Stirling cream equivalent

[Captain Howdy]

Skip-able Preface: I'm a soap junkie who has used the huge majority of the soaps mentioned on the forums and have gotten pretty good at identifying the soaps that are high quality but haven't quite pushed into the realm of diminishing returns. For example, Stirling is a high quality soap at a fair price. While most will agree that Kairos or k2E are slightly better soaps they are also much more expensive due to aforementioned diminishing returns. Well, I've recently had a random desire to experiment with some soft creams and would like your help with identifying creams that occupy that price to performance sweet spot, per se, similar to Stirling, as I lack the first hand experience I can rely on with soaps. SOFT CREAMS ONLY, please.

tl;dr:

If Palmolive and Speick are the cream equivalents to Arko
and SMN and ADP are the cream equivalents to Omnibus,
what then, in your opinion, is the soft cream equivalent to Stirling?

Thanks in advance, and forgive the imperfect analogy.

 

[LJTheFox]

I think as far as soft creams go, Proraso sensitive skin is the best one I’ve used, and Nivea Men is a great one as well, with a lower price point.

 

[CzechCzar]

Speick cream is not the equivalent of Arko. It punches way, way above its price point.

 

[CzechCzar]

Speick cream is not the equivalent of Arko. It punches way, way above its price point.

Now that I think about it, Speick cream is actually a good equivalent to Stirling soap.

 

[The Blackadder]

Cyril R. Salter and Speick come to mind

 

[ewk]

As far as creams go, Speick is it. Proraso is very good, but I think Speick is up there.

 

[SalS]

Jack Black, Blue Atlas and Kiehl’s are the best creams with performance far superior to any soap at any price.

If you want to gild the lily uses Jack Black Beard Lube under Jack Black Supreme Cream, although either can be used alone.

And for $7.99 Cremo is hard to beat for the money so long as you remember it sucks up a lot of water.

 

[VaughnB]

The tried and true Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Cream. It's about $13 on Amazon for 5.3oz. I also like the Rockwell Barbershop Cream, but at $20, it might be a bit high. Factor in a 15% discount on the site, maybe closer to $17. Poraso had been mentioned already.

 

[Doc Dan]

Vi-John is extremely inexpensive and it is super slick. It has lanolin so the face feel post shave is very nice. Otherwise it is similar to Palmolive. VJ is the number 1 cream/soap in India, and for good reason. If you don't like lanolin, for a beeswax alternative you can try another Indian cream called Godrej. Again, very inexpensive and the post shave is nice. I think VJ has a little better performance, but both are good (my opinion. Some like G better).

 

[Captain Howdy]

Jack Black, Blue Atlas and Kiehl’s are the best creams with performance far superior to any soap at any price.

If you want to gild the lily uses Jack Black Beard Lube under Jack Black Supreme Cream, although either can be used alone.

And for $7.99 Cremo is hard to beat for the money so long as you remember it sucks up a lot of water.

Better than any soap? That's a bold claim. I do want to try JB Supreme, though, so I guess I'll find out. Thank for replying.

 

[Captain Howdy]

As far as creams go, Speick is it. Proraso is very good, but I think Speick is up there.

I've never been blown away by any Proraso's classic line red/green but have yet to try the classic blue. I'll get a maggard sample. Thank for replying

Shame single blade was discontinued, as I'd have given that a go.

 

[Captain Howdy]

Now that I think about it, Speick cream is actually a good equivalent to Stirling soap.

Does Speick cream smell like the stick? Speick will definitely be one of my purchases.

What and ach Brito lavanda and Palmolive?

 

[SalS]

o

Better than any soap? That's a bold claim. I do want to try JB Supreme, though, so I guess I'll find out. Thank for replying.

After 40 years of shaving, I certainly have the experience to make that claim. Soaps are outdated technology.

 

[brucered]

Add some water to Stirling, whip it up and make it a cream.

Haslinger Shaving Cream

No, it's not official. But based on this post from Jarick, I'm going to be experimenting soon. Stay tuned for pics, details, disasters and results.

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[Mustard Seed]

I am an old fuddy daddy. I enjoy the British creams: Truefitt and Hill, Geo F Trumper's Taylor of Old Bond Street, Cyrus Salter and D R Harris. Just pick out a scent you might enjoy and try one. These companies have been in business a hell of a long time. Understand the scents in these creams are subdued compared to some of the artisan soap makers. Another British shave cream maker, Castle Forbes, makes excellent creams with more scent, if you want that. Their 1445 is really nice.

Now.. there are folks on this site who will provide their opinion that such and such cream is below par in performance. Hog wash
They all are the same if you further hydrate the particular cream properly.

 

[CzechCzar]

Does Speick cream smell like the stick? Speick will definitely be one of my purchases.

What and ach Brito lavanda and Palmolive?

I would rate them:

Speick > Ach Brito > Palmolive.

They smell similar but not exactly alike.

 

[Captain Howdy]

Add some water to Stirling, whip it up and make it a cream.

Haslinger Shaving Cream

No, it's not official. But based on this post from Jarick, I'm going to be experimenting soon. Stay tuned for pics, details, disasters and results.

www.badgerandblade.com

Interesting that you would link that! I've actually experimented with this before. Well, not trying to turn them into creams, but to soften them enough to transfer them into another container without grating, and many soaps won't absorb the water all the way through the soap, but my tallow Haslinger did. It was neat to watch.

 

[Captain Howdy]

I am an old fuddy daddy. I enjoy the British creams: Truefitt and Hill, Geo F Trumper's Taylor of Old Bond Street, Cyrus Salter and D R Harris. Just pick out a scent you might enjoy and try one. These companies have been in business a hell of a long time. Understand the scents in these creams are subdued compared to some of the artisan soap makers. Another British shave cream maker, Castle Forbes, makes excellent creams with more scent, if you want that. Their 1445 is really nice.

Now.. there are folks on this site who will provide their opinion that such and such cream is below par in performance. Hog wash
They all are the same if you further hydrate the particular cream properly.

Interesting, I just picked up some TOBS sandalwood and it's one of the stronger scented items I own, though I quite enjoy the robust scent...but then, some of my soaps are so old that, perhaps, they've just faded and are, therefore, juxtaposed.

TOBS is nice and slick, in any case.

 

[Captain Howdy]

Thanks

I would rate them:

Speick > Ach Brito > Palmolive.

They smell similar but not exactly alike.

Thank you. Too bad creams don't have the samples variety that soaps have via maggards/TRC

 

[brucered]

Interesting that you would link that! I've actually experimented with this before. Well, not trying to turn them into creams, but to soften them enough to transfer them into another container without grating, and many soaps won't absorb the water all the way through the soap, but my tallow Haslinger did. It was neat to watch.

I may try it with my next puch of MWF Tallow.