June 4, 2024
I WAS MADE FOR LAVENDER

THEME: KISS : MY Assertion for today’s challenge is that LAVENDER IS THE ONE

#photocontest - Darkness

Prep: Shower with Barrister and Mann – Lavender (Cootie Killer liquid soap)

• Brush: Cream & Wine Merit 99-4 by Heritage Collection / AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss SHD Premium Synthetic 24 mm #SHD
• Razor: Rex – Konsul #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Gillette - Nacet (1)
• Lather: Ethos Grooming - Lavender Supreme
• Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles - Lavender Mélange
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Lavender

Mmm, yeah, ha
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do
Do, do, do, do, do, do, do

Tonight, I wanna give it all to you
In the darkness, there's so much I wanna do
And tonight, I wanna lay it at your feet
'Cause, frag, I was made for you and, frag, you were made for me

I was made for lavender, baby, you were made for lovin' me
And I can't get enough of you, baby, can you get enough of me?

Tonight, I wanna smell it in your scent
Feel the magic, there's something that drives me wild
And tonight, we're gonna make it all come true
'Cause, frag, you were made for me and, frag, I was made for you 

I was made for lavender, baby, you were made for lovin' me
And I can't get enough of you, baby, can you get enough of me?
I was made for lavender, baby, you were made for lovin' me
And I can give it all to you, baby, can you give it all to me?

-> MEMORIES OF LAVENDERS PAST

SHAVING WITH OCCAM’S RAZOR

“Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity”, says Wikipedia

That’s why I am using my Rex Konsul adjustable, nickname “Occams”, the ONE razor to ~~rule~~ replace them all.
Man it's good!

First time using the brush, it performed ok but I think I prefer G5 knots.

Ethos' F base is easy and reliable.

CB Aftershave splash provided the requested alcohol kick, “that unique feel of masochistic masculinity” that I was longing for after yesterday’s dry punishment with alum.

BASE WAR STORIES: THE ACE(S) OF BASE(S)

It’s only been a year since I started my exploration of soap bases, so all the ones I put my brush into tend to still be available.

Except Murphy and McNeil bear-tallow Kodiak, made in a limited early run : when the initial small batch of a scent gets sold out, my pain for the non-replicability of the scent / soap base combination is barely sustainable. Then I get distracted by the cringe-y wordplay on “bearly” etc, and my mind gets distracted by bad jokes and puns.

My favorite four aces from non-LE soap bases are the latest from HoM, CG, B+M and DG.
Wildcards: Mo does great stuff with AION, but similarly to Dimitrios from HAGS, he keeps tweaking his bases, to the point where I just got overwhelmed and gave up trying to keep track.

If you are asking me to KISS and tell, i.e. pick just one, think twice: well, my friend, you are entering a world of pain!

FOF WRITEUP

Before it got discontinued, I purchased all the remaining B+M Lavender liquid soap I could find, as it’s my favorite hand and body soap of all time.

As its scent was inspired by the discontinued Caldey Island Lavender, a fragrance that also features a vanilla note (similarly to Caron Pour un Homme, the first masculine lavender in perfume history), I decided that for today’s KISS I was going to use to use it only for the “bookends” of my fragrance journey.

You wanted simple? According to Ethos’ website, Lavender Supreme “contains only 100% pure Organic Lavender Essential Oil sourced from a grower in Provence”.

But me? I can’t say no to the thrill of complexity. Screw you Occam! (Actually, that’s what I do any time I adjust your settings). I mean, isn’t the one of the most remarkable philosophical feats of Catholicism to have so many people agreeing about the existence of multiplicity (in the specific case: trinity) in The One? Here we have “ a blend of 5 high end lavenders from around the world” (multiplicity) “Designed with the sole intention of being the ‘Ultimate Lavender Experience’” (The One!).

Ethos is perfectly nice, but frankly a bit generic and boring.

CB is more nuanced, but damn! It still misses something. What could it be?

Time to go back to B+M Lavender.
More than a dupe, the loving replica of an olfactive monument that was on the verge of disappearance, until it got discontinued again.

Now I see it, the perfumery truth that had been hiding in plain sight.

Vanilla.

In fact, is there anything simpler than that?

FOF

EDITED to add link and fix typos

ROTY

Adapted a ballad to become an ode to Lavender.

LGSOTD 04-Jun-24

• Brush: Chisel & Hound - 'Eyespot' V18 #COMPOSITE #SHD
• Razor: Gillette - Slim J2 #ADJUSTABLE #REVENANT #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet - Classic Carbon
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Lavender
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Lavender AS
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Lavender Balm

It may almost seem like a copout going for the noted set from the theme, however B&M Lavender is my second most used set this year. I always veered away from what I thought might be overly floral scents. However, I took the leap and gave it a bash and turns out I love it. Unfortunately, this opened the doorway to another flood of sets coming in, in the form of Homecoming, Beloved, Trouble Maker, Lavender Noir…it’s a gateway software, still no regrets (apart from the strain on my wallet and storage – oh and the eyerolls from the other half).

This C&H brush is one of my favourites that I’ve picked up from Rob, I've managed to pair them back a little so now I only have 6 in hand. Spalted maple laminated with paduak, bog oak and plastic with a resin ferule. The fit in the hand along with the setting of the V18 fanchurian is just about perfect for me.

Opted for the restored Gillette Slim that I picked up from Anticatura. I was after one of these for a while and almost dove in on a few Ebay specials, but in the end decided to go for one that had been given some extra attention to make sure that it was up to scratch. They go through full restoration steps, disassembling, cleaning, replating and dial painting before finally setting the gaps to factory specs. I’ve only tried a couple of adjustables (Rex Ambassador and Gilette Fatboy), this is the only one that has managed to hang on in there with the collection. Along with this I decided to throw in the Treet Classic Carbon. Now, I’ve not had that much luck with Treet blades, for some reason I just don’t get along with those I’ve tried, and unfortunately this one was no bloody exception, at least on the first outing. It was smooth enough in use but I got some hectic feedback. I’ll give it another couple of goes, but initial impressions make me want to chuck them in the bin and stick with my Wiz's or GSBs.

Challenge – Base War Stories

I’ll be honest I don’t think I’ve been in it long enough to see that many bases come and go, or not so many that I've had my hands on and noticed. There are a couple of Soap makers who seem to produce base after base after base, but the changes (for the most part) feel incremental at best. Though that being said, I’ve seen a couple of recent tallow bases fall out of vogue (or perhaps companies penny pinching) the main one being Mitchells removal of tallow. There are a number who say it’s perfectly fine, and I did try it out a good while ago, it just seemed to take a lot more work to get something similarly stable, equally though others complained of the same failing with the original. Just with the name it feels like it should have animal fat in it. Saying that there’s no wool in it either, so I shouldn’t complain!

As for my current favourite base, once again I’m not sure I really have one, the majority out there produce good to great lather. If I had to absolutely decide on one, then I would probably lean towards B&Ms omnibus. Apart from the post shave feel (which is excellent), it seems to cope well with a variety of water hardness. The water around here is moderately soft however when I return to Yorkshire for a visit we’re looking at the hard end, and neither cause and issue when whipping up in the morning.

Photocontest

Target for this one is ‘Fill the Frame’, struggled more with this pic than any other, my dodgy phone didn't want to focus!

Have a good one all!

Cheers

Marc

June 04, 2024 – Lather Games!

• Brush: Cayuen Abalone w/ 28mm Timberwolf Synthetic.
• Razor: Rex Supply Co. – Konsul #CNC #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Gillette Winner Stainless (2)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Banana
• Aftershave: A&E – Ultima Unmasked Unscented Splash

A simple scent soap today: Banana! Who doesn't love a good banana every now and again? A decent enough finish and I'm really beginning to fall in love with the Rex razor. It's a wee bit heavy but it is so well done. I didn't think I'd appreciate this adjustable that much, but anything is possible in life, isn't it?

#Challenge: Soap base I miss the most would probably be Purely Skinful. They had a lot of unique scents and different soap bases. Presently I have bear tallow and deer tallow soaps. I wish I could get more.

#LatherGames

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFeV8WxIZLk ← The Life Cycle Of A Neutron Star – David Lunney

LG Day 4- K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Omega Pro48
• Razor: Karve Brass CB SB-C
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux (1)
• Lather: Eleven - Sicilian Lemon
• Post Shave: Eleven - Sicilian Lemon toner
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented AS balm

I was made for loving wetshaving. I am a member of the Knights of Satan's Shavers fanclub. Hell, sometimes I paint my face before I shave so I can shave off lather and make up. I even rolled out of bed this morning and painted my face up like these guys who I'm sure took their inspiration from KISS, cranked up some black metal (I am truly the loudmusicboy) and lathered up some lovely Sicilian Lemon. This stuff is definitely not made in Detroit Rock City or some forest town in Norway. No, this fine one-note scent comes straight from Charleston, South Carolina. Eleven checks off all the simple notes. Start with the labelling and the beauty of its simplicity. The scent is great. The base is fantastic. I am now feeling as clean shaven and make up free as the 1983 version of KISS. Tune in tomorrow to see who I paint my face like before I shave. Given my musical tastes, I have a ton of options.

As to the Daily Challenge...I don't know that I ever really paid attention to bases until I joined this sub almost 3 years ago. I liked soaps or I didn't like soaps. In retrospect, I realized I enjoyed B&M's Glissant base a lot. That was a gamechanger for me when I purchased my first tub of Bay Rum several years ago. My favorite base now? I love Milksteak. It absolutely ticks off all the boxes for me.

Enough of these shenanigans for now. Time for coffee. Try to enjoy your day and remember to be kind to one another.

Edit: This post was written before I had even seen u/MudAccording 's post. But clearly great minds think alike. Also, the djudges had to know that some of us were going to think of platform boots, make up and eyebrow melting pyrotechnics instead of one-note scents.

LG SOTD 04Jun2024

• Brush: Yaqi Ever-hopeful - 24mm cat whiskers synthetic #RESURRECTIONBRUSH
• Razor: Karve - Bison (Blue) #RAINBOW
• Blade: Wizamet - Super Iridium (2)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Lavender
• Bowl: CaYuen - Dark Nebula, large
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Shave Balm, Lavender

Happy Tuesday, beautiful people! Welcome to the fourth shave of the 2024 Lather Games. Today's theme is "K.I.S.S.” where we shave with a soap that markets itself with but a single note. I have a few soaps that could have qualified but only one I wanted to use: BaM’s amazeballs Lavender. Every time I use this soap the first thought is this smells incredible… quickly followed by questioning how, out of all the shave soaps BaM made, this was discontinued. One true note or not, this is a lavender unlike any other I’ve smelled, and it ruins every other lavender for me.

The razor, my #RAINBOW entry, is Karve’s most recent razor, the Bison in anodized blue aluminum. The Bison is a Henson AL13 with some pizazz. That’s good. The Bison also very much mimics the best selling Henson version, the mild or + aggression. That’s not so good for me. Hoping a more aggressive version is released.

The brush is my #RESURRECTIONBRUSH entry. It is from a line of Ever-ready tributes that Yaqi has oh so slyly named Ever-hopeful. It features their new cat’s whiskers knot in 24mm. I got a 26mm (shave two’s Caramel handle) and this 24mm with the knot and, for now, the smaller knot is preferable.

I haven’t used the Bison much but I do like the razor’s design - the partially hollowed handle is particularly nicely done. It’s only real flaw is the aggression needs bumped a notch. This would not work for daily shaving. I doubt the shave is visually different from what any of my three regular razors would leave, but the feel (remaining stubble) is distinctly different. This razor would need to be a two-pass shave for me and that’s something I only do on the weekend occasionally. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the shave a lot, it’s a nimble razor.

——

Today’s shave was using Barrister and Mann’s Omnibus base. Bases determine all but the fragrance of your shave and we are the beneficiaries of years of competition.

The base wars are never ending. There are hundreds of soap bases out there, far more soaps than any one of us could hope to sample efficiently. So we rely on the so-called wisdom of the crowd for guidance on what to try as we seek to find the base to rule all bases. It's a competition seemingly without end. As one artisan withdraws from the fray, another decides they should be sapponifying fats into shave soap. Artisans that have carved out a space for themselves return to the lab and release new iterations of soap bases in pursuit of shaving perfection and driving their competition before them.

The fallen bases that have graced my face are Talbot Shaving and Dr. Jon's representing entire discontinued brands. I've also used A&E's first gen Kaizen and Barrister and Mann's Excelsior, Soft Heart, and Reserve bases. The only one I miss in any way is BaM's Excelsior. Excelsior is a great base, better than the majority of in production soap bases, that's how mad of a lad Will is. That leads me to my favorite in production base, BaM's Omnibus, the only base worthy of replacing Excelsior. Omnibus is somehow an improvement over Excelsior, it's been made all but idiot proof, and equals or exceeds performance of any other soap I've tried. And if Omnibus should somehow fall, HoM's Tusk isn't far behind it.

Enjoy your day

June 4, 2024 - Almonds, but fancy...

• Prep: House of Mammoth Embrace Doppio Bath Soap
• Brush: Zenith r/wetshaving Moar Boar 31mm Bleached Boar #SubBroosh
• Razor: Feather DX Kamisori #Kamisori
• Blade: Feather Super (?)
• Lather: Boellis - Panama 1924 - Soap
• Post Shave: Spearhead - Roman Spice - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Spearhead - Roman Spice - Eau de Toilette

So Boellis is almond. That's it. Just almond. The splash and frag aren't, but I don't have those anyway.

I also have it on good authority that Roman Spice is actually a Garum dupe, which would also be considered a single note. Good thing I don't have to argue that one with the judges, amirite?

Base wars... Pour one out for B&M Reserve and PP8. They were so young. As far as what's out there, CB Premium and HoM Tusk are probably my top two.

SOTD 2024-06-04 K.I.S.S. = Karaoke in Suntec Singapore

• Brush: Vie-long Alfil #HORESESASS #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Gillette Tuckaway (New Improved)
• Blade: Dorco ST-300 Platinum, 4th use
• Soap: Cella - Almond
• Bowl: Captain's Choice Standard Copper Bowl
• Aftershave: Henri et Victoria - Amande splash

Cella
Almond
Uni-noted
Lather
Does
Remarkably!
Olfactory
Note:
Superb.

Such
Exquisite
Experience
This
Horsehair
Effulgence

And
Vielong's
Alfil
Really
Inflates
Cella's
Excellence

K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Rubberset 400 (unnumbered, with a 26 mm Zenith knot at 63 mm loft) #HOLLOW #TOLL
• Razor: EldrormR Industries GEM Division - MM24 #FLIPTOP #MODERNGEM #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Blade: Personna - GEM PTFE
• Lather: Nordic Shaving Company - Coffee
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Orange Chill
• Fragrance: Acqua di Parma - Blu Mediterraneo Arancia di Capri

Theme: Coffee note. ✅
Relevant post & frag: Orange (single note, OJ after coffee) ✅
Challenge: Spearhead 20.1 is my favourite dead base, Stirling mutton my favourite current base. ✅
#Photocontest: Bokeh balls ✅
Keeping it simple ✅

Jun. 4, 2024
Brush: Semogue Black Wood #Horsesass * Razor: Backland #CNC Blackbird Lite SS
Lather: Barrister And Mann - Sandalwood (Soft Heart Series) - Soap
Post Shave: Barrister And Mann - Sandalwood (Soft Heart Series) - Aftershave
Post Shave: GreenBox - Alum

Sandalwood in Soft Hearts…

I have practically every base B&M has produced. Latha, Soft Hearts, Excelsior, Omnibus, etc. I have tried a lot of different bases and I think that they are all pretty good, by and large.

Who do I miss? I miss Storybook Soapworks. Great base. Siliski made a great vegan base too. I miss Bison and Icarus.

Today’s favorite base? I’m going to say Tusk over Milksteak by just a little bit.

2 passes. No issues.

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

June 4, 2024

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: AtT S1
• Blade: Gillette Blue Silver
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Paganini's Violin
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Paganini's Violin
• Fragrance: none

I entirely forgot about the LGs until I opened reddit to post this. Glad I had Paganini already! Have a great day y'all!

Jun. 4, 2024
Brush: Simpson Trafalgar 2
Razor: Green Cult GC 2.0 II
Blade: Tatra Platinum [6]
Lather: Wholly Kaw - Merchant Of Tobacco - Soap
Post Shave:* Wholly Kaw - Merchant Of Tobacco - Balm

The soap advertises a prominent note of merchant and boy does it deliver. But in all seriousness this is the soap that made me think tobacco wasn’t “old man smell”.

As for old bases can’t say I’ve had one I miss, I’ve been fortunate to have all my favourites survive so far

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

June 4, 2024

• Brush: Semogue Galahad C3 Premium boar
• Razor: Parker Variant
• Blade: Feather
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Lavender (Black Label)
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger AS
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - unscented balm
• Post Shave: Olay Complete

I bought this soap years ago. The Black Label base was similar to, if not exactly like, the White Label base. Black Label offerings came in a 5.5 oz pour instead of the 4oz pour the White Label soaps came in. They were made during the same era. I really like this thirsty base. This straightforward scent is my benchmark for the genre.

I finally got an enjoyable shave with this razor. I need to keep using it. I rarely come across a razor that takes so long for me to get good with it.

Lather Games 2024-06-04 K.I.S.S.

• Prep: Coffee, Face wash soap/warm water
• Brush: Stirling Soap Company - Li'l Brudder, Synthetic 22mm
• Razor: Chiseled Face - Legacy Titanium with Imperial Handle, DE
• Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Super Stainless (green), DE
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Pompelmo
• Post Shave: Eleven - Lime and Basil Balm

There are three soaps that I am planning to use in these games that I could have used for the Bonjour, Lather Games entry on June 1st. I ended up using A A Shaving's Gale soap there as I have different plans for the other two new to me soaps. Wholly Kaw is one of those soaps that is completely new to me. Instead, today I am using it for the one-note (KISS) shave.

One Note Shave Soap:

Wholly Kaw's Pompelmo is a one note grapefruit (kind of a creamy one, but yeah really just grapefruit) Per Wholly Kaw: "Single scent edition...The way grapefruit should be."

Soap was certainly creamy and slick, I had no idea donkey's are slick! Well, okay their milk as a soap ingredient - I guess I assumed it was a novelty and I don't know maybe it is but I had a lovely shave.

Anyway, good soap and not a biting version of grapefruit. Nice not bracing.

Followed this up with Eleven's Lime and Basil balm to keep it citrus.

What Base do I miss?

• Oz Shaving (defunct) released a new base about a year before they closed up called their "Emerald Base". It was quite good.

Current Favorite Base?

• I do have a large amount of love for House of Mammoth's tusk and also for the recent base offering from Catie's Bubbles (don't know the name for this base). But really I am going to go with Chicago Grooming's Darkwing. I really like it in the sub exclusive AG1889.

Scent notes for those who are interested:

(Kinda short today)

• Wholly Kaw's Pompelmo - Grapefruit
• Eleven's Lime and Basil balm - Lime and Basil

Take care and have a good one.

2024-06-04 - Shave

• Lather: Cella - Milano Crema Da Barba
• Razor: The Goodfellas' Smile - Kamisori Shavette #KAMISORI
• Brush: Vielong Horse #HORSESASS #COMPOSITE #TOLL
• Post Shave: Captain's Choice - Italia
• Fragrance: Giorgio Armani - Acqua di Gio

KISS: Almond

Base War Stories:

We all like to compare bases and such but we’re just splitting hairs as most of them give good to great shaves.
— u/cowzilla3

You only remember the bad bases, e.g. Badger Balm Shave Soap. But I digress.

Unifying Theme: Italy

#FOF
Cella smells like almond.
Italia smells like Cella.
Acqua di Gio smells like Stirling's Dunshire.

#photocontest B&W

SOTD

Brush: Chisel & Hound Nitro Blue v16

Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti

Everything else: HoM Ausflug

I missed the first few days of Lather Games, but this has been my setup all week, u/OnionMiasma’s prize from the 2023 Games. Really stoked for folks to get a chance to try it out, and a big thank you to Onion for permission to make a larger batch for folks to buy.

May the best lather gamer win!

June 4, 2024 – 2024.06.04 – Lather Games Day 4: K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Matte Black with 26mm UHD Independent Fibre Knot #SHD
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant #CNC
• Lather: Eleven – Organic Sweet Orange
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Bell Ringer
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Sundrunk

---

Daily Theme: K.I.S.S.

Theme justification: Eleven Organic Sweet Orange only has one note: “100% pure, organic sweet orange.”

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Everything in my shave today was citrus. The soap is orange (linked above), the aftershave is Grapefruit, Mango, Orange, Lemon, Lime & more, and the frag scent ”[allows] the cool citrus to wash your worries away” and has citrus notes.

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: The Alysworth Drakkant is made of CNC-machined 316 stainless steel. See /u/Engineered_Shave’s post here.

Brush facts: The “26MM Independent Synthetic Knot – Bulb (UHD)” is listed is listed as Ultra High Density. Compare that to the non UHD bulb, here

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Base War Stories

I joined the hobby/sub only a year ago. As a result, I missed most of the Base War drama. I’ve heard the horror stories from the elders, though, just like how my grandpa would tell me stories about his time in the war. Well, actually that’s not true. My one grandpa that saw actual combat never spoke about it, and my other grandpa was a peace-time Air Force who served as a librarian while he was stationed in Las Vegas. He got out right before Vietnam. Some of the stories I’ve heard from y’all, though, are something else. Lots of drama going on during those days.

I’ve been lucky enough to try a couple discontinued bases, though, and I have to say my favorite of those is Declaration Grooming’s Bison base. Of the current crop of fantastic bases, I think Darkwing has a slight edge over everything else for me. It’s fantastic stuff. This is not to say that any of the other artisans that are popular around here are bad, of course.

---

Frag description

Sundrunk might be my favorite fragrance from Imaginary Authors. I purchased a sample pack that came with 9 different frags. Some were winners, some were not. Sundrunk is what I reached for more often than not out of the pack. It’s just a light scent that hits you with the honeysuckle right out of the gate. Reminds me of the times when I was a kid and we’d eat the honeysuckle plants in my Aunt’s yard. It then dries down to a more standard citrus note which has a calming impact on my brain.

Side note: one of the listed notes of sundrunk is “First Kiss.” Yeah, I don’t get that here. I think the IA perfumer and I had different first kiss experiences.

---

Now onto the shave!

Eleven seems to be relatively new to the this sub. I think a lot of us grabbed our first products from them during the sale where the soaps and splashes were 50% off. While the base is not my favorite (as described above), it is good. It produces a nice slick lather. I also appreciate the simplicity of the scents. Sometimes you just want something that’s easy.

For the aftershave, I had to make it a little more citrus-y. I, unfortunately, did not have any more oranges in my kitchen, but I did have some lemon juice. SBS Bell Ringer already gives me a little burn, so why not knock it up another notch? How bad could it be?

Well, I mixed together the lemon juice and Bell Ringer. Please ignore: 1) the mess on my vanity, and; 2) my wheezing. My nose is currently clogged and I have a bunch of drainage going down my throat. It ended up looking like this. The moment of truth…

Surprisingly, no added stinging. Sorry to disappoint everyone, but this is not a Kevin McCallister moment. I honestly feel like it neutralized some of the sting that I typically get with Bell Ringer. The only thing I now notice is that I smell like a lemon. Thankfully it’s not too strong and is fleeting. Sundrunk will stand out despite the added lemon.

---

Totals:

Razor Hashtags: 5/10
Brush Hashtags: 5/10
Hardware Sponsor Points: 1/2
Software Sponsor Points: 3/16
Number of Lather Brands: 4/30
Number of Lather Scents: 4/30
Number of Post Shaves: 4/30
Number of Frags: 4/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 4, 2024

• Brush: New Men Shaving Brush Black Badger Hair #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS #SMOLL #RUNT
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #ModernGEM #fliptop #rustybuttrusty
• Blade: GEM
• Lather: Mike’s Natural Soaps – Lime
• Post Shave: Eleven – Lime and Basil
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime

Ahh simplicity, not exactly something we go for here when trying to min/max every element of our shave. Yet for scents sometimes it works. SOTD/LG posts too. I’m going to get straight to it.

Today’s #fof is all about limes. Carrying my single note through the entire shave. From straight lime, to lime mixed with a hint of basil, to the complex, yet approachable SSL. This is one of my favorite progressions because it carries the note through so well, while amplifying different portions of it. SSL, being so wonderfully constructed is the perfect capstone to it.

For #photocontest well Mike’s soap has a ~~duck~~ Common Loon (thanks u/wyze0ne) (bird) on the label, but we can do one better. See in the background, two live ducks that wandered through my yard. Neighbors wondered why I put a bunch of stuff on a trashcan and took a photo. But this is why.

For the challenge. I wasn’t around for the base wars, but y’all make it sound horrible. Constant changes then we end up with…omnibus? It’s not bad, actually it’s pretty good, but I wouldn’t say it’s better than the stuff I tried from before. I never really noticed the funk in it until I got a tub of Oceana from u/jwoods23 and went “ah that’s what it is.” You can’t unsmell that. But let’s get real: once you get above a certain point all bases are good in different ways. So here is shout out to u/stirlingsoap who sat out the base wars and has been chugging along with his base for I think over a decade now. It’s the benchmark by which we establish a “good base.” Once you reach that level it’s mostly personal preference on the different quirks. Yes, on theme today, the best base may be a simple one.

Prep: Proraso White Preshave
Brush: Vielong Alter Brown Horsehair  #HORSESASS
Razor: Merkur 34c #ZAMAC
Blade: Astra Green
Lather: Barrister & Mann - Lime
Post Shave: Alum, Proraso - White Aftershave Balm, Taylor of Old Bond Street  - Royal Forest
Fragrance: Ex Nihilo - The Hedonist

June 04 2024: K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Omega 11137
• Razor: Blackland - Blackbird #CNC
• Blade: Personna Platinum Chrome (10)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Pompelmo
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Grapefruit
• Fragrance: West Coast Shaving - Grapefroot

Single note soap, single note splash. Two note frag. All are variations on grapefruit and quite different from one another. I miss Reserve base, and my favorite current base is Catie's Bubbles Premium base. Sponsor Spotlight: Blackland is great, I used a Blackbird today and it is a totally premium shaver. It's that simple!

LG23-03: K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks "Red Amboyna Burl" 26mm Maggard Premium Boar
• Razor: Chiseled Face Titanium Legacy Razor #RAINBOW
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue Super (79)
• Lather: Tcheon Fung Sing - Italian Rhubarb - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Lemon Chill - Balm
• Fragrance: The Zoo - Rhubarb My Love
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Burundi. Kayanza. v: Bourbon p: Honey Process r: 2024-05-20
• Music: Bat for Lashes - The Dream for Delphi

I've barely put a dent in this Italian Rhubarb soap, so I took advantage of the K.I.S.S. theme to use it. The scent is rhubarb. That's it. Same with my fragrance, which better captures the simultaneous watery, tangy, vegetal, fruity, citric, and funky aspects of its namesake, but is still just one note. I didn't have a rhubarb balm on hand to bridge the gap, so I went with this one-note lemon balm I'm trying to kill as a logical alternative.

I shaved with my beloved heat-treated Legacy. Makes for a sexy SOTD photo and is my easy-mode razor. It just works for me.

And sticking to the K.I.S.S. theme, I'll talk about bases briefly. Excelsior is my favorite discontinued soap base; I appreciate that it's hard instead of Italian-soap soft and the performance is killer when fully hydrated. It's also the first top-tier base I used, so I'm really familiar with it—feels like coming home. My favorite current base is probably Kyle's used in the SBS and London Razors soaps. The price to performance ratio is unbeatable, it's easy to lather, and the texture of the finished lather is uniquely-wonderful. Big fan.

June 4, 2024 - Tuesday

• Brush: Trotter Handcrafts "Fawn" Portal / 26mm Mühle STF
• Razor: Yates 921-H
• Blade: Gillette Rubie (7)
• Lather: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon
• Post Shave: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon splash
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Can't Stand the Rain EdT

Yesterday was oranges, today I'm going with lemons. This is one of my top single note scents and probably my favorite citrus scent overall. The aftershave is especially good. It smells exactly like cutting into a fresh, juicy lemon.

My favorite discontinued base has to be Declaration Grooming's Bison base. Newer base? That's tough because there are so many good ones, but I guess I'll go with MacDuff's. I'm impressed with the result every time I lather it.

Jun. 4, 2024
Brush: Stirling 2-Band Synthetic Brush
Razor: Merkur 34C
Blade: BiC Astor Stainless [10]
Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Black Cherry - Soap
Post Shave: Kroger - Witch Hazel - Aftershave
Post Shave: Stirling - Alum Block

Just black cherry.

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

2024-06-04 LG SOTD

• Brush: AP Shave Co × SHAVE⭐DANDY Gold Rocket (25.4mm Mühle STF Synth)
• Razor: Schick Injector L1 (1967-1972)
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Cella - Crema da Barba
• Post Shave: 6 parts Nivea Protect & Care aftershave & 1 part 4711
• Fragrance: Montblanc - Individuel

Don't try this at home folks, you might break your score. Remember: I'm a trained professional.

25.4mm (1") diameter brush. Single-edge razor with L1 handle. Single-note almond soap. 6 parts Nivea aftershave (zero published scent notes) mixed with one part 4711 (seven published scent notes) can be rewritten as (6/7)x(0 scent notes) + (1/7)x(7 scent notes) = 1 scent note. And finally, the fragrance itself is named "Individuel," which translates as individual or single, i.e.: one.

• Brush: Stirling - synthetic 2 band. #composite
• Razor: Gillette - Lady Gillette.
• Blade: Gillette - 7o’clock (2).
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Lavender.
• Post: Geo F. Trumper- Coral skin food.

I’m bummed such an incredible scent is discontinued. Of course the base is phenomenal, but the scent of B&Ms Lavender is unlike anything else. It’s complex and forward. A more masculine lavender , but approachable and enticing. This is one I just open the lid to inhale at random times. There’s very few I get the urge to do that with. As for the Lady Gillette, it is a smooth, easy shave. It reminds me of the Henson and is a joy to use.

Base wars: I’m too new to miss any no longer in production. My favorite- I really really love several so it’s hard to pick just one, but I’m going to go with Catie’s Bubbles luxury shaving soap base.

One of my fav. hobbies is gardening. This is lavender I grew from seed last year which has nicely spread a bit. If anyone has grown lavender from seed knows, it is a PIA to germinate, so I’m happy to see it thriving!

photocontest Hobbies

ROTY

** 04.06.2024 **

• Brush: Chisel and Hound brushes Aqua, v22 Fanchurian knot
• Razor: MM 24 #FLIPTOP #MODERNGEM #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY #STAINLESSLESS #TWINS
• Blade: Chinese carbon blade
• Lather: Maggard Razors - Lilac
• Post Shave: MacDuff's soap company - Lilacs in bloom

After this shaving I smell like Granny. When I was young fragrance lilac and rose ( of course we have a lot of famous and expensive Bulgarian rose oil) was the most popular scents and I associated this with old lady. This year in Lather games I have few critical days and this is one of them. About today challenge "favorite base" i like this brands and their soaps Gentleman's Nod ( love the base and scents) , Barrister and Mann, Spearhead, First line shave, Southern Witchcraft (only Carpathia but their base is amazing), Chiseled face, Stirling, MacDuff's, But to be honest this South African artisan Bundubeard that i use yesterday make amazing base (sheep tallow)! Really impressed me. Like I say yesterday Boomslang not impressed with scent by other "LEMOENBOSSIE & APPEL" and "CHERRY VS BERRY" have preaty good fragrance! Yesterday we talk about it with u/cowzilla3 about the base and I promised video how I try to break it. Sorry about this crappy video bro but today I am in a hurry. Fast shaving and crappy video. This is one of this days but that's because this damn lilac.

User creates "Milk" out of Bundabeard soap (as a follow up to yesterdays shave) because he uses so much water and claims that it still shaves great and is really slick. Even with a tiny amount of soap.

Lather: Stirling Soap Co - Lavender

great.

June 4, 2024 * Preshave: Hot Shower
Brush: AKA Brushworx (transplant) B5
Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing 921-M
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Lather: Stilring Scot's Pine Sheep
Post Shave: Noble Otter The Night Before Splash
Post Shave: Barrister and Mann Vespers EDT

Scent notes: Pine You know what else smells like Pine? Christmas. At least if you're not one of those bums who uses a fake tree. So - The night before paired. As did Vespers.

I don't miss any discontinued bases. So. RIP.

wrong formatting

One Note SOTD:

• Razor: Gillette Red Tip.
• Blade: Polsilver Super Iridium (20).
• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Acrylic G5 #PREMIUMPLASTIC
• Lather: London Razors/Summer Break Soaps - But First, Coffee.
• Aftershave: London Razors/Summer Break Soaps - Coffee & Contemplation
• Fragrance: London Razors - Coffee & Contemplation

You know, there was a time in my life where I did not drink coffee then the pandemic happened, and I can honestly say I'm not sure I could survive without it.

Challenge: This is a tough question because there have been a lot of excellent soap bases. However, I think I'll go way back with this one and say the base that West of Olympia created for his 7 Sins series takes it for me. This base was ahead of its time. Id you ever see a West of Olympia soap up for grabs, especially one of the 3 in the 7 Sins series that got made, I highly suggest checking it out.

As for current base, I mean I know I'm not exactly impartial here, but I'm pretty damn happy with my own base. If I absolutely had to pick another though, it would probably be any of Declaration's bases. There is a reason I have more Declaration soaps than anything else in my den, other than SBS.

Jun. 4, 2024
Brush: AP SHAVECO AP400B XL 28 mm (G5C)
Razor: Karve CB SS SB (D Plate, First Pass; B Plate, Second Pass)
Blade: Astra Superior Platinum [3]
Lather: Jordan’s - Lime Shaving Soap - Soap
Post Shave: Spearhead - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Aftershave
Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented (Sego) - Balm

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

*June 4

• Brush: APShave Co – 24mm Synthetic knot #SMOLL
• Razor: Gillette Fatboy #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Treet Carbon Steel
• Lather: Eleven Shaving - Lemon
• Post Shave: Clubman Pinaud – Citrus Musk
• Fragrance: Noble Otter – Lone Star

Today’s shave was a lemon-infused journey that left me feeling lemony refreshed and lemony fantastic – like a Texas morning breeze. Do lemons grow in Texas? No clue. It doesn’t matter. Here’s how it went down:

1. Eleven Shaving - Lemon Soap Kicking things off with the Eleven Shaving Lemon Soap, which I got from u/iamhonestlylying, it’s single scent note was like a zesty crescendo of lemon exploding in my bathroom. The rich, creamy lather enveloped my face like a delicious lemon meringue pie, only without the calories. While lemon may make some people’s faces pucker up, I found this soap to be a really nice, refreshing scent. Not something I would typically go for, but using this was a delight today. This soap doesn’t just smell great; it performed like a dream. Slick, protective, and incredibly refreshing. Have I mentioned how refreshing this was?
2. Clubman Pinaud – Citrus Musk Aftershave Next up, the splash that to finish the shave: Clubman Pinaud Citrus Musk. Definitely an old school splash that was made long before the phrase “skin food” had ever been uttered. Imagine walking through a one of those famous Texas lemon orchards on a sunny day, with a hint of musk trailing in the background – that’s Citrus Musk for you. It went on with a slight burn to let you know it’s doing its job, and then mellowed out with the quickly passing blend of citrusy and musk. Don’t blink or you’ll miss the scent because it’s gone nearly as soon as I splashed it on my face.
3. Noble Otter – Lone Star EdP To cap it all off, I reached for the Noble Otter Lone Star EdP. Now, this is where the scent magic of today happened. Lone Star took that single lemon scent note from the shave and built a wonderful scent profile bringing me straight to the heart of Texas. It has with its rugged, earthy notes, yet it’s surprisingly fresh, like standing on a Texas-sized lemon orchard at sunrise. It’s got a touch of leather, a whisper of wildflowers, and just enough lemon to tie the whole shave together. A spritz of this, and I was ready to tackle the day with the confidence of a cowboy and the scent of a gentleman.

And there you have it – a lemony, citrusy, musky, Texas-inspired shave that’s as refreshing as it is refined.

Challenge: I haven't been in the game long enough to miss a base, but I think my favorite that I've tried so far is House of Mammoth.

ROTY

June 4 - A RAWRing Good Time - Day 12

• Brush: Semogue 610 21mm Boar

• Razor: Gillette Flare Tip Super Speed F1

• Blade: Sharp Star Platinum

• Lather: Noble Otter - RAWR Soap

• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger Splash

• Post Shave: Eleven - DFS 2019 Splash

• Fragrance: Joop! - Go EdT

---

So uh, there's a chance I'll finish off RAWR tomorrow or the day after. That's cool.

Today's theme is a singular note, and RAWR fits that very well as the singular note that I smell is childhood happiness.

Eleven's DFS is a lighter cologne like splash, with oakmoss, sandalwood and patchouli standing out to me the most. The splash, while having very little in common with Joop! Go, somehow works. Go always stood out as a fruity, kinda woody fragrance with a hit of spice. Oakmoss and sandalwood seem to be more versatile than we give them credit for, as I feel they helped blend this combo into something that evolved into a tamed hipster; like a grandpa who still has style, but keeps it toned-down to not make others jealous of his keen eye.

#FOF

User forgets that djudges hate children and happiness

June 4, 2024

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: EldrormR Industries 400 #HOLLOW #RESURRECTIONBRUSH #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MODERNGEM #FLIPTOP
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Cella - Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Cella - Aftershave Splash
• Fragrance: Dior - Sauvage Elixir

Single scent, one word; almond. There's something so nice about this scent from Cella, it smells just like a fresh almond croissant to me. And it's very clean. It's a perfect scent for when decision paralysis kicks in and I can't decide which soap to use. It's very universal and simultaneously innocuous. Cella is an absolute den staple.

Also huge shoutout to u/EldrormR for supplying today's hardware. The MM24 is one of my absolute favorite razors, and he does incredible work, so much that he made this absolutely incredible brush. I wanted a 24mm unbleached Zenith boar knot in it, but unfortunately Zenith doesn't or wouldn't sell a loose knot. Not a problem for a man with desire and a hammer, who completely knocked it out of the park.

As for discontinued soap bases, I'm still relatively new, so haven't gotten a chance to use many, if any of the unobtanium bases. But as far as the current ones, I absolutely love Stirling and Spearhead bases. They can take a ton of water to make the slickest glide I've been able to get. Not to discount any of the other artisan bases, as they all work well for me, it's like comparing a Ferrari to a Formula 1 car, I love them all!

Jun. 4, 2024
Prep: Cremo - Coconut Mango Shave Cream - Preshave
Brush: MÜHLE Vivo Plumwood Pure Badger
Razor: Merkur 39C
Blade: Astra Green [2]
Lather: Mühle Shave Care - Sandalwood Luxury Shaving Soap - Soap
Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Pistachio - Aftershave
Post Shave:* Tower 28 - SOS Rescue Spray

ROTY

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

Jun. 4, 2024 - When Does a Scent Become a Note?

• Prep: Shower, Baxter Shave Tonic
• Brush: Unknown Boar
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird OC
• Blade: Personna Platinum (1)
• Lather: Ginger's Garden - Old Spice Type
• Post Shave: Old Spice Classic (US)

I have espoused on this subject before when discussing OLd Spice and will leave it up to the judges (wise and correct may they always be) to decide but a day like today once again begs the question: Can a scent be a note? If one were to make the argument that it could, I can think of no other scent better suited to do so than Old Spice. I would argue that there are three factors that could turn a scent (a compilation of notes merged into one thing) into a note (a singular smell) and that Old Spice easily checks all three of these.

1. Ubiquity - For a scent to become a note it needs to be so universal that it is recognized instantly as that scent. You smell a note of Lemon, you know its Lemon. You smell a note of Cinnamon, you know its cinnamon. Etc. (All assuming, of course, you've smelled the smell before). In order for a scent to accomplish that feat and turn into a note it must then be as ubiquitous as a note itself. Old Spice is such a scent. It may, in fact, be the only such scent given the lack of agreement around what a Barbershop or even Bay Rum smells like. Old Spice, though, is Old Spice.
2. Use - A note must be used! One may argue that something such as the scent of Tabac could be a note, given its distinct scent profile and the inability by any human to understand what collection of scents could possibly create its unique perfume, but Tabac is very rarely used as a note outside of Tabac. Scent makers must use a note to build scents, not just as a duplication. Yes, you could have a Lemon shave soap but Lemon is also used to build more scents. Notes are used in the construction of more robust scents, not just as scents themselves. Old Spice is used as such on a regular basis (Nearly 1 out of every 4 soaps with Old Spice in them use it as a note with other scents).
3. Description - A note must be escribed as such. To continue our Lemon and Cinnamon example from above, when those are notes in a soap they are just listed as such, without further explanation of what the scent is or a breakdown. One may even chuckle at the idea of trying to break down Lemon scent (there a notes of... lemon in here with some... lemon... and lemon). Ho ho! What fun! Now, I will be the first to admit that there are multiple soap makers out there who break down Old Spice into its "notes" when listing their dupes. However, there are just as many who do not, simply stating Old Spice as the only note with no explanation of its components or using it alongside other notes that they have combined (Ginger's Garden, which I've used today, does the former only describing the scent as Old Spice on its select a scent page. Something like Chiseled Face Trade Winds does the latter). We can clearly see here that these soapers consider Old Spice as a note, not a scent for the list it alongside other notes.
4. u/OnionMiasma Is the worst. He does not wear Old Spice. I think that should have been my first sign that his friendship was fake and that he would turn on me the moment I forgot to send one tiny smush in the mail. This has nothing to do with my argument but I felt it should be noted. He'll probably show up in the comments trying to argue against this. Just ignore him.

Now that I've laid out these facts, I think we can all agree that Old Spice is a note, not a scent and that OnionMiasma is terrible. Thank for coming to my TED Talk.

Today I shaved with Stirling Lime soap and a Prometheus/tuxedo combo. I used a 6C 4 plate with a Feather blade. I followed up with Stirling Lime aftershave and a couple sprays of Stirling West Indies Lime edt.

Jun. 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S. Army
Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Gully G5A
Razor: Gillette Travel Tech
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue [2]
Lather: Jordan’s - Lime - Soap
Post Shave: Chicago Grooming - Pucker - Aftershave
Fragrance: House Of Mammoth - Hygge EdP

Afternoon shaves++

Enjoyed the smush of Lime soap that u/Eructate was kind enough to send over. There is only one note to this soap, lime. You can smell it much better when lathered, I find. Slickness was good and overall was a nice shave. Props to a Canadian soap artisan!

Some pucker to round things out and a little hygge EdP to bring it all together. Lovely.

Today’s photo goes for the “fill the frame” theme. I call it: old citrus.

#photocontest

June 4, 2024

• Brush: Stirling Soap Co – 24mm Synthetic Brush
• Razor: Gillette - Aristocrat Adjustable #ADJUSTABLE #REVENANT
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Eleven Shaving – Sweet Organic Orange Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Everett Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Everett EdP

First things first for the hashtag, this razor started out as a broken Slim Adjustable, but Backroads Gold restored and replated it in Gold, thus the Revenant hashtag.

Second things 2nd: Thanks to u/OnionMiasma for the smoosh. Never tried Eleven soap today and I was happy to give it a go today.

Third things 3rd: Thanks to the orange for being a great fruit that lives up to its name! Ever had a dragonfruit? Not made out of dragons. Grapefruit? Not grapes. Just a sour-ass citrus. It gets worse… Pineapples DON’T come from pine trees, honeydews aren’t made from honey, and passionfruit is simply uninspiring. More like laythereuntilifinishfruit, amiright?? But the orange? What is it? It’s ORANGE. BAM!

And Oranges are delicious. They are basically nature's way of saying, "Here, have a burst of sunshine in your mouth!" Picture this: a round citrus ball, the color of a warm sunset, wrapped in its own handy-dandy packaging. Peel it open, and voila! Instant vitamin C boost and a juicy explosion that might just make you reconsider wearing that white shirt. An orange is a fruit you can set your watch to. Consistent as hell. It always shows up, is super convenient, and you know exactly what you’re gonna get with it. And that’s why oranges are the MVPs of the produce aisle.

Now onto the shave: Keepin it simple for those that are a little… Ummm… Simple…. One note in the soap: Sweet Organic Orange.

And for my Orange shave today, I decided to use the perfect packaging of the Orange, the peel, as a shave bowl to load from. And it was… An adventure. Click here for step by step instructions. Ended up working simultaneously better and worse than I thought it would at the same time. I couldn’t quite build a good lather in the orange peel “bowl”, but I usually face lather anyway and I was able to load the brush just fine from the orange peel. Ended up creating a beautiful, shiny lather which exceeded my expectations. Today was my first time using Eleven’s soap and if it can generate a slick lather using an orange peel bowl with some residual orange juice kicking around inside of it, then I have all the confidence in the world it would be even better using it as intended! I did get little bits of orange all over my sink and counter and the bathroom is a sticky mess, but that’s all part of the Lather Games Experience.

Great, orange shave today!

#FOF: My shave started out as simply a singular note of orange, but ended with what has quickly become my top scent of 2024: Everett. Sure, there is orange immediately when you sniff Everett, but it is so, so much more. Close your eyes and take a breath. Imagine sunshine warming your skin as you lay out on freshly cut grass on a warm June, Lather Games Day. You snack on a juicy orange slice, just peeled and bursting with citrus juices. Then a delicious hint of marshmallow with an ever so slight sweet smoky tendrils of a dying campfire drift past your nose. That, my friends, is the delightful essence of Everett from House of Mammoth. Truly a chef's kiss to finish off a simple orange shave soap.

Challenge: If we’re talking bases and strictly bases, I honestly don’t have any bases I miss more than what is currently available. I’ve tried a few old ones, but I really enjoy what is currently available. I am famously not picky when it comes to soap bases. I can get a good shave with just about any modern soap base. My top three are Doug, Tusk, and Omnibus. I realize Omnibus might not be a popular opinion with some folks in these parts, but I really enjoy it and it always gives me stellar results.

Soap theme justification: Soap has one scent note: Orange

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Oranges! Soap, Splash, and Frag all feature the scent of oranges.

OP uses orange peel as shave bowl.

OP uses orange peel as shave bowl.

June 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Omega 10077 #HOLLOW
• Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - Merica
• Blade: Gillette - Silver Blue
• Lather: Proraso - Coarse Beards (Red) Cream
• Post Shave: Fine Accoutrements - American Blend Splash

Sandalwood is the only scent described in Proraso Red. For a $10 tube of cream, I really like this scent and can see why it is a staple for many people. I personally like soaps better, but the price, performance, and scent of this is pretty good.

As for the challenge today, I don't think I've been wetshaving long enough for a soap base to be discontinued. I have tried samples of B&M's Reserve base and always liked it, so I would probably say Reserve. However, my current favorite base is definitely Summer Break Soaps base. I love the firmness of the soap itself and the shaving properties are excellent. The post shave slickness is incredible and it holds water super well and develops a nice thick layered consistency that offers great protection. Good job to u/rocketk455 and anybody who else helped make this base.

ROTY

June 4, 2024 – LG Day 4 – K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Omega Model 10048 Pro 48 Chrome Handle Boar #HOLLOW #TOLL
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #FLIPTOP #MODERNGEM
• Blade: AccuTec Pro Premium
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Almond Creme
• Post Shave: Cella – Lozione Dopobarba
• Fragrance: Bon Parfumeur – 901: Nutmeg, Almond & Patchouli

Marizpan. One note.

Marzipan is primarily made from almonds, hence the name: Almond Creme. (It’s worth noting that marzipan is neither a creme/cream, nor does it contain cream, so the latter half of the name is rather silly.) If you were to take a good huff of a fresh tub of this soap, you might say out loud to the customer’s at Maggard Razors, “Say! This doesn’t smell like almonds at all! Brad Maggard is a fraud, and so is Rod Stirling! Lock them up, I tell you!” However, there was no fraud committed, nor was there a mistake at the Stirling factory/compound/roaster/household. Almond Creme owes its cherry-like aroma to benzaldehyde, a chemical compound naturally found in almonds. Interestingly, this same compound is also present in cherry pits. So, in a backwards sort of way, if you were to bake a clafoutis, you would be equally as surprised to find the flavor more almond-like than cherry. None of this is particularly relevant, but I seem to have niched myself into a corner of providing fun facts as part of my SOTDs.

Now, if you dive further into my shave, you’ll notice that I don’t keep it simple (stupid) in my post or frag. This is primarily because I don’t own a one-note frag (does one even exist?), nor do I own a one-note aftershave. There was a clear thread going on when I planned this, however. Cella, the grandpappy of almond soaps, created a lozione dopobarba (aftershave) with a bafflingly different and not particularly complementary scent. This isn’t like when Will of BaM made different scented products that were meant to pair beautifully, and then got ran out of town. Quite the opposite. Cella is still beloved, at least among the boomer markets, and the soap and post shave seem to have each been created with complete disregard of the other. So, almond soap, “relevant” post shave, at least per the folks at Cella. Now is where the screw up occurred. On paper/in theory, my frag is relevant, and I believe should be considered as much for the purposes of djudging. However, “901: Nutmeg, Almond & Patchouli” is not the pairing I would recommend. Firstly, my sample of Almond Creme seems to have magically given up all its cherry delights and has absorbed the scents of the other Stirling samples I haphazardly threw in with it. Secondly, as noted, Cella aftershave does not smell like almond (or even cherry). It’s a masculine, barbershop-like, rather stereotypical and inoffensive cologne smell. Which is fine. I like it. But it’s weird to use after an almond soap. Lastly, this frag also does not smell like almond. It smells like the version of patchouli that you smell when entering a hippy-dippy shop that immediately gives you a headache, and then someone threw some warming spices into your face as they leave through the same doors you just walked through. TL;DR: soap that doesn’t smell like almond followed by barbershop splash followed by aggressive hippies. #FOF

I’m too new to the hobby to have fond memories of bases past. I could be like some of the folks at the Ranch and wax poetic about the days of Reserve and complain about how Omnibus funk is an affront to nature, but I don’t actually feel that way. I accept that the Base Race will go on, even though it is a neverending race to the bottom. My favorite base is Highlander because it’s so easy to use, to the point of being foolproof. But 20.1 was also great. I don’t know if either Doug or whatever SBS’s base is called have ever changed. Tusk is rad, as is Darkwing. Stirling sheep base is fantastic, but I’ve never had a bad shave with their standard base that couldn’t be chalked up to user error. All artisan bases are good. We are ultimately slowly destroying ourselves. The end is nigh.

Hugbckt continues to be the one player for whom I will seek out his post every day. Consistently well-written, on topic, and informative. I really appreciate the effort here. Also - he clearly called out how his soap was in line with KISS.

LG2024- June 4 “Kiss of lime and Kisses”

• Brush: Elite Razor- Custom Birch 24mm Timberwolf Synthetic
• Razor: Razorock GC .84
• Blade: Astra Green (4)
• Lather: Stirling- Lime
• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw- Eroe splash
• Fragrance: Acqua Di Gio Parfum

Shave: I’m typically not much for fruity notes. I like the darker stuff. Lime is the exception and Stirling does it right. As a dad of 4 daughters Eroe and Rawr were a few of my first purchases after getting into the hobby a few years ago. I loved Rawr but something in it didn’t agree with me. Eroe is somewhat similar sharing a generally bright citrus and a few notes of musk and cedarwood. Paired very well with the lime.

Challenge: I haven’t had the pleasure of trying many bases that have been DCed. Since I enjoy Barrister and Mann so much, I have acquired a few scents that feature the Excelsior base which is top notch.

For me it’s toss up for best base between Omnibus and the current Macduffs base. Omnibus is so easy to dial in and work with. Whenever I use it i question why I need anything else. Macduffs starts out very soft and almost sticky but once it’s hydrated enough it is simply perfect. No other soap leaves my face in better shape than Macduffs. BM scents for me are unmatched so I will give them the title.

Today’s viewing: the only thing better than chocolate is chocolate during Christmas and The jingling kisses is an all timer. It airs every year and has been since 1989.

ROTY

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Stirling Two Band Synthetic
• Razor: Van Der Hagen 85mm Safety Razor
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: HAGS - Facelift
• Post Shave: Van Der Hagen - Unscented Aftershave Balm

Kiwi

6/4/24 Lather Games shave

• Brush: Jayaruh #441 / AP Shave Co G5C synth

• Lather: Proraso - Red (sandalwood)

• Razor: Blackland Blackbird w/ Gillette Wilkinson Sword

• Post Shave: Antica Barbieria Colla - Red Sandalwood AS milk (sample)

I consistently rail against Proraso, and here I am using it for Lather Games cuz I don’t think some of my other options would qualify as a single-note scent. Irony is cruel. The Blackbird of course blitzed everything down quickly. No real need for a 3rd pass when I use this razor.

A couple soap bases that I miss are Talbott and Siliski. I still have some left from both artisans and enjoy using them. Not quite up there with what I’d consider the top bases nowadays (Ethos, Grooming Dept, Declaration, B&M) but very good stuff and friendly artisans to interact with.

June 4 Lather: Ethos - Lavender Supreme

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Amethyst Fanchurian v22
• Razor: Karve Overlander
• Blade: Gillette Wilkinson Sword (India)
• Lather: Ethos Grooming Essentials - Lavendar Supreme - Soap
• Post Shave: - House of Mammoth - Beloved - Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Beloved - Edp
• Music: Lavender Blue - Sammy Turner

TODAY’S THEME: This soap feature 1 scent note. Lavender. 100% essential oil of lavender sourced from a grower in Provence, France. That’s it, nothing else. In my opinion, this is the best pure lavender scent from an artisan soap maker. It’s a little pricey, at 40 bucks a tub, but if you like lavender, trust me, you need this. I kept the lavender going with House of Mammoth’s Beloved, which is a gorgeous spring/summer with lavender at its core.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: My favorite discontinued soap base is easily Barrister and Mann’s Soft Heart. So luxurious. I actually find it produces the slickest lather of any soap I have. Maybe it’s the combo with my water, but I found it slicker than even Omnibus. The only reason I can think why Will didn’t produce more soap in the soft heart base, is because it takes a lot of soap to make a lather. I acquired a tub of Paganini‘s Violin in the Soft Heart base a couple years ago off the Bazaar, as part of a larger software purchase. It was almost full. I’ve probably shaved with it 10 times, and the tub is now half gone. I’m just guessing maybe the lack of shaves per tub might’ve pissed a lot of people off. For myself, I don’t care. 20 shaves per tub with this base? Worth it to me. I’ll use the rest of the tub sparingly. My favorite current soap base? Omnibus. That shit just takes water forever. Slick, amazing post-shave feel. There is a slight graham cracker smell to the base that I’m not a huge fan of-it’s not an off-putting smell, it’s just that it’s part of every B&M scent. Maybe I’m picking up on something that’s not really there, but it smells that way to me. But Omninbus is just hella good!

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: I own a Blackland Blackbird in titanium. Sadly, I wasn’t able to use it for today’s shave because I lent it out to a buddy who is threatening to not give it back to me lol. It’s an amazing shaver, as everybody knows. I typically like mild razors. And I even had the Lite plate for a while. But I found that the range of angles provided by the Blackbird allowed me, once I found just the right angle (quite shallow), to approximate a Lite shave with the Regular plate. For anyone thinking about purchasing a Blackbird, I would just recommend the regular plate. And a lot of practice to find the sweet spot specific to you. I found that this razor comes with a long learning curve.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“To make a perfume, take some rose water and wash your hands in it, then take a lavender flower and rub it with your palms, and you will achieve the desired effect.”

—Leonardo da Vinci

Jun. 4, 2024 - Simply cold

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks Weru Burl w/ 24mm B16 Badger #SHD #FRAKENBRUSH

• Razor: Blackland Blackbird (SS) #CNC

• Blade: Astra Green (3)

• Lather: Stirling Soap Co - Glacial, Lemon Chill

• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Lemon Chill Witch Hazel & Aloe

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder

Daily Challenge: For todays "Base Wars" challenge I am eulogizing one of the most recently departed soap bases. I don't think that this was a base that came out during the peak of the base wars but is reminiscent of that time in its naming. I'm sure that almost everyone here has at least tried this base and more than likely has at least one tub of it in their den. Allas, it is no more and we are stuck marching forward in life with just the memories (and backup tubs) left for us to relish.

Ok, enough beating around the bush. I am talking about >!Spearhead Shaving 20.1!< base. For a long time it was the unsung hero of bases, it was nothing fancy but it was just fucking incredible! Yes I know that >!Highland!< is an incredible base but its just a standard soft almost croap base that is insanely easy to lather, with just a half swirl in the tub you’ve already overloaded your brush. >!20.1!< however actually would stand up to you loading like you meant it and then transformed into a beautiful, slick lather on your face. I love it so much that not only have i killed 2 (!) tubs of it but as soon as i heard that it was being discontinued I bought 2 more tubs! I own (or have owned) at least 26oz of >!20.1!< base soap in just my short 3.5 years of wetshaving.

Edit: I actually read the challenge and neglected my current favorite base: Tusk. Tusk is life, tusk is family, just check my flair.

Daily Theme Justification: Lemon, that’s the only scent note!

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Keeping with the Lemon theme, soap & splash both are only lemon scented while Sonder opens with a strong beautiful lemon scent.

June 4, 2024 – Lather Games 2024 Day 4: K.I.S.S.  

• Brush: Maggard Midnight Blue G5 26mm #FAUXFUR #PREMIUMPLASTIC  
• Razor: Yates ‘Merica #CNC
• Blade: Gillette Winner (3)  
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory – Peppermint Patti  
• Post Shave: Epsilon – Classic Mint  
• Fragrance: Demeter – Junior Mints  

Use of Theme: K.I.S.S.

It’s a Peppermint world in the summer. All your shaves should smell like peppermint and be as minty cool. There are many other scents that intrigue me from TSF, but I could easily stick with Peppermint Patti. It lives up to its label with an icy cool feel. The Epsilon Classic Mint is a fantastic mint scent and I am regretting not blind-buying a whole bottle. You will eventually be mine, big bottle. Fear not! To fragrantly finish, it only takes a quick shopping trip online to find a peppermint EdC. Demeter Junior Mints was pleasing in its delivery of the mint, but disappointing because the scent doesn’t last very long.

Daily Challenge: Base Wars

Edit: Currently I seem to favor Omnibus.

I didn’t have a deep familiarity, but the Mickey Lee base was always good to me. In honor and remembrance, I present to you:

The Devil of the Saponic Seas: A Lather Games 2024 Base Wars Story

An epic tale of bravery in a cruel world of soapery on the High Seas. We all know the outcome, but learn the story of the heroism of Mickey Lee in the Base Wars.

K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Vitae Taper w/AP Shave Co 26mm Pure Bliss™ SHD Premium Synthetic Knot #COMPOSITE #FAUXFUR #FRANKENBRUSH #PREMIUMPLASTIC #SHD #TOLL
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #FLIPTOP #MODERNGEM
• Blade: Personna PTFE Coated Stainless GEM
• Lather: Jordan's - Black Licorice
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Presto Aftershave Splash
• Fragrance: Hendley Perfumes - "Untitled"

Daily Gratitude
Thanks to ShavinginCT for the ~~soap and~~ just the fragrance sample. Thanks to EldrormR for including some free blades with my MM24. Thanks to our wonderful judges and other people for putting this whole thing together. EDIT: I just realized that it was former president Donald Trump (cowzilla3) that gave me the shave soap for today, so thanks.

Daily Mistakes
I should have shaved earlier because now I am speedrunning writing this SOTD because my brother has a zoom meeting on this computer in 10 minutes and I work in a couple hours. EDIT: In my haste to finish this I didn't realize that it was infact Cowzilla that gave me the soap sample for today.

Daily Writeup
If you didn't see yesterday I will start only doing the SOTD videos on weekends. I'm back to work today so this has to be super quick. Jordan's base is alright, kind of reminds me of how Arko performs.

Daily Theme Points
Black licorice is the only scent note named in the marketing for this soap. It is actually a really nice scent if you like black licorice.

Daily Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance Points
Presto has licorice root extract in its ingredients. For the fragrance I didn't have anything that had only one scent note so I decided to do something "untitled" instead.

Daily Challenge
I haven't tried any discontinued bases that I know of but my favorite soap base is the soap base found in Seaforth! Roman Spice, it says it is the highland base but it is definitely different because it loads incredibly fast and lathers even better.

Hardware Scavenger Hunt
No new hashtags so if you want to know about these ones you can see my previous posts.

Photo Contest
This is my favorite teddy bear, "Teddy," for the animals not alive theme.

TL;DR
Short SOTD because I have work. I win rookie of the year thank you very much give me my prize.

Side Contests

photocontest

ROTY

Jun. 4, 2024
Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR
Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic Gen. 2
Blade: GEM PTFE [5]
Lather: Barrister & Mann - Paganini’s Violin - Soap
Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Paganini’s Violin - Balm
Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented - Aftershave
Osma: Osma - Osma * Scuttle:* Georgetown Pottery - G20

Even though I’ve never completed the Lather Games, in June I have a rule: if I’m going to shave, it has to be by the calendar. If I can’t meet the calendar’s requirements, I don’t shave.

This is problematic when you don’t prepare for the Lather Games and you, occasionally, need to shave. That’s what happened today, and I was feeling pretty SOL about the situation and my self imposed rule.

Then I saw someone used Paganini’s Violin for today. And I was like, really? All joking about it being the best smelling unscented soap aside, there’s got to be more than one note here. Right?

Not according to Will. “For Paganini's Violin, we have composed a fragrance built on multiple variations on a single note, all playing together into one unified, singular whole.”

Cool, thanks Will. I don’t buy it for a minute but you’re the guy with the golden nose. I’m just an idiot who can’t get his shaving shit together.

As for most missed bases, I mean aw shucks it has to be Mickey Lee Soapworks, right? Probably the base wouldn’t hold up by today’s standards, but the folks at MLS were some of the most upstanding, kind, and giving members of the wet shaving community early on. When they shut down the community lost something, and I’ll always remember them for that.

As for current bases, that’s tough. It’s a tie between Stirling Sheep and HoM Tusk. I like them for different reasons; they perform equally good in different ways. I do think that Sheep is the unsung hero of wet shaving bases, though. Fewer people are aware of it because it just gets folded in with Stirling’s normal base, which is good in its own right.

LG 4 - K.I.S.S - LemonXtravaganza

• Brush: AP Shave Co. - 24mm APLuxury Mixed Badger/Boar Fan #MISTURA
• Razor: Straight Razor Aevos 14 - Eugenio Hoppe #STR8SNOB
• Lather: Eleven - Sicilian Lemon
• Post Shave: Eleven - Sicilian Lemon - Facial Toner Aftershave
• Fragrance: Fragonard - Cologne Grand Luxe EdT

.#Challenge Really who can miss a base with all the options nowadays, not me. I got a little bored of chasing soap bases when I fell into the hole of buying absolutely any new base that came out, like an addict, now I buy every new scent that comes out so no complaints. Choosing the finest soap base can be challenging, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of MacDuff's soaps.

·#FOF Straight lemon paired with the citrus richness of Cologne Grand Luxe, perfect for the hot weather.

June 4, 2024 – Now Kith

• Brush: Extro Comesi Synthetic 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Tech Fat Handle
• Blade: Voskhod (4)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Nordost
• Post Shave: Thayers – Rose Petal
• Fragrance: Hermes – Terre d’Hermes

Keeping it simple today my shave friends. Night out, heading to the theatre. Let’s hope the show isn’t as one note at the Nordost but every bit as big and bold of a scent it is. Paired off with a single note of rose with the Thayers. Quick bit of TdH for some classy orange to round it out.

As for base wars, I just haven’t been around the community that long. But, I can tell you that I always raise an eyebrow at those coconut soaps, their quick lather fools me every time. Favorite base? I have two, I love dialing in a good SBS soap but Tusk always wows me.

Cheers!

True king of the bases.

Day 4
Brush: DS Cosmetic – 24mm Boar/Badger #MISTURA * Razor: Gem G-Bar #FLIPTOP * Blade: GEM PTFE * Lather: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon Soap * Post Shave: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon Splash * Fragrance:* House of Mammoth – Sonder EdP

Is there anything sadder than a single scent note? Especially as it gets older and sees other scent notes around it pairing off and starting their own complex fragrance structures. And there, Eleven’s Sicilian Lemon is still single. Sure, it was probably fun for Sicilian Lemon for a while – not tied down to anything and can live its own life. Lemon probably tells himself he’s happier being free to be himself. His life isn’t predictable like a lot of the other wetshaving scents out there. He can go ride with anyone at any time! Then he starts to hear it from family, “When are you going to settle down and find a nice scent for yourself?” and “You know, I saw Seville down at the store the other day! He appears to be doing well – found himself bergamot, lavender, oakmoss, patchouli, AND rosemary – don’t you know… It’d be nice if you give me scent notes like that!”

Sicilian Lemon just rolls his eyes and bites his tongue, just barely muttering out, “I’m trying mom, but it’s not easy. Pairing with fragrances is a lot harder than you and dad came together and made Arko… I’m trying.”

And at that point, I thought to myself, to be truly happy, shouldn’t Sicilian Lemon find a life partner? Mustn’t it be sad to be a single scent note in a world of complex fragrances? So that’s what I set out to do! I arranged a series of dates to take Sicilian Lemon out on, hoping he could find someone to pair with.

First I put him with a lime, but the lime was a little too… similar. Kinda like dating your cousin.

Then I tried a red pepper, but while claiming to be sweet, the pepper was a bit too… Bland.

Since that didn’t work, I though Red Pepper Flakes could be hot, but it ended up being too… Spicy.

I tried pairing Sicilian Lemon with an Onion, but it just cried and cried and cried.

Then, I thought, maybe a little lemon on lemon action would be nice… But, as it turns out, Sicilian Lemon doesn’t swing that way.

It was around this point, I started to think that this might be hopeless after all. And then it hit me: Maybe this Sicilian Lemon is perfectly happy being single. Deep down, everyone wants to love and be loved in return, but that doesn’t mean Sicilian Lemon isn’t loved – it just means Sicilian Lemon isn’t gonna settle for just anything! And if Sicilian Lemon just stays Sicilian Lemon, that’s okay. And Sicilian Lemon can live a happy, fulfilled, loving life while remaining single. And that’s okay. We don’t need to harp on it or put Sicilian Lemon down or pressure him. Just let Sicilian Lemon live his life!

The lemony scent of the soap and splash is actually deliciously simple and very good. So that’s why I decided to finish my #FOF journey off with a more complex lemon scent – Sonder. The final flourish to this lemon day is here to elevate my base of lemon to new heights. Sonder is a complex, intriguing scent – it starts with a fresh, slightly sweet opening, then evolves into something deeper. There’s a hint of warmth, a touch of spice, and an underlying sophistication that makes it truly unforgettable. It’s like walking through a vibrant marketplace filled with citrus fruits and spices, all while being perfectly elegant.

Challenge I heard some of those old B&M bases were 🔥, but I never tried them. I think I miss the scents of companies like APR, MLS, and Dr. Jon’s more than I miss their bases. My favorite bases are probably Darkwing by Chicago Grooming Co or Catie’s Bubbles Premium Base.

The #photocontest category is: Time

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “K.I.S.S.” The Top 5 Worst Kisses of all time:

5) Eurotrip – A couple siblings drinking on Absinthe make out in Germany. The Empire Strikes Back walked so Eurotrip could run.

4) Spiderman’s upside kiss – Ever tried to kiss someone upside down, while the blood is rushing to your head and rain is pouring into your nose? Me neither, but it can’t be enjoyable!

3) Snow White– Prince stumbles upon an unconscious princess laying in the woods and his first reaction is to stick his tongue down her throat? WTF dude???

2) The V-J Day Kiss – Did she even consent? HELL NO SHE DIDN’T!! But… It was a different time, so no one really cared to ask.

And the number 1, worst kiss of all time is:

1) Lady and the Tramp – Munching down pasta and making out only works in cartoons. Trust me on this.

One of the funnier posts I've encountered.

OP just wants a single orange note to be able to live his life. Dating goes poorly.

Plus notoriously bad kisses of note.

OP just wants a single orange note to be able to live his life. Dating goes poorly.

04 June 2024 Complementary Non Dickkhole Tallow & Steel Sasparilla

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Prometheus Red Boti Fan 28mm
• Razor: Aylsworth Apex
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (36)
• Lather: Tallow & Steel - Sasparilla (1)
• Post Shave: Tallow & Steel - 7x A/S
• Post Shave: Thayer's Concoction
• Post Shave: Good Oleo
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented Balm
• Fragrance: Barrister & Mann - Cologne Russe

Decided to dig up T&S Sasparilla for today. It smells like how most T&S Soaps smell - muddled and like hippy patchouli, with a little bit of Sasparilla thrown in. Overally pretty nice.

Wanted to amp it up with that infamous 7x and finished it off with some warm citrus from Cologne Russe.

The heat and humidity have been through the roof

Cheers

June 4, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co Lemondrop 28mm SynBad
• Razor: Gillette Slim Aristocrat H4 (setting: 7)
• Blade: Personna Platinum (5)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Peach Karma - Cream
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Peach & Cognac - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lemon - Toner
• Fragrance: Zaharoff Curly Scents - Of the Immortals - Eau de Parfum
• Talc: Yardley Classic
   

---

I'm a big fan of Wholly Kaw. I think Sri does a great job of coming up with soap bases and scents [Entropy Man?!] . The vegan base used for Peach Karma is velvety and super slick, and the post-shave feel is gentle and nourished. Well done!

The height of the soap-base wars occurred before I became interested in wetshaving. In recent memory, I think that the Spearhead 20.1 base didn't need to go. It could easily live alongside the Highland base. And, back to Wholly Kaw, for the moment it appears that the Siero base (which I quite like), is produced in parallel with the newer, and also great, Crème Fraîche base. I suspect that Crème Fraîche will supercede Siero, though, which I think would be a shame. Thankfully, I have a lot of soap in both bases.

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR14 with Ikon Bulldog handle
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Cella Shaving Soap - Almond
• Post Shave: Barrister and Man - Reserve Classic

I thought I didn’t have anything for today and then I saw some other people using Cella so I joined the group. Now I just have to figure i out what I can use for Vetiver. This is what I get for waiting so long.

My favorite discontinued base is Barrister and Mann Reserve. It is fussy and needs lots of water but I will take it over anything before or since. And the aftershaves going away makes me heartbroken.

An honorable mention is whatever the West of Olympia base was that was used for the seven deadly sins. I’m still waiting for the rest of the sins :)

June 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S.

• Brush: SmilezforMilez Skateboard AP Shave Co. MiG 26 mm #COMPOSITE #FRANKENBRUSH #PREMIUMPLASTIC
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird SS #CNC
• Blade: Wizamet (22)
• Lather: Phoebus - Lilas
• Post Shave: Thayer's - Lavender
• Fragrance: Crabtree and Evelyn - Sandalwood

Challenge: Siliski had a great vegan soap base. It’s a shame they quit making shave soap. For older bases, Barrister and Mann’s Glissant base still makes a nice lather. My favorite current base is Tusk.

Theme: All software is marketed as a single scent note.

Lilas is a nice lilac fragrance. It’s powdery, fresh, green, and lightly sweet. It’s pleasant and approachable. Phoebus’ base is good. It produced a SO FLUFFY I'M GONNA DIE quantity of lather. The texture was… fluffy, and thick, even after adding enough water to get the lather flinging. Slickness was good, secondary slickness was lacking.

Thayer’s lavender is green and sweet. It's almost more clean than floral. There's not any complexity, and the scent doesn't last long. It’s kind of cheap.The splash is mostly witch hazel and doesn't offer much else.

I found this bottle of Evelyn and Crabtree Sandalwood when we were cleaning out my grandmother’s house. The sandalwood is dry and the fragrance is powdery and green/clean. Initially, the powdery lavender hits first and blends seamlessly with the sandalwood. When I hear sandalwood, I think distinctive, darker, heavier scents. C&E Sandalwood is fit for summer linens. It's light and breezy.

I bought this SmilezforMilez handle on the bazaar. There’s pieces of a skateboard deck under the resin. I fitted it with a 26mm MiG Premium Synthetic knot from APShaveCo which was $36.

#photocontest - trash. The letters were cut from cardboard packaging from a six-pack of Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Black IPA. The letters are sitting on other pieces of the packaging.

#FOF

K.I.S.S

• Brush: Omega S-brush
• Razor: Muhle R41
• Blade: Bic
• Lather: Proraso - Red

photocontest Donuts

Today’s Challenge: Base War Stories

Currently my favorite base is BM’s Omnibus

Jun. 4, 2024

• Brush: The CaYuen Workshop Diablo Badger

• Razor: Blackland Blackbird

• Blade: Personna Lab Blue [3]

• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - Ménage a Lavande

• Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles - Ménage a Lavande

• Fragrance: Christian Dior - Dune Pour Homme

K.I.S.S.

I’m just gonna say it, it’s to God Damn hot here in Florida. It’s miserable, it’s sticky, it’s just gross out. Just needed to get that off my chest.

Today’s shave was just what I needed. Work has turned it to 11 out of nowhere. CB Ménage a Lavande is the perfect Purple Haze to calm the nerves. Blackland is today’s Sponsor so I decided to go with the satin Bird with original base plate. I own 3 Blacklands and also the lite bird base plate. My favorite of the 3 is the Sabre I use that more than any of my others.

Soap and Splash Justification: From Cb site “A limited edition luxury cream soap scented with a blend of 5 high end lavenders from around the world. Designed with the sole intention of being the "Ultimate Lavender Experience."

Fragrance: I really don’t have a lavender scent, so I chose Dior Dune Pour Homme now there is not a single drop of Lavender in Dune as the ingredients are “Top notes are Fig Leaf, Cassis, Sage and Basil; middle notes are Fig Wood Bark, Rose and Mignonette; base notes are Sandalwood, Cedar, Tonka Bean and Vanilla.” But to my nose the rose really stands out, and for me it’s the perfect frag to finish the shave.

So for today’s challenge is to talk about our favorite base. I have a few, let’s start with ACE, they did see the sign. There was also Rob he was not internationally known, but was known to rock a microphone. I was in my 20’s in the 90’s so there was Free which if you were with the right girl would lead to fifth base again the 90’s…. I should call her.

Oh thats not what you meant. Sorry.

I am an admitted CB whore. The lux base is just so smooth, but the Premium IMO is just perfection. I have never had a bad shave with a CB soap and I have alot (10) in my den.

I have not been wet shaving long enough to have anything stoped being made to were I would miss it.

Photo contest Fill the Frame

#ROTY #FOF #photocontest

scruba games day 4

• Razor: ruby adjustable
• Brush: yaqi 26mm faux horse rainbow synthetic
• Lather: barrister and mann - softheart sandalwood

As chuck d once said.

" Base how low can you go"

Or Meghan Trainor

" It's all about that base"

Best historic base: softheart

Best current base: softheart because it must be current if I'm using it

Best discontinued base: softheart

Best future base: for me this games with the min/max still softheart.

Thus we hit a point where softheart is past present and future and we ask whether until the last smoosh has been lathered, is any base really dead?

No treble.

I appreciated a musical reference today that wasn't KISS.

LG24-04: K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts 28mm Declaration Grooming B13 Badger #SHD Knot
• Razor: Karve Shaving Co. Overlander
• Blade: Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Stainless (Green) [5]
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Banana - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Nordost - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Boonana - Eau de Parfum

Keeping it simple with single note scents for today's LG shave—getting progressively darker, and finishing with the more complex Boonana.

I think I started wetshaving as the base wars were coming to an end. Within a short time, Will had settled on Omnibus, Milksteak was firmly seated, and most other artisans had stopped releasing a new base every other month. There are still a few exceptions.

I can always rely on Tusk and SBS Honor Roll for a great lather. Also, what's the final verdict on Stirling's Mutton Tallow? Has it officially been discontinued?

Edit: Welp, forget everything I just said after the Veggiebus announcement.

June 4, 2024

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Badger brush I've had forever with the maker's mark rubbed off #SMOLL
• Razor: Muhle Companion
• Blade: Astra Green (Indian)
• Lather: Muhle - Sandalwood

This puck is advertised with just the one scent note, and frankly, it barely even has that scent, so I think I'm on theme. I bought it before (re-) discovering the world of artisan soaps, and it mostly hides under the sink in shame.

Base war stories: I haven't really been paying attention to soap bases long enough to lament the discontinuance of any, but I have strong memories from my childhood of my grandad and my dad routinely gifting each other Crabtree and Evelyn shave soap. At some point, probably in my early twenties, I started using it, too. Was the base any good? We'll find out when I bust out my 15+ year old puck later this month. Current favorite base: Sudsy Soapery Supercreamed Triple Butter.

(Image to confirm brush measurements: https://imgur.com/a/4uiXpmm)

ROTY

June. 04, 2024 - SOTD 

• Prep: Splash of warm water
• Brush: Oumo O4 Venus SHD Badger Brush 26MM
• Razor: King C Gillette
• Blade: King C Gillette
• Lather: HAGS - Eulogy
• Post Shave: Nivea Men - Sensitive Soothing Aftershave Balm

One simple scent note Black Coconut. I like it

June 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S.

• Brush: AP Shave Co Purple Ivory 26mm G5A SHD #SHD #PREMIUMPLASTIC #FAUXFUR
• Razor: GEM Junior #TWINS #FLIPTOP #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Razor: EverReady 1912 #TWINS #FLIPTOP #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Mikes Natural Soap - Lime
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Cheshire EdT

FOF

Today’s Theme - K.I.S.S.:

Today I started with a smoosh from u/tsrblke of Mikes Natural Soap - ~~Shag~~ Lime. Now it arrived in a bag in a box that had a smoosh and a spritz of Shag. The hazmat warning on the box was for everything taking on a bit of Shag. Luckily it faded once I separated the Lime from it. For Post Shave kept the simplicity going and used Remote Learning. Maybe the worst Old Spice dupe fragrance wise. It’s just Mtn Dew. I finished with Cheshire which I’d say has a one scent description of Earl Grey.

The Base Wars

“I’ve seen things shaver’s wouldn’t believe. Glissant soaps on fire off the shoulders of Orion. Milksteaks glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like soap down the drain.” - Roy Batty

I’ve been actively pursuing the perfect soap now for about 3 years. After almost killing a puck of Colonel Conk - Bay Rum, I stumbled upon the group on Reddit. Originally, I was only on Reddit for ~~porn~~ fountain pens. The r/fountainpens group is pretty decent with enthusiasts pretty free with advice and recommendations. Pretty judgement free too, so I stuck around there for a while feeding my pen collecting FOMO. I think I kept getting this group and W_E in my feed. I had started shaving with the Colonel and a TTO Chinesium Viking. It was ok, but then I started reading SOTDs and the questions. I learned there was better out there. Right after everyone was getting their mugs of Spearhead Shaving Co. Seaforth Sea Ice Lime, I took a leap and got Sea Spice Lime, then some samples from Maggard. It wasn’t too long before the ledge near my sink was out of room. Since then, the artisans I have bought have mostly been on their current formulas. Through PIFs and smooshes I have tried a few of the old bases and some from artisans that stopped or passed away. The big example of a new base I can think of is Spearhead moving to the Highland base. It was a great soap before, but the new base that I have in Black Watch, 3 Scots, and Roman Spice is great too. Ok, maybe even a little better, but it was S tier before, and not going higher, so the new one is S tier too. There are lots of great bases right now like Doug, Tusk, Omnibus, Milksteak, not sure if Noble Otter named theirs, and many others that I think we all know. Just look at March Madness.

Feats of Fragrance

Ok, keep it simple stupid is the theme not Knights in Satan’s Service. Sometimes doing a simple scent right is harder than a more complex one. Starting with lime though gave me some options. Probably due to it being stored with Shag, the lime scent wasn’t strong to my nose until I unwrapped it. I could smell Shag before I opened the box the Tsar sent me. Still it is just lime and a bit of plain soap. I wanted more citrus. At first I was thinking Nordost would be great (it really would have been), but then I remembered the Old Spice dupe that actually smells like Mtn Dew! Let’s do the Dew. Remote Learning splash is nearly 100% Mountain Dew soda. I expect it to be carbonated from the smell. I’ve heard some people say it really is an orange flavor, but it isn’t like Fanta, Sunkist, or Crush. I think it is more a universal citrus scent. Some may get orange, others lime, or yuzu, maybe kumquat. It works well with lime. To finish it off, I took inspiration from an earlier post pairing an Earl Grey scent with lime. That was the direction I wanted to go. Cheshire is one of a few Earl Grey scents I have. I think adding it to the mix gives me almost one of my favorite teas, Harney & Sons - Royal Palace. That is similar to Earl Grey, but the citrus oils are lemon and grapefruit. I haven’t planned every detail for my scent combinations this month, because I wanted the flexibility to ~~steal~~ be inspired by y’all’s choices. I think it was a great choice today. Going to give credit to u/wyze0ne for steering me in the tea direction. I originally was thinking Hydra or Barrister and Man - Limon. Tea was a better choice today.

04JUN2024 K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Aurora Grooming Baron w/26mm SynBad Fan
• Razor: GEM Pushbutton
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [6]
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sandalwood
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Barber Shop

Well it's KISS day. I spent a lot of the day worrying that one of you degenerates was going to break into my house and try to make out with me, but then I read the description...

I opted for Stirling's Sandalwood. As a huge fan of all scents Sandalwood related it was EXACTLY what I was going to want out of my soap today. It smells almost sweet and woodsy at the same time which made it even more of what I was looking for. This soap took me straight to Hawaii. Unfortunately, I don't have the Sandalwood splash :/ (ohhh noooo), which meant it was time for another favorite of mine. Barber Shop. Ohh I just cannot get enough of it. Smelling like a fresh haircut is possibly one of my favorite things EVER. One of the things I absolutely love about this hobby is the variety of smells involved (this also happens to be my daughters favorite parts. Imagine getting a new soap and suddenly a 2 year old is in your face going "daddy I smeww?")

For hardware: duh, I used my matching Baron, and the 26mm SynBad Fan from AP Shave Co. is probably one of my favorite knots currently. It's soft but has the backbone I always want, and the splay is perfect for my face. Again using my GEM Pushbutton which I basically only use at this point. After 5 shaves with it, it's become my favorite razor. Even surpassing the Karve Christopher Bradley which is shocking.

All in all, today's shave was 10/10. As for today's challenge..........yeah I know nothing of soaps. I'm really slacking on these daily challenges. I refer to my comment yesterday, about how I am questioning my entire life.

ROTY

DAY 4 LATHER GAMES! I WAS MADE FOR LOVING YOU!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Omega Roma - Colosseum 31mm synth
• Razor: Chiseled Face - Legacy AL
• Blade: Nacet
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory - Oktoberfest
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Smash
• Fragrance: Cartier - Declaration

Another late post, but from tomorrow, everything will be different! Today I devoted my day so that future LG post for me are in a way scheduled and I don't have to stay up very late!

So why did I choose what I chose today? Well!

Let's first start off with the razor, because the razor is the reason the soap came to me, but the soap is the reason I used the razor today! Razor was previously owned by u/Onionmiasma, and during a passaround he asked me if, after it ended, I would like it for myself. He proposed an offer I couldn't resist, and I caved.

Now the soap. Around December last year, while browsing ETSY, for interesting/new soaps artisans, a very interesting soap label caught my attention, turns out it was TSF. Very quickly an array of unique to blatantly strange scent choices for a shaving soap was upon my gaze. If anyone hasn't figured it out, I'm a sucker for unique/strange/innovative soap scents. I was stumped between two, the one used in today's shave and another one, which has a bacon scent, the only other one I've seen or heard of, other than WK(one day TSF's Bacon scented soap will be added to my collection). So since the soap fit the theme, somehow I wanted to add to the experience and use the Legacy that came together with the soap. So once again my life in the LG is saved by Onion.....

How does it smell you say?

Well, Onion gave it a sniff before sending it and was like "nah peace out", his description of the scent was to the extent of "Smells like an unfinished bottle of beer you opened yesterday and you're smelling it today". I myself agree with him to some degree, but there is a bit more, you can also find notes of yeast. In the end I enjoy the scent, and might do a whole month of daily shaves with it. Peeps in Bulgaria also fancied it and took some smushes to try out.

Now the base!

As far as I know, TSF, has a couple of bases. Matilda, something else(maybe), and this base. TSF describe the base of Oktoberfest as a "dual-lye vegan shave soap". I had a great time lathering it, very easy, intuitive and it provided for a great shave. The scent when lathered was quite decent and persistent. My only gripe is probably that after washing the face, there was this "squeaky" feeling of the skin, which leads me to believe the soap is a bit too harsh and washes away some important skin oils, but I could be wrong, I am not a chemist.

Fun Fact: Did you know that Oktoberfest in Germany is held in September? Why? Because the weather in October was usually already cooler and the days are significantly shorter, one let the Oktoberfest begin in September! One of the very few instances where the "effective" and "practical" labels that people give Germans is just not the case.

Comment continues bellow as a reply, thank you for the understanding!

June 4, 2024 – LG 24: K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Bristle Brushworks B9B #FRAKENBRUSH
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Lite #CNC
• Blade: Astra Green (11)
• Lather: Eleven Shaving – Sweet Orange
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Nordost
• Fragrance: Flower City Fragrance – Orange Blossom

Keep it simple stupid. Orange bucket, orange door, orange brush, orange soap, orange AS, orange frag. No, today is not for color coordination, today is #PHOTOCONTEST Bucket.

As for our #FOF, let’s break down these oranges. First time with eleven shave soap (though I have killed a balm and it is great), I dig the simplicity is presentation and in scent options. Thanks u/bmac92 for the smoosh. Despite being called sweet orange, I actually found it to be a bit moretart and bitter. It smelled more like a fresh orange rind than the fruit itself to me. Nordost actually smelled sweeter to me, and much more like an actual juicy orange. The smoke in my AS feels near non-existent, but just adds a hint of depth that makes you realize something else is happening there. As for orange blossom from Flower City Fragrance, its nothing too special IMO. Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of unique scents from Dr Jons and am bummed they closed up shop, but the 3 from FCF did not hugely impress. Its a slightly grassy and floral, or blossomy, orange that seems pretty one dimensional without much change throughout the wear. Thanks to the kind Redditor who I don’t remember who sent me the little trifecta samples (their price points on bottles were bonkers!). #FOF

As for today’s sponsor and challenge. I’ve never heard anyone knock a blackland razor. I’ve only used the BB Lite, formally owned by SMS, and I like it enough. I am intrigued by the vector even though SEs are not my go to. Base wars. Well, if I’m picking a discontinued base from a current artisan, I’d go with spearhead 20.1. It’s just so easy to use, and is really forgiving no matter the water content. I remember trying experimental stuff back in the 13s, so it has been fun watching it develop. If choosing a discontinued base from a closed up shop, I have less experience but would probably give the nod to MLS. It’s not spectacular by today’s standards, but holds a special place. As for my current favorite base, it’s really splitting hairs at the top but I will tip the cap to spearhead again with Highland even though I prefer 20.1 (honorable mention to omnibus, tusk, and milksteak).

soap brands 4/30, post shave 4/30, frag 4/30, post/frag linked 4/30, software sponsors 3/16, hardware sponsors 5/2, razor hashtags 3/15, brush hashtags 3/15, photo contest 4/30, daily challenges 3/26, special challenges 1/4

OP captures a very orange photo.

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

• Brush: Omega - Stone il Duca - EVO 2.0
• Razor: Karve Shaving Co. - Overlander (Matte Black Aluminum)
• Blade: Personna Med Prep
• Lather: Mike's Natural Shaving Soap - Vetiver - Soap
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - Vetiver - Aftershave

One note. Three words. Vetiver de Haiti

6/4/24

• Brush: Stirling x Zenith 510 SE
• Razor: Raido Star Kamisori 8/8, Full Hollow Barber's Notch #KAMISORI
• Lather: Martin de Candre - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Gentleman's Nod - Rosé Aftershave Splash

This smush came courtesy of u/EldrormR when he was doing the community a huge service and tackling a brain bowl. Don't be alarmed! This did not come from that bowl. Vetiver has been a scent that's really grown on me. This wouldn't have been the case without Eld's enabling, and I'm thankful for that.

I decided to pair it with this Rosé splash I'd gotten some time ago from u/gcgallant. The thought process is pretty simple, something floral to go with all that Vetyver. Rosé really is a lot more, though. This is a super nice scent. I enjoy it.

The real star of the show was this Raido Star. I ordered this kami custom from Roman Kamlash, and it just showed up today. It. Is. Badass. I love the way it came out, exactly as I had pictured. His work is super clean. The edge, upon inspection, left a little to be desired. That is a non-issue, imo as I was probably going to just hone it regardless. I started on my Shobudani Suita and finished on my Nakayama Kiita. Roman's high carbon marries super well with the Nak. I stropped on my Kanoyama #80000 suede/leather. The resulting edge was wonderful. The balance on this kami feels great, and I had zero issues today.

Close and comfortable shave, no nicks or irritation.

As far as bases go, when it comes to discontinued, Bison is the answer. I only have one tub and have only tried a couple of scents in Bison, but that's good shit.

My top base would have to be Tusk. Tusk just agrees with me so damn well. It's rivaled by Highlands, but I definitely have so much more Tusk.

https://imgur.com/a/2GhWsG9

• Prep: PAA - The Cube 2.0
• Bowl: Naked Armor - Silver Fox Scuttle
• Brush: Naked Armor - Swedish Black Wood Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette - Super Adjustable Black Beauty #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Personna- XSeries
• Lather: Saponificio Annamaria - Fillide
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Almond Creme
• Post Shave: Omega - Alum Stick

A nice shave with a trusted Gillette Super Adjustable True Black Beauty! Smooth and close on setting number 5 using a Personna X-Series Blade. Wonderfully simple Almond scent from a nice lather. Almond Creme aftershave from Stirling to top off a very pleasant shave!

I truly miss Tabac base with Tallow! I was able to buy a Tallow shave stick and love the rich creamy lather. I will be extremely sad when it is completely gone. Current favorite base is Ethos F base, although I hear there is a new base coming out soon. Looking forward to it! I also enjoy PAA CK6 which seems to work synergistically with the Cube preshave.

ROTY

June 4, 2024

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Resolute V20 #SHD
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Eleven – Sicilian Lemon
• Post Shave: Eleven – Organic Sweet Orange

This was an easy memory to speak about. This scent is fresh like lemon zest, and sweet like a Meyer lemon, with a touch of that lemon tartness. I’m not sure if a Sicilian and Meyer lemon are the same but they definitely smell similar. The kind of lemons that are incredible for a lemon custard, which this soap does have a creamy aspect to as well. The kind of sweet, creamy, tart deliciousness that makes the corner of your jaw ache in joy as you take that first bite. It’s one note, but really is so much more than the sum of its parts (which is one). This brings me back to when I moved into my house and my sister bought us a house warming meyer lemon tree. We call it the Charlie Brown lemon tree. At least once a year, it gets revived from the brink of death. Somehow surviving borderline tree murder we inflict on it in the northeast. And once a year, we get 4-6 delicious fruits. Always serving as a reminder to call my sister, and thank her for being there for me.

My favorite base is omnibus. It’s idiot proof. Under or over hydrate and it works great. HoM is a close second. I didn’t get to see the base wars much, as I am still relatively new, but would probably choose MLS base from a smush I had a while back.

FOF

Artsy black and white for #PHOTOCONTEST

The Charlie Brown Lemon Tree got me in the feels.

June 4, 2024 – K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Chisel and Hound – Desert Ranger 26mm
• Razor: Blackland - Blackbird Lite #CNC
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue (3)
• Lather: Eleven Shaving – Organic Sweet Orange
• Post Shave: Castle and Forbes – Lime Essential Oil Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Goodfellow & Co – Cypress & Grapefruit
• The Lather: Eleven soap is completely new to me so it took me about 100,000 Years to get my lather perfected. No real complaints about lather or scent as Any Way You Slice It, it smelled just like oranges.
• The Shave: I’ll be honest, I got a little excited about KISS day figuring it would be Easy as It Seems. So I got all lathered up and ready for a Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell shave. Unfortunately I was Under the Gun and had to get to work so I had to speed up the process more than I would like.
• Aftershave/Frag: I decided to keep it simple and link my post shave in an Outta This World citrus theme using as few of none citrus notes as I could.
• Theme: Eleven Shaving website claims Only You, organic sweet orange oil, as the scent note.
• Challenge: As if I needed another challenge other than My Way of writing in KISS songs for every sentence and shaving as Star Child (see where i got all lathered up if you missed it)? Well when I found out HAGS was discontinuing their Donkey Milk Base I thought All Hell's Breakin' Loose and I already miss it the most. I’ll be damn sad when my tub of Darkside runs out, but until then I’ll Love Her All I Can. Thankfully u/mammothben makes my favorite base, tusk, and is always ready to Gimme More whenever I place an order.
• Acknowledgement: Thank you u/OnionMiasma for providing the soap and u/2SaintsDude the frag for today’s shave as I was fallen on Hard Times trying to gather everything up.

June 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Turn N Shave x Deranged Donkey H6 #SHD

• Razor: 1960 Gillette Toggle

• Blade: Wizamet

• Lather: Storybook Soapworks - Coffee Spoons

• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented Sego Balm

On. A. Roll. Knocking out 3 days of shaving in a row which is quite the feat for me these days. It’s such a shame that SBSW isn’t around anymore because their base is still quality years later. Can’t say that a straight up coffee scent is really my favorite, but it gets the job done. Also still calling on /u/J33pGuy13 to actually name this blank. Fairly certain it’s been a year at this point and these handles are still nameless.

June 4, 2024 - Primary

• Brush: Maggard Razors 30mm Black and White Synthetic #TOLL
• Razor: Henkotsu Kamisori #KAMISORI #STR8SNOB
• Lather: Eleven Shaving - Blue Spruce
• Splash: House of Mammoth - Sonder
• Fragrance: Abbate y La Mantia - Isacco

I bought Blue Spruce specifically for one note soap day, and I'm really glad I did. The scent is so pure, and extremely representative of the trees it's trying to capture. The lather was good. I wish it was slicker, but it has lots of cushion and lathered really easily.

Now you might be wondering what any of these scents have to do with each other. Well, it's a good thing I'm not doing feats of fragrance because I don't think there's anything. What they do have is a connection through branding and artwork. They are each labelled in one of the primary colors. Blue Spruce is blue, Sonder is yellow, and Isacco is red. So boom: relevant soap, post shave, and frag.

The discontinued base I miss the most is Softheart. I bought a tub of Figarose in Softheart a couple months ago and that instantly became my favorite tub of soap, I wish I could buy three more tubs. My current favorite soap base is a tie between Darkwing and CBubs Premium. It's pretty much impossible to mess up either of these when lathering. Premium is the slickest soap I've got, and Darkwing is the king of face feel post shave. I've had more Darkwing shaves without any alcohol splash feedback than I have fingers. This stuff is legit. If you force me to pick I'll pick Darkwing, almost entirely because it lets me use Rougere.

Today's photo theme is Fill the Frame. Please judge the photo linked in the title. #photocontest

The following images and links are justification for the scavenger hunt hashtags. Product listing for the brush to show 60mm loft. Image One showing that the razor is 7/8 at it's widest. Image Two showing my DublDuck, which is a round point, and the Henkotsu, to show that the Henkotsu is not a round point.

SOTD June 04, 2024 

• Prep: Splash of warm water
• Brush: Stirling Synthetic 2-band 24mm
• Razor: Van Der Hagen 85MM Safety Razor
• Blade: Sharp - Durablade stainless
• Lather: Maggard - Lilac
• Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Behold the Whatsis balm

Only one note and I don't even like lilac

SOTD - June 4

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Wild West brush works - synth
• Razor: Feather - Ss artist club
• Blade: Feather
• Lather: Castle Forbes - Lime
• Post Shave: Alum + Cerave lotion

This might be a controversial take... I think I preferred the previous spearhead base to the new one. I might be the only one.

**July 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S.?

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts 2022 POTG Handle, Maggard SHD 28mm #SHD #FRANKENBRUSH #COMPOSITE
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird #CNC #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet Falcon Carbon Steel (1 and done)
• Lather: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon
• Post Shave: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon - Splash
• Fragrance: Chicago Grooming Co. - Shiloh

Daily Write-Up Awesome brush. Awesome razor. Really like the soap. Splash works great. This is my favorite frag from CGCo. So far we have the makings of a stew... I mean, a good shave.

That blade though. Holy crap these are bad. Halfway through I popped it out and into a Gillette Tech to see if it would be less bad. Eh… These might be the worst blade currently in production.

Base wars. Generally, I find all modern bases to be more or less the same level. I kind of miss Excelsior - I found it to work a little better for me than Omnibus, and certainly last a lot longer. I'd say there are two modern bases that I probably prefer- Tusk because it's definitely the one I use the most, so I have it super dialed in, and CB Premium is just something a little bit more special than everything else.

Soap Theme Justification
The soap has only lemon in its scent notes.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Lemon bomb today. Lemon soap. Lemon AS. Chicago Grooming Co.’s Shiloh also opens with a very strong lemon note; much more so than the other dupes of this frag, which is why it’s my favorite version.

The Castigation of Cowzilla3 Takes an Unexpected Turn
So, many people probably think that “Ahoy Lather Games” was the day that was written in specifically for u/Cowzilla3. I may have helped perpetuate that misunderstanding by pretty much saying that exact thing on June 2nd. But that’s not the case.

It’s today that is really the theme day for u/Cowzilla3, because… well…. he dumb.

And you’ll note, that he failed to even grasp the simplicity of today, claiming that a scent bouquet rich with anise, jasmine, citrus, and aldehydes could be thought of as a single scent.

Because he dumb.

But something about the whole situation with u/Cowzilla3 hasn’t been sitting right with me, and after spending days and nights thinking about it, I believe that I’ve come up with an answer about how he can be seemingly normal in person, but have such a different personality when dealing with him online.

Here’s what I knew about u/Cowzilla3.

• He is from New York
• He used to “have a house” in Washington D.C.
• Last week he was “very busy”. So he couldn’t send me a smush he promised.

I started thinking about this in my head. Working it back and forth, trying to come up with a solution. It's a tough problem, indeed.

Nothing was coming to me, until I saw this note in the news this morning. “"The toiletries were Old Spice and Pert Plus. I thought that was amusing and odd.” - Stormy Daniels

We all find Cowzilla3 to be odd.

~~Many~~ A few of us find him amusing.

But… these qualities evidently are also found in our 45th president, as said by someone who… well… got close to him.

I’m not a smart man. But I can put two and two together, and I had my first ever “Finkle is Einhorn” moment.

Clearly the man I have been messaging for years is actually former president Donald J. Trump. However, the times I’ve met him, he sent an envoy (generically named, for convenience and so we wouldn’t suspect it). The man we’ve seen as Cowzilla3 is his public front, but behind the keyboard it is our Old Spice and Pert Plus-loving former president, who is now both a credibly accused sexual assailant and a convicted felon. He also evidently seems to be a wet shaving aficionado.

He really couldn’t be bothered to send me a smush last week! He was (unsuccessfully) defending himself against 34 felony charges.

Well, given this revelation…. u/Cowzilla3 - I forgive you.

u/Cowzilla3 - let’s start planning the Maggard Meet early so that the Hampton can accommodate your security detail, and you can come as yourself.

June 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Chisel and Hound w/ 26mm SynBad #FAUXFUR #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: Ever Ready Shovel Head 1924 #FLIPTOP
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (2)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Banana
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Boonana
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo

Kept it easy today with one of the best single-scent-note soaps out there.

I tied all my software together using last year's Berry theme.

Shave was exactly as good as one would expect using Chiseled Face.

Still wish I was around more for Declaration's Bison base, but Omnibus is my favorite for now though.

PHOTOCONTEST - Trash

June 4, 2024  

• Brush: Stirling Synthetic  
• Razor: Merkur 34C  
• Lather: D.R. Harris – Rose  

I like rose, my grandmother had a large rose garden and the smell is linked to fond memories of her.

Challenge: I’m a sucker for spearhead soap. My fav discontinued base is Spearhead 20.1E. I’ve been lucky enough to have a few tubs of their experimental stuff and that’s the version I loved most. Current base? Still Spearhead. I’ve got a tub of highland base Black Watch I adore.

Jun. 4, 2024
Brush: Omega 10049 #TOLL
Razor: Segal Gold Tone #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY * Blade: Astra SP * Lather: Chiseled Face Groomatorium - Banana * Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - SoCal Hipster
Post Shave: Osma - Alum
Post Shave: Jack Black - Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

CF Banana….just banana 🍌. Followed up with SoCal Hipster which featured more banana 🍌….and some pineapple.

Base War Stories: Best base no longer made: B&M White Label. Seville in white label was one of my first soaps. So good. My top base today I’d go with Spearhead’s Highland, although there are so many great ones.

ROTY

SOTD - 2024-06-04

• Beard Growth: 24 Hours
• Prep: Hot Shower
• Pre Shave: None
• Brush: Yaqi - Mysterious Space Synthetic
• Razor: Parker Variant Adjustable (Open Comb) #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Derby Extra Green
• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - Menage a Lavande
• Post Shave: Mario Badescu - Facial Toner (rosewater)

• Fragance: Southern Witchcrafts - Tres Matres EDP

• Comments: Menage a Lavande for today courtesy u/tsrblke , first time trying the Catie’s bubble base, liked the soap and the texture. Good slick lather I have a few more samples of this base around looking forward to trying those out.

Post shave alum to stop a few weepers, finished off with Mario Badescu facial toner (rosewater), I guess this is one scent as well

Parker Variant Razor - have mixed feeling about this one, I started off wet shaving with this but I just don’t love it anymore. I don’t need an adjustable at all now that I know what kind of aggression my face likes. Anyways it’s still a great razor, maybe I should bring it into rotation again.

#ROTY

June 04, 2024 – LG24 Day 4 - K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Parker BCPB Black Plastic & Chrome Potmetal handle w/ Pure Badger bulb knot #HOLLOW #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: RazoRock Game Changer .76-P #CNC
• Blade: Treet Classic Carbon Steel (2)
• Prep: Stirling Soap Co. – Unscented Preshave Soap
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Lime
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Creamy Coconut AS Balm
• Fragrance: Minimaliscent - Lime & Coconut EdP (Inspired by Creed Virgin Island Water)
• Music: KISS - We Are One

Daily Theme & Relevant Post/Frag: Today's lather theme and relevant post/frag offering was inspired by a little ditty from Harry Nilsson called "Coconut", specifically one line from the song: "Put the lime in the coconut, you drink 'em both up". When considering the Lime as my one scent note theme lather, as soon as I saw my Creamy Coconut balm the Nilsson ditty activated in my head. Instead of fighting the ditty, I embraced it as my thematic link, so I put the lime (Stirling Lime lather) in the coconut (Stirling Sweet Coconut balm), and I drink 'em both up (Minimaliscent Lime & Coconut frag).

Daily Challenge: The Great Soap Base Wars came and went well before I purchased my first artisan shave soap (in late 2022), so I'm one of those who never knew what I missed. Thanks to the Bazaar, I do have a couple GSBW "extinct" bases (Icarus and Softheart) but I don't have enough combined shaves with these vs. their current counterparts to be able to "wax nostalgically" about them. There is one other discontinued base in my stash (Spearhead's 20.1 Tallow) which was recently phased out and replaced with their Highland Tallow. Highland has been very good to me, but if I had to choose just one Spearhead base, hands down it would be 20.1 for a simple reason: I just like it!

If you asked me what base do I have more of than anything else it would be Stirling (by far!), but the challenge question is what base is my favorite. While it's not nearly as represented in by stash as is Omnibus, 20.1 and Stirling, the base I always reach to when I have a challenging shaving situation is Tusk! I know Tusk, I trust Tusk, and when the going gets tuff, Tusk gets going!

June 04, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts w/ DG B9A

• Razor: Razorock Gamechanger .84

• Blade: Gillette Silver BLue

• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Grapefruit- Soap

• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Grapefruit - Splash

• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Nonaginta

Here's one the youths might not be aware of. Southern Witchcrafts used to have an entire line of single-note "basic witch" scents. The grapefruit and peach were by far my favorites. I think since then, a grapefruit centric soap scent has been my number one love, however I'm always doomed to love discontinued products such as this SW Grapefruit or MLS Paradise Frost.

The Base Wars are something only the veterans experienced. Any answer today that isn't Declaration Grooming bison base is just plain wrong. Arguably every soap brand's latest base has continued to evolve for the better, except the history of the DG bases. Bison was perfect. Bison was supreme. Bison was king. Then for some reason (not that mysterious of a reason actually, people said it was too soft) it was replaced by the rock hard, nigh unusable Icarus base. Milksteak overcorrected the base softness too far. Bison was the goldilocks, perfect, in the middle softness.

My favorite current base would have to be Catie's Bubbles Premium Shaving Soap. Chris managed to take the already perfect cream base and make it even better witht the premium base. My only gripe is that today's bases have become so soft that they're too easy to overload. You need to consciously hold yourself back from overloading or you won't have a good time.

June 4, 2024

• Brush: Sterling Soap Company Finest Badger 24mm Fan Knot
• Razor: Fatip Piccolo Slant Closed Comb
• Blade: Gillette Super Platinum (Black) (4)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Pompelmo
• Post Shave: Gentelman's Nod - Zarahoff Rose
• Fragrance: Hermès - Pamplemousse Rose

Grapefruit is amazing. Especially the peel. If you haven't tried it, I recommend using grapefruit peel as a garnish for drinks (like in a Manhattan).

Both the lather and the aftershave above are single note. Zarahoff Rose is the most potent, fragrance-y aftershave I've come across—it's a bit much. Sort of like rose water, incense, and spices filling up an entire room. Pamplemousse Rose, while not single note, was intended to harmonize the previous two.

The featured work in today's edition of Brush Strokes is Nebraska, a 1960s minimalist painting by Brice Marden.

I'm still learning about bases. Thus far I'm partial to Omnibus—was surprised by someone's comment earlier today implying that opinions on the sub are divided.

#ROTY

EDIT: added ROTY tag

June 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Stirling - Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: Schick - Krona 1960s TTO DE
• Blade: Personna Platinum
• Lather: The Holy Black New York - Coconut Creeper
• Post Shave: Captain’s Choice - Eucalyptus
• Fragrance: Bath and Body Works - Eucalyptus + Spearmint

SOAP - The Holy Black name should be changed to The Holy Molly Black!! This was a scent my BFF u/curbside_champ smushed me and the title fits the soap. It’s a soft soap that lathers really really well and smells like everything coconut-ish. Then I start to feel some tingling which gets colder and colder and BAM!!!! I can’t feel my face!!! What was it like well let me put this way! You know when you are trying to teach your little one how to swing a golf club and he does the perfect rotation right into your balls!!!! That’s the creeping effect. So if you enjoy your friends or someone you don’t necessarily care about creeping up behind you to sucker punch your cohones (Spanglish for BALLS) then this soap is for YOU my friends!!

RAZOR - To be honest I didn’t necessarily feel anything because my face was literally frozen and it’s not even frozen day. So as far as I could tell it went smooth. My nose told me lots of coconut in the vicinity so that fits the theme.

THE THEME- Coconut extravaganza, could not smell anything else. Since everything was frozen why not complement it with more cooling products hence the eucalyptus splash which cooled things even further! Finalizing with a cooling fragrance spray which was very soothing…. I think!! Did I mentioned my eyes were watering!!!

Now to be honest I don’t known anything about soap bases. BUT I did win a tub of Australian Private Reserve/Storybook Soapworks Carnivale in a PIF from u/walden last year. I must say this is one of those things when you find one of kind and then turns out it was never meant to be!!! Oh the one that got away!!! I still miss you Jessica! Wait was that her name? Maybe Jenny. Ah shit!

So…. anyways, it lathers well and comes to find out it was out of production way before I got it. The closest review I read about the composition of the soap base was in this group back in 2019! Oldy but goodie!!

My Fav soap base right now would have to be whatever Ben from mammoth is using! Embrace is killer!!

Ya’ll shave on….