Invest in... Soap?

[Feldgrun]

Shaving soap costs have risen significantly over the last few years. MdC was around $40 before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now sells for $63-70. If it continues at this rate, it may be $100 per jar soon. If a favorite is discontinued, the value rises significantly. Williams Mug Soap was $2-5 not too long ago, but now sell for $20-30 per puck on eBay.

So, should we buy up our favorites before they become too expensive or obsolete. Or... invest in soap?

 

[SalS]

No, invest it. I am not buying anymore soap, as I am off the brush and soap thing. I can’t find one reason to continue with it.The razor on the other hand is a keeper.

PS while fun, they are obsolete

 

[GeronimoWSB]

Some are no longer being made, Williams and Tabac, among others. Tabac surprised me and I am on my last, MWF ,Williams and others are stocked. If you find a fact always keep a backup. Tabac was mine but MWF and others are close. Deals are the key.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Going by the past years it’s tallow soaps/sticks that get discontinued. So if you have favorites get some. I stocked up on Tabac, Palmolive/Speick Sticks and Arko pucks.

 

[Barbarian80]

I got a big jar of MdC around the holidays. It was on sale at 40 Euros. The problem was shipping was 20 euros. It was still a good deal. I doubt the price will go much higher.

 

[brucered]

Buy a couple of.your favorites if you hear they are.being discontinued. Don't stockpile.

Investing in soap sounds like a terrible financial decision.

Everything has gone up in price, it's not just soap.

 

[ohansen]

I only have 10 jars of soap. They would last about 10 years even if I use them everyday

 

[wlshephard]

Buy a couple of.your favorites if you hear they are.being discontinued. Don't stockpile.

Investing in soap sounds like a terrible financial decision.

Everything has gone up in price, it's not just soap.

I agree. I might go four though. But I am a pack rat.

Problem is there is always another one or dozen to try. Thank the lord for samples.

 

[RayClem]

Many soaps have increased in price due to significant increases in the pricing of the ingredients and fragrance oils.

Some manufacturers have taken the opposite tact. They have switched to lower priced ingredients such as coconut oil and palm oil. Unfortunately, in many instances the quality of the soap has suffered.

Some artisan soaps have increased in price as the soapmakers are using more exotic ingredients to improve performance.

I have evaluated well over 200 soaps. I currently have around 80 soaps in my active rotation. If I use an average of 4 soaps per year, my stash should last me another 20 years. By then, I will either be dead or in a nursing home whose staff won't let me anywhere near a razor blade.

 

[KW Driver]

I invested in some tallows that got reformulated. I'm invested. the payout is my shaving satisfaction as I roll through them.

is inflation going to continue into the foreseeable future? yep. we may very well be on the cusp of another hard bubble pop or even a great depression. near term stockpiling isn't a bad thing from a value standpoint, but I'm not buying more soap for a couple years most likely. and I only keep 6 flavors on hand.

buying up soaps now to sell off as vintage in a couple decades? not worth the squeeze to me.

 

[brucered]

Many soaps have increased in price due to significant increases in the pricing of the ingredients and fragrance oils.

Some manufacturers have taken the opposite tact. They have switched to lower priced ingredients such as coconut oil and palm oil. Unfortunately, in many instances the quality of the soap has suffered.

Some artisan soaps have increased in price as the soapmakers are using more exotic ingredients to improve performance.

I have evaluated well over 200 soaps. I currently have around 80 soaps in my active rotation. If I use an average of 4 soaps per year, my stash should last me another 20 years. By then, I will either be dead or in a nursing home whose staff won't let me anywhere near a razor blade.

And those dates and years are only bid if you don't buy any more!

 

[Owen Bawn]

I'm putting my son through Dartmouth by selling vintage Williams Mug Soap online.

 

[RayClem]

And those dates and years are only bid if you don't buy any more!

That is a 100% true statement.

For the past few years, artisan soapmakers were coming out with new formulations frequently. As I am on the lookout for every better soaps, I was purchasing new soaps nearly every month. As I added better soaps to my rotation, I retired lesser soaps.

The artisan soap market seems to have matured. There will be newer formulations released occasionally, but most of the established soapmakers have now settled on a formulation and are not focusing on development of new soap formulations. They are now exploring new product lines. As a result, I have only purchased one new soap since the start of the year. It was Grooming Dept Kairos SE 2023 edition. It is the best soap I have ever used; it was even better than the 2022 edition of Kairos SE. I was not planning to purchase it, but after reading some reviews on the forum, I decided to try it. I am glad I did.

Peter of Ariana and Evans has recently introduced a new Ultima formulation. I have yet to try it, but probably will when it is release in a scent I will love. The earlier Kaizen 2e formula is one of my top soaps.

Thus, I will be adding new soaps to my collection, but my purchases will be highly selective.

 

[Deano]

Like everything, its not going to be any cheaper than it is today. If you will use it l see no harm in buying some extra if its something you like.

 

[BigJ]

I ’stock up’ on soaps I enjoy! The plan is to live long enough to use up the stockpile!!

 

[Barbarian80]

I'm putting my son through Dartmouth by selling vintage Williams Mug Soap online.

ARKO might be the only soap worth investing it at this time. It will not be any cheaper at any point in time and it seems all of Europe is on the anti-tallow crusade.

 

[JCarr]

I'm done buying soaps and creams. Pretty much set for a very long time. Aftershaves and blades I'm still buying. Razors...I think I'm done. I'd like to think that I'm winding down to just enjoying the stuff that I have.

 

[Feldgrun]

Maybe it's just me, but I've bought 17 tubs and 45 samples of soap within the last month. I hope to enjoy it for many years to come.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

My beloved Barbasol has skyrocketed from $1.79 to $2.19 a can. I may need to get a second mortgage, we’ll see.

 

[musicman1951]

My Nature MdC is $42.13 here in the US without shipping. I always purchase them in pairs, so the shipping isn't so bad - and one lasts over 13 months.

I'm currently using Canada Soap which was around $32 including shipping and looks like it might last as long as MdC. All in all I find them pretty cheap.