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

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

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 ✅

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

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.

• 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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

Best trash shot. With a nana that makes it on theme