Is Newer Better?

I guess it depends on your definition of "Old"     Over the past couple years, I have found the soap bases which give me the lathers I enjoy the most;  Mike's, Mystic Water, and Shannon's.  I wouldn't classify any of the three as newer since each has been around for at least a decade.  Obviously, they haven't been around as long as Tabac/MWF or even Mama Bears...but definitely before some of the "big boys" and newer artisans on the market today.

Those are three I really enjoy too and yep, wouldn’t put them in the new category but they do reflect exactly what I’m talking about.  Shannon’s was born out of a familial need for skin-sensitive soap and although I am lucky in that my leathern hide doesn’t much care what I slather on, my chronology and vanity would ask me to choose well my applications.  Mystic Waters is great stuff as is Mikes.  None of them do I find fussy.

I am by no means anti-artisan!...I have 60 soaps, split roughly 50/50 between triple milled and artisan soaps.

But I actually prefer the traditional triple milled soaps compared to softer artisan soaps.

Once my artisan soaps are all used up (probably within the next decade), I'll only use triple milled soaps.

Seems a super fat soap is like sewing your underpants into your trousers to save a step.
Would it work? Yes, but the kids are gonna whisper.

SuperLOL.
I agree, almost.

Wetshaving now has too hype.
Most of new self-styled "artisans" use the same old model and find fancy ingredients to throw in.
In practice, nice soap with nice fragrance with an ugly price and even a worst yield.
BUT, performance is not so much better than great old once. (MWF, Cella, etc)

Anyway, there're few great in the new lines.
Made by people who have huge skills and knowledge.
Soaps with the best of new technology, both industry and cosmetology.
Something as Saponificio Varesino Beta 4.3 or Grooming Dept Formula Nai.
These work way better than old standard on problematic skin.

On the other hand, there're great brands with very good quality at fair price per ounce.
The first two that come to my mind are Stirling and 345 Soap.
Both have outstanding (and underrated!!!) q/p ratio.

For the most part, I find the newer bases to be superior to many of the soaps I tried when I first began wet shaving roughly 5 years ago. For me personally though, there are a few exceptions such as Mystic Water, Soap Commander, Tabac, Mikes, Shannon's, and the PAA base that was available in the small $10 tins. I have many of these soaps that are 4-5 years old in my rotation and honestly, the post-shave difference between them and the newer bases is minimal at best.