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 – 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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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

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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

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.

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.

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.

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

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 - 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.

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