Are you sure you need the beginning "S" in that soap? I do agree that that's one of my least favorites from Stirling. Ugh.
For a single man who lives in SF and walks around taking pictures of random old men on the streets, I think you may want to be careful about where you're headed there, chief.
Performance is great across the board for Stirling. Here are my thoughts on the scents I've tried: Almond Creme: sadly discontinued. A great take on the classic marzipan scent. Anise: Strong black licorice, loved it at first but tired of it eventually. Barbershop: Not for me. Didn't hate it but didn't love it either. Bay Rum: Really a great bay rum soap. I had high hopes for the alcohol-based bay rum splash, but something seems to have been lost in translation. But the soap is one of my workhorses. Love it. Ben Franklin: I didn't really get the root beer that many people mention. Kind of interesting warm scent but ultimately didn't do it for it. Bergamot Lavender: I found this to be really lightly scented. Otherwise, I liked it, but just not enough scent there for me. I've heard others describe it as strong scented, so maybe it was just an issue with the batch I got. Black Cherry: This struck me as kind of floral in a way, cherries and flowers, though my wife says that's crazy and it smells exactly like cherry pie filling. But either way, not what I personally want my shave soap to smell like. Black Ice: I feel like the menthol interferes with the anise scent, so it comes off as not as strongly anise scented as the Anise. Bonaparte: Complex, interesting, but not for me. Something in there that I'm not a fan of, I'm not sure which element it is. Coniferous: One of my favorites, an awesome outdoorsy hyper-piney walk in the woods. Gin & Tonic: Another of my favorites, especially for summer. It may not smell exactly like a gin & tonic, but it smells great, a citrus scent unlike any other with that juniper berry giving it a unique twist. Maybe it's more of a gimlet? Glacial wintergreen: Not as cold as I expected, oddly enough. Definitely colder than any other soap I've tried, but it didn't make me cry, didn't hurt, not an unpleasant experience. The scent is like gum. I've come to realize, though, I like my aftershaves mentholated but not necessarily my soaps. Glastonbury: Sorry, it smells like the dirty hippies I hung out sometimes in college who applied all kinds of perfumed oils and incense instead of showering. Lime: very straight-forward, natural-smelling lime Margaritas in the Arctic: Cough drops. Tried to love it, but it smells like cough drops to me. Port au Prince: So funky and weird and good. Very powerful vetiver, in all its earthy, grassy, funky glory, with lemongrass freshening it up just enough. Scots Pine: Love this stuff. A warm, comforting pine. Huge contrast with Coniferous. I love them both but totally different. Sharp Dressed Man: Yeah, I've smelled this cologne on some guys. And it's just not a cologne I'd ever wear. Texas on Fire: Smoky campfire in the woods, leather jackets, fresh split logs. Strong scent. Not for everyday, but a great one.
"Breaking News" Lemongrass & Cajeput Shaving Soap (the most amazing soap from Rod I've ever tried) will be back in stock after a 6 months hiatus in three weeks or less!
OZARK MOUNTAIN Ease of Lather: 10/10 - I had my most luck with Ozark Mountain first with all the Stirling Soaps I have. I mastered it fastest for some reason. Quality of Lather: 10/10 - I like thick Yogurty-Peaky lather that really holds. How long Lather lasts: 8/10 - After mastering my technique (dry loading) I've managed to get a 3 minute or longer lather! Slickness/Protection: 10/10 - Nobody makes it slicker than Stirling! Ozark Mountain is no exception! Make your lather right, make a pass. Slide your finger over the pass area and you'll see! Slimy-Slick. Maybe 2 or 3 rinses to clear it! Thats good cause you know it works! Skin Conditioning: 10/10 - Skin feels fresh and new every time I'm done with any Stirling! No dryness. Scent: 8/10 - "Ozark Mountain" is synonymous with MAN!
SHARP DRESSED MAN Ease of Lather: 10/10 - Similar to Ozark Mountain... fast good lather long as I dry load. Quality of Lather: 9/10 - Thick Yogurty-Peaky lather holds on well. How long Lather lasts: 9.5/10 - Maybe my technique got better at dry loading, but I've managed to get a long lasting lather! Slickness/Protection: 10/10 - Nobody makes it slicker than Stirling! SDM is no different form OZM! Takes me multiple passes to rinse the slickness off. Skin Conditioning: 8/10 - Skin does tend to feel a tad bit dryer than when I use OZM but not by much. No irritation. Scent: 8/10 - SDM is a great floral - lightly earthy.... idk how to describe it. It seems to pair like a champ with like 4 of my colognes... so for me its great! Its a scent I'd want if I had no cologne. I'd use it as a daily shave soap.
GLACIAL OBSIDIAN Ease of Lather: 8/10 - It lathers a little more finicky than any other Stirling I've tried. Maybe its the 7lbs of menthol, or the whole liquorice chunks... idk. (J/K about the liquorice chunks.) Quality of Lather: 9/10 - YOGURT MOUNTAINS THAT STAND TALL! How long Lather lasts: 7/10 - To cold to know. I get ta shaving and get it off within 2 minutes or less! Yes, its that cold! Slickness/Protection: 10/10 - Nobody makes it slicker than Stirling! The Glacial line by Stirling is no exception! The protection is there! Skin Conditioning: 9.5/10 - My tolerance for menthol prevents me from giving a good judge for how conditioned my skin is. But it doesn't feel dry at all. It feels like I've been getting licked by a polarbear! Scent: 8.5/10 - - If you don't like Licorice stay away. I do so I'm in heaven! I also like menthol face freeze... so I get all I want here!
COCONUT-LIME Ease of Lather: 10/10 - It lathers a little more easier than other Stirlings I've tried. My guess is that the Coconut milk is helping the lather some how. But it just milk-bleeds off the puck once you leave a few dribbles of water on the puck and start stirring! Quality of Lather: 9/10 - PEAKY-YOUG-CITY Outstanding! How long Lather lasts: 8/10 - It lasted a while. I didn't let it stay on the face long enough to find out but with every Stirling I let the first lather rest on my face a full 60 seconds before I cut the grass to let the EO's get into the skin and hair... I'm one of those crazy gents that likes the smell of Stirling Soaps and wants to smell like it... imagine that! Slickness/Protection: 10/10 - Nobody makes it slicker than Stirling- I've said it before but this one is SLIMEY-SLICK!! Hey, unlike the posh-frugs that shave with $300 shave paste I really prize shave lather/cream for its protection foremost.... everything else comes later. This stuff's slickness hasn't been matched by anything I've seen. I really think the Coconut - Milk in the formula has a lot to do with it. Skin Conditioning: 9.5/10 - My skin felt softest from this more than any other Stirling soap. No B.S. it was Yogurty Made, Slick while on, Softening and conditioning to high heck coming off! My skin felt like silk when my shave was done! Scent: 5-8.5/10 - The scent could be the weak link in this review. Now after 2 shaves the puck has lost its lime scent. Its only coconut smelling after 2 shaves. Disappointing to say the least as this is the first and only Stirling soap scent that has done this but done it in major fashion. The first day the lime scent was overpowering the Coconut (coconut was just an undertone). Now theres a baby hint of lime in the puck but a friggin waterfall splash of coconut. Total flip-flop in scent intensities! WOW! Thats why I gave it a 5-8. Now 5 if you want the scent balanced. However if you like coconut... this is an 8.5! For me I am possibly a genius as I purchased a bottle of Black Pepper Lime aftershave splash to go along with it. It actually restores all the Lime to 100%. But its lime dominant so the scent balance goes away quickly. But hey, you buy a soap to smell like something... thats what you should smell like when the shave is over! This was Stirlings Limited seasonal scent that got shelved because they moved outta Texas and into Arkansas. (Which means they'll have to change the label logo to made in AK!). The scent falloff may also be a reason it got shelved. Who knows. I would buy again as its scent is an islandish soft scent. It smells sweet and my lady is cool with it... scratch that... she likes it!
ANISE Ease of Lather: 9/10 - It lathers a easier than its younger big brother Glacial Obsidian. Maybe its the lack of 7lbs of menthol. Quality of Lather: 9/10 - YOGURT MOUNTAINS THAT STAND! How long Lather lasts: 9/10 - 2+ Minute lathers with this baby! Slickness/Protection: 10/10 - Nobody makes it slicker than Stirling! I cant say that enough! Skin Conditioning: 9.5/10 - Skin feels great afterwards. Scent: 8.5/10 - - If you don't like Licorice RUN! I do so I'm in heaven! This is for days I call "Candy Face - - - DAYS" I slap on the Super Black Ice aftershave splash I had Rod from Stirling Soaps make for me (2x Anise & 2x Menthol)
Second use with the Sterling soap was fine, no irritation at all, Also as a side note We have Chip-a-Tooth hard well water that is also pretty stocked with minerals,, many soaps fail miserably at my house, I am an Uberlather expert because of it The Sterling lathered just fine by itself
The Vanilla Tangerine, see post #4 Sorry I don't do the 1-10 ratings... I either Like and Use the soap, or I don't and it goes to the shower, or to my BIL who has excellent city water in Loveland CO hehehe This soap passes and is staying in my rotation
Not a bad approach especially since people tend to rate things they like between 8-10 out of 10 consistently which...makes ratings pretty useless in all honesty. I wish there was a wider spread.
You make a good point. If everything is 8-10, then all are the same, none better; none worse. It doesn't help in comparative evaluations for a single product line or comparisons to other brands.
That's what I was thinking as well. I know any rating will be only valid for the one person that gives it - since we're all different - but even so it can be interesting to see if there are some consensus or red threads. I think part of consistent high ratings is because one likes the manufacturer and one genuinely like the products (which is great) - but imagine one had (really had to) rank them in order of preference...I'm sure one would be able to...and if that's the case they can't all have the same rating Btw, got a straight razor shave under my belt now...'review' to come up later
