Do we need high end soaps?

[toeknee]

Having used ogallala bay rum soap for the first time this morning i was impressed by the quality of the lather,smell and all round performance of it,also the great lathers produced by the Mama Bear & Saint Charles Shave soaps I have, not to mention Palmolive,Arko & Tabac,do we really need high end soaps? Is it just a little bit of snobbery? Are they worth the extra cash ?
Don't get me wrong i have Trumpers,T&H,Dr Harris ect and I love them but if I had discovered soaps like Mama Bears,OBR & SCS first I,m not sure I would have bought any of the other soaps I have,
But maybe I still would just thinking you don't have to spend a fortune to achieve a great shave

 

[rm71]

It is nice to have the high end soaps. I find the cheapies (Palmolive, Ogallala, Arko etc) almost offer the same performance.

 

[Saturn]

Are they worth the extra cash ?

yep

 

[Austin]

No we don't need high end soaps but they are nice.

 

[Luc]

Yes to all questions!

I love the "cheap" soaps but a high end soap makes a difference sometimes...

 

[okey]

i guess you dont need it at all as other will do the same but for me as i went to go out for a meal tonight, i put on a nice quality shirt and tie. Sure i could have went out in a budget shirt or polo and not looked out of place but i actually felt nice.My wife and daughter made a comment on how i looked which was also a treat.

 

[kg4ghn]

I use mostly cheaper soaps. Not because I don't like expensive soaps, just b/c I can't afford them all!

 

[thunderball]

No we don't need high end soaps but they are nice.

This pretty much sums it up.

 

[Phog Allen]

The simple answer for me is "yes". And not because of pure performance or cost associations. It is a combination of all those things plus a certain tradition. Snob appeal? Likely.

And I would add a thing or two about costs. Those melt and pour soaps seem like a great price, right? Sure they are. To a point. I have seen post after post of guys who used one milled soap daily till it was used up. Typically they lasted anywhere from seven to twelve months. I don't care what type of melt and pour soap you use. It is not going to last more than two to three months at most with daily use. So the cost comparisons just don't wash with me. In the end, you would go through three of them compared to one cake of the high end milled soaps in the same period. Since you can buy the milled soap refills for between 15-20 dollars in most brands, it is nearly an even deal with most of those house brands being 4-8 dollars per cake. I say there is room for all of it.

Regards, Todd

 

[media]

I dont think we have to have them, but some of them are nice. I dont agree with the C&S $140 soap with a bowl, but if people want to blow that kind of cash on a bar of soap, let them. It just depends on your tastes.

THe most I would spend on any shaving soap would be about $50, and that would be for the giant cella block which would then last you years.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I don't think it's up to any of us to decide what product others "need". Who can decide if someone else "needs" to drive an Escalade instead of a Kia or live in a 30,000 square foot home instead of an apartment. Each person has to decide what work best for them and what they are willing, and can afford, to pay.

 

[DE Shaver]

It's not a question of need, it a question of wants. I'm all for buying what you want and if it make you happy, it's the best investment you can make.

 

[LarryAndro]

Is MItchell's Wool Fat a high end soap? Then, I need high end soaps!

 

[kingfisher]

I don't think it's up to any of us to decide what product others "need". Who can decide if someone else "needs" to drive an Escalade instead of a Kia or live in a 30,000 square foot home instead of an apartment. Each person has to decide what work best for them and what they are willing, and can afford, to pay.

+1.

this is an excellent point. Does a Rolex keep better time than a Timex? No, not really; in fact, the Timex is likely to be more accurate. For some people, that's enough, and they're perfectly happy with a Timex.

Similarly, I agree that Saint Charles Shave soap performs its job (providing a good shaving lather) just as well as any high-end soap on the planet. For me, that's enough. For others, though, they really want to have a "Rolex" soap. Let 'em.

 

[norton]

Is MItchell's Wool Fat a high end soap? Then, I need high end soaps!

It is if you have the Ceramic Bowl.

 

[Catalin]

It's not a question of need, it a question of wants. I'm all for buying what you want and if it make you happy, it's the best investment you can make.

I agree! You work hard for your money. Spend it on what makes you happy!

 

[talibeard]

I don't think we 'need' them since there are numerous cheap and mid-range soaps that perform as well. But it is nice we can spoil ourselves when we want to.

 

[DougK]

+1 to what tailbeard said.

 

[Antique Hoosier]

They are indeed a Luxury.

 

[gull]

What's considered "high end"? Anything over $20?