Watsons all stock spray anti-persperant and while it's a lot more expensive than at home at least you can get it. I brought a couple of bottles of Driclor which stops you sweating altogether so I don't really need it now.
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Kissmykimchi



Joined: 25 May 2010
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 5:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Regular disposable razors? No problem. Your favorite electrical razor? Bring it with you. Even if you could find it most likely it will be overpriced.

If I go home on vacation I'm bringing one back with me.
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isisaredead



Joined: 18 May 2010

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 7:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

no offense, but this thread has become an exercise in pure wank.

you people seriously can't adapt to buying shaving cream as opposed to gel? you're that obsessed with the right kind of deoderant? another poster mentioned their preference for the right kind of skin lotion. SKIN LOTION??!?!?!? are you kidding me???? another poster mentioned a particular toothpaste. honestly? toothpaste? SALT WOULD PROBABLY DO THE TRICK IN A PINCH.

i honestly don't think you realise how precious you americans sound when you try to share information on where to get "only the best american products" that you're used to at home. yeah, it's nice to have things you're used to when you're living overseas. BUT YOU'RE NOT IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY. DEAL WITH IT.

Quote:
fergalreid wrote:
Switch to a double-edge safety razor. Replacement blades are dirt cheap and take up a tiny amount of space. If you brought six or seven packets of ten, you'd be good for the year.


Eek. They scare me. There is quite a learning curve to them, I understand?


i honestly thought that was sarcasm. then i read it again, probably for the fifth time. wow. awesome.

yes, sweetheart, double-edged razors are VERY scary. most come with a manual, though, so give it some time.

utterly hilarious.
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isisaredead



Joined: 18 May 2010

PostPosted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

definitely maybe wrote:
isisaredead wrote:
Captain Corea wrote:
I have no troubles getting razors and aftershave here.


seriously.

if anything, i find blades for my mach3 significantly cheaper in korea.

as for the deoderant debate - just buy some cologne and use some talcum powder. i never understood the big deal about deoderant in korea. are people really addicted to their AXE body spray?


I don't know where you guys are from, but Gillette razor cartridges and shaving gel are significantly cheaper where my folks live in the states. We're talking about $5.00 per can of shaving gel and another $5-6 for a 20 (or is it 1Cool pack of cartridges. Sure they can be found here, but at a price.


considering the massive disposable income that most people here have, i find the price difference akin to urinating in the ocean.
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