Stirling vs SBS

• Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving exclusive MOAR BOAR (31 mm × 57 mm bleached boar)
• Razor: EldrormR Industries - GEM Division: MM24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. Friends to the End
• Aftershave: Stirling Soap Co. Friends to the End
• Fragrance: Creed Wind Flowers

Tough one again. Summer Break Soaps is great, Stirling is great. No right choices here. In the end, I just feel more of a connection to Stirling than Summer Break Soaps. If that's not a questionable parasocial relationship, I don't know what is. I'm now going to examine my life choices while smelling great 😅

Edit: forgot muh tag #MMarch24

Mar. 21, 2024 - March [MMarch24] Madness E8 Nacho-Bracket HSOTD

• Brush: DSCCosmetic Jade Tuxedo 24mm
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MMarch24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (45)
• Lather: ~~Spring~~ Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning - Soap

I’m powering through. Long live the nachos! M24 Bonus Shave^© coming soon.

EDIT: I slipped on the Freudian soap.

Mar. 21, 2024
Brush: Chisel & Hound Quartermoon
Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
Blade: AccuTec PRO
Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball!
Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Island Man
Fragrance: Creed - Virgin Island Water

Love both but pulling for SBS today, let’s go!!!

MMarch24

MM24MM

• Brush: MOAR F’N BOAR
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: GEM PTFE (18)
• Lather: Stirling - Stirling Spice
• Post Shave: Stirling - Stirling Spice splash
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented AS balm

Wetshaving Arena is rockin' this morning with fans already enjoying the action between Stirling and Summer Break Soaps. Both teams are coming off first round romps. Stirling laid a thorough asswhooping on Talent Soap Factory. Asked after the game about how he felt about running up the score, Rod looked the reporter dead in the eyes and responded with, "Look at me! Does this body look like it was made for running?? Now hand me an Ethiopian Blend and piss off little man" On the other side of the court we have Summer Break Soaps who had an easier than expected first round rout of A&E. Summer Break Soap players were caught on a hot mic during the game saying, "Oh look at that score A&E! Ohhhh, that must really burn your...face!!" before bursting into laughter. Will anyone break a sweat today? Who will take the first flop for cheap points? The fans eagerly await!

On to the shave we go and it was an easy choice for me. It had to be Stirling. The number of green tubs I have in the den continues to grow. MOAR BOAR wouldn't be in my den if it weren't for Rod's work with the sub to get these over the border. Oh yea, and I dig their coffee. The scent choice was a tough one, but I ultimately landed on Spice because it's easily one of my favorites. This GEM blade continues to chug along for another stellar shave in the month of March.

Getting a late start on the caffeination but everything is starting to wake up. Try to enjoy your day and remember to be kind to one another.

#MMARCH24

Mar. 21, 2024
Brush: AP SHAVECO AP400B XL 28 mm (G5C)
Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
Blade: Personna GEM PTFE Coated [4]
Lather: Stirling Soap co. - Scarn - Soap
Post Shave: Stirling Soap co. - Scarn - Aftershave
Post Shave: Zingari Man - (Unscented) - Balm

MMarch24

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

Mar. 21, 2024
Brush: Stirling/Zenith 31mm x 50mm Boar
Razor: u/EldrormR Industries MM24
Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [15]
Lather: Stirling - Varen - Soap
Post Shave:* Stirling - Varen - Aftershave

Question today was just Christmas Eve vs Varen. My 12 year old voted for Christmas Eve but my wife picked Varen and her vote counts more. The Stirling Boar is such a great brush, and I finally seem to be getting the hang of loading it because today I had plenty of lather for both passes and cleanup today from the initial load.

#MMarch24

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

#MMarch24 Madness: (3) Stirling vs. (6) Summer Break

• Brush: Trotter Handcrafts “Sea Glass No.3” 28mm SynBad
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MMarch24
• Blade: GEM (57)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Field Day - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face Groomatorium - Summer Storm - Aftershave
• Fragrance: MISKEO - Brume
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Ethiopia, Gugi. Natural Process
• Music: Adrianne Lenker - Bright Future

#MMarch24 Madness is getting to the nitty-gritty, so I went with three wet and earthy scents for today's shave.

This is an interesting match-up. Take the scents, branding, and sub involvement out of the equation for a moment, and just focus on value, and you still have a quandary. On one side, Stirling Soap Company, which pairs a darn good lather with a shockingly low price-per-ounce. On the other side, Summer Break Soaps, which has an unbeatable price for an elite-level base. Stirling's standard or Sheep bases compete at that level too, but the texture of a hydrated SBS lather might just be at the top of my favorites list, plus more of their originals work for me. Summer Break Soaps takes the game!

These later matchups feelsbadman. Love you too, Stirling.

March 21, 2024 – Thrilla with Vanilla

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Bangalore V20
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: GEM (21)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Christmas Eve
• Post Shave: Aqua Velva – Ice Blue
• Post Shave: Zingari – Unscented

Was a tough one today to choose. So I choose the fun that is SBS maybe cheese it up a bit or go with the soap that served as my lathery baptism into Wetshaving. Ultimately nostalgia won out, if only because Stirling has been there for me from the beginning (even if SBS was the first full trifecta I bought.) but this could go either way. And I’ll be both happy and sad at the outcome.

We’re in the last 10 days of #MMarch24 let’s finish strong!

March 21, 2024

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Yaqi - Barbershop - 24mm - Boar
• Razor: EldrormR Industries - MM24 - Tag: #MMarch24
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning Soap
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning Splash
• Post, Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented Sego Balm
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime

There was no question who I was gonna support today. I love damn near everything Stirling makes (including their coffee), but Summer Break Soaps will forever be tops for me.

Didn't use the Remote Learning Frag since I have to meet clients later, but Sea Spice Lime layers very, very nicely on top of the Mountain Dew of the splash.

Mar. 21, 2024
Brush: Chisel & Hound Bermuda Fanchurian V10 Badger
Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
Blade: Gem PTFE [19]
Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Valedictorian - Soap
Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Valedictorian - Aftershave
Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps - Valedictorian EdP

Nothing less than a Valedictorian trick hole for today’s shave.

#MMarch24

March 21, 2024

• Brush: Zenith 508A XL/Bristle (B35) (MOAR BOAR) 31mm
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Woodshop - Soap
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Woodshop - Aftershave
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Balm
• Post Shave: Harry's - Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps - Woodshop - EdP
  (#MMarch24)

I can't help but feel like I betrayed Stirling, but at the last minute I went with Woodshop and had a great shave.

March 21, 2024 – March Madness

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps w/ 26mm DGB3
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MMarch24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (12)
• Lather: Summerbreak Soaps – Daydream
• Post Shave: Summerbreaks Soap – Daydream

This could have went either way for me. SBS created a sub soap for us, Prom King. And of course a nacho cheese and Mountain dew soap. While I didn’t use either one of those, I did use one of my summer soaps. Great lather and a very nice shave this morning.

On to my second brush in the u/OnionMiasma brush pass around. The handle is a multi-color handle called Naponee. Very sharp. The knot is a 26mm DG B3. Lots of splay with this knot, but a little much scrub for me. But I certainty had no problem whipping up a nice lather and had a great shave this morning.

Good luck to both teams this morning. No wrong choices here. Now for coffee. Have a great shave day all.

MMarch24

March 21, 2024 – March [#MMarch24] Madness E8 Nacho Non-Bracket u/robodjudge Gentle Reset MM24 Bonus Shave©️

• Brush: Zenith 502B XSE Butterscotch
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (46)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Remote Learning
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Remote Learning
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps – Remote Learning – EdT

Will the Nachos rule? Whether or not, I think Remote Learning should become a standard offering in the lineup.

Happy shaving and be kind to one another.

Mar. 21, 2024

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Trotter Handcrafts Burnt Butterscotch v11 Fanchurian Badger

• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24

• Blade: GEM PTFE (10)

• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Bell Ringer

• Post Shave: T.N. Dickinson’s - Witch Hazel

• Post Shave: House Of Mammoth Z (uncool) Balm

• Fragrance: Dr Jon’s - Savannah Sunrise

• Tags: #MMarch24

These choices are getting harder and harder as we go deeper into the bracket. I love Stirling and probably have bought the most number of different products from them but gotta rep Kyle and SBS today. Bell Ringer is a fantastic bright mango scent that fits well on this bright sunny spring morning! Savannah Sunrise plays off that as well and goes in some nostalgic feeling with the honeysuckle.

Continuing down the train of my Badger brushes. This V11 knot has significantly more gel to it than any of my other ones. I don’t mind the gel (mostly because I’m still terrible at picking it out). I love this handle though! It’s my only Trotter and I love the color and shape of it.

March 20, 2024 – MMarch24 Madness Elite Eight Thursday

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Pueblo Opaque handle w/ 26mm v20 Fanchurian Badger knot
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: Personna PTFE Stainless Steel GEM (16)
• Preshave: Stirling Soap Co. – Unscented
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Stirling Blu (3)
• Post Shave: Thayers – Unscented Witch Hazel Facial Toner
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Stirling Blu AS Balm (17)
• Tags: #MMarch24

Precision Load; Face Lather; WTG/ATG/Cleanup Passes; BBS Result; 19th Consecutive / 293rd Overall SOTD Post

Another heart vs head debate over who to choose. In virtually every one of my metrics Stirling wins out (hell, I have three times the number of Stirling tubs than any other artisan, and more Stirling samples than tubs of all other artisans combined!), yet my heart keeps reminding me that Kyle is a stalwart member of the community and is easily accessible. Ultimately, I couldn't ignore that Stirling was my gateway to artisan soaps and are the makers of half of my ten favorite scents. Happy shaving and have a wonderful day.

Mar 21, 2024 - MM24 11th Match-Up: Stirling vs. SBS

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Gulf 26mm Maggard Premium Boar Boar Knot
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MMarch24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [21]
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing - Soap
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Rawr - Aftershave

This morning was the first warmish morning we've had this year, but the cool blast from Rope Swing was still premature. The scent of Rope Swing though is always welcomed. Rawr continued the dandelion note through, along with it's bright citrus punch.

Rating: 4.5/5

March 21, 2024

• Brush: Stirling Boar 24mm
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: GEM PTFE (21)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning - Splash
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning - EdT

#MMarch24

I had a perfectly enjoyable shave teed up. Rope Swing, plus a Stirling balm and EdT to round out the shave. I even posted it to Discord before I intended to go shave.

Then I flipped through the thread before I went off to shave, and decided to join my Remote Learning brothers.

Why? I have no idea.

The soap is... fine. It smells like Fritos. Whatever.

The splash is nice. SBS splashes are good, and the scent is nice.

God damn this frag is terrible. It doesn't smell like nacho cheese to me. It might have some Mountain Dew-adjacent notes, but mostly I smell vomit. People get all worked up about Secretions Magnifiques, but I'd personally take blood and semen over vomit.

I honestly might need to go shower. It smells so bad.

Or.... maybe I just cover it up.

• Second Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Deep Blue Sea - EdT

March 21, 2025

• Brush: Stirling Soap Co Black and White 24mm Tuxedo
• Razor: MM24
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Bell Ringer
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Bell Ringer
• Fragrance: Dr. Jon’s - Hydra

MMarch24

Well unless there is a flurry of SBS shaves, the elite 8 will be the end. I used one of my favorite SBS scents today. When it was announced that no more would be made, I bought a backup tub of it. Also grabbed some face soap. Fantastic lather tonight, so slick and feeling great after the shave.

Thursday, March 21, 2024

• Brush: Maggard Razors - Midnight Blue - 26mm Turn N Shave Quartermoon
• Razor: EldrormR Industries - MM24 (2 Tone)
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Homecoming - Soap
• Post Shave: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Jefferson Square - Aftershave

MMarch24

March 21, 2024

• Brush: Summer Break Sheridan w/ 26 mm Synbad
• Razor: EldrormR MM24
• Blade: GEM PTFE (9)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Day Dream
• Post Shave: Osma Alum
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Day Dream
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Unscented Liniment

This time, I'm supporting Kyle with a soap he's not ashamed of.

#MMarch24