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Soap Reviews -A Series

If you have trouble lathering up the next Stirling, try using just a damp brush and load the heck out of it, adding drops of water back in as needed.
 
If you have trouble lathering up the next Stirling, try using just a damp brush and load the heck out of it, adding drops of water back in as needed.

My ritual is to always soak the brush and puck in hot tap water for at least 5 minutes. Usually longer because I let them soak while I'm showering.
 
I love ozark mountain! For the mere fact that I grew up around that area and went camping in the ozarks all the time! So it kind of touches home to me. I'll probably order a puck and save it for fall and winter.. I'll give the sample a go soon!


I grew up in the Ozarks myself, and used Ozark Mountain this morning.
 
I grew up in the Ozarks myself, and used Ozark Mountain this morning.

I can't wait to bust out the sample puck and give it a whirl. I grew up in northeast arkansas, but now the military has me slaving away in Georgia.

I was always up around the lake norfork and bull shoals areas camping with the family. & up by branson/springfield area on vacations. I miss home too much sometimes, because of the countryside
 
If the foam is light and airy that is usually a sign it needs more water. Stirling is a thirsty soap. Keep trying, you'll get it there!

Are you sure of this comment? I always thought that it was the other way around for some reason. My logic tells me that the lighter (airier) the foam, the more product you need. It seems to me that it gets airier and bubblier when I add more water. I'm not trying to start a war here. I guess I just don't understand the physics of all this. Can you enlighten me?
 
Alright guys. I couldn't wait the weekend to get a shave in. The anticipation was killing me! So I decided to shower and use the bath soap and get a shave in before bed..

Honey oatmeal shea butter bath soap:

Amazing smell and it felt luxurious! It was super slippery and I have to get used to using bath soaps again. Freaking slipped out of my hands and hit the edge of the tub and left a huge indention in the side of the bar. By the way hold the "dropped the soap" jokes hahaha..

I decided to give the lemon chill another shot...

#1 thing about this soap: AMAZING scent

Here's my opinion though: Keep in mind this is MY opinion. I'm sad to say that I hate this soap and the aftershave. When the label says glacial lemon chill Rod means it by all means. The menthol is way too overpowering for me to continue using it. It was so powerful I had to stop mid shave because I was trying to shave so fast to get it off my face. I will give the aftershave some more chances but it will likely be gone also.

I quickly washed my face off with warm water and loaded up the brush with barbershop stirling.

I used a merkur 37c with a fresh feather blade. I'm happy to announce I had one of the best shaves of my life. It was actually a perfect bbs shave. My face feels so smooth and hydrated after a 3 pass shave. Afterwards I washed off with luke warm water, dried my face off, washed off with cold tap water, then applied a wet alum block to my face. I let it set for about 30 to 60 seconds while I washed my brush and puck off, then I washed my face and dried it and followed with the lemon chill aloe and witch hazel splash!

Amazing shave guys!

In conclusion.........

No go for me - Stirling Lemon Chill

I need more - Stirling Barber Shop
 
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Oh on another side note. Will from Barrister and Mann saw my post about the weak scent from solstice and cleared that up with me through email..

He told me that it is meant to be that way with the summer heat nobody really likes strong scents and I totally agree with that. They went that route and now that makes much more sense!

As of right now the solstice scent is my favorite of all. It smells so pleasant!
 
I grew up in the Ozarks myself, and used Ozark Mountain this morning.

Of all of Rod's offerings, I'd posit that Ozark Mtn (and its fantastic Pig Trail bath soap compadre) are the least controversial/most universally enjoyed flavors, followed on their heels by MITA & SDM, & maybe Barbershop or Coniferous. Citrus scents can be hit or miss with some, as can the various glacials, and the sheep soaps can be a bit divisive, too, with complaints about citronella & mutton. Port-au-Prince is a pungent lemongrass beast of a puck, but is a little strong for some. And some others fall squarely in "love it" or "hate it" camps: Texas on Fire, Bonaparte, Glastonberry, maybe even Ben Franklin? Iced Coffee could probably crack the least controversial list if more people liked coffee & menthol. Anyway...food for thought.
 
I know one thing. I will be staying away from the mentholated soaps from stirling. I felt like my face was melting off from the lemon chill.. The aftershave doesnt seem as strong but it's close.
 
That's a nice haul. Sharp Dressed Man and Bonaparte are some really great scents.

Bonaparte seems really weak in scent to me, but I haven't opened the packaging yet. I'm waiting to shave with it before I do that. Sharp dressed man however smells great!
 
Just an update...

Tomorrow I will be shaving with Barrister and Mann's Solstice, my B&B boar hair knot, and my merkur 37c with the second shave on a feather blade..

Also, I decided to sniff a few of the soaps again. I've found that adagio is my new favorite smelling soap! That stuff smells A-MAZING! Can't wait to shave with it. I'm going one by one by one though with the soaps. As in using one stirling and one barrister and man until the puck is gone then I'll move to the next scents.

I'm not a fan of the B&M roam scent but maybe that will change when I actually whip it up with my brush because I love HTGAM cavendish.

Thanks for checking out my reviews guys! More to come just be patient!
 
Once again another fantastic shave. This time with solstice which has an amazing scent and post shave. BBS! B&M forever has my business now.

I will be purchasing either a puck or tub of adagio next for sure! I just cant stop sniffing that one!
 
Stirling barbershop shave this morning...

Great stuff and scent! Looking forward to seville tomorrow to compare the two!
 
Final review of Stirling Barber shop and Seville Barrister & Mann

1st up Striling Barbershop. Going to break it down by 3 basic categories

1) Scent: 10/10
2) Shave Properties: 9/10
3) Post Shave: 9/10

For me this soap has an amazing powerful scent and is slick as snot. However, the downfalls for me are, it's not easy to lather and its post shave wasn't near what barrister and mann's was in my opinion. If I was comparing it to another soap it may have had all 10's.

Next up. Barrister and Mann Seville

1) Scent: 10/10
2) Shave properties: 10/10
3) Post shave: 10/10

To me this soap was just a winner all around. Super easy to create mounds of peaky lather and it smells amazing! Not my favorite B&M scent, but with it being a year around scent I'd say it's my favorite year around scent. Adagio is by far my favorite scented soap to date!

Another one up is Barrister and Mann Solstice. Didn't really have anything scent similar wise to pair it up to with stirling, but I must say it was the first puck I have completely ran through because of the amazing scent!

Scent: 10/10
Shave properties: 10/10
Post Shave: 10/10

Another winner for me! Not much needed to say. Scent is weak, but the owner of barrister and mann (will) sent me an email after he read my post about the scent strength and cleared up the confusion i had on why the scent is weak. Long story short. It's summer and strong scents tend to make hot summer days become nauseous because of over powering smells. This scent is spot on and smells fresh and clean.

Another spot I will touch on, between Stirling Barbershop and B&M Seville. If you want a clean refreshing barbershop scent go with seville. If you want a strong and powerful barbershop scent pick up a puck of stirling barbershop.

To me the Barrister & Mann products are an absolute winner and Will will have my business for YEARS to come! Hopefully he won't give up the soap making anytime soon!

Thanks for browsing guys! More reviews to follow soon after I finish these pucks of barbershop scents!
 
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Another note on the Honey Shea butter and oatmeal bath soap. I believe it has just been over a week and the bar has deteriorated almost completely on just use from my fiancé and I.. For over 3 bucks a bar that kind of has me skeptical now.

Nonetheless they are AMAZING bath soaps and I'm sure either way I will continue buying them.

However, I want to try other artisan bath soaps!
 
I would be down for that also. Also my favorite soaps to date!

Adagio is AMAZING! So is Cheshire

Outside of the special editions, Cheshire is my favorite scent from B&M. I have not smelled Adagio yet, as I got the spring sampler, but Cheshire is awesomeness. Roam, Seville and his Bay Rum is pretty damn good too. Those would be my favorites of the regular scents.
 
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