HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and yours!

Thank you to all of our customers and suppliers. 2011 looks to be even better:-) Oh, and look for new items in the coming year...

NEW items added to the web site:

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From Merkur for 2010 - Just in:

Heavy duty satin stainless steel long handle safety razor. Turning knob at base of handle releases the screw rod top for blade replacement. 4" inch total razor length. Weight is approx. 5.2 ounces making this the heaviest model Merkur makes. This is a two part razor modeled after their barber pole design with a heavy weight stainless steel satin body finish.

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Also by request we now have:

Double edge razor blade sampler pack. We have brought together our most popular DE blades for you to sample. Men have different styles of razors, different beard types and different techniques and not all blades perform the same in various circumstances. The answer: try a variety to see what works best for you.

As you may recall from an earlier post: this summer when I met with the Merkur/DOVO representative, Ms. Rothstein, she let me know that the Science Channel http://science.discovery.com/ and TV program "How It's Made" http://science.discovery.com/tv/how-its-made/ would be airing a segment on the making of straight razors. The segment aired this past Friday, October 8, 2010.

Since DOVO is located in Germany they couldn't see this segment so I sent a link to Ms. Rothstein. She enjoyed seeing how the clip turned out and said it's her hands in the final scene putting the straight razor into the metal box and cardboard sleeve and chuckled that her "hands are famous now:-) I laughed too because I knew it was her hands in that part of the video - having met her many times over the years...

In case you missed the making of DOVO straight razors clip check here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ACJrAI3SxM

Merkur/DOVO Updates:

Per Merkur/DOVO: The DOVO straight razor segment on the "How It's Made" TV show will air on The Science Channel Friday, Oct. 8, 2010 at 9pm EST. Check it out http://science.discovery.com/tv-schedules/weekly.html for the channel in your area.

On another note: Merkur also let us know that "due to technical problems with the machines at our gold platers, we will not have any gold plated MERKUR razors this year. Don't know yet when it will be fixed." Therefore, if you have been thinking about a gold plated Merkur double edge safety razor you may want to take action...

The Vicious Circle

Any of you not shave daily because you hate it and it irritates your skin? Or do you have sensitive skin? Today we are highlighting one of our articles called "The Vicious Circle". Read about why we think only shaving every few days can be the cause of shaving problems http://www.shaveinfo.com/Shave_info/vicious_circle.htm

If you haven't seen it yet why not check it out now!

ALERT and call to action! Why H.R.5786 - "Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010" may NOT be safe:

If you have sensitive skin and/or use (or interested in using) naturally based niche body care and shaving products please take time to read this post and help....

There is a bill that has been introduced into the House of Representatives called the "Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010" - but it is anything but safe! This legislation is not necessary and we already have the FDA. Do we really need more government bureaucracy and red tape at the expense of consumer choice and small business?

Here is a good article that explains what is going on http://personalcaretruth.com/2010/08/5-ways-the-%e2%80%9csafe-cosmetics-act%e2%80%9d-will-harm-consumers/ and another good resource http://naturalperfumersguild.blogspot.com/

Our company has been in business since 1997 and specializing in naturally based body care and wet shaving products. If the law makers get their way and this bill passes our customers my be forced to purchase mass-market heavily synthetic products without natural aroma and loaded with preservatives and synthetic colorants. For people like me and many of our customers who are sensitive to synthetically derived and man-made chemicals that would be devastating and bad for my/our health and skin!

In summary, it will cause many small business and naturally based body care manufactures to shut their doors. In addition, many natural ingredients could be banned. Why, well there are many opinions but mine is A) if a large mega-company can't control the market and the ingredient/s used in products then nobody should be allowed to and B) see "A".

I signed the online petition here http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/oppose-hr-5786-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010 and included this personal comment

"As a small retail business specializing in naturally based men's care my customers appreciate products that are not mass-produced and provide consumer choice. Driving the small business out of the space will only be a win for the mega producers and make less options available to the consumer and drive many small business "out of business". What happened to the day when small business was the golden child and not the self serving mega-corps who want to dominate everything. PLEASE, Don't squash the many from the rhetoric of the few with hidden agendas by enacting legislation that strangles and prices out the small business and their happy consumers who want alternatives."

Please help me by Opposing HR 5786. You can also write your congress http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/ or your senator http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

But MOST IMPORTANT: Please sign the online petition http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/oppose-hr-5786-safe-cosmetics-act-of-2010

It only takes a minute. THANKS! Em

New Category Added

We have added a "For Women" category that provides traditional wet shaving information for women.

http://www.shaveplace.com/Wet-Shaving-for-Women-s/170.htm

Tidbit from Merkur/DOVO in Solingen, Germany:

"How It's Made", the TV show on the Science Channel http://science.discovery.com/tv/how-its-made/ filmed DOVO straight razor production prior to Merkur/DOVO representative Ms. Rothstein's summer visit to the US. In addition, they put together a narrative with with her assistance that will be a part of the 4 1/2 minute segment. It's supposed to air in the September/October time frame.

We will let you about the air date as soon as it is scheduled. I am looking forward to seeing it - should be interesting. The Science Channel in my area is on Direct TV Channel 284. Check your listings to see if you get this channel. Shop for DOVO straight razors.

Did You Know?

Summer is upon us and many brands of shaving cream will start turning to liquid once temperatures approach 95 degrees or higher. This doesn’t affect the performance, only the texture and consistency. Therefore, if you notice this has happened to your cream simply place in the refrigerator or cool location overnight. However, it may never return to its pre-heated state - which is normal under these circumstances. Use and enjoy because the lather is just as good either way.

Therefore, if you live in a hot climate or shaving cream has traveled through heat and it arrives liquefied you will know why. Side comment: the Em’s brand of shaving cream is more of a liquid to start and should just be shaken before using.

Em’s Resources and Web Sites Explained

Em’s Place, Inc. has three main web sites to serve our customers in the wet shaving community.

1 ) www.shaveinfo.com is our FAQ/Knowledge Base site for shaving and body care information and videos. We also have a YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/shaveinfo with several videos that are also included on shaveinfo.com

In addition, we now have a twitter account at http://twitter.com/shaveplace to keep up with what’s happening.

2) www.shaveplace.com is our new shopping site. The emsplace.com site currently being used by most of our existing customers will eventually merge into shaveplace.com. Changing technology has prompted this new site which provides more of the features our customers deserve.

Due to major changes in the database structure we will not be able to bring over existing customer accounts so please assign yourself a password the first time you shop on this site so you can enjoy all the features available - including the ability to track an order from your account. For first time checkout on this site select "proceed to checkout" (bypass "returning customers") and assign yourself a password to initiate the account features.

3) www.emsplace.com is our existing web site and has been for many years and will remain in place.

Conclusion: We hope you will find the new site easier to navigate, enjoy the more streamlined look and appreciate the expanded customer features. Please be sure to bookmark any of these sites that may be of interest and we look forward to serving you for many years to come. Thank you for your business! Em

Sneak peek: Our new web site at www.shaveplace.com

Since the last post we have been hard at work programming a new web site domain. With technology moving ever faster we had to look at different options. During the transition we will be running both www.emsplace.com and www.shaveplace.com. New products will be posted only to the new domain www.shaveplace.com. Please check out our new site and get use to its feel and function. If you notice any glitches please email info@shaveplace.com

Also visit our Information site at www.shaveinfo.com