New Stirling Satsuma

Description:

The sweetness of mandarins mixed with a little oriental spices makes this scent robust and intoxicating. You can't help but to keep coming back to smell it...

Sounds like a winner!!


https://www.stirlingsoap.com/products/sa...shave-soap

I think Stirling soaps, aftershaves, and balms are all winners! Great products at great prices with great ingredients. Tuff to beat! I'm a big fan of Stirlings for about 3 years but I never tried Satsuma so guess I will give it a shot since it sound interesting. Thanks!


Happy Shaving!
49erShaver

While Stirling is priced right and has some nice scents their base is now several generations behind the times. Artisans such as WhollyKaw, Grooming Department, Oleo Soapworks and a few others are leaving them in the dust unfortunately. Their bases are imo amazing.

I'd have to respectfully partially disagree with frenchy on a some points, though I understand what he's saying.

Stirling is not in the same price range as the Oleo, GD, etc. Stirling is about $2/oz, Oleo about $4/oz, and Grooming Department about $6/oz for the premium GD soaps.

If you use a straight razor, some soaps are better than others and Stirling is a fine straight razor soap. The soaps that frenchy mentions - as many as I have tried - do leave a more 'conditioned' post shave feel, but that's never been a high priority for me though I understand that it is for others. I'm perfectly happy with the clean bare skin that MdC leaves, and the shea butter in Stirling's soaps doesn't leave a heavy post shave. I don't think any of them are any better than Stirling for actual in-shave performance with a straight razor.

Stirling does have some nice scents that I prefer to the Oleos, L&L, a lot of North American artisan scents just don't do it for me, and apparently price doesn't get you better artisan scents. You wouldn't mistake any of them for Floris, Penhaligons, or Truefitt and Hill scents. Many are identifiably candle-shoppy.

JMO

Cheers, Steve

I'd have to respectfully partially disagree with frenchy on a some points, though I understand what he's saying.

Stirling is not in the same price range as the Oleo, GD, etc. Stirling is about $2/oz, Oleo about $4/oz, and Grooming Department about $6/oz for the premium GD soaps.

If you use a straight razor, some soaps are better than others and Stirling is a fine straight razor soap. The soaps that frenchy mentions - as many as I have tried - do leave a more 'conditioned' post shave feel, but that's never been a high priority for me though I understand that it is for others. I'm perfectly happy with the clean bare skin that MdC leaves, and the shea butter in Stirling's soaps doesn't leave a heavy post shave. I don't think any of them are any better than Stirling for actual in-shave performance with a straight razor.

I think you misunderstood Steve. I said that Stirling was priced right.....That was meant to convey it was a bargain compared to the other soaps I mentioned. So, we are in violent agreement here.

Great point about straight versus DE/Single Edge performance. As I don’t use a straight I never considered it. My comments were about Stirling’s performance with a DE/SE....and I stand by them.

As to scents. You’re right...most of them do smell candle-shoppy to me...including Stirling. For whatever reason...I’ve found that cream scents in general are superior to soaps.....such as Penhaligons, and Truefitt and Hill. For soaps...I’m gravitating to the unscented version of the bases I like.

I think you misunderstood Steve. I said that Stirling was priced right.....That was meant to convey it was a bargain compared to the other soaps I mentioned. So, we are in violent agreement here.

Great point about straight versus DE/SE performance. As I don’t use a straight I never considered it. My comments were about Stirling’s performance with a DE/SE....and I stand by them.

Oh good, I was afraid I was being too contrary. It is kind of confusing sometimes because folks make comments/reviews about soaps but don't say what they shave with. For a straight razor user, slickness is rule #1 and if it isn't slick it will never be a good SR soap. I understand DE/SE users desire other qualities equally as much or more, cushion, glide etc. But those don't matter much for the SR user, so scent may become more imporant than properties essential to a good DE soap. I Coloniali Mango Oil soap is a good example, it's hard to coax anything but a thin almost bodyless lather out of it, yet it is one of the slickest soaps there is (was *sigh*). SR users adore the stuff but I imagine a DE user would believe there are far better soaps - and they'd be right.

Cheers, Steve

I am not a user of everything I see so my overall experience is reltively limited.

I have tried a number of Stirling products and have always found them excellent in every respect.
I do look for their new products.

I am a predominantly SE user. Everything I have frome Stirling is pleasingly compatible with those blades and razors and with my face. They are truly Sterling products.

Mickey

P.S.
frenchy's opinion is welcome and respected, however, and needed.

Absolutely Mickey.

Cheers, Steve

Glad to see some Stirling love ! I agree with Steve & Mickey 100% on what they say about Stirling. I agree with Frenchy that Stirling is a bargain ! But about Stirlings soap base and being left in the dust by the others not so much. I think Stirlings soap base is excellent in the performance dept. like slickness, cushion, glide, etc. and can stand toe to toe with those other great soaps that cost two and even three times more than stirling. The ingredient list is great with no junk and they have some decent scents. About the post shave I think its still pretty decent but I always end my shave with a great alcohol splash followed by a tiny amount of balm from Stirling again and my face looks and feels fantastico! I forgot to mention I use a DE & SE for the past 3 years but a SR is in the plans soon. God Bless!!!


Happy Shaving !
49erShaver

49erShaver if you need help with the SR, honing, questions, etc shoot me a PM. Glad to help out.

Cheers, Steve