Honestly, just get all of them. You will most likely end up buying them anyway. You’ll probably save on shipping buying them all at once.
Exactly...most of the many average industrial soaps, that have been around for decades, are owned by large, bureaucratic bodies that don't give a hoot about anything but their margins, with soap pucks/tubs banged out as quickly and cheaply as possible by indifferent employees who are only there for a paycheck.This logic is fundamentally flawed. Col Conk as others have pointed out, isn't the same company and even if it was, its an okay at best glycerine shave soap. Proraso is definitively not a great product, especially in comparison to the successful artisans who at this point have been around for over 10 years. MWF has had significant quality control issues with many people here on B&B finding issues with the soap not lathering at all and recently reformulated so technically it isn't the original formula (if it ever was). The newer products are higher quality, not that much more expensive considering how long they last and for sure are formulated with better ingredients and better scents. Most if not all classic brands are operating in name only and were bought out by larger conglomerates.
I agree completelyExactly...most of the many average industrial soaps, that have been around for decades, are owned by large, bureaucratic bodies that don't give a hoot about anything but their margins, with soap pucks/tubs banged out as quickly and cheaply as possible by indifferent employees who are only there for a paycheck.
Vs small batch creators who take pride in their product and have been far, far more active with experimentation and advancing the formulations and technology...plus the mass produced stuff is disappearing far more readily than established artisans.
It seems a brand simply being old produces a similar artificial prestige as recently discontinued ones. If tallow MWF or Tabac had never existed, and were released today, and were therefore viewed objectively by the market, I highly doubt they'd rise to command the same fandom they do today.
Honestly, just get all of them. You will most likely end up buying them anyway. You’ll probably save on shipping buying them all at once.