LGSOTD 07-Jun-24

• Brush: Simpson - 'Wee Scot' Best #OLDWORLD #RUNT #SMOLL
• Razor: Muhle - R41 #ZAMAC
• Blade: Wizamet - Super Iridium
• Lather: Martin de Candre - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Floid - Vetyver Balm
• Fragrance: ScentUK - Greveti EDP

Another day I was looking forward to, I really like the MdC soaps, yeah the outlay is heavy but they last an age and they perform brilliantly. This Vetyver is no exception (though the Fougere sees more use), the scent is lovely and for some weird reason sticks around with me for a bit longer than the fougere, not complaining about that!

New to me Floid Vetyver Balm, I was pleasantly surprised, again the scent strength was great but the balm itself actually did a really good job. For which I am very grateful given the challenge here.

Topped off with the SCENTUK Greveti, heavy on the vetiver. Seemed a little harsh initially but mellowed relatively quickly to something very pleasant. Still not one the Mrs comments on and luckily doesn't react to (allergies), so at worst it's an acceptable scent for general use.

Challenge GeoFatboy Special

This was a bloody close call today, I had almost lined up the Rolls for today, but thankfully I only had to imagine the pain of driving straight against the grain. Luckily the R41 was already up to bat, which when I was initially starting up was my daily driver so I know this was capable. They only semi-uncomfortable area being the neck, but a soft touch and short passes along with the floid to finish off saw a more than acceptable finish.

Photocontest

Had to aim this one at 'Grass' given the scent choice, ok it's clearly not vetiver but I've given it a bash.

Hope everyone has a grand day.

Cheers

Marc

** 07.06.2024 **

• Brush: AP Shave Co 26MM G5C
• Razor: Mühle R89 Traditional #ZAMAC
• Blade: Gillette Minora
• Lather: Le Pere Lucien - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Le Pere Lucien - DE VÉTIVER ET DE BELLES CHOSES
• Post Shave: Mühle alum stone

I told you in day 4 that a have a few critical days in this month and today is the worst. Vetiver. I hate this scent! In combination with other scents is OK but when is only vetiver or prevails I really don't like it. So quick shave before work two passes against the grain to fulfilled challenge and that's it. Even photo is made in the middle of the night on the hood of my car on u/MrTangerinsky backpack. He give me samples from soap and aftershave. After yesterday massacre my choice for safety razor is Mühle R89. If I have a choice I'll pick Feather AS-D2 the most gentle safety razor I've tried. But R89 is gentle enough to make two carefully and gentle passes and not bleeding. That is for today I am not in the mood.

LG Day 7 - Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Aurora Grooming LG24 w/26mm Oumo Synthetic
• Razor: Schick M1 Adjustable
• Blade: Schick Injector (2)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver
• Post Shave: SIR Irisch Moos splash
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented AS balm

Thanks to everyone's favorite lather chugger u/hugbckt for the smoosh. By the way, if you haven't seen his latest feat of lather imbibing, you're missing out. Thanks the u/TheBunnynator1001 for my official burple LG brush that helped me turn said smoosh into an awesome lather. I'm on theme and nailing today's sponsor theme as well. I had no clue what vetiver was like prior to the start of the LG. I now feel confident that I have a sense as to what it smells like and I might find myself eyeing some vetiver-y purchases in the future.

As to today's challenge, I'm going to take an F. I actually made an attempt. Hell, I even started to film the attempt before I said, "F@#^ this.!" after I did the first half of the shave. Life is too short for shitty shaves and this one-pass Wet Tuber inspired madness was giving me a shitty shave (not to mention a bunch of unwanted weepers).

On to a joyful coffee which will put the memory of this shave far behind. Try to enjoy your day and remember to be kind to one another.

June 07, 2024 – Lather Games!

• Brush: Cayuen Abalone w/ 28mm Timberwolf Synthetic.
• Razor: Rex Supply Co. – Konsul #CNC #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Gillette Winner Stainless (3)
• Lather: Moon Soap Co. – Old School.
• Aftershave: A&E – Ultima Unmasked Unscented Splash

This soap is usually kept in the archives, and the official notes are: tobacco aromas play on top of vetiver, leather, mahogany, and sweet vanilla. Very rich, but I have made a habit of only pulling this out for head shaves. That will have to change in the future. Solid finish for today, however.

#Challenge: First pass is ATG? Wow, you're asking for a lot, eh? I was able to dial down the razor to 2 for the first and only pass and I get a decent cleanup. I'm pleasantly surprised at how versatile this razor is. I never thought I'd have this much fun with an adjustable razor, but there it is.

#LatherGames

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfXZ8Qx9mOs ← Did The Minotaur's Labyrinth Really Exist? | Myth Hunters | Odyssey

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Semogue Galahad C3 Premium boar
• Razor: Dovo shavette
• Blade: Personna hair shaper
• Lather: Mike's Natural Soaps - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger AS
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - unscented balm
• Post Shave: Olay Complete

I used this soap a couple weeks ago when I toured my vetiver soaps. It seemed like a good day to use it again.

This brush is stupid good.

LG SOTD 07Jun2024

• Brush: Anbbas Black Resin - 21mm synthetic badger #FAUXFUR
• Razor: Henson - AL13 Mild (Copper Colored) #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet - Falcon
• Lather: Ariana & Evans - Vetiver Magnifique
• Bowl: Captain’s Choice - Copper, standard
• Post Shave: Stirling - Shave Balm, Unscented

Happy Friday, beautiful people! Welcome to the seventh shave of the 2024 Lather Games. Today's theme is “Vetiver you Want?” where we shave with a lather focused on vetiver.

Vetiver is a strange note - it isn’t much of a fragrance itself, how it’s perceived is down to what it’s paired with. Blend one way and you’ve got the organic smell wafting off a field of growing wheat after a gentle rain… blend another and you have a 50 gallon drum of fermenting, sweaty socks from the local high school athletic department.

Today trying a sample from Maggard of Ariana & Evans - Vetiver Magnifique. Off the puck it smells of vetiver over wood, which upon looking up the description makes sense - this is the marketing verbiage, “Our Vetiver is green & woody, with some pepper notes, before giving way to vetiver, tobacco and tonka bean. A fresh woody accord for a fragrance with authentic elegance.” Hoping that translates to, “does not smell of nasty socks” 🙂

The brush was my first shave brush and I did pretty good for something off Amazon. It’s a simple black resin handle set with a 21mm synthetic badger knot making it a qualifying #FAUXFUR. The fibers from wherever they were sourced could still hold their own against more recent types. It found its way to the box of misfit shave gear because the handle is very simple and the knot is smaller than I came to prefer. It’s a little brush that can with an owner that buys too much stuff 😅

The razor was chosen based on the daily challenge of shaving against the grain, one pass. Yesterday was my first use of the Lady Gillette (same razor head as a Super Speed) and first impressions were just ok. In addition to some throat nicks, just a more irritating shave than hoped, so going against the grain - something I almost never do - calls for the mildest razor I have. That would either be the Bison or the AL13 Mild, and already used the Bison this week so AL13 Mild it is. Using a carbon steel blade from Treet in it for the #STAINLESSLESS hardware hunt.

Onto the shave report - alas, this vetiver scent fell closer to the sock side of the line for me. It would come on almost like a sandalwood, then there was some of the pepper, blending to make an almost smoky note right before: GYM SOCKS!!! I will be throwing this sample straight in the strategic reserve box in case this theme returns.

The single ATG pass was fine except on my chin and the jaw line near the chin. This is a tricky zone even with the grain and I would have preferred to go back over it the right way but there is a whole 0.2 points on the line so I’ll live with the “stubble”.

Enjoy your Friday people! We have nearly reached the weekend 🎉🥳

SOTD 2024-06-07 I don't even like vetiver

• Brush: Omega - 11047 Mighty Midget #SMOLL #MISTURA
• Razor: Karve - Overlander (copper)
• Blade: Dorco Prime (2nd use)
• Lather: Henri et Victoria - Coeur de Vetiver
• Post Shave: Henri et Victoria - Coeur de Vetiver splash
• Fragrance: Henri et Victoria - Coeur de Vetiver EdP (rollerball)
• Post Shave #2: Henri et Victoria - Coeur de Vetiver balm
• Fragrance #2: Henri et Victoria - Coeur de Vetiver EdP (atomiser)
• Moustache Wax: Henri et Victoria - Coeur de Vetiver

Allergies. That is what I think of when I think of vetiver.
Really, why would I want to wear something that makes me sneeze?
Even the thought of that dry, grassy substance tingles my nose.

You're probably wondering then why would I have so much of it.
Or why would I put all that on my face if I hate it so?
Unless you just think I'm nuts; which isn't an unfair assumption.

So, there must be something different about Coeur de Vetiver.
Unless I'm just crazy and hate money and myself.
Right you would be about the first point.
Even if I'm dodging the second question.

Yes, I hate vetiver; but I adore Coeur de Vetiver.
Oh it still is vetiver; but it's somehow a fresh scent.
Unfortunately discontinued because apparently people are wrong.

Whatever, I won't shut up, and it's the only good vetiver scent.
Also it doesn't make me sneeze.
Not only that, but Henri et Victoria make the best balm ever.
There! Fight me!

Too chicken?
Oh well; at least I smell amazing!

Concerning the daily challenge; I prefer routine.
Only nothing about Lathergames is routine.
Now I did consider this challenge.
Though it would mean doing things differently and change is bad.
I mean; we're shaving with razors designed over 100 years ago.
Not only that, but we're prostelytizing shavers to our ~~cult~~ cult.
Understandably so, because wetshaving is better.
Eo ipso, it's better than all alternatives.

June 7 - I'm Actually Using a Proper Themed Soap

• Brush: Semogue 610 21mm Boar

• Razor: Fatip Grande Open Comb

• Blade: Asco Platinum Orange

• Lather: Zingari Man - The Magician Soap

• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger Splash

• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Orbit Splash

• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Agua Fresca EdT

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Decided to give myself a couple of freebie days between soap projects. I wracked my braid for ages wondering if I had a vetiver scented soap, and realized I picked up The Magician at this years Maggard Meetup. Legit, this fragrance is greeeen and awesome. The vetiver really rounds out the fragrance as elegant with a hint of mysterious. Like a magician.

What wasn't so magical is the irritation this aggressive AF razor caused to my lower neck. I haven't used this razor in ages, and though everything else feels awesome, my lower neck isn't. I'll use something more forgiving tomorrow.

Today's fragrance pairings are more refreshing fragrances. But I learned that there are different kinds of refreshing... Orbit is refreshing in that it's light, kinda cozy and has the chilliness factor. Agua Fresca is refreshing in a fruity, sweet way. I thought they might work together to bring the ultimate refreshing feeling, and it didn't work like that at all. I get whiffs of the spacey splash popping out from the fruity fragrance, and it just doesn't work. Ya live and ya learn.

#FOF

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

Dirtyver Day. Jun. 7, 2024
Brush: Dogwood Declaration 3D Printed B12 Silver tip Badger
Razor: Wolfman Guerilla
Blade: Gillette 7 O’Clock Black [2]
Lather: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver - Soap
Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver - Aftershave
Post Shave: Osma - Alum

Dirtyver Day….

I am not the biggest fan of Vetiver. This is one of the few sets I have where it’s prominently featured

Wife and I are volunteering at a wine tasting tonight. Tomorrow’s her birthday so I’m gonna try and go with her sometime “Chaotic Neutral” approach. She like to be spontaneous, but doesn’t mind if it turns out bad.

This was one of the earliest of the “latest” version of this razor. It is fairly mild, but is still efficient enough for every day. It is one of my travel razors too.

One pass, against the grain. This was my “1 pass fast shave” option back in the day.

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

June 7, 2024: Grass

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: AtT S1
• Blade: Gillette Blue
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented with Vetiver essential oil
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - The Watchman
• Fragrance: none

I own nothing that prominently features vetiver. After googling for a while, I came up with this workaround: unscented soap, essential oil in the shaving bowl, mix, and serve warm.

Happy Lessor Grains 2024!

Jun. 7, 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: Stirling Soap co. - Scarn - Soap
Post Shave: Stirling Soap co. - Scarn - Aftershave
Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented (Sego) - Balm

From the r/wetshaving database:

Brands: Stirling Soap Co. Collection: Scarn

Notes: Vetiver, Peppercorn, Bergamot, Labdanum, Lavender, Cedar, Patchouli, Geranium

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

Lather Games 2024-06-07 Vetiver You Want

• Prep: Coffee, Face wash soap/warm water
• Brush: AP Shave Co. - Handcrafted Series "Summer" with 24mm Gelousy SHD fan knot (A1)
• Razor: Charcoal Goods Level 2 with Stinger Handle
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum, DE
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Dirtyver
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – Dirtyver

Shave and Software:

This is the third soap from a company I am making use of this Lather games that I have never used before. I took my time getting to it. Really don't know why? Anyway, I am a big fan of Vetiver. Love it. I was less sure of the "Dirty" part of the Dirtyver. More specifically not so much dirt as marsh or swamp. I've had this soap sitting here for around three months. Every now and then I give it a sniff it. I've just been unsure. Will it grow on me. I mean Tabac did - bottom of grandma's purse and all.

So here we are and I had a very enjoyable shave.

I have not been getting enough sleep and I am really dumb this morning so this is not going to be my most eloquent entry for these games.

When I was younger I often said, "sleep is for the week!", however with aging now I think otherwise. Work is killing me and my family's schedule is really packed at the moment.

One Pass Against the Grain

Should've picked a different razor for today. It is a great razor but the one pass only against the grain is a bit much for the level of aggression available from the level two Charcoal Goods set up.

Take care, snooze a bit when you can, and have a good day.

June 7, 2024 - Friday

• Brush: Chisel & Hound "Propane" / 26mm AP Shave Co. G5B
• Razor: Yates 921-H
• Blade: Wizamet (3)
• Lather: Mike's Natural Soaps - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Fine Accoutrements - Clean Vetiver splash
• Fragrance: Lubin - Le Vetiver EdT

Ah my favorite scent theme. Unfortunately it's on a day where we only get to do one pass. The ATG only shave ended up better than expected though to be honest. I finished up with my favorite aftershave and a wonderful vetiver fragrance that's quite similar to Guerlain, but with better longevity. I can't seem to find it available anywhere so it must be discontinued sadly.

June 7, 2024 – 2024.06.07: Lather Games Day 7 – Vetiver You Want

• Brush: AP Shave Co Cashmere 24mm Ruby Ripple
• Razor: Henson Shaving razors – AL-13 Mild
• Blade: Wizamet (2)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Vetyver Santal
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Santa Noir Balm
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Rose Santal

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Daily Theme: Vetiver You Want

Theme justification: Barrister & Mann Vetyver Santal is (was) listed on their website as follows:

We blended a healthy dose of lemon essential oil with Haitian vetiver and elegant, creamy New Caledonia sandalwood absolute to create a light, clean, fresh vetiver scent well-suited to cooler weather

I pulled Sharpologist’s site since the scent is no longer listed on B&M’s website. Shout-out to /u/MammothBen for providing me with a big box of random samples, which included this soap.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: today’s theme revolves around santal, in both name an scent. Vetyver Santal for the soap, House of Mammoth Santa(ł) Noir balm, and Chatillon Lux Rose Santal for the frag.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

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Daily/Special Challenge: GeoFatBoy Special

I’m not Geo, but I am a FatBoy, so I have no excuses when it comes to this challenge. 1 pass only ATG. No problem.

I loaded up my Henson mild for the job. It was not too bad, all things considered. Job was relatively easy and no irritation. Further shave details below in the shave section.

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Frag description

Look, Wally. I know my descriptions haven’t been great, but this one is really going to scrape the bottom of the barrel. However, today was interesting. The soap only had a faint scent. Not sure if that was due to the age of the sample, the condition it was kept in, or if it naturally had a very light scent. Regardless, it smelled like dried grass (so vetiver).

The AS and frag, though, combined to make me feel like Seal was kissing me with a rose. That is to say, musky rose is the dominant combined scent.

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Now onto the shave!

Despite the possible issues with the scent, the soap lathered easily. Became nice and slick. The only issue was due to the cashmere brush. Since it is so soft it had a somewhat difficult time with the hard soap. Thankfully it really wasn’t an issue since it was a one-pass shave.

Now, I did as the challenge required. I only did one pass and it was against the grain. Honestly, it wasn’t too bad. The Henson was a good choice for this challenge due to its extreme mildness. I have to say, if I’m in a hurry I could see myself doing this method to achieve an adequate shave quickly. The result of today’s shave was a relatively smooth face and neck with almost no irritation. Was it the nicest shaving experience? No. Could I do it again? Yes. Will I? Not if I can help it.

Side Note: Today’s plan was to use a carbon steel blade, but I checked my stash and couldn’t find any. Glad I found out now and not later. /u/OnionMiasma is already hooking me up. What a guy.

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Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 6/10
• Brush Hashtags: 7/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 4/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 7/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 7/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 7/30
• Number of Frags: 7/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR14 with Ikon Bulldog handle
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks - Reunion
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Reserve Cool

I was resigned to just not have anything to use today and then remembered I had this sample from MLS in a stash of stuff I hoard because it isn’t available anymore. I’m not sure it has a lot of scent left because it is pretty old but it still lathered up pretty quickly. There are so many good products that aren’t around anymore. MLS always had cool products and stuff that was just a little different than everything else.

June 7, 2024 - Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Aurora Grooming LG2024 Blurple Synthetic
• Razor: Parker Adjustable Injector #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Parker Injector
• Lather: Martin De Candre - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Field Day
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive - Velouria

Today’s Theme:

I didn’t have what I think I could say that’s a vetiver soap. Sure it is in lots of stuff, but I just think ok, it is a “green” scent of growing plants? Luckily we have smoosh trading, and once again u/tsrblke set me up. MdC - Vetiver is just vetiver. That’s pretty spot on for the theme I’d say.

Today’s Challenge:

Why would anyone start against the grain? I guess for points. That’s the only reason I shaved atg and only atg. Just don’t unless you have a need for a fractional improvement in points. I usually shower after my shave, but today I went before. I wanted every chance to improve my shave I could get. Also grabbed my Parker Adjustable Injector because it may look like it has a huge gap, it shaves pretty mild for me on any setting. I went with 1, but I’ve tried them all and yes the gap gets measurably wider, I can barely tell a difference in feel. The wider gap makes it harder to clog I guess. Post shave, I feel like I scraped the whiskers more than shaved. Lots of stinging too from the splash.

Feats of Fragrance:

Obviously today needed to start from a base of Vetiver, but all I knew about it was it was a green plantlike scent. So I smelled the smoosh, ready scent descriptions, and went through my splashes. I don’t know for sure if Field Fay has vetiver in it, but smelling it after the MdC soap made me think it could. They had a similar grassy note to them. The harder part was the final fragrance and finding one that had vetiver, or at least took off running from that playground grass scent. I went with finding one that has vetiver. I was down to House of Mammoth - Indigo or Maher Olfactive - Velouria. I decided why not both? They both have vetiver listed, and I could sneak indigo into the mix since it is my bar soap in the shower. I’m not certain how successful this really is. Indigo gives me a more peppery berry scent to my nose, while right now Velouria is a mix of the top notes of violets, blueberry and frankincense. It has two kinds of vetiver listed as notes, so as it dries down, maybe more green will come out. It’s a nice scent, but I think I’ll have to see how it evolves over the next couple of hours.

Sponsor Time:

Aurora Grooming is fairly new in the wetshaving world. I recall when he started selling brushes, he reached out to the sub to see what we thought of his work. Then of course he jumps in and not only becomes a sponsor, but made a LG2024 exclusive brush and has the audacity to only charge $35 for it. They even have custom coins for the base. When I ordered mine I was so specific with my color choice saying ok purple, blue, green, or red. Obviously, I gave very specific demands since I have such high standards (cough Colgate Toothbrush?). Undeterred by my strict demands, I get an email asking how about a dark purply navy blue being called Blurple? Well the picture of the pour looked blue/purple, so sure, Blurple it is. Now my brush was just a blank piece of resin, but in just a few days, it arrived (helps that I’m about a 4-20 hour drive from Norfolk depending on traffic). In person it beat my expectations. I love the color and using the powder pigments gives it a nice chatoyance. The shape is very comfortable for me too. If you are on the fence, get one.

FOF

I just want to call out somewhere that OP managed to work in "chatoyance". TIL.

Vetiver SOTD:

• Razor: Above the Tie Atlas S1
• Blade: Polsilver Super Iridium (13)
• Brush: Zenith Moar Boar
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Recess
• Aftershave: Summer Break Soaps - Recess
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps - Trouble Maker

I've used vetiver in a few scents throughout the years, but only featured it in one, Recess. Unfortunately, Recess is without a doubt, the biggest flop I've ever had. With Recess, I tried to take some of the off the wall, unique stuff that made Cannonball a hit, but go in an entirely different direction with notes such as clay and cement. The goal was to smell like a playground. Honestly, I'm still very happy with the result and I know Recess has some fans out there, what killed this release was that it was paired up with the return of Cannonball, which had spent a year in retirement. Cannonball completely overshadowed it on release and it just never recovered.

Challenge:

June 7, 2024

• Prep: House of Mammoth Embrace Doppio Bath Soap
• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts 26mm Declaration B9A+
• Razor: Feather DX with scales by Long Shaving
• Blade: Schick Proline (?)
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - 322 - Soap
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - 322 - Aftershave
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Indigo - Eau de Parfum

One pass ATG is easy with an open blade. Love this pairing. Vetiver++

Jun. 7, 2024 - trois cent vingt deux
Brush: Dogwood Tooth Fairy B14 Badger #COMPOSITE #FRANKENBRUSH * Razor: Robeson ShurEdge “The Razor The Fits Your Face” - 6/8 spike
Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - 322 - Soap
Post Shave:* Catie’s Bubbles - Blugère - Aftershave

What a difference an edge makes! Big ups to u/whosgotthepudding for honing this razor the right way for me. Boy do I have a lot to learn.

Vetiver bomb. 322 is my birthday so this soap means something to me more than it just being awesome. This custom brush also does. It’s a mix of resin, wood, and bone. Expertly made by dogwoods and sent for knotting by declaration so works for 2 hashtags today.

TL-DR: great shave today. First proper Jnat edge.

My photo theme is Animal (not alive). See if you can guess what animal it was, and what country it came from? Also, today’s photo is called “teeth”.

#photocontest

June 7, 2024 – Vetiver 3 ways

• Brush: Semogue TSN 2023 LE Mixed knot #MISTURA #OldWorld
• Razor: Gillette Slim #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Sharpedge (Yellow) (1)
• Lather: Martin de Candre – Vetyver
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – Dirtyver
• Fragrance: Rogue Perfumery – Vetifleur

Vetiver is one of my current favorite notes. u/EldrormR sent me this gigantic smush of MdC Vetyver (don’t worry it wasn’t from the brain bowl.) I spread some of it around to others, so this “smush” is fueling today for a few. When I sniffed it, I said “this is good.” I’m noting Vetiver more in other things too, Varen, CB’s Maggards Meetup scent, etc. And finding I like that note. And it lasts a long time on my skin (Varen balm for example still smells through hours later. Don’t worry it makes an appearance this year). So, I decided to lean heavily into that vetiver element for #fof today. Vetiver 3 ways. These scents are all interesting, MdC is the spicy vetiver I love in the other things, Dirtyver true to it’s name has almost a muddly quality to it, and Vetifleur moves the Vetiver to the base and freshens up after Dirtyver. The same thing working in different ways.

Vetiver has an earthy quality to it so for #photocontest lets go with Earth, and some dirt (I need to get my grass to grow here.)

Today we go against the grain. This is a curious position for me. I’ve stated before the reason I don’t do the public shaves is I am averse to conflict generally (which is odd because my job is all conflict, it’s literally in the title of my office. But I digress.) As such the notion of “going against the grain” is not something I do much in life or in shaving. (Which is not to say I’m a conformist. I’m fairly non-conformist actually, I mean for God sakes, I’m not even 40 and my current hobbies are ham radio and wet shaving, I’m just weird. I just simply don’t seek out conflict and, if I find it, I try to exfiltrate myself from it as soon as possible. My friends are largely other non-conformist weirdos, and I don’t hang out in popular spots. When someone says, “Why don’t you do XYZ!” I usually go “meh” and walk away. So, to find myself drawn into this ongoing psychodrama between u/cowzilla3 and u/onionmiasma was a bit startling to me. But I suppose I must play the part. The drama needs a new villain to keep it fresh. And so I say: You sirs are fools, your mothers were ~~hamsters~~ Synth brushes and your fathers smelt of ~~elderberries.~~ Batters Up. I shall push back against the grain of the judges and the…dude pushing back against the judges! (This shouldn’t be physically possible but I guess we’ve come full circle or something).

Also, I did shave once ATG, (going down at the bottom of my neck and up everywhere else.) It was..meh. I set the Slim to 1 and upped it to 2 halfway. Thing is I don’t do an ATG pass normally, not worth the squeeze as it were. So, I couldn’t hold the angle, so it didn’t shave very well, so I look scruffy. Have some irritation around my lip and nose. I wonder how many will try to claim they’re going “against the grain” by not doing the challenge.

Also, I want to say something about the sponsor. I’ve been sick so I haven’t had the desire type much sponsor stuff. But Aurora Grooming has really been bringing it recently. He jumped head first into this Sub and created a fun sub brush with a custom coin. I used it yesterday and it’s a really fun shape. I bought a silly brush but he fitted a knot a sent and let me know the turn wasn’t perfect and that upset him (it’s wonderful). Now I know he’s got to “expend his business” or something so he’s sold out to those people at r/Wicked_Edge for a sub exclusive. But he’ll always be ours first! I haven’t been here long enough to watch the sub help launch a brand, but I hope this one works.

June 7, 2024

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Badger brush I've had forever with the maker's mark rubbed off
• Razor: Muhle Companion
• Blade: Astra Green (Indian)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Bespoke #1

I have no idea what vetiver smells like. Well, I mean, I googled it, and so I know what it’s supposed to smell like. But I don’t think I’ve ever smelled anything that was vetiver and only vetiver. So, basically, I have no idea if vetiver is particularly prominent in Bespoke #1. However, the Chiseled Face website says, “Bespoke #1's scent journey begins with Vetiver Essential Oil, grounding the fragrance with its deeply earthy, woody character.” I think that means I’m on theme. Mostly, I think it just smells spicy and my wife says it makes me smell like an old man. Also, this scent really lingers.

GeoFatBoy Special Challenge: One and done against the grain. On my leg. Because the points aren’t worth it for the carnage that would ensue if I tried that on my face.

ROTY

"GeoFatBoy Special Challenge: One and done against the grain. On my leg. Because the points aren’t worth it for the carnage that would ensue if I tried that on my face."

2024-06-07 LG SOTD

• Brush: Dogwood Milkglass (24x54mm Synth)
• Razor: GEM Heavy Flat Top / G-Bar (1955-1958)
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Faskally
• Post Shave: Mennen - Skin Bracer
• Fragrance: Azzaro pour Homme

If you ever wonder, "Does SpongeBob pick all the themes on his own?" or "Does SpongeBob just pick themes that he likes so that he can be on theme every day?" today should put those suspicions to rest.

At best, I tolerate vetiver. I have never ever found myself craving the scent of the stuff. I would never have included today's theme if it weren't for the input of other planners.

Faskally is acceptable. Grassy green with citrus brightness. Followed it up with some Skin Bracer just because they compliment each other nicely - there's no vetiver in Skin Bracer. And topped it off with probably the most-vetiver-forward fragrance in my collection, which honestly isn't that vetiver-heavy in my opinion. But... Azzaro does list Anise, Lavender, and Vetiver as the three core accords of the 300+ ingredient scent, so it's on-theme enough for today.

Gosh I hope I wrote the rest of the calendar to be more fun than today. I can barely remember the themes we chose this year... I'm just wingin' it and checking what the next day's theme is in every SOTD thread.

2024-06-07 - I Want Vetiver

• Lather: Saponifico Varesino - Desert Vetiver
• Post Shave: Saponifico Varesino - Desert Vetiver
• Fragrance: Saponifico Varesino - Desert Vetiver
• Razor: Wolfman Razors - Guerrilla (2023)
• Brush: Yaqi Metal Timberwolf

Unifying Theme: Hat Trick

Vetiver You Want:
Ah, vetiver. What are you and how do we pronounce you? /ˈvɛtɪvəɹ/, surely. I have the impression, though probably unsubstantiated, that /vɛˈtaɪvəɹ/ or /vɛˈtivəɹ/ aren't uncommon. Or perhaps you could opt to be more faithful to the original French, with /vɛtiˈve/, although that's straight-up ludicrous because vetiver is an English word in its own right, even if it is a borrowed one.

It reminds me of a time when someone tried to insist that the plural of ninja should be ninja because Japanese doesn't have grammatical plural. Like, that's great, dumbass, but ninja is also an English word, and guess which language actually does have grammatical plural?

But I digress.

GeoFatBoy Special:
Alright, so a single against-the-grain pass. ~~Vetiver~~ Whatever, an initial ATG pass doesn't bother me. I'm honestly a little surprised that so many of you are so bothered, but I can't speak for you. Obviously. I don't have your skin! Yet.

I would like to take this moment to address the razor, which surely helped for an annoyance-free ATG pass. This beautiful razor was a contribution from Wolfman Razors in support of our 2023 Lather Games, and I was the lucky recipient. There was a little bit of a debacle because I originally asked for a larger gap than worked for me. I'd like to also call out u/Priusaurus, who was encouraging while I sorted it out. Wolfman was more than happy to swap out the razor head, and it has been my daily razor since.

#FOF
I haven't used Desert Vetiver much since I got it, partly because I have so much other soap I need to use up, and partly because it has—in my mind—a kind of "special occasion" vibe to it. Maybe because it's not what you'd call "cheap," but both the lather and scent are nothing short of luxurious.

I originally didn't get a whole lot of vetiver out of it—am I an idiot? No (well...), but I had a few raw-er vetiver scents serving as a baseline (e.g. Varen, Hallows, Dirtyver), whereas Desert Vetiver is more complex. While Dirtyver revels in being unadulterated, in-your-face vetiver (not that there's anything wrong with that), Desert Vetiver wraps it up in a way that is appropriate to respectable society (that sounds more denigrating to vetiver than I intended).

There's a heart of vetiver that intermingles with amber, surrounded by a cushion of subtle florals and pepper. Lavender is clearly there, but I hesitate to mention it because I don't want to bring attention to it; it doesn't even bring attention to itself. I like this, because I'm pretty fed up with lavender, but I appreciate this.

On a related but separate topic, I'm just going to willfully disregard the likelihood that it was a joke, and am instead just looking forward to the licorice/anise + vetiver scent that u/c_bubbles is cooking up after u/tonality's recommendation.

#photocontest Cactus
I know what you're thinking:

"Hey, u/ginopono, why are you using a stylized depiction of that desert? Couldn't you just, you know, go outside and take a picture of the real thing?"

No.

No, I'm not going outside during the season that is literally called "Don't Step into the Sun or You'll Die"! Why do you think the picture doesn't even have the sun? There might be a day or two in January when it's safe, but for now, I'm staying where the sun can't get to me.

June 7th, 2024

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: AP Shave Co G5C #FAUXFUR
• Razor: Hoffritz Slant #ZAMAC #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet Carbon
• Lather: Rex Supply Co - 1977
• Post Shave: Floid - The Genuine
• Fragrance: Dior - Eau Sauvage

"Scent Notes: vetiver, patchouli, rose, tobacco, genuine leather, clove"

"The base notes of vetiver and patchouli beckon you, the natural and bohemian movements of the time guide you through the hazy entrance."

This is what Razor Emporium has to say about 1977. It's definitely vetiver forward. I grabbed this smush from a passaround of the two Rex slants. It's definitely a timey scent that lives up to it's namesake. I rounded out the shave with some other timey items; Floid and Dior, although their eras predate the Rex, they are certainly classic scented.

The GeoFatBoy special challenge feels more like a day off than a challenge. I do 3 passes daily, and honestly, if I didn't enjoy this hobby, the single pass against the grain makes more sense efficiency wise. I can see how it might be more problematic if you went several days with only the one pass. But with a single day of growth, the stubble is already so short its comparable to already having done a WTG and XTG pass. Anyway, super easy solo ATG pass this morning.

June 7, 2024 – LG Day 7 – Vetiver isn’t just dirt, apparently

• Brush: Semogue Owner’s Club Boar, Cherry Wood Handle
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Mike’s Natural Soaps – Vetiver
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts – Carpathia
• Fragrance: American Perfumer – Honeyed Vetiver

Today is my first time using a vetiver-forward fragrance that doesn’t just smell like dirt. It’s opened my eyes a bit, honestly. Thanks to u/wyze0ne for the smush – I’m considering snagging a tub when my buying hiatus/GRUYE is over. Mike’s Vetiver is deep and earthy and holds a nuttiness which reads as somehow sweet, like a forest floor covered in freshly cracked nuts. Clean earth, nothing like the dirty, smoky Dirtyver, which I had previously judged this scent note by. Not having any vetiver-forward splashes, I reached for SW Carpathia, as its wet stone note hits my nose as dirt/earth. This was initially gross to me when I first tried it, but it has grown on me enormously. As the stony opening fades, it dries down into a musky, bitter, herbal accord that feels like I’ve been transported into a dungeon in a fantasy TTRPG…that’s also somehow sexy? Even though there’s no vetiver here, it adds to the complex earth accord we’re building. Finally, Honeyed Vetiver is a feat. Think about how honey smells. Not literally how honey smells or tastes, but how we imagine it. That’s Honeyed Vetiver. It’s floral yet earthy, sweet but not sickly so. It is the true essence of honey, and makes today’s fragrance combination far more than the sum of its parts. I smell good today. #FOF

Challenge: I shaved against the grain, one pass, my entire head. I had to crank up the adjustable to 8 or 9 because I wasn’t getting an adequately close shave with the 5 it had been set at, and I didn’t want to cheat and do a second pass. You never know who might be watching. This was the least comfortable shave of the Games so far. Somehow, no bumpy redness though, so I guess my technique is alright. I don’t plan to shave against the grain again any time soon.

You know what should be cut against the grain, though? Meat. Muscle fibers (aka “the grain”) run in a particular direction in most cuts of meat. It’s worth noting that some cuts of meat find the grain switching direction in certain spots, because muscles are complicated. Also, some cuts (read: muscles) don’t get much of a workout, so the muscle fibers aren't very pronounced, and cutting ATG/WTG doesn’t really matter, like with filet mignon. For most cuts, however, slicing against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, making the meat easier to chew and enhancing its tenderness. Even if your uncle overcooked the strip steak (again), cutting against the grain will make your eating experience better. When meat is cut with the grain, the long muscle fibers remain intact, resulting in a tougher texture. This is bad. Don't do it. For more details, we can look to Kenji (there you go, u/bmac92).

June 07 2024: Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Dogclaration B9A 30mm #FRANKENBRUSH
• Blade: Shark Super Chrome (1)
• Razor: Gillette Slim #ADJUSTABLE
• Lather: West Coast Shaving - Grapefroot
• Post Shave: West Coast Shaving - Grapefroot
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver

The theme today is Vetiver, and the vetiver in Grapefroot combined with the zesty citrus makes this one of my favorites. Then for the fragrance I went with the dank Dirtyver, which is just a blast of earthy, dirty vetiver and I can only sum up my feelings about this frag in meme form.

The shave itself was fine, in keeping with the daily challenge I did a single pass against the grain, but to avoid irritation I set my Slim on the softer side, unlike GeoFatBoy I don't have leather skin. Definitely not the smoothest shave I've ever had but serviceable enough.

Sponsor Spotlight is Aurora Grooming, it has been fun seeing the progress they have been making in their brushes, and enjoyable to see a new artisan get the spirit of the community so quickly.

Jun. 7, 2024
Brush: AP Shave Co G5C
Razor: Karve CB
Blade: Astra SP Green [1]
Lather: A&E - Monte Carlo - Soap
Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented - Balm
Fragrance: Dior - Suavage

I’m not savage enough to attempt one pass against the grain. I would pay dearly.

Jun. 7, 2024 - Vetiver? I barely know her!

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving Exclusive MOAR BOAR (31 mm × 57 mm bleached boar) #SUBBROOSH #OLDWORLD

• Razor: Blackland Era SB LVL5

• Blade: Astra Green (1)

• Lather: Martin de Candre - Vetyver

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

• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - La Petite Prairie

Vetiver, one of those nebulus scents that for a long time i couldnt tell you at all what it smelled like. I would look atscent notes and go "vetiver, sure whatever that means." Then I got a sample of MdC Vetyver and Stirling Vetiver Witch Hazel and was even more confused! MdC smelled like a great green earthy grass and Stirling smelled like straight smoke. Then i found out it really depends on what type of vetiver it is, so now when I see vetiver on the scent notes i say "Vetiver, sure whatever that means."

Daily Challenge: ATG first, thanks guys for that one. I actually didnt really have much issue with going ATG first, I pulled out one of my most efficient razors and it went suprisingly well! what DID NOT GO WELL was the one and only one pass required for this challenge. I thought I did a good job but sitting at work realized i missed a giant spot in the corner of my mouth/lip area and its bugging the shit out of me! Thats the area that my XTG pass always gets and i totally missed it today. All in the name of 0.2 points i guess...

Daily Theme Justification: MdC Vetyver, 204 days of Vetiver packed into one brain bowl of soap

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: All prominently vetiver, MdC Vetyver is a green Vetiver scent, Stirling a smoky Vetiver scent, and Chatillon Lux LPP a grassy Vetiver scent.

Jun. 7, 2024 - #AirWillBeBud

Lather: Actually whatever I want because I am free to choose, not ruled by some harem of shaving dictators!

The judge sthink they're soooo funny with their puns and "clever" wordplay. We know the truth, though. They would never let us shave with whatever we like (even on that day where they pretend to let us shave with whatever we like) because that would mean admitting they have no control! Vetiver You Like may be the most insidious theme of them all!

If you feel the same way, join me in Air Bud Rule III: The Search for Sukerim and help us topple the judges from their shaving pedestals. The second Air Bud Treasure will be discovered, Air Bud Rulians. Stay strong.

#AirWillBeBud

LG 7 - Vetiver you want

• Brush: Zenith - MOAR BOAR #OLDWORLD #SUBBROOSH
• Razor: Straight Razor Wade&Butcher For Barber's Use 8/8 #REVENANT
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver
• Post Shave: Aion Skincare - Vetiver
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver edp

Today election was Catie's 322 soap, but I couldn't decide if it smelled more like vetiver or patchouli so I opted for DG Dirtyver. It's on my top tier of vetiver scented soaps, I can't recommend it enough to all vetiver lovers.

The Wade&Butcher arrived in a "decent" shape for a late 1800's straight razor, but the scales needed a little hydration and polishing, I couldn't save the pivot pins when I had to disassemble the blade to clean the rust in the tail and pivot area. I had to replace it with a new one, the scale wedge pivot is the original.

The blade was a little bent I needed to correct the geometry to beign able to hone it and clean some ugly rust holes on the edge.

.#FOF Not too much creativity today, begin and finish with Dirtyver, but in the interlude Aion Vetiver introduced some air in the composition with a less vetiver oriented scent, in this the vetiver is more of a vessel for the others scents than the main note, it remains me to Pannacrema Vetiver PURE2O soap, with a colonia scent.

I almost forgot today's #CHALLENGE write-up. In one word, NEVER. I never shaved against the grain so I just did first my second pass only that's across the grain and ended the shave. I may not win the points, but I saved the face.

• June 7
• Brush: Chisel and Hound – 26mm AP Shave Co Synbad
• Razor: Lather Catcher #FOREVERSAFETY
• Blade: GEM
• Lather: Shannon’s Soaps - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Epsilon - Amber
• Fragrance: Dolce & Gabbana – K

Another thank you to u/iamhonestlylying for sending me this smush of Shannon Soaps Vetiver. This soap is basically Mother Nature giving you a bear hug after a rainstorm. It’s earthy, grounding, and frankly, a little dirty smelling. I didn’t think something that is designed to cleanse (soap) could smell dirty, yet here we are. The consistency of the soap was gooey, but it ended up lathering nicely and gave me a good shave. Never used Shannon’s Soaps before and it certainly wasn’t the best shaving soap I’ve used, but it got the job done. This is not a scent that I’d be interested in buying, but for Vetiver Day, it wasn’t bad to change things up from my typically scents of my shaving stuff.

Next, I used Epsilon Amber Splash, which has base notes of vetiver, patchouli and musk. It took the vetiver foundation of the shave soap I used and built a nice, ambery scent around it. It’s a nice warm, spicy aroma that perfectly complements the vetiver base of the soap. The amber notes are rich and comforting, a wonderful finish to the shave, and the splash left my skin feeling refreshed and invigorated.

To cap off the SOTD, I went with Dolce & Gabbana’s K. It opens with a bright blend of citrus and juniper, eventually revealing deeper notes of cedarwood and patchouli. It’s the perfect scent to finish my earthy/amber shave.

Challenge: One, against the grain pass? Sure. Not the most comfortable, but I think I’d rather do one, against the grain pass with quality products instead of 3 passes with drugstore day stuff. So I have that going for me. Which is nice.

ROTY

June 7, 2024 - Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Yaqi Surf 22mm #SMOLL
• Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - 921-M
• Blade: Gillette - Silver Blue
• Lather: Mike’s Natural Soaps - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Clubman - After Shave Lotion

Thank you again u/Tetriside for the smush. Great soap and the scent of this one reminded me exactly of those maple nut candied peanuts. Also the first time ever trying Mikes Natural Soaps and it lathers very easily, but thought it was rather thirsty which I don’t mind.

The 921-M is easily the best razor I’ve tried to date. I actually love the stock handle and works perfectly for me. Yaqi markets this brush as having a 47mm loft.

I’m still healing from the Feather and Barbasol debacle the other day, so the idea of one ATG pass would be rather foolish. All of my growth is in the goatee area too, which is sensitive. So that would have been a nightmare. Sorry GeoFatBoy….

ROTY

• Brush: Stirling - Synthetic 2 band.
• Razor: Gillette - Black handle Super Speed #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet - Carbon steel.
• Lather: Ariana and Evans - Vetiver Magnifique.

ROTY

Today I shaved with Stirling Faskally soap and a Stirling badger brush. I used a Merkur 45 Bakelite with an Astra blade. I followed up with La Petite Prairie aftershave and Faskally edt.

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Saponificio Varesino - Desert Vetiver
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Citricuya - Balm
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Confluence

Daily Write-Up
Props to the Hon. u/Djundjila for the soap. I had never tried any Saponificio Varesino before. Both the soap performance and scent were great. I could totally see picking this up.

Going ATG and only ATG? Loved that less. I used a really mild razor and still ended up skipping and nicking my chin.

Soap Theme Justification
Vetiver is right there in the name.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Given the grassy scent of vetiver, I decided to do a theme of variations on the outdoors. Started with the DV, then went to B&M Citrucaya, which though it’s got a lot of citrus, I get more green florals taking over. It reminds me of the bike trails near where I grew up in summer, when everything is blooming. Lastly, I put on Confluence, which has a strong evergreen note.

June 7, 2024

V FOR VETIVER

(theme: Vetiver You Want)

• Brush: Black & Yellow Merit 99-5 by Heritage Collection Shaving / AP Shave Faux Boar Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: Muhle - Hexagon DE89
• Blade: Treet - Carbon Steel #STAINLESSLESS
• Lather: Cyril L. Salter - French Vetiver Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - 322 After Shave
• Fragrance: Heeley - Vetiver Veritas

WHY I LOVE IT

Just like Haitian spirits (rhum agricole and Clairin, a "no-filter" distillate full of rough edges), Vetiver walks the the fine line between smooth and wild, bright and dark, the tension between being a boasting crowd pleaser and an idiosyncratic loner with a truthful story to tell.

TODAY'S SPECIAL CHALLENGE: A GRASSROOTS SHAVE

ATG as first and only pass. Just as I did when I was an impatient teen in high school. Today's throwback shave with a DE was also my first time using a Carbon Steel blade. It went all fine, with the exception of the Danger Zone on the right side of my neck, where I couldn't get as clean as I wished. But well, there's always tomorrow.

AS TRUE AND AUTHENTIC AS IT GETS

On day 7, I feel it's time to open up and share some real truth.
In this fake digital world, we all struggle for a spark of authenticity.
To me, Vetiver is the olfactory equivalent of that spark.
The following two little chapters are like my bottles of Vetiver essential oil: just pure truth, distilled.

MY QUEST FOR TRUE VETIVER

My quest for True Vetiver started in the world of fragrances.

From the respected French classics (Guerlain, Givenchy, Dior) to the British reinterpretations, I was trying out anything that claimed to be the definitive answer to The Question About Vetiver.

Then I turned to Essential Oils: as I wanted to better understand Haitian Vetiver, during a trip to Paris I thought: "well, France made Vetiver a hero of male perfumery, and Haiti is a former French colony; as I have no chances to physically visit Haiti, let's see what the French can teach me about Vetiver". I went to stores specialized in herbalist products, and purchased a couple of essential oils made with the actual plant.

Their smell felt so great, that my perspective on Vetiver fragrances shifted drastically: as the real thing smelled so great, the biggest challenge for perfumers is, in my opinion, to find a way to elevate the ingredient without betraying it, the way that the best chefs can make a refined meal with even the most humble ingredient.

TODAY'S FEATS OF FRAGRANCE WITH VETIVER

I decided to start with Salter's French Vetiver, one the most "truthful" vetiver soap I could find here in the Old World (more authentic, to me, than MdC or LPL). It does remind of the root notes of the essential oils I tried, but without the fresh aromatic complexity I expected. From this honest but underwhelming base, I leapt into the understated complexity of CB's 322: if you smell it on its own, you could even be tempted to say that it's a simple scent that just smells like, well, good vetiver. But the comparison with French Vetiver reveals that 322 is actually a well blended accord, where the smooth yet fragrant (not overripe) black currant note acts like a prism to multiply the facets of this beauty.
Heeley's Vetiver Veritas takes me back to the canonic accord with a citrus and a green element, but with an inversion that makes it way more enjoyable than heavy-handed alternatives like Malle's Vetiver Extraordinaire (whose drydown for me is just bad).

FOF

THE QUEST IS OVER, AT LAST!

As an uncanny coincidence, today I went to the market and found a new stand with exotic fruits and vegetables. Next to the cash register, some green stems put there for decoration looked somewhat familiar. Hesitantly, I asked: "Is that...".

"C'est du Vetiver!" replied the vendor, a lean guy with Afro-Caribbean traits.

Filled with joy, I thanked him and bought some of it to bring it home, and add it to my SOTD pic.

THE TRUTH LIES IN THE BIGGER PICTURE

"Do you hear amidst the vetiver the loud cry of sweat?"

This quote from Afro-Caribbean poet Aimé Cesaire helps me shift the perspective and reveal some less-appealing truths beyond the comfort of the carefully selected frame.

While I did respect my promise for two little chapters of truth, I then embellished it with the inauthentic anecdote about the market vendor. A cheap trick to remind us all to remain vigilant and pay attention to the bigger picture.

Seduced by the stories of sophistication woven by perfume brands, we could easily forget that most of the world's Vetiver is harvested thanks to the hard labor of Haitian workers, on an island that has faced countless crises since it became the first Caribbean independent state, and the first Black republic. Foreign powers (mostly France and the US) kept trying to exploit it for decades. Today, the "Pearl of the Caribbean" is one of the poorest countries in the world, torn by a political and humanitarian emergency.

My little onion trick intends to be a reminder - first of all to myself - to not take out of the picture the hard sweat-smelling truths that make possible our daily comforts.

photocontest

ROTY

June 7 Lather: Barrister and Mann - Hallows

• Brush: AP Shave Co Cashmere 24mm Emerald handle
• Razor: Karve Overlander
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Hallows - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann- Hallows - Splash
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Fougere Nemeta - Edp
• Music: Hooray for the Riff Raff - Vetiver

TODAY THEME: In my closet full of soap tubs and samples, I don’t have one tub labeled “vetiver.”However, I dug deep, found this tub of Barrister and Mann’s HALLOWS. And realized it absolutely qualified for today’s theme.

In Barrister and Mann’s official scent description, VETIVER is always listed as the FIRST note.

“Taking inspiration from the swamps and churchyards of the city, we combine vetiver, oakmoss, black pepper, cocoa, labdanum, and cedar to produce a deep, cold scent suited to the chilly, bitter days of late October.”

Early reviews, like this one from Daily Lather

“The Sri Lankan vetiver starts to grab you. This is not your happy, bright green vetiver. This version is deep, full-bodied and complex.”

When Will was asked if he was bringing back a Vetiver scent on another discussion forum, his response was: “No, the only vetiver fragrance we will produce this year will be Hallows. Otherwise, they don't seem to sell well for us.”

My favorite description of Hallows on another forum: “To me, it smells like dark chocolate mixed in a vetiver-heavy stew.”

Enough on theme justification. This scent is imo one of Will’s masterpieces. Along with Leviathan, Vespers, Lavanille, and a few others. But some people hate it. For the newer folks around here, if you haven’t tried Barrister and Mann, or if you gave one a shot and gave up on it quickly, I’d strongly encourage you to have patience with Will’s scents. They are often not immediate hits for me. They grow on me. First whiff I am usually wondering what the hell he was thinking. 2nd whiff, eh, this is not too bad. 3rd use, hey this is alright. 4th, damn, this is pretty fuckin’ good. By the 5th time I’m wanting to buy backup tubs. To keep the vetiver theme going, I sprayed lightly a little Fougere Nemeta on my wrists. I got fall Vetiver up top and spring below.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: I’ve never done a first pass against the grain. What the hell, why not? I pulled out my Karve Overlander in brass. Easily my best razor ATG. I was expecting the worst. You know what? This was a hell of a shave. I went ATG, WTG, ATG. I think that was the closest shave I’ve had all year. Zero irritation. Maybe Omnibus helped. Who knew. This is why we do shit like the Lather Games, I guess.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT: Another reason to do the lather games – I get to find out about vendors I haven’t used before. I don’t have an Aurora grooming handle but after looking through their site, I’m now interested. I’ll get one this year. To honor Aurora grooming today, I grabbed my AP Shave Co. Cashmere brush. Looks like Aurora sells this knot.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“ME, MY THOUGHTS ARE FLOWER STREWN: OCEAN STORM, BAYBERRY MOON. I HAVE GOT TO LEAVE TO FIND MY WAY, I HAVE GOT TO FIND THE RIVER... BERGAMOT AND VETIVER RUN THROUGH MY HEAD AND FALL AWAY. "

—R.E.M., 'FIND THE RIVER'

[LG2024- June 7th “More saving, More doing”] (https://imgur.com/a/NrBcO4k)

• Brush: Elite Razor Custom Birch Timberwolf Synthetic
• Razor: Razorock GC .84
• Blade: Astra Green (6)
• Lather: Martin De Candre- Vetyver
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming- Le Petite Prairie

Shave: Thanks to u/solongamerica for the MDC smush. This is my first experience with Martin De Candre. I have had my eye on one their infamous tubs for awhile but haven’t pulled the trigger. I was pleasantly surprised. The bowl lather initially started out very bubbly but after the slow addition of water this stuff turn into one of the best lathers I have had in a while and the resulting shave was great. Vetiver is not a note that my nose initially enjoys, it is too dry and grassy. After this was lathered I actually quite enjoyed the scent.

Challenge: ATG all the way…except for my neck which I simply cannot shave anything but WTG or I can’t shave for a few days from the irritation.

Viewing: Vetiver is a type of grass. The smell of grass always reminds me of my first job doing landscaping and mowing/trimming grass for a few neighbors. I would often have to head to Home Depot for new trimmer line or for various other tools of the trade. The Home depots ads for the past decade have all featured the same voice, actor Josh Lucas from Sweet Home Alabama and Glory Road. Nowadays i recognize him more for his voice than anything else.

ROTY

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Terrafirma Soapery – 28mm G5C #COMPOSITE #PREMIUMPLASTIC #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: Gillette – Blue Tip SuperSpeed
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Mike’s Natural Soaps – Vetiver Soap
• Post Shave: Tallow & Steel – Rainforest Splash
• Fragrance: Guerlain – Vetiver EdT

First things first, thanks u/Tetriside for the smush

I gotta be honest here, I didn’t have any wacky shavanigans planned to celebrate Vetiver Day. If I had to describe Vetiver in one word: Earthy, I guess? I don’t really know. This isn’t really a scent I’d typically go for. But the beauty of the Lather Games is trying new things (check), interacting with the community (double-check), and have entertaining posts (shit!). Okay. Gotta think. Gotta think of something… ANYTHING. I google “Vetiver” and it’s a grass… What the hell is entertaining about grass? I briefly consider creating a shaving brush out of blades of grass, but I only have one smush of this soap and I’m not confident enough that would work. I don’t want to burn the one smush of anything Vetiver I have on something that could ruin the smoosh, DQ me, and tank my chances of a repeat. What else could I do? I cut my grass. And it IS getting a little too tall… Could I shave while cutting my grass?

In the words of Kevin Garnett: ANYTHING IS POSSIBBBBBBLLLLEEEEEEEEE!!!

Gather up my shave stuff and head outside to shave and mow my lawn. Multitasking at its finest! Is this a stupid idea? Undoubtedly, but I’ve also had worse. And do I feel the need to go above and beyond and do stupid shit for the Lather Games?? Also, a resounding yes!!

So, here I am shaving while mowing the lawn for Vetiver Day.

From a logistical point of view those silly lawnmower safety switches make shaving and mowing a little difficult. I opted to bowl load, and hooked the Stirling Travel bowl to a carabiner clip, attached to my belt loop so I could lather one handed. The interesting thing about mowing the lawn while shaving and only doing an against the grain pass is you only get one take. If I were to do this again, I’d alter the camera placement a little bit and maybe speed up the video in post production, but all and all, I think I nailed it.

The scent of vetiver was perfect for a nice outdoor shave. Lathering with it gave me a sense of one-ness with the earth (which was immediately counteracted by the gasoline fumes from my lawnmower.) The scent of the soap was actually deeper than I initially expected. I used T&S Rainforest for the splash, which has Vetiver one of the top notes. I thought I was smelling Vetiver pretty prominently, but others could say it’s mostly Frankinsence and Fir. Whatever. It’s all naturey things. Then for the finishing #FOF touches, I used Vetiver by Guerlain, which is very obviously Vetiverific! This isn’t the scent profile I typically go for, but it was nice for a change. All in all, it great to be outside, shave outside, and smell like the outside while doing outside things!

Challenge Against the grain for just one pass. Done and done. Actually, worked out well for multitasking to only have to do one pass. I did choose the mild Blue Tip Super Speed for today’s shave (for obvious reasons), but it wasn’t bad.

Soap Theme Justification: Ummmm… Ya know. It’s in the name.

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Vetiver is ever-present in the splash and the frag is called Vetiver… So… Yeah…

Jun. 7, 2024
Prep: Warm Shower - - Preshave
Brush: Stirling 2-Band Synthetic Brush
Razor: Rockwell 6C - Gunmetal
Blade: Rockwell Swedish Steel [11]
Lather: Zingari Man - The Explorer - Soap
Post Shave: Kroger - Witch Hazel - Aftershave
Post Shave:* Stirling - Alum Block

The label says Citrus, Woods, and Vetiver.

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

6/7/24 Lather Games shave

• Brush: Rudy Vey / TGN finest

• Lather: Stirling - Port au Prince

• Razor: Schick Krona w/ Suneko

• Post Shave: Stirling - Port au Prince ASB

• Fragrance: Carven- Vetiver EDT

Love me some Stirling mutton tallowy goodness… and I’ve always loved this scent from them, a good excuse to pair with some vetiver cologne and it all happens to go very well with the gray morning we’re having here. The green-handled Rudy Vey brush seemed like a natural fit with the rest of today’s gear.

Happy Friday, I hope everyone is having a good end to the week.

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Wolfman WRB2 Bronze w/AP Shave Co MiG 26mm Premium Hybrid
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR4/WRH3
• Blade: Feather Artist Club Professional (8)
• Lather: Saponificio Varesino - Desert Vetiver - Soap
• Post Shave: Saponificio Varesino - Desert Vetiver - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
• Fragrance: Hermès - Terre D'Hermès Eau Intense Vetiver - Eau de Parfum
• Talc: Yardley Gold
   

---

Terrible shave. No cuts or irriation, and the shave result is what I would expect from one pass, but the whole Geofatboy approach (1 pass, ATG) did not work for me. Even though, I normally only do two passes, I missed the time I would take for that extra pass. I'm sure much of this is just familiarity, but I am no longer a fan of the 1-pass shave.

Prep: Prorasso White Pre Shave
Brush: Vielong Alter Brown Horsehair #HORSESASS
Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable #ADJUSTABLE #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
Blade: Gillette Platinum
Lather: Wholly Kaw - Rebelle
Post Shave: Alum, Proraso - White Aftershave Balm, Taylor of Old Bond Street  - Royal Forest
Fragrance: Ex Nihilo - The Hedonist

Challenge: Absolutely not. If I'm going to shave my face daily for the next 3 weeks, I need to still have a face.

Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Frank Shaving - FR 0929 Pure Badger Shaving Brush 20 mm × 47 mm #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS #SMOLL #RUNT
• Razor: Star - Cadet #TWINS
• Razor: Ever Ready - 1912
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Saponificio Varesino - Desert Vetiver
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Vetiver
• Fragrance: The Scottish Fine Soaps Company – Vetiver & Sandalwood

I like vetiver. I like it fresh and with citrus, I like it smoky, earthy and dank, and I like it woody-spicy. Today, I'm using one of each of these versions.

Theme justification: Desert Vetiver is a clean scent with a spicy citrus opening on a solid base of vetiver. It's a dupe of Eau Intense Vétiver by Terre d'Hermès and a staple in our household. Both my wife and I love this fragrance (dupe and original).

Post & frag relevance: Stirling Vetiver is a dank, earthy vetiver. I've never smelled Eufros Vetiver de Haití, but Stirling Vetiver smells like u/VisceralWatch describes Vetiver de Haití. This is a stark contrast with the fresh Desert Vetiver, but prepares the ground for a warmer, woodier vetiver in SFSC's Vetiver and Sandalwood. The Stirling toner was a gift from u/Semaj3000, and the frag from my sister in law.

Speaking of whom, during LG 2021, I decided I had to try GEM razors, and there was this Semaj fellow with a "SE Cultist" flair so I asked him where to start. He recommended looking for a 1912-style GEM and suggested looking at French eBay where they are readily available under the Star brand, and that's how I ended up buying this pretty Star Cadet. Both Semaj and VisceralWatch still had razor thrill back then and quickly asked me to find some for them too, and this is how our first group chat got the title "Star Cadets". It was soon renamed to "GEMs of Wisdom: Finding Serenity in Austerity planning committee" when u/EldrormR joined and we planned the first MMOC(MM) challenge in August of 2021. This challenge in turn led to the first iteration of RoboDjudge, a simple bot for tracking participation in AA challenges with a truly horrific Reddit message-based user interface. It would later grow into the Djudge Portal you are now using to check the djudges' work.

Challenge: It is consensus that starting with an ATG pass is a bad idea. It seems so obvious that we don't tend to question it. But why? If the lather is slick, the blade is sharp, why would it matter? I believe it's superstition and I'm curious to see how others feel about it following today's challenge. Star Cadet on the left side of my face, Ever Ready 1912 on the right. Both with fresh GEM blades. One pass ATG, easy peasy. Not as close as I'd like, but not bad.

The Frank Shaving brush is thoroughly unimpressive and since that's how it's priced, there is no surprise there. It does a passable job.

#photocontest: Did you know that vetiver is a grass?

DJ offers a history of friendship, group chats, and the portal. People may enjoy hearing how the games/portal/etc. has evolved over the years.

The judges want an ATG SOTD the judges get a ATG SOTD. I guess it means the robot djudge is growing in coverage.

ATG shave posted on ATG forum

June 7, 2024 – Lather Games 2024 Day 7: Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Aurora Grooming – Hulkamaniac 26mm Cashmere
• Razor: Bengall 5/8
• Lather: Fine Accoutrements – Fresh Vetiver
• Post Shave: Hoffman’s Shave & Soap Co. – Raven
• Fragrance: Essential Parfums – Mon Vetiver

Use of Theme: Vetiver You Want

Last year I would’ve pulled the Dirtyver dickhole, but Mrs_D hated it, so Dirtyver and I parted ways last September. It turns out to be an amicable parting as Fresh Vetiver satisfies and scratches that itch. You know the saying, happy spouse, happy house. I called a last minute audible, having nearly mince-o-matic’d my face, and changed from Fine aftershave to Hoffman’s for some additional nourishment. It has a greener note than does the Fresh Vetiver and soothed my skin nicely. The fragrant finish of Mon Vetiver is an excellent compliment to the others providing some warmth and sweetness.

Daily Challenge: GeoFatBoy Special

I take everything with a grain of salt, these days. And, unlike some people, am willing to seek what good there may be from what the aforementioned cast off in ignorance or hate. GeoFatBoy’s content is no different. If anything, I picked up tips on how to go about shaving with a straight razor. So that’s what I’m going with today for the challenge, a never-before-tried ATG pass with my Bengall 5/8. And today’s shave is one for the WetTube gag reel. Not that I had anything going for today’s video, but, right in the middle of shaving, Mrs_D knocks on the wall from the shower on the other side of the shave den and yells at me to bring her the towel she forgot. Half-shaved, I figured I would just sign off and call it done. Apparently I pushed the button to start recording and the rest is what we have today. The razor is great, the ensuing shave and video not so great.

Here’s to better shaves, and be kind to one another.

Edit: formatting

Jun. 7, 2024

• Brush: Dubl Duck

• Razor: Gillette 1963 Aristocrat #ADJUSTABLE

• Blade: Nacet [6]

• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - 322

• Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles - 322

• Fragrance: Christian Dior - Sauvage Elixir

Vetiver you want with a GeoFatboy against the grain special.

Just yesterday I posted that GeoFatboy was my favorite wetTuber and now It’s shave like him day. I have no problem going against the grain as my first pass, when I started shaving 36 years ago it was always against the grain just to get it over with. To this day if I’m in a rush ATG it is.

I love CB 322, I have 2 tubs and 2 bottles of AS just in case Chis ever stops making it. I normally use it on the 22nd of every month as a reminder of 3/22/23 when I was told I was in heart failure. I’ve posted the whole story before so to make it short and sweet, I use it to make sure I never forget where I was and to keep doing what I’m doing so I don’t end up there again.

Frag I went with Sauvage Elixir, just like 322 a little goes along way. The base notes of Patchouli and Haitian Vetiver for me, are in perfect harmony with 322.

Photo contest Theme Animal

This is my Molly Girl AKA The Little Shit. She was my dog, I had dogs before her and I have 3 Huskies right now, but she was my dog. She went everywhere with me. Years ago I worked at a marina, and she would come to work with me every day. She hung out with the other 2 marina dogs Axel and Amy. They were brother and sister, and Molly was the little shit trouble maker. She was called little shit so much that if you just said shit, she would come running. Sadly 9 years ago, while my middle son was walking her, she just dropped. Turns out she had an aneurysm and went just like that. I am sad that i did not really see her that day when I left for work she was sleeping on the couch. I still remember the phone call from my wife and rushing home. I’m tearing up just typing this out. So anyway today’s picture is My Molly girls ashes.

P.S. I used the Dubl Duck brush in honor of her. She used to love chasing the ducks by the lake.

#ROTY #FOF #photocontest

LG24-07: Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps Hopper 28mm Boti Stone Middle Flower SHD Badger Knot
• Razor: Mühle R41
• Blade: Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Stainless (Green) [4]
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Hallows - Splash
• Fragrance: Lalique - Encre Noire A L'Extreme - Eau de Parfum

Oh, Vetiver! How do I love thee. Let me count the ways. Dirtyver, Hallows, and Encre Noire are a vetiver power trio.

For today's challenge, the R41 seemed especially qualified for the job. Not bad for a single pass against the grain. Took it slow with short strokes.

07 June 2024 Non Complementary Non Dickkhole Caties Bubbles Dirty Prose

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Aurora Grooming Synth
• Razor: Aylsworth Apex
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (39)
• Lather: Caties Bubbles - Dirty Prose (19)
• Post Shave: Caties Bubbles - Pine Barrens A/S
• Post Shave: Thayer's Concoction
• Post Shave: Good Oleo
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented Balm
• Fragrance: Lalique - Encre Noir Sport

Got all my Vetiver in, from none other than the current king of wetshaving vetiver - CB

Revolutions is a robust blend of vetiver and cedarwood, might also be something else in there. Pairing it with Pine Barrens and Encre Noir Sport was the way to go today

Cheers

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks purple burl AP Shave Co. 24mm MiG
• Razor: Schick Injector
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Fine Accoutrements – Fresh Vetiver
• Post Shave: Australian Private Reserve – Coeur de Vert
• Post Shave: Zingari – Unscented

Today’s shave was possible thanks to a smush from u/Impressive_Donut114. I didn’t really know what vetiver smells like and only know that there are different types of vetiver. Maybe I will need to explore other iterations of vetiver someday. Onto my olfactory reverie, where I immediately caught a big hit of florals. There was some grassy/earthy dampness (vetiver?) but the florals were very prominent to me. This was not what I was expecting as I awaited the smell of walking through a grassy field to materialize, now just a fleeting expectation. As I was washing off, I think I may have had a touch of powderiness come into play too. Maybe this is the fresh that accompanies the vetiver. I have already spoke of my potpourri loving grandma, but this scent is undeniably my maternal grandmother who had an affinity to use floral perfumes, a nod to her flower garden. I dreaded it when I was a young child, an overpowering punch of flowers and powder that was so common with “old people.” I can tell you exactly where I stood each time I went into that house, stood in line for a hug and kiss, then tossed my coat onto the master bed to head downstairs to play with my cousins. Is it my favorite technically created scent? No. But that shouldn’t stop me from enjoying it either.

Challenge: I did it, I went straight to ATG and nicked my neck too. I used my most aggressive razor last year. This year, my least. I think I prefer the least.

FOF

Today I used the The Elements: Earth. My SOTD coming from my garden bed of peas, and more importantly, dirt = Earth. #Photocontest

Vetiver You Want * Brush: Yaqi Ferrari #PREMIUMPLASTIC
Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 #TWINS
Blade: Bic
Lather:* Mondial - Nobilis

The vetiver note is the most prominent one here, and the scent is very nice overall.

photocontest Wood. Wooden bowl of the soap makes all the difference here.

Today’s Challenge: GeoFatBoy Special

The only ATG pass with DE89 is not my favorite way to shave. Thanks to yesterday’s shave, there was not too much stubble and my shave could be social acceptable.

Friday, June 7, 2024

• Brush: Declaration Grooming - Cream Jefferson - 28mm B16
• Razor: Karve Shaving Co. - Overlander (Matte Black Aluminum)
• Blade: Personna Med Prep
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Glace Herbe - Soap
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - Glace Herbe - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Martin de Candre - Vétyver - Eau de Toilette

Glace Herbe is a refreshing blend of vetiver and menthol. Vétyver EdT is a great vetiver fragrance.

Day 7

• Brush: Yaqi – 20mm Badger #SMOLL #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: Gem 1912 #TWINS #FLIPTOP
• Razor: Star 1912
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Shannon's Soaps – Vetiver Soap
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon's - Rose of Phrygia Splash
• Fragrance: Givenchy - Gentleman Society EdP

Vetiver: For when you want to smell like dirt!

First up, Shannon's Soaps – Vetiver. Let me tell you, this soap packs a punch. It's like scrubbing your face with a forest floor. It's rugged, it's earthy, gritty, and just a tad bit reminiscent going camping in the woods. Ever want to pretend like your shaving with mud, and not shaving soap? Because this is it. It actually lathered up nicely and provides a nice shave, so maybe smelling like Mother Earth isn't the worst thing ever. It’s an interesting wake-up call for a regular morning shave, but maybe a tad too "mountain man" for the office. Fortunately the splash and fragrance take this shave beyond smelling like the woods.

To finish the shave, I used Dr. Jon's Rose of Phrygia Splash. Now, before you scoff and imagine your grandma's doilies coming to life, hear me out. This ain't your average wilting tea party rose. This is a rose that rides motorcycles and takes names. It’s got vetiver to nail the theming of today and this dark, mysterious vibe going on, like a rose that wears a leather jacket! Like a badass in every 90s sitcom!

Finally, to tie this #FOF olfactory masterpiece together, I threw on some Gentleman Society EdP. It’s woody, and has vetiver. Absolutely smells more refined than the one note vetiver shave soap I used, but still has that earthiness to remind me that I’m alive! This fragrance swooped in with a classic, crisp finish and it toned down the forest lumberjack from the shave and dialed up the debonair.

Is this really a challenge?? I feel like, as a whole, people are a bit over-dramatic about shaving against the grain. I’ve put my face through much worse than an against the grain shave. No problem. Did half my face against the grain with one 1912 and the other half against the grain with the other 1912. Now I need some moisturizer!

For #photocontest: Elements: Fire

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “Vetiver You Want”… WTF is Vetiver?? From what I understand, it’s basically grass, so in honor of grass: The Top 5 Celebrity Stoners:

5.) Matthew McConaughey – Alright, alright, alright…

4.) Cheech and Chong – Sure, cannabis is cool now, but these two haven’t been shy about hiding it since their 1978 movie “Up in Smoke”

3.) Willie Nelson – Another OG of the grass game. Has his own brand called “Willie’s Reserve”

2.) Seth Rogen – Is he still a thing? I feel like there was a time when he was in every single comedy movie being released and unfortunately, it seems like that time has come and gone.

1.) Snoop Dogg – Snoop! Snoop-A-Loop! Bring your green hat!

I'm enjoying the top 5s here. It's a good way to have an ongoing bit that doesn't take a long time to write and read.

June 7, 2024

• Brush: r/wetshaving Zenith Moar Boar #SUBBROOSH #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Henson AL13
• Blade: Treet Carbon Steel #STAINLESSLESS (2)
• Lather: Martin de Candre – Vetyver
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – ? 2019
• Fragrance: FZOTIC – Vetiverissimo

Don’t watch GeoFatBoy. Apparently I get one pass ATG, so be it. To quote coastal elite all around masshole douchebag Dave Portnoy “one bite, everyone knows the rules” (does he know u/priusaurus? At least Prius is a stand up guy). Today, in honor of National Donut Day and GeoFatBoy, today is “one bite everyone knows the rules, one pass everyone knows the rules.” This shave dedicated to the man who bumped me from the podium last year u/impressive_donut114. Also, for today’s #PHOTOCONTEST, obviously Donut. To all the photography hacks waiting for Sweet Sunday, how original.

Let’s keep #FOF short and sweet. MdC vetyver (thanks for the smoosh u/solongamerica) was a brighter citrusy take, kind of along the lines of lemon grass or verbena, but still rooted with some earthiness. DG ? is an earthier take, also probably due to the rosemary and tobacco also in there. Vetiverissimo, at least on the short time I’ve worn it today, is the earthier and dirtiest of the bunch. Think hot dried out grass, but somehow a bit of wet earth clinging to the roots.

As for our sponsor, I am not super familiar with Aurora grooming, however part of their mission is preventing veteran suicide through donations from sale of products. As I mentioned yesterday in my video, it is Men’s Mental Health Month, so let’s keep lifting each other up through our LG shenanigans, check on those we care about, and check on the internet strangers following a shave calendar in June.

soap brands 7/30, post shave 7/30, frag 7/30, post/frag linked 7/30, software sponsors 4/16, hardware sponsors 6/2, razor hashtags 5/15, brush hashtags 8/15, photo contest 7/30, daily challenges 6/26, special challenges 1/4

User celebrates national donut day by literally stuffing his lathered face

June 7, 2024 - Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Semogue 610 #OLDWORLD #SMOLL
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird SS #CNC
• Blade: Wizamet (24)
• Lather: Mike's Natural Soaps - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw - Rebelle
• Fragrance: Berceuse Parfum - Allegretto 7.2

I love puns. But, “Vetiver you want” is terrible.

Challenge: More wetuber nonsense. Can’t I just wear a bandana? I used the Blackbird for efficiency and did 1 pass ATG.

Vetiver is a scent note that was hard to get grasp on when I first took an interest in fragrance. It’s not in my pantry, or my garden, or growing in my yard. I don’t know of any uses it has outside of perfumery. I have some soaps and edts that have vetiver as a scent note. But, there's other notes fighting for attention with those fragrances. I saw a question in the daily thread about vetiver soaps a few months ago and someone recommended Mike’s. I hadn’t used Mike's soap. But, it was in stock. I thought it would be a good chance to smell a single note vetiver scent. So, I ordered a tub. It’s nice to have this frame of reference for vetiver. The tradeoff is that when I smell this my brain thinks "this is what vetiver smells like,” rather than trying to identify the scent of vetiver in the fragrance. So, how do I describe this? The scent off the tub is grassy and sweet. When lathered, the sweet note is resinous and there's spice bordering on smoky which takes me back to incense day last year. It's a complex scent. The soap base is much firmer than most artisan shave soaps; i.e. it's not a croap. That made it easier to spread a scoop of soap into my loading bowl. It doesn't produce much lather. I had to go back for more soap. It had good slickness. But, doing a single ATG pass was still a little uncomfortable.

I won a soap and splash set from Wholly Kaw in the Lather Games a few years ago. I had used a smoosh of Rebelle and liked it. And, that’s what I ended up getting. This is in my top ten fragrances from a wetshaving artisan. I smell a grassy vetiver note right away, along with leather and oud. Not to go off-topic, because today is about vetiver, but leather has been an underwhelming scent note for me since taking an interest in fragrance. I love the smell of quality leather goods. In fragrance, leather has been kind of boring. And yet, I love this fragrance. Leather is an anchoring note here, while two scents I really like, vetiver and oud, jazz things up. Oud is the strongest note. But, vetiver is definitely present.

For some reason, I thought Will from Barrister and Mann was involved with Berceuse Parfum. I must’ve been mistaken because his name is nowhere to be found on the fragrantica page for Allegretto 7.2. I have a few options for fragrances with vetiver. I chose Allegretto because it’s the most vetiver forward. Spraying it on now, I’m getting a strong vetiver top note. In fact, it’s difficult to pick much else out right now. Eventually it opens up a bit. There’s a touch of smoke, noticeable cedar, and a vague greeness. It’s not heavy. But, it’s certainly not green, powdery, or aromatic. Vetiver runs the show. This feels like a fragrance for a fall outing, hiking to a waterfall, visiting an apple farm, etc.

#photocontest - Grass, like vetiver.

#FOF

LG24-07: Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (34)
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Pine Barrens - Luxury Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Spearmint - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Beach Geeza - Juniper Java
• Passes: ATG

Going straight for the ATG pass isn't particularly gnarly as long as I've been shaving at least two passes daily and face lather to really prep my stubble.

Pine Barrens was the only soap in my collection that was definitely on theme. It works as a woodsy scent, but the strong vetiver note is the secret sauce, planting the juniper and cypress in a larger image of long grass, sun-baked floor covered in pine needles, and rows of trees heading off in every direction. I expect this Catie's Bubbles scent to come up more often than it does.

Killed my sample of "barbershop that’s just tucked into the jungle " Juniper Java, which is an acceptable loss, since Mrs. Mosquito and I have a bottle at home. Tenacious vetiver with a bold natural juniper note. It was an easy match to Pine Barrens.

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Shavemac w/ AP Shave Co 26mm Pure Bliss™ SHD Premium Synthetic Knot
• Razor: Blackland Osprey
• Blade: Astra SP (Green)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Hallows
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Hallows

I am hoping that B&M Hollows is counted as a vetiver. It’s the only soap I own that I know has it, or better yet, has it listed as a top scent note. Heck, it’s the first listed scent note! In truth though, I wouldn’t really know what vetiver smells like. I know it’s a grass, but I always think of common green grass. I’m not sure if vetiver smells the same, but common grass is not a scent I detect in the Hollows. My understanding is that you either love the scent or hate it. I am in the latter group. I think it’s a decent scent (not my favorite, but definitely not the worst), and I have no problems adding it to my shaving regiment.

Today’s Challenge: Oddly, my first passes are usually ATG, so this challenge is somewhat easier for me. I do admit that I usually need more than one pass, especially when shaving my head. For the sake of this challenge, I made only one pass. Not the best shave I’ve had, as a result.

Vetiver You Want

• 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: Shannon's Soaps - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Cologne Russe Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: The Zoo - Vetyver Rain Skin

Daily Gratitude
Thanks to u/iamhonestlylying for the soap smoosh. Thanks to ShavinginCT for the fragrance sample. Thanks to EldrormR for including some free blades with my MM24. Thanks to my dad for buying the donut for the photo contest. Thanks to our wonderful judges and other people for putting this whole thing together.

Daily Mistakes
none? I am perfect? yes, probably.

Daily Writeup
Well today was my closest shave so far in the lather games because of the daily challenge so that was pretty cool but I don't have my alum block because I am at my dad's house for the weekend and I have a wee bit of irritation. I also decided that I wouldn't load the smoosh into the bowl but instead just lather off of the wax paper and it actually worked nicely, I don't have much time to write this because today is my family's D&D night and they are waiting on me lol.

Daily Theme Points
Vetiver, or vetyver, not much more to say.

Daily Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance Points
I thought it was finally time to break the streak of a new aftershave each day because I simply don't have enough aftershaves, today I used the cologne russe aftershave because it is a darker scent much like vetiver. The fragrance has vetyver in the name which is actually vetiver but just spelt different.

Daily Challenge
Finally a decently close shave, every other day I have been doing only one with the grain pass but today's against the grain pass cleared up some stubble that has been there for a while, meaning tomorrow will have nothing to shave. It did leave a bit of irritation but not that bad so I guess GeoFatBoy knows what he is doing.

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

Photo Contest
Today is actually donut day so while my family was getting our free frazils for free frazil friday in Utah we picked up a gas station donut to honor impressivedonut.

TL;DR
Close shave? Irritation? I win rookie of the year thank you very much give me my prize.

Side Contests

photocontest

ROTY

June 7, 2024 – Whatevetiver, man.

• Brush: Extro Comesi Synthetic 26mm
• Razor: Schick Injector Type G3
• Blade: Personna Injector (2)
• Preshave: Method Men Body Wash – Sandalwood and Vetiver
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Trismegistus
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Arkadia
• Fragrance: Hermes – Terre d’Hermes

A coworker used to wear some cheap vetiver oil, she was really nice and funny, she also smelled like shit. TdH does not smell like shit. I smell like super clean fancy woody oranges and that makes me feel good. The dupes are weird, they don’t smell like shit, they just smell like cedar.

Broke out the injector as I knew it would be up to the task of one pass ATH. Pretty flawless.

LG is cool, man.

Cheers.

6/7/24

• Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving Exclusive MOAR BOAR (31 mm × 57 mm bleached boar)
• Razor: C.V. Heljestrand Lather Catcher #EIGHTDAYSAWEEK #STAINLESSLESS #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Lather: Mike's Natural Soaps - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw - King of Oud Aftershave Splash

This smash of Mike's comes from the generous u/wyz0ne. I've only tried Mike's once before this, and I can't say I have any complaints about performance. It doesn't blow my mind or anything, but it builds easy and gets slick. I can dig it.

The Vetiver is a nice and straightforward scent. With as green a scent as it is, I love pairing it with floral stuff. KoO fits that bill well. Oud, rose, vetiver citrus, woods, and amber. It's a very nice scent and one the Mrs. enjoys regularly. Giving it a little extra boost of Vetiver was a nice pair.

The C.V. Heljestrand Lather Catcher is a recent addition, but much loved already. I love its look and sleek 30s lines. I couldn't bring myself to polish the patina off. I think it's wonderful how it is. It came with 3 blades. Tuesday has been the only one I've sharpened so far.

For the challenge, that Swedish high carbon steel is something else with a super unique feel. One quick and easy ATG pass was all I needed. Feeling smooth.

Very nice shave this evening.

June 7, 2024 - Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Aurora Grooming Custom - 30mm TGN (The Golden Nib) Silvertip SHD (Super High Density) knot
• Razor: Gillette - SuperSpeed 1967 Vintage
• Blade: Personna Platinum
• Lather: Martin De Cadre - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Armani- Emporio
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon - Huron

SOAP - Well not a very lustrous soap. Hard as it can be but it did lather okay. The Vetiver is definitely there in fact as obvious as this may sound it’s pretty much all my nostrils picked up!!

To be honest I think the soap did well as it did because of my brush. u/TheBunnynator1001 made it and it’s an absolute beast of a brush. I wouldn’t be surprised if I put cold milk in my shaving bowl and whip up butter with this bad boy!!

RAZOR - An oldie but goodie I picked up in a garage sale. Has an aluminum handle I think because it’s really light. It does the job and I paid $3 whole dollass….yo!

THE THEME- I didn’t like this theme at all!! I don’t shave ATG, my whiskeys don’t like being inconvenienced, my skin complains, just overall not a good feeling at all. But whatta hell I got it done and honestly it was exactly what I expected. Uncomfortable as hell!! Oh and I got to match all things Vetiver. The aftershave is an old Armani splash with the main scent being Vetiver as well as DC Huron for my frag. My face is still very aggravated even after the balm. We will see what happens throughout the day.

https://imgur.com/a/0w2bh4D

• Prep: PAA - The Cube 2.0
• Bowl: Naked Armor - Silver Fox Scuttle
• Brush: Wolf Whiskers - Inside Out Glass Maggards SHD Knot #SHD
• Razor: LASSC - BBS1
• Blade: Gillette - Nacet
• Lather: Fine - Fresh Vetiver
• Post Shave:   Le Père Lucien - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Omega - Alum Stick

I decided to go all out today and use my favorite razor and brush the BBS1 and Wolf Whiskers Inside Out Glass wth a Maggards SHD Knot.  The blade I used was a Gillette Nacet. I have never used one before and this probably wasn't the best day for it. I did my GeoFatboy Special - 1 pass against the grain 1 and done.  I used Fine Fresh Vetiver, and made a nice lather.  I had a few weepers and nicks. Nect time I need to try this blade in my usual 2-3 pass shave. The XTG one and done was a bit rough. I have never used a vetiver soap before.  I don't even know what vetiver is. It was nice, but not my cup of tea. 

Personal challenge still going, with a different blade, razor, soap brand and brush.  I have another brush hopefully arriving tomorrow so I think I will be able to use a different brush each day if I also borrow my sons.  I don’t know why or how I have accumulated so many brushes!

ROTY

07JUN2024 vet-the hell-iver

• Brush: Aurora Grooming Aristocrat w/27mm SilverTip
• Razor: GEM Pushbutton
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [9]
• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - Retreat
• Post: Catie’s Bubbles - Blugére

ATTENTION SUBJECTS OF THE CABAL

For too long, you have been lied to about the amount of vetiver required to make a soap “vetiver.” The cabal has been keeping you down, making you think that it needs to be prominently featured in the scent description. Well guess what. None of those fragrance descriptions are INCI compliant, none of them except Saponificio Varesino use the traditional top/middle/base note structure that is commonly accepted. Most of these so-called “artisans” want you to believe that scent descriptions are a creative writing exercise. Well, most of them are lawyers, accountants, and camp counselors, and they deride soapmakers like Gentleman’s Nod who engage with actual aromachemistry firms that employ thousands of chemists and invest millions of dollars in research as “big perfume.” This is a false construct. My time is limited, as THEY are closing in on my location as I speak. I urge you to read this and take it seriously, as serious as anything could ever be in this subreddit. The very foundations of the hobby may depend on it.

Vetiver is not a cure-all for mediocre fragrance compositions, and properly made vetiver-oriented fragrances employ restraint. This is not the ambroxan olympics or the iso-E dumpster. This is a plant lovingly called “Sunshine” that has been in use by the French perfume houses since 1809, introduced early on by monumental houses like Guerlain. It is not something to be abused, and Retreat treats vetiver with appropriate reverence.

The cabal WILL disqualify this post for daily theme, because they DO NOT want you to comprehend the magnificence of this delicate grass. They want to keep you blinded by heavy-handed scents that resemble wheatgrass juice more than it resembles the historic Kus Kus fragrance of 1800s New Orleans - a founding mother in the lineage of vetiver fragrances. So I call upon you to OPEN YOUR THIRD EYE. See with EYES unclouded. Do not let them blindfold lady JUSTICE. The scales are in your hands, and the djudges fear your united voices. u/nocturnx told me that the TRUTH was NEAR, but he re-entered stasis after a momentary resurrection, undoubtedly due to the pressure of the Cabal’s lust for control over you. THEY did not want you to see how monumentally important it is to exercise restraint with vetiver. But now you know, and the power is in your hands.

Also, Blugére slaps harder than my step-dad.

ROTY

Edit: Fuck that guy u/TheBunnynator1001 and his sub-par work. Don't buy it.

Jun. 7, 2024 Vetiver You Want * Brush: Omega 10049 #OLDWORLD * Razor: Gillette Fatboy Adjustable E3
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - 322 * Post Shave: Fine - Fresh Vetiver
Post Shave: Osma - Alum
Post Shave: Jack Black - Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

Today’s challenge is right up my alley as I normally do one pass ATG on my head anyway. Face on the other hand was a nice change. Used my Fatboy in honor of the one and only, Geo Fatboy. Vetiver across the board with 322 and Fresh Vetiver. Boom! 💥

ROTY

June 7, 2024 - Vetiver You Want

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Wild West Brushworks - Invasion - 26mm Oumo SHD #SHD #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: GEM Junior 1912 #FLIPTOP
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (5)
• Lather: Mike's Natural Soaps - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Wet Shaving Products - Fresh Vetiver
• Fragrance: Wet Shaving Products - Fresh Vetiver

First off, a huge thank you to u/Tetriside for the Mike's smoosh for today's shave. As far as the shave, not having used Vetiver before I was unsure what to expect. However, as I lathered in my bowl, a bowl again even after yesterday because of the sample, I was transported to a warm summer evening, surrounded by the lush greenery of a rural landscape. The earthy, woody aroma of the vetiver enveloped me, and I felt a sense of clarity and purpose wash over me. Suddenly, the worries and doubts that had been plaguing me for weeks seemed to fade away, replaced by a sense of determination and resolve. I felt a renewed commitment to being a better person, living with intention and compassion, and positively impacting the world around me. I rinsed off the soap, applied the aftershave and cologne, and began my day. I felt a sense of hope and optimism that I hadn't felt in a long time, and I knew that this small act of self-care had set me on the path toward becoming the best version of myself. Of course, that could all have been from the small amount of drugs I've taken since yesterday after potentially breaking my ankle, but I blame the vetiver.

The daily challenge was an easy one as I actually quite enjoy ATG.

PHOTOCONTEST - Earth

DAY 7 LATHER GAMES! GREETINGS FROM TURKEY!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Yaqi - Moka handle 26mm Two Band Badger
• Razor: Gillette - British Rocket
• Blade: Nacet
• Lather: Le Pere Lucien - Vetiver
• Post Shave: Le Pere Lucien - Vetiver and beautiful things
• Fragrance: John Varvatos - Artisan Pure

Today I'm going to paint you a picture with words... or at least I'll try!

T'was the crack of dawn when all was still and calm, birds chirping their beautiful song and the sun ever so slightly showing up on the horizon. At the house of the Tangerine man from the sky, this was not the case, as his three alarm devices were hard at work to remove him from his slumber. The battle was hard, but in the end the alarms won and the Tangerine man was awaken.

Although he was a Tangerine man(albeit from the sky), today he was also a sad man. In the day that had passed, his mind had been troubled, scenes of reminiscence filled his mind of his ingenuity in previous Lather Games, but all for naught, cause no matter the effort he put into devising a good plan, he came up short.

But they say, that the new day brings new hope. Indeed, this was one of those moments. After a hard fought battle with his the thunderous alarms, his mind was clear and he knew what he had to do. It was simple. He must go and shave in Turkey! Turkey? But isn't that another country? Why of course dear reader, and that's the beauty of it, the man from the sky that is a Tangerine wanted to be the first person to travel to another country to shave for the Lather Games. Has it been done already? Maybe. Did he care? Never!

It was decided he could combine a shopping trip, something he had been putting off for a while, with a shaving trip. And so it began, he gathered his shave gear, went into his 1988 Toyota Corolla and set off for his neighbouring country. The day was calm and peaceful which reflected on how intense the traffic was(it wasn't). For his pleasant surprise the border was almost empty so he wasted very little time passing through, being ever so closer to fulfilling his mission.

As with many things, the Tangerine sky is an experienced man, it was not his first venture into Turkey so while accustomed to the scenery, he once again yearned to feel all those wonderful adventures, aromas and cultural experiences .

While entering the city, our protagonist started planning WHERE exactly he could perform his shave. His first thought was the central mosque, the he came to the conclusion, that if he proceeded with such a plan, he'd be killed, prosecuted, raped and then imprisoned. So that plan quickly fell to pieces and he gave it some rest, because he knew when the moment was right, he would act upon it.

Story continues below.

June 7, 2024 - Onions I guess?

• Brush: Zenith 28mm B36 Copper Scrubby #HOLLOW
• Razor: Blackland Razors Vector (OC)
• Blade: Schick Proline
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - 322
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - 322
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Bull's Blood

To satisfy the theme we're going with 322 and some nonsense levels of vetiver. The splash is self-explanatory. I'm using this frag because it is by far the most challenging scent I've tried. It pairs nicely with the challenging scent I've tried to shave with.

Premium is one of the best bases out there for sure. Amazingly slick, which is great because for the daily challenge I decided to do a head shave, ATG one pass only. Vector is still the best head shaving razor I own, and am glad I have the OC plate for this challenge.

Today's photo theme is Onion. Because a challenging setup needs a challenging vegetable (I guess?). Trying to get the onion to stay on the brush was a fun challenge as well. #photocontest

June 07, 2024 – LG24 Day 7 - Vetiver You Want

• Brush: DS Cosmetics Carrot handle w/ 26mm 2-band Badger + Synthetic mixed bulb knot
• Razor: Gillette Tech
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium (2)
• Lather: Martin de Candre - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Vetiver Witch Hazel & Aloe
• Fragrance: Benetton - United Dreams Aim High EdT

Daily Theme & Relevant Post/Frag: MdC Vetiver combines the green notes of Haitian Vetiver with the earthy character of Java Vetiver. Stirling Vetiver post adds more earthy vetiver to the mix. To compliment all this vetiver, I targeted a frag that has a vetiver base but has an uplifting green vibe. Aim High fits the bill and nicely compliments the lather and post.

Daily Challenge & Shave: My beard predominantly grows downward (with the sides of my Adam's Apple and chin being the exceptions - it swirls in those areas). To meet today's ATG challenge, for the first pass I shaved bottom to top and in the swirly areas I did the Gillette slide counter to the swirly grain. I repeated this again for the second pass. Under normal circumstances, two ATG passes would give at least DFS results, but not today. I was at best SAS along the jaw line/swirly areas, and this highlighted that once again I chose poorly the razor for the challenge. I needed a cleanup pass to get to DFS, so along my jaw line and swirly areas I repeated the ATG Gillette slide and achieved the DFS I sought. Surprising, no irritation which received 3 x ATG passes, whereas my cheeks (which only received 2 x passes) are now angry due to razor abuse!

June 7, 2024 – Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Semogue 2000 #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Merkur – 34C
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Martin de Candre - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Giorgio Armani – Emporio Armani He aftershave balm
• Fragrance: Giorgio Armani – Emporio Armani He EDT
• The Lather: Martin de Candre’s base is quite different than I expected. It is a much more solid base that scooped out more like a chunk then a scoop. It flattened out relatively well in my bowl though and lathered up surprisingly easier than I would have expected given its consistency. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of vetiver, and I couldn’t get past the idea of shaving with grass clippings.
• The Shave: It was one pass against the grain, FML. I knew the struggle would be real today so I used my mildest razor for the job and hoped it wouldn’t be too much of a blood bath. I probably erred on the gentler side on my angle of attack and subsequently got a patchy, half assed look after one pass. Thankfully I have to wear a mask at work so I could at least hide my shame.
• Aftershave/Frag: I decided to pair the Vetyver with Emporio Armani He to increase my vetiverness. Until I smelled the 2 side by side I never would have noticed the vetiver note in He. It doesn’t come across as strongly as the grassy soap, but I can definitely pick up on the vetiver and it blended beautifully with soap so I felt less like I rubbed my face in the grass.
• Theme: It’s named Vetyver, enough said.
• Challenge: One pass against the grain to give me the most painful and crappy shave I could ask for. I’m just thankful the judges don’t try and combine this with New All The Things.

June 7, 2024 - Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Chisel and Hound V11 Embrace

• Razor: 1961 Gillette Fat Boy

• Blade: Wizamet

• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - 322

• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented Sego Balm

Been a very, very long day and I got home late. Glad I got this shave in because I wasn't too sure I was gonna get off the couch after I stayed there for a bit. Here's to hoping the rest of the weekend slows down a little bit!

June 07, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts w DG B11

• Razor: Razorock Gamechanger .84

• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue

• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - 322 - Soap

• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - 322 - Splash

• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Dirtyver

What an earthy/grassy day with the vetiver and patchouli combination. 322 never ceases to amaze and has plenty of depth to keep you sniffing for more. The Dirtyver adds a slightly smokier vetiver on top. I think I owe it to myself to pick up the 322 edp sooner than later. ATG only isn't bad with daily shaving. Had this been the challenge on the first for example, I could see that being rough if folks had more hair growth.

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Aurora Grooming LG24 Synthetic ("Lux Emerald Green") #SUBBROOSH
• Razor: Fatip Piccolo Slant Closed Comb
• Blade: Schick Stainless (1)
• Lather: Martin de Candre - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Spearhead - Sea Spice Lime (toner)
• Fragrance: Ramon Monegal - Umbra

Happy to use my Aurora Grooming LG24 Special Edition brush for the second shave in a row. It’s a big year for Auroras, according to recent headlines.

I can’t say that I really “get” vetiver. I’m still developing a nose for it. It’s a complicated smell that usually gets combined with other ingredients and notes, and no two versions of “vetiver” that I’ve smelled thus far have been the same. It’s been interesting to read other’s reactions to vetiver in today’s SOTD thread—I’m glad to know I’m not alone in finding vetiver complicated and at times off-putting.

Before getting into wet shaving I got interested in fragrances. And with fragrances, especially men’s fragrances, vetiver is everywhere. The fragrance I chose today, Ramon Monegal Umbra, is one of the first fragrance samples I ever bought. The description claimed that it combines grapefruit and Haitian vetiver alongside other notes. I expected to like it, but found it’s a beast of a fragrance that makes my eyes burn even when worn in small quantities.

By contrast, Martin de Candre Vetyver struck me as bright, fragrant, “green” type of smell, not unlike mint or menthol. The perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena (see link below) suggests that certain prized varieties of vetiver oil give off “a characteristic scent of matchstick and sulfur.” Strangely enough, during today’s shave I detected other nuances in the MdC soap alongside the green, minty qualities—a kind of underlying burning or smokey smell.

As it happens, I don’t have a vetiver-forward aftershave, so I went with Spearhead Sea Spice Lime. I think the citrus element complements the vetiver in the MdC soap. I was curious as to why, and for this I turn to the authority a recent, exhaustive book on smells, Harold McGee’s Nose Dive, published in 2020. (I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a lot about smells. Just be prepared—it’s not a book exclusively about pleasant smells or perfumery. The first hundred pages or so discuss the early universe and the origins of life, along with bodily secretions and excretions).

McGee suggests that some of the most frequently used smells in perfumery—smells associated with citrus peel, pine and cedar, and vetiver root (among others)—share underlying molecules known as terpenes or terpenoids. Quantities of terpinene and pinene, for example, help to give lime peel its distinctive scent.

The origins of these molecules seem to lie in ecological warfare between plant and animal species. “It appears that volatile terpenoids may well have been developed for signaling by early land insects, then adopted as insect-confusing defenses by early land plants . . . They work so well against insect pests—and spoilage and disease microbes—that our ancestors enlisted them thousands of years ago to care for their dwellings and their own bodies.” (Nose Dive, p. 163)

Vetiver is especially complex: its oils “have been found to contain more than three hundred mostly unusual terpenoids and their products, including zizaenones. This remarkable diversity appears to result in part from bacteria living in the vetiver roots, where they transform relatively few plant-produced molecules into a more diverse set, perhaps to fend off their own microbial competitors.” (Nose Dive, p. 463)

Today’s featured work in Brush Strokes is by the graphic designer and illustrator Karin Doering-Froger, representing the vetiver plant. It’s one of her many illustrations for the Atlas of Perfumed Botany, with text written by the master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena. The writing is breezy, engaging, and informative on the subject of fragrances (the link includes two excerpts from the book, one on patchouli and one on vetiver).

#ROTY

SOTD - 2024-06-07

• Beard Growth: 24 Hours
• Brush: Yaqi - Mysterious Space Synthetic
• Razor: Feather AS/D2
• Blade: Parker
• Passes: ATG x1
• Lather: Martin de Candre - Vetyver
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Fougere Nemeta After Shave Splash

• Fragance: Southern Witchcrafts - Tres Matres EDP

• Comments: Vetiver man!

McD Vetiver and I guess the AS (Fougere Nemeta) has some hints of it too.

Not a great shave I never go ATG, but I put myself through it, it’s all burning and irritated now yuck

I hope I don’t get in-grains :(

#ROTY

June 7, 2024  

• Brush: Dogwood – Badger  
• Razor: Merkur 34C  
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Lemongrass & Geranium  

Lemongrass and Vetiver are in the same family, therefore it’s close enough.

I shave my legs, it’s ALWAYS one pass.

Gotta love West coast time zone. 11:54. Still the 7th.