Stirling Varen Shave Soap Review
- Thread starter JCinPA
- Start date
In addition to the Electric Sheep, Barbershop, Weekend in Malibu, Sharp Dressed Man and Haverford, I have a couple more i don't remember the names of. they're all fine soaps,although Haverford is kinda odd scented. They all provide above average shaves. The Weekend in malibu and Sharp Dressed Man both have tones o Lily of the Valley in them, a favorite flower of my late Mother.
My all time favorite is Shannon's Indigo Oud. It's more intense scent that lasts further into the day suits me. Asyou get older and lose some olfactory sense, the stronger (but not harsh) scents begin to have more appeal.
To narrow them down to the best, easiest shaves (even though I'm sure the ingredients are same or similar between scents), I'll always have Indigo Oud and Sharp Dressed Man on my shelf. Many others are great soaps, too, but these 2 work best for me.
My all time favorite is Shannon's Indigo Oud. It's more intense scent that lasts further into the day suits me. Asyou get older and lose some olfactory sense, the stronger (but not harsh) scents begin to have more appeal.
To narrow them down to the best, easiest shaves (even though I'm sure the ingredients are same or similar between scents), I'll always have Indigo Oud and Sharp Dressed Man on my shelf. Many others are great soaps, too, but these 2 work best for me.
Holy Smokes,
I just ordered some Stirling Sheep soap samples including Varen. Rod with Stirling is saying they will discontinue the sheep soaps this year due to the cost of sheep tallow being 5 times higher than beef. If I like them I will need to stock up.
To understand today's review, you have to read this from my first use yesterday.
Now, @Hannah's Dad who graciously supplied me with my sample, said to me the face feel after the shave is the best he has ever experienced. He suggested I not use any aftershave yesterday to experience that, and I did not. That's why I said this.
Well, here's what happened. I got a true BBS shave. But instead of the normal extreme concentration and 30 minutes it takes me to get it, I got it just being mindful in my shave, and in about 20 minutes. I was aiming for it, but got there much more quickly than normal, and I still felt like I was shaving without a blade at times. And I expected The Veg to light me up, but good. Splashed on a ton of The Veg, and ...
Almost no burn. At all.
What the heck is this stuff? Sterling makes great soaps with beef tallow. Why this stuff is so different, I have no idea, maybe the chemistry expers can enlighten us. But this soap was amazing, and completely unique in that I got a true BBS with less irritation than I get with other soaps in a normal daily shave. And no Veg burn after a BBS? Unheard of! I don't get it. But you should. Get it, I mean.
The Varen, I don't know how to describe the scent, but it's mild. Just a clean soapy scent to me, not very strong at all. Maybe Dan can tell us what it is, I'm not good at describing scents. As I said, it is not the slickest stuff around, but I got a closer more comfortable shave with this than I ever have with any other product. Any. Other. Product. Tabac, Haslinger, Noble Otter, SMdF. This was a close, easily-achieved BBS, with no discomfort, and no Veg burn. I cannot explain it.
I can hardly believe it.
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I just ordered some Stirling Sheep soap samples including Varen. Rod with Stirling is saying they will discontinue the sheep soaps this year due to the cost of sheep tallow being 5 times higher than beef. If I like them I will need to stock up.
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Messygoon
Abandoned By Gypsies.
Thank you for sharing. I like Stirling’s mutton soaps so well that I will be placing an order shortly. As in this weekend.
Messygoon
Abandoned By Gypsies.
I cannot fathom Stirling discontinuing mutton soaps. They are too special. Yet, Glastonbury is no longer listed on Stirling’s, Pasteur’s or Maggard’s sites. Varen is out of stock on Maggard’s.
I just ordered 2 Varen & 2 Scots Pine pucks directly from Stirling.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
A lot of their scents are seasonal.
That's nuts if he stops making the sheep soaps. Not sure why he doesn't just charge more his prices are lower than everything else out there.
Hopefully they will transition the scents to their beef tallow base if they end up discontinuing the mutton tallow formula
To my knowledge Glastonbury and Varen aren’t seasonal scents. They’re in the mutton tallow formula which may be getting discontinued. If that’s the case hope they’re continued in the beef tallow formula
I seem to recall from the email that was sent out a month ago and recent video that included the info on the upcoming price increase, mutton tallow will only be temporarily discontinued and I believe it will become seasonal at that point...
Stirling sheep soaps are by far my favorite, I’ll be very sad to see them go. (I’d also be glad to pay more). Just placed an order, will have 2 tubs each Electric and Pine sheep in reserve. In rotation, I’ve only used about 1/4 of a tub since June, so hopefully it will last a while.
My samples arrived today. Two sheep, Varen and Scotts Pine, and the regulars are Sharp Dressed Man, Coniferous and Haverford. I am looking forward to testing them. I passed the samples to my wife to sniff and she loves the Scots Pine Sheep and Haverford soap samples. She liked Varen a lot. Her opinion of Varen was a fresh clean scent. She thought Coniferous smelled like pine sap (the worst parts of pine trees were her words) and she liked Scots Pine much better. She grew up in Washington state so I defer to her opinion on forest/pine scents. She worked in Walgreens once upon a time and she says Haverford smells like the pipe tobacco section of the store (she very much likes the smell of unburned pipe tobacco). Strangely she said she could hardly smell Sharp Dressed Man. I don't know if it's a fault of my sample or just the strength of that scent. I will give my two mutton tallow samples first test since I will need to get some on order if I like them before they get scarce.
I really like the Pine Sheep. I recently discovered that adding a couple frost drops really opens up the piney-ness of it too.
I will keep that in mind if I order the full soap puck. I am hoping that I won't have any irritation issues like I did with Executive Man. I am allergic to some fragrance additives and I am not sure which ones.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Be been looking at varen. Anyone care to share some more options on that scent? The oak moss warning is a little odd. Yikes.
First time using Varen today. These are my first use impressions. This soap lathers rather easily for me in my Captain's Choice ceramic lather bowl. I used my PAA Peregrino 24mm synthetic brush which normally produces good results and this time was no different. I used my Wolfman WR2 1.15 razor loaded with a Personna Med Prep blade. I found the lather more high structure than I expected. I would say it fits in between high structure and low structure nicely. The lather felt both slick and protective at the same time which is a difficult line for a soap to walk in my experience. Soaps usually seem more one or the other. So far the post shave feel is very nice. My skin wasn't left feeling dry nor is it oily or sticky. The lather didn't exhibit any signs of breaking down or dissipating over time. Overall, it was a great shave experience and based upon my only shave with this soap, it is superior to other soaps that I am using or have used. If I don't develop any irritation over my next couple of shaves, I will be placing an order for it.
Is glacial electric sheep any good?
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Messygoon
Abandoned By Gypsies.
May I just say, if there was an award for best gifs posted to the site, you win hands down. Particularly love this one.
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
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