I know you will not regret the decision. They say to let it dry after using it, i guess so that no moisture stays locked in the jar. i dont think its the end of the world if you dont, just a recommendation. I could probably shave with MdC every single day for 365 days straight, and not use up the whole jar. That being said, with a rotation of soaps and creams that is always growing, that is closer to several years at a minimum. I have several top end soaps, including xpec, and if i could trade my xpec for MdC i would. YMMV