Yes glacial but the sharp dressed man and barbershop are similar.
Stirling Syndicate
- Thread starter pipskicks
- Start date
Wow I just had my first shave with Stirling and my first heavily mentholated soap (I have used proraso white preshave, proraso green cream and splash and osage rub splash). I used Glacial Spearmint.
As for the scent experience. Exactly like spearmint gum. When lathering I couldn't tell how warm my water was. It just felt cold and I know it should have been at least lukewarm. The lather tingled my eyes. They didn't water but I felt it. I think the mint scent is so strong that is probably what leads to eyes watering more than the menthol. During the second pass it got more extreme. I experienced that sensation when something is so cold you can't really tell if its cold or hot. It never felt hot but it was an intense tingly cold. I know a lot of people say that this is the coldest soap or atleast very close and you can tell. Even still this is not too extreme for me to use frequently.
As for the results. It seemed to like a little more water than other soaps. I tried lathering on the puck like recommended but just switched to a bowl. Lather built up with a little more time then other soaps but looked good. On the face looked a little thin but the shave was one of my best. Nice slickness.
Overall very satisfied. I am excited to try the other scents I got aswell. I wont lie I have been trying to clean up the amount of stuff I have and the minimal room these soaps take up in the tin is really nice for storage. Cream tubes take up so much room.
As for the scent experience. Exactly like spearmint gum. When lathering I couldn't tell how warm my water was. It just felt cold and I know it should have been at least lukewarm. The lather tingled my eyes. They didn't water but I felt it. I think the mint scent is so strong that is probably what leads to eyes watering more than the menthol. During the second pass it got more extreme. I experienced that sensation when something is so cold you can't really tell if its cold or hot. It never felt hot but it was an intense tingly cold. I know a lot of people say that this is the coldest soap or atleast very close and you can tell. Even still this is not too extreme for me to use frequently.
As for the results. It seemed to like a little more water than other soaps. I tried lathering on the puck like recommended but just switched to a bowl. Lather built up with a little more time then other soaps but looked good. On the face looked a little thin but the shave was one of my best. Nice slickness.
Overall very satisfied. I am excited to try the other scents I got aswell. I wont lie I have been trying to clean up the amount of stuff I have and the minimal room these soaps take up in the tin is really nice for storage. Cream tubes take up so much room.
I use my wife's Victoria Secrets and Bath & Body Works lotion tubs. They have screw top lids that keep the scent from fading.
I purchased a boar brush on monday so I should have it soon.
The longer they sit the harder they get. I bought 12 samples and 1 puck. The first few samples really clung to the wrapping almost like a sticky melted hard candy. 2 months in ziploc baggies and they are firmer but still a little sticky. The "chunky" will smooth out. In my case it only took transferring it to a container and one lathering.
Many thanks to you and to the others who answered my question.
You are most welcome. The other convenient thing about these little jars is that Rod's soap labels fit almost perfectly on the lid.
That vendor (w/whom I have no affiliation except for buying these jars) also has a huge selection of other containers -- bigger, smaller, glass, plastic, etc.
I'm happy with the boar brush I bought. After my usual break-in and 3 or 4 shaves, it already feels soft and I've seen almost no shedding. So far (after less than a week) it seems about as good as an Omega.
I think I may no longer have any reason to buy any other brand of soap. Rod keeps putting out so many nice scents, and the performance is stellar. Not to mention the great prices for huge hunks of soap. I currently have:
Bath Soaps: Sheep Soap, Barbershop, Pig Trail, and Plumeria
Shave Soaps: Lavender Sage, Scots Pine Sheep Soap, Stirling Clubman, Margaritas in the Arctic, Port au Prince, Orange Chill, Grapefruit, Vanilla Tangerine, Tuscany, Glacial Obsidian, Black Cumin and Orange
And.... "Gin and Tonic" and "Glastonbury" on the way.
Lavender Sage may be my favorite, but I'm very excited about the G&T and Glastonbury. The Port au Prince is really growing on me. MITA is pretty fantastic, too. The fruity/citrusy soaps were mostly for the wife (I've been getting her into DE shaving), but it was a good excuse to get more! I put half or so into push-up tubes to use as a shave stick, and the other half in disposable Ziplock tupperware containers which are perfect for lathering ontop of the puck. All of these great soaps from a great vendor that I want to support... makes it hard to justify the cost for other soaps.
The bath soaps may be the best I've tried, and when you consider price per ounce, are easily half to a third the cost of other artisan soaps, and IMHO superior or equal.
Bath Soaps: Sheep Soap, Barbershop, Pig Trail, and Plumeria
Shave Soaps: Lavender Sage, Scots Pine Sheep Soap, Stirling Clubman, Margaritas in the Arctic, Port au Prince, Orange Chill, Grapefruit, Vanilla Tangerine, Tuscany, Glacial Obsidian, Black Cumin and Orange
And.... "Gin and Tonic" and "Glastonbury" on the way.
Lavender Sage may be my favorite, but I'm very excited about the G&T and Glastonbury. The Port au Prince is really growing on me. MITA is pretty fantastic, too. The fruity/citrusy soaps were mostly for the wife (I've been getting her into DE shaving), but it was a good excuse to get more! I put half or so into push-up tubes to use as a shave stick, and the other half in disposable Ziplock tupperware containers which are perfect for lathering ontop of the puck. All of these great soaps from a great vendor that I want to support... makes it hard to justify the cost for other soaps.
The bath soaps may be the best I've tried, and when you consider price per ounce, are easily half to a third the cost of other artisan soaps, and IMHO superior or equal.
Last edited:
Just tried the Glacial Obsidian, and holy $#%! That should be good for an extreme challenge for a bunch of guys to see how long they can keep it on. By the second pass, my eyes watered and my technique wavered. I pulled my man card out and more out of masochistic spite than anything, went for the third pass. Fifteen minutes later I could feel my face again. All I can say is, I think I'm going to save this one for days that I need my sinuses cleaned, days I need to shave in a desert, and days I really need to wake myself up. It's pretty awesome Rod makes soaps like this, and I can see how it could become a mentholated addiction. I didn't notice any of the problems people mentioned about the first glacial soap trial. It took slightly longer to lather, but that was the only downside. Still... I think I'll ease back down to my MITA and Orange Chill for a while, and maybe work myself up to it by spending a few hours with my face in the freezer everyday.
The glacial soaps do need a bit more water than the others. To bowl lather, I like keeping these soaps in round tupperware containers that come with a lid I can seal. (I'm using disposable ziplock tupperware that I've found to be the perfect size, and are something like $3 for maybe 8 or so at Wal-Mart). I soak/wet the brush, squeeze excess water, than load the brush scrunching into the soap for about 30 seconds. Then, I add a little water (a hand sprinkle at a time) and whip a lather in the same bowl on top of the puck. This time I only press lightly against the puck, unless I have too much water (in which case I press harder into the soap). Another 30 seconds, and I have the perfect lather. This method makes it easy to get the right consistency, and mostly I'm left with tons of excess lather. But the best part of the tupperware is that I just leave the excess lather in the bowl and put the lid on it for next time. You don't waste any soap, and it's even easier to lather the next time.
That is poetry, Varos
Bonaparte is very very nice. I like SDM because it's sharp, and i love Port au Prince because it lingers all day and is masculine. But Bonaparte is a sit-up-straight-and-pay-attention soap. Great lather - better than the other two in my limited experience - and superb scent.
I don't know whether Bonaparte reminds me of Napoleon on his disastrous imperial expedition to Egypt, or of a randy Napoleon trying to enchant Josephine (he was a sociopathic midget, so he needed good smells). Or both at once.
It is exotic, peppery and bright with a dark, brooding background. Very very nice.
Bonaparte will have to be next on the list! I'm trying to make an excuse to put in another order. I'm thinking soap for mothers day.
Anyone want a 90% full bottle if lemon chill? I don't dig the ultra frosty. It's too much for me. But I know some if you all like that sort of thing.message me and I'll ship it to you. It's the big bottle size.
Sorry, I should have followed up that this got claimed pretty quickly. I'll reply to the messages I've gotten. You crazy masochists that like melting your face with menthol.
Sorry, I should have followed up that this got claimed pretty quickly. I'll reply to the messages I've gotten. You crazy masochists that like melting your face with menthol.
LoL I have a huge bottle of menthol crystals. I add some to my non menthol aftershaves so all of mine are mentholated.
I just ordered a full puck of the Sandalwood and MITA. Hopefully I'll like MITA like everyone else. Unfortunately last time I ordered, I bought a full puck of the bay rum only to realize that it smells like play dough with a hint of gingerbread. Makes me sick just smelling it.
Do you like fresh margaritas? Do you like the smell of fresh limes? Rod pretty much hit the nail on the head with this one. It's a great one.
I'm excited to use up a bunch of soap so I can justify buying more of Rod's scents. I felt like I got a lot of them, but there are so...many...more...!!
I am dying to try MITA, Anise, PaP, Grapefruit, Lemony Orange, Bonaparte, Lavender Sage, Bergamot Lavender, Black Cherry, Scots Pine, Black Cumin and Orange.
Oh, and I want to try the rest of them too these are just the top of my list right now. Does Rod give a discount for volume sample purchases? I wonder how many orders are "give me one sample of every soap" That's a great Christmas idea, actually!
I am dying to try MITA, Anise, PaP, Grapefruit, Lemony Orange, Bonaparte, Lavender Sage, Bergamot Lavender, Black Cherry, Scots Pine, Black Cumin and Orange.
Oh, and I want to try the rest of them too these are just the top of my list right now. Does Rod give a discount for volume sample purchases? I wonder how many orders are "give me one sample of every soap" That's a great Christmas idea, actually!
