2023-07-05 - Death Before Canned Goop

• Brush: Qshave Pure Badger #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: Baili BR179 / Rockwell R1 / CVS Goodline Grooming Safety Razor
• Lather: Proraso - Menthol and Eucalyptus
• Post Shave: Stetson - Original, After Shave
• Fragrance: Stetson - Original, Cologne

First off, I know I'm not alone in thinking that Drugstore Day is the worst (also, I apparently can't be arsed to remember the new names of the days). That said, I will play by to your rules, I will hit all the themes (including this one), but I will not use canned goop! I ditched the aerosol a year or more before I picked up DE razors and soap, and I will not go back!

I'm still not over—*choke*—Only a handful of weeks ago, I was stuck in the hospital for some silly "septic shock" or whatever. Psh. After some 5 or so days had passed (which is the longest I've gone without shaving since... I don't know, ever?), I gave in and decided to ask for a razor, hoping for one of those nifty hospital DEs. Instead, what they brought me was... NSFL WARNING
Never again!

Relevant Post Shave and Fragrance: These are both available at a local CVS! I also just realized that I need to disclaim that I got the Stetson aftershave and cologne for free. From my grandfather. Like 25 years ago.

Razor: The Baili BR179 is currently being sold at CVS under their Goodline brand. Some of you may also recognize this razor as the Rockwell R1. A few years ago, the R1 was being offered as a Christmas freebie with exorbitant shipping, which is how I— Ah, dammit, free disclaimer again. How many of those do I have?
Anyway, it does not make for a very good shave, imho. Is it on the aggressive side for a butterfly? Either way, it's chrome and therefore hideous, so the only logical conclusion is that it's also a bad shave? Honestly, though, my skin could be happier.

Much in the same way that the Baili is re-packaged under a store name, Personna blades are known to be underneath a lot of store branding. While I could have gone and paid 8 bucks for 10 blades, why? Especially when I already have what is surely the exact same blade at home!

Side note: store-bought ramekin instead of my fancy-schmancy suribachi bowl.

Lather: There's not much that I can say about Proraso that hasn't been said countless times, including that it appears in such bottom-tier department stores as Marshalls, which is where I— or was it Ross? TJ Maxx? Whatever. Those are all effectively the same, right? Whichever it was, it still counts for today's theme!

Proraso isn't anything to call home about, but it gets the job done without complaints. That's a lot more than I can say about canned goo. It's also a hell of a lot more I can say about Badger soap, which is far worse than the canned stuff. If anyone has Badger for today, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. But I applaud you for sticking to the theme without resorting to goop.

#FOF

If you don't know what Proraso Green smells like, it smells like eucalyptus. If you don't know what that smells like, I recommend what I did when I first learned what eucalyptus smells like: I got this soap!
It may seem a little artificial around the edges, but it's cool and inoffensive with a mild menthol sensation. And I don't think it lingers, which should be a win-win in anybody's book! If it doesn't linger, it means you're not tied to the scent just because you used the soap! That's not to suggest that I think it's bad when soaps' own scents do stick around; on the contrary, that's nice when you want to hang on to that scent. But a soap is easier to use if it doesn't, I feel.

Am I inadvertently taking an opposing position to #FOF here, or is the spirit of #FOF in experiencing the varieties of scents through the process of your shaving ritual? I feel like I can better get on board with that, rather than my potentially-erroneous understanding of it being a matter of playing perfumer-in-the-washroom. More on that below with the challenge, of course.

Post Shave/Fragrance: I'm in a position with Stetson where I'm not sure what it's supposed to smell like, which is a position that I prefer because I'm able to take in the whole of the scent without worrying about what I should be perceiving. But if I try, I think maybe there's some citrus on top, maybe tamed by a floral of come kind? I frankly kind of put off when I see "citrus," but I think I understand it plays an important role in how notes interact. Anyway, there's also something—maybe darker? yet smooth in my overall impression of the fragrance.
Let's check the answer key... Top notes of sage and citrus. Hey! I got one! Also vetiver, cedar, patchouli, musk, amber, etc. Okay, that all makes sense.

It's a supremely masculine sent without being too rugged. My brain also expects a kind of grandpa-ness to it, due simply to the fact that that's who I got it from, but it is decidedly non-grandpa-y. I don't think I really appreciated it when I was a young lad. It's quite good, if you can ignore the whole cowboy theme to the brand. Gross.

Challenge Accepted: Okay, what would I, with my lay-nose, come up with as my "perfect scent"? First, I want to know, perfect for what? Before I get too carried way on some tangent (I am holding back so hard you guys!), some scents that are favorites (in terms of having the smell on me) feature leather and tobacco (I'm already thinking of Mammoth's Tobacconist and Stirling's Oro Valley, two of the best scents I've ever encountered, recognizing that the latter is a dupe). They are for sure things on top of the "throw that shit in here!" list. Other scents that I enjoy smelling include anise, clove, and jasmine. Those are scents that I've sought out, with mixed success. How well would they go together?
Oro Valley has leather and jasmine, although I'm not sure how well my nose picks up the jasmine or if I even understand how or whether jasmine sambac is distinct.
Oaken Lab's Earth of Mankind combines tobacco and clove for a kretek scent, which frankly is exactly what I was after when searching for clove.
I feel like anise could be folded in reasonably well; however, I have the impression that, in scents containing an anise note that is not front-and-center, the anise must play some supporting role, because my nose tends not to pick up on it. That might be okay, because our fictional scent here might otherwise be doing too much.

Side note: this challenge really feels like a u/mammothben cheat sheet! If he's doing the same custom scent thing again, that is.

#photocontest

Photo: I have 4 of those little stand things, which are purportedly intended as store display stands, so they're conveniently relevant to today. They've really helped me organize my cabinet by allowing me to organize razors vertically and thus clearing shelf space, plus the fact that they're transparent reduces visual clutter.
Also pictured, but hard to tell because it's also transparent: that's air, bud.

July 5, 2023 – Gillette Day

• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (3)
• Lather: Gillette – Satin Care Sensative Skin
• Post Shave: Nivea – Sensitive Post Shave Balm
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive – Santal Auster

Gillette Razor: Check

Gillette blade: Check

Gillette Canned Goo: Unfortunately Check.

Now I didn’t want to buy a brand new can of goo just for this, so I used my wife’s leg stuff. Nothing said not to use it on my face and the ingredients look mostly like what I had when I last used a can of goo over a decade ago now. “But tsr, you’ve only been wetshaving for 8 months? How is that possible.” Well before that I used a norelco shaver which is gooless and before that I used a shave butter from Dollar Shave Club that’s no longer made. (Flashback to how horrible that was.) So this shave was not as bad as my first wetshave ever, but still sucks. I put way to much gel on my hand, scooped some into my sample loading bowl (which served for pass 2 and 3.) Its clear this stuff is for a multiblade razor, it’s too thick for the DE to really get near the skin, but by using wet hands to get parts 2 and 3 I thinned it into usable. Got a socially acceptable shave but irritation everywhere. Used the nivea balm to stay on “big box store” theme.

Which brings us to #fof, I didn’t remember a smell to this stuff when I last used it. Maybe it’s because what I used was targeted at women and a scent is added.l or maybe my memory is just bad. It was vaguely medical aloe. This actually made me smell the aloe in the nivea a bit more than usual which was interesting. But can’t really build a fragrance flow off “medicinal aloe.” To hold the theme of big box store I’d have had to find an EdT there, which was likely possible (Axe anyone?) but opted instead for wordplay. This was an austerity shave if there ever was one. The shave I would have to do if I ever run out of already purchased soaps and my wife and I have to go back to our “to the bone” budget. (Note: I don’t recommend this. It sucks on multiple levels.) So Santal Austere it is. Not my normal style of fragrance, one of the accords plays horribly with my nose. But here we are.

Which is a good slide into #photocontest and the challenge. I’ve tried to incorporate the daily challenge into my photo challenge most days. And today is no exceptions, fruit. Why fruit? Because the apple is in my favorite wetshaving scent:Alive. (yes it’s green apple but it’s all I had.) Had I tried to design a scent it wouldn't have ended up at all like this because I couldn't have figured out this combination of notes would be so emotionally soothing.

Also, as I've mentioned I'm wierd when it comes to scents. I want to shave with a gourmand but not smell like that for more than the shave. So my ideal scent would actually be a progressive trifecta. It would start with the sweet almond of Stirling Almond Creme, mixed in with chocolate and vanilla for the soap. For the splash I'd keep tbr chocolate and vanilla but move them to the background of a coffee accord. This would carry though to the frag but here we'd scale back the coffee, lean into the vanilla and accentuate with Lavender and a sweet tobacco (two of my favorite single notes.)

Would this work at all? No freaking clue. I won't quit my day job and just leave this perfumery to the experts.

Finally, the judges have shown me mercy and I thank them. So I'm still in this and competing heavily for #ROTY.

• Brush: Mis Manos

• Razor: Gillette Fusion

• Blade: Gillette Fusion Proglide

• Lather: Barbasol - Soothing Aloe

• Post Shave: Lubriderm - Fragrance Free

• Fragrance: Ralph Lauren - Polo Sport

Today's Theme: Canned Shave Goop - Barbasol Soothing Aloe and Lubriderm lotion are widely available pretty much everywhere around me. The Ralph Lauren Polo Sport was widely available in department stores and malls 15 years ago, I don't shop in malls or department stores often anymore so I'm not sure if it's still around, but it was way back when.

Today's Challenge: Channel your inner perfumer

Scent Name/Theme: Islay Single-Malt

Scent Description: The Isle of Islay is home to some of the most historic scotch whiskey distilleries and is known for a specific flavor profile of bold, smoky, and peated scotch whiskeys. Removing the boozy notes, the flavor profile also translates excellently to a masculine scent profile. Best enjoyed with a glass of Ardbeg or Bruichladdich.

Scent Notes

Top: Jasmine, Black Tea, Lime, Sea Spray

Middle: Smoke/Creosote, Loam Topsoil, Peat

Base: Maple, Caramel, Vanilla, Burnt Sugar

My theme for today's shave: Shave Like an NPC #photocontest

So I put together this shave thinking I'd be all critical of normies and how they have inferior shaving regimens but as I actually went through the shave I realized that this was basically exactly how I shaved when I first started shaving but better. I didn't know that adding a bit of water to the barbasol and working it into your whiskers instead of just plopping it on top of your face would result in better slickness and raised hairs. I didn't know that watching for grain direction would help. I just didn't really know how to shave at all, and I wouldn't really learn how to shave well for another 15 years or so.

But thanks to this community and other online resources I've developed pretty decent technique and have found that shaving can be enjoyable and therapeutic. So instead of being critical of others, I am grateful instead. Thank you to everyone here, thank you to the artisans and companies that make wonderful shaving products, and and thank you to others around the internet who create resources to help people learn how to shave in a more enjoyable way.

Barbsol soothing aloe and lubriderm are basically unscented, and the Polo Sport frag is basically peak late 90s/early 00's mall frag scent. I legit coughed when I sprayed the Polo Sport on. I just need a chain wallet and some heelies and I'd fit right in with that era.

The album for today's shave is actually one I found at Best Buy when I was a teenager and really into Linkin Park. It's got a live version of My December on it that's just the best thing ever, and I wish it was more widely available even though it's basically just the Hybrid Theory tracklist. #FOF #ROTY

July 5, 2023

• Brush: My hand
• Razor: Schick Hydro 4 in 1 Groomer
• Blade: Schick Hydro 5
• Lather: Gillette Foam
• Post Shave: Harry’s - Post Shave Balm
• Fragrance: Liz Claiborne – Curve for Men
• Music: Gillette – The Best a Man Can Get

In a weird way, I’ve been looking forward to today. I haven’t shaved with canned goop since I picked up wetshaving almost two years ago. Even last Lather Games, I used Cremo with a DE razor because I didn’t want to go back. But now, for the first time, I realized if I want to truly be dedicated to the Lather Games, we have to go back. So I’m going back. I’m going back to a simpler time, when I didn’t have to decide what scent profile to use on a given day or what razor I felt like using today.

Shortly after I got the hang of shaving with a DE and using shave soap, like so many from r/wicked_edge, I declared to myself “I’m never going back” to shaving with canned goo and I got rid of any and all of that shave stuff I had. For today’s shave, I went down to CVS and bought a travel sized Gillette Shaving Foam. Off the jump, the scent was kinda reminiscent of my dad in my childhood. It was light, basic, and kinda fresh

The razor I chose for today is perfect for the man (or woman) on the go. It’s a half trimmer and half cartridge razor. It’s actually called a “4-in-1 high performance styling tool that Shaves, Edges, Trims, and Hydrates.” I’ll concede that it does shave, but aren’t edging and trimming the same thing?? And how the hell does this thing hydrate?!? Unless it has a button that shoots out moisturizer, I’m calling shenanigans on the hydration factor. At any rate, it’s at least a 2-in-1. Have you ever felt the need to trim your sideburns before or after your shave? Or when you get out of the shower, do you ever look at your sideburns and think, “damn, I gotta trim this back”? If you answered yes to either of these questions, this is the perfect razor for you! Toss in a AAA battery and you’re good to go! This is perfect for the person on the go who also uses a 4-in-1, Shampoo, conditioner, bodywash, and moisturizer shower gel!

The foam actually felt okay on my skin, but the razor was a catastrophe. It was so big and awkward, sure it’s nice to be able to trim any and all hair back at a moment’s notice, buuuuuttttt…. Is it really necessary? Who’s to say? I say no, but I’m only one man. After this shave, I can safely say, I’m never going back to cartridge razors, and if I do, it’s not going to be this monstrosity. I finished the shave off with Harry’s Post Shave Balm, which actually wasn’t bad. Felt fine and smelled okay. And then for the fragrance, I dug deep into my memory of working at CVS when I was in high school in the late 90s/early 00s. Out of all the fragrances, we sold more Curve for Men than just about any fragrance in the cabinet. Spraying this on brought me way, way, way back to a time of JNCO Jeans with a pocket big enough for my Disc-man, and a flannel shirt tied around my waist. Ahhhh… Those #FOF memories.

For today’s challenge, I’m sticking with my love of gourmand. I need someone to make a S’Mores scent: Marshmallow, Graham Crackers, and Chocolate. There’s a pre-blend out there, but it includes smoky firewood, and I don’t want smoke in my gourmand. I also dream of someone making a scent that smells of coconuts, the beach, and aged wood, then adding a touch of Ginger and calling it Gilligan’s Island.

For the #photocontest, I put all this shit in a hole so I can bury it and hopefully never see it again.

Just because I’m not using a world-class artisan today, doesn’t mean I’m not gonna include an interview. So I went to Gillette’s website and started a live chat. So, without further ado, here is:

10 Questions with… Wendy from Gillette’s Live Chat

Wendy: Hi I'm Wendy. How may I help you today?

1) Me: Hi Wendy - I'm thinking about switching to the King C. Gillette Double Edge razor, like my grandfather used to use. Can I get a better shave with a double-edge razor?

Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us here at Gillette. I am happy to assist you by sharing information on this product with you today. The King C. Gillette Double Edge Safety Razor features: Our Iconic heritage-inspired design, A single-blade razor designed for edging sideburns and strong beard lines to help you achieve your perfect look, Long-lasting sharp blades for ultimate precision - Thin sheet of high-quality stainless steel coated with platinum for durability and an anti-friction coating for comfort, Closed comb head for the best control. When we design our products, we do extensive research and consumer testing to create features that we think you will love. We know that preferences can vary from person to person, though, so we really appreciate your taking the time to reach out.

2) Is it difficult to learn how to shave using a double-edged blade?

I am happy to share with you how to shave with this product. One moment while I collect this information. First, choose a razor that feels good in your hand. Weight is important, as you do not want to apply any pressure. You should let the razor do the work. To shave with a safety razor, do the following. Shower or wash with warm water, then lather shaving cream over your face and neck. Hold the razor guard at a 30° angle to the skin. (You may not be able to keep the razor at this angle around the nose, ears, and chin.) Hold the razor firmly to guide it in the direction of the shave without pressing too hard. The weight of the razor should be pressure enough. Make the skin tight by flexing your facial muscles into appropriate positions or using your free hand to stretch the skin away from the direction that you’re shaving. Start shaving in the direction of hair growth. If necessary, apply more shave cream and shave lightly against the direction of hair growth. The coarser and thicker the hair, the shorter the strokes you will need to use. Use short, choppy strokes when shaving around the jaw and chin. Rinse your face, pat dry, and apply an aftershave product to the skin. I am happy to share a few additional tips: We recommend you change the blade on a specific day each week. A blunt blade can ruin your shave. If you’re new to using a safety razor, take your time. You will not master the technique on the first shave.

3) How long does a typical Fusion, 5-blade cartridge last vs. a blade for a double edge razor?

The lifetime of a blade depends on various factors. How tough and thick your hair is; How often you use the razor & on which areas of the body. How well you rinse the razor. To get the best shave, we recommend you change your blade at the first sign of blade dullness or discomfort. If you can't remember when you last changed the blade, that probably means it's time for a new one. https://gillette.com/en-us/products/beard-care/king-c-gillette-double-edge-razor You can view or purchase this product right from our website. This product would ship to your home with free shipping.

(INTERVIEW CONTINUED IN THE REPLY)

July 5, 2023

• Brush: Isana – Synthetic #Ancient
• Razor: Razorock- Eco
• Blade: Permasharp (4)
• Lather: Palmolive – Classic
• Post Shave: Balea Men – Ultra sensitive aftershave balm
• Fragrance: Armani – Code

This day is always a walk down the memory lane. Little Marquis (well, not so little, probably 1,90m tall), had to figure out how to shave. My parents are divorced, and my dad was not there for my first shave. But i learned from him that you need a brush and some cream. His choice of cream was Palmolive. I got a cheap synthetic from our local drug store and started to face lather with the cream. I had no idea how the final result should look like, if my lather was good. What I liked was, that I used the same product as my dad and it had that distinctive smell that reminded me of mornings in his flat, where I sat close to the sink, brushing my teeth, while he shaved. Whenever I use Palmolive I think back to those days. Except today. I dont know for how long I have that Palmolive cream now. This tube… I remember I had it in 2019 when I had my last cartridge shave. And I am pretty sure, that the tube was already years old back then. The brush is also the same one I bought with 16 with its original hair. Its sitting in the dark of our bathroom cupboard for years now. When I lathered everything up, it did not have that simple, but fresh smell of Palmolive. It was like dirty water, like a wet dog. I played a bit around with the amount of water to get a good lather. It was more difficult than I remember, or I had little to none claims what I wanted from a lather. I just knew that I can trust the brand. Used the Razorock Eco today as it feels closest to a cardridge razor to me. In the end, I still had a great shave. The lather quality was good and it did not leave me with that squeaky soapy feeling. As aftershave I bought this balm on the weekend. I wanted to be on theme and use something mass produced. Something my dad would also use. He has sensitive skin and avoids alcohol in his products now (but I remember that he sprayed perfume right into his face). I also decided to listen to Genesis during the shave, as he had a CD in his car and still talks about them and Pink Floyd. The aftershave was okay. Felt a bit like my cheap moisturizer cream.

FOF

As Fragrance I wanted to use somethng my dad could also use. It should be somethig mainstream. Thats why I came up with Armani code but after I used it, I realized that I chose the wrong fragrance. I thought about Baldessarini. I wanted to use a scent made for men in their best age. What I got was some scent that seemed to be popular in the ‘Fuckboy’ community during my time where I wore One Million. Both target audience were boys who just finished school and went to their first club nights and hoped to be successfull with the other gender. But although Armani Code is among those mainstream schents, its not bad per se. I find it very difficult to distinguish whats in there, but it is sweet and makes you feel very comfortable. I guess I should have bought that more than 10 years ago. Can totally see that this fragrance would have gotten some compliments. Its for the more reserved boys. Those who aspire to be a gentleman, but know that they are young and have things to learn. I am looking forward to show the scent to my gf. I think she will like it.

Daily Challenge: Our challenge is to create our perfect scent. Let me ask a question first! For what occasion? Let me ellaborate. Just yesterday, we had spring day. There are scents that are seasonal, some are not even made for our type. Like the Armani Code I used today, I am growing out of it, but I ll be using fragrances this month that make you look forward to age. I like to mix and match things to the weather, modd/ energy level, and activity I ll be doing that day.
Lets get into more detail for this challenge.
There are days where I am on the office, hacking on my keyboard and maybe having a meeting. I ll also go to the kitchen to eat some food. So the perfect office scent needs to be non offensive but I also want to have a good presence. For that I choose citrus and bergamot as head not, leading to cedarwood, a little vetiver and musk. Lets call that scent “Corpo”
But I also like to go out, eat some ice in the sun, drink beer in the old town, sit by the river, do a barbeque. For that I need something that lifts my mood up. I want Lime, Yuzu, a hint of vanilla and ginger. I want to be a Surf Ninja
Next, I am ofter attending Magic the gathering tournaments. On one of my first tournaments, I had really bad draws for 3 matches ina row and lost every match. Then I started to eat licorice and my hands were bonkers. I won the next three matches. Since then I have a ritual to infuse my body with licorice before a tournament. Licorice tea, licorice honey, licorice soap and aftershave. On the tournament I eat Anise candy and more licorice. It gives luck, so do I believe. Thats why I need a soap for that occasion. Anise in the front, fading to licorice. I think that should be enough. Maybe some cedarwood and patchoulli, but thats optional. Lets call it Luck in your hands.
Last, I go to the gym about 4 to 5 times per week. There I need motivation. I pump myself up by listening to metal. My playlist consists of songs with keywords like ‘blood’, ‘iron’, ‘kill’, ‘steel’. Here I want toxic masculinity in a bottle. I want leather, smoke, gunpowder, hot iron, blood, ash. We could name it Manowar.
And god damn, we need this as a fragrance.

July 5 - Canned Shave Goop

• Brush: I used a can goop
• Razor: Gillette - Sensor 3
• Blade: Gillette - Sensor 3
• Lather: Edge - Extra Moisturizing
• Post Shave: Lubriderm Lotion
• Fragrance: Clinique Happy and Oak City Beard Company - ISO Super E

Today was more difficult than I thought. I made two stops. The first location had no blades and only had pink pre-soaped razors. I went with the only option at the second. The canned lather takes a lot of the fun out of it for me.

The fragrance went along with the theme, it is WIDELY available Clinique Happy. I don't want to get thrown out, but it is a fragrance I have worn the longest. It is cheap, I don't think anyone would think it is offensive. It is my quick refresh go-to. With my long history, I didn't want to change the fragrance too much, but to channel my inner perfumer, I added ISO Super E to enhance this pharmacy go-to.

ROTY #FOF

July 5, 2023 – Canned Shave Goop

• Brush: Four fingers and an opposable thumb
• Razor: Assured For Men Men’s System Razor #RAINBOW
• Blade: Assured For Men 3 Blade Cartridge (1)
• Lather: Barbasol – Soothing Aloe
• Post Shave: Brut – Classic
• Fragrance: Eau Studio – Noble Pour Homme

~~/u/Mammothben’s custom fragrance survey.~~ Challenge: I love coffee. I make a cup with beans from my local roaster almost every day. If I ever decide to take up fragrance making as a hobby, I’d want to craft something that incorporates coffee. If any woolly fragrancer happens to read this looking for ideas for an individualized fragrance, please don’t make this verbatim; unless it sounds good, in which case you should make it and give me credit 🤪 . My fragrance notes might look something like this:

Top notes: coffee, black cherry, almond
Middle notes: tobacco, tonka bean, cade oil
Base notes: sandalwood, rose, patchouli

I tried to listen to the Canadian pharmacy's intercom music playlist during my shave, but couldn't get the link to open in the Spotify app on my phone 🫤 .

I stopped by my local Dollar Tree yesterday and bought the Barbasol and cartridge razor. It feels wasteful. But, it’s the Lather Games and I want points. My expectations for this stuff is very low. So, how bad is it?

I read the directions on the Barbasol can. It simply says to shake the can and hold it upright. I wet my face, sprayed some soap into my off hand and went to work. The soap is unsurprisingly very dry. It exploded in volume as soon as it escapes from the can. I used my main hand to drip some water into my lather hand and worked it into the soap on my face. I did this a few times in an attempt to hydrate the lather. The soap smells of aerosol, and a powdery soapy scent. I don’t smell any aloe.

This razor is completely useless. It struggled to remove the Barbasol, let alone cut hair. It required a lot of pressure to get the blades to do anything. Even for the price, I didn’t think it would suck this bad. I guess I could’ve looked for a safety razor, but I wanted that #RAINBOW tag. After one pass, I grabbed my Schick injector to get a more accurate impression of the lather.

Even shaving WTG using the injector there was visible stubble in the lather on the razor. This confirms that the cartridge razor didn’t do much, if anything. No matter what I did, the lather was dry. It was possible to shave with it. I wouldn’t do any buffing using this soap as there’s zero secondary slickness. Post-shave feel is nonexistent. The aloe is a lie. It is convenient. But, there are brushless creams that are just as quick and provide better slickness.

This bottle of Brut was purchased at Kroger. I quite like this fragrance. It’s classic without feeling too cheap. It smells fresh. It’s aromatic. There’s a spicyness but it isn’t too heavy. It’s hard to put a name to the spice. It’s not peppery, or cinnamon… I’m looking through the list of spicy notes on fragrantica and nothing really fits… maybe bay leaf? It has a dry woodyness to it. It smells like oak. There’s a bit of grapefruit. Okay, time to look at the fragrantica entry. There’s a lot of notes I wouldn’t have guessed and few that seem obvious now that I’m looking at them: anise, basil, and lavender. This is one of those fragrances where stuff blends together.

Last time I was in my nearest Lidl I picked up bottles of their Eau Studio brand Noble Pour Homme and Defiance Pour Homme at half price. I assume they are dupes, but I can’t find any information on which fragrances they are dupes of. Today, I’ll be using Noble. It’s a citrusy musky fragrance. I get a big mandarin note bringing an energetic feel. There’s a strong note that I think is oud. I’m definitely getting musk. I also smell sandalwood. I feel like I’m missing something. There’s maybe a note of vetiver, sage, or pink pepper (something spicy). It smells pretty good. The original would be a good date night fragrance, but you could get away with this in an office setting, too. The performance is shite. It's only a skin scent within an hour.

#FOF

July 5, 2023 - Canned Goop

• Brush: None #BRUSHLESS
• Razor: Game Changer .68 SP #CNC
• Blade: Gillette Rubie (2)
• Lather: Cremo - Refreshing Mint
• Post Shave: Aqua Velva - Classic Ice Blue
• Fragrance: Guy Laroche - Drakkar Noir
• Muzak: Spotify Shopping Playlist
• Tea: Dunkin’ Donuts - Iced Tea - Unsweetened

FOF

Today’s theme:

Before about 3 years ago, everyday was drugstore/grocery store available cream. Last year I got this tube of Cremo and the Aqua Velva at the Walgreens a couple blocks from my home. The Drakkar Noir is sold at my local Walgreens, but I bought it on Amazon. I have to say this is going to probably be my least favorite shave this month. Cremo is ok, and the mint and menthol are very chilly. It is definitely not as nice feeling as a good artisan lather. I’d just rate it as adequate. Reasonable slickness, but not much else there. The Aqua Velva is pretty awful. I think when I last used it about 13 months ago, I thought the same. Not much skin food there with the main ingredients being water, alcohol, glycerine, and fragrance. The fragrance is really strong. It didn’t help that I spilled some on the counter.

That Spotify playlist sure has a lot of Sheryl Crow on it. I skipped ahead to The Cure.

Today’ fragrance:

In keeping to the bought at a drugstore near me theme, I went with the scent of my youth. When I was in high school, I had two eau de toilettes, Drakkar Noir and Polo (the original green). I’d say the scent would be a bit nostalgic, but this Aqua Velva is overpowering my nose and I can barely get anything off it. I might smell like a teen going to a homecoming dance, but I can’t get past the Ice Blue. Today’s scent mix I’ll give an F. I’m going to shower soon and get the AV scent off me. Maybe give a new spritz of Drakkar to relive my horny teen days.

Today’s Challenge:

Fragrance is a strange thing for me. Before I got into wetshaving, I almost always chose scent free products. Sure in high school and college I might have overdone the Drakkar or Polo, but I always felt like too much fragrance made me itchy. Overthe last couple years, I have really expanded the fragrances I use. Ok, the Aqua Velva is giving me a headache and my negative thoughts on fragrance are coming back. I’ve said it many times, but I recently have learned to like patchouli. When it is balanced well by other scents, I get a very pleasant impression of it. Musk is another scent where too much is crazy awful, but a hint is quite nice. It is that really strange thing, but when you get a faint hint of skunk, not that bad, but get right up close to a freshly sprayed dog, or maybe roadkill skunk, it makes you gag. So that is two ingredients I’d want to have. I would want a citrus scent like lemon, grapefruit, or bergamot to brighten up the earthier tones. Next I’d want black tea and vanilla. Three of my favorite splashes are Noble Otter - Thè Noir et Vanille, Noble Otter - Barrbarr, and Barrister and Mann - Cheshire. Another great scent for me is freshly cleaned laundry dried on a clothesline outside. Even better was the laundry on the line at my Aunt’s cabin in the mountains outside Crested Butte, Colorado. So add in a bit of laundry musk, rosemary, and pine. So my signature scent would be fresh laundry with a cup of Earl Grey, while sitting on the front porch at my Aunt’s cabin. A few months ago, I was looking for my Aunt’s Cabin on Google Earth. It has been torn down in the last few years. Most of the cabins that were in the same part if the national forest are gone. My great aunt and uncle built the cabin themselves in the 1960s. My dad helped build the sleeping loft they added later. We spent a couple weeks there every summer when I was growing up. My aunt finally sold the place when she was in her 80s and couldn’t take care of the place by herself. Scents are such strong triggers for memories, and my ideal scent would take me back to those summer days at a cabin with no tv or even radio (no reception). We’d go for walks, fish in the creek near an abandon beaver dam, read lots of books, shoot bb guns off the back porch, and see the dozens of hummingbirds at the feeders hung up by the windows.

TLDR: Drugstore crap sucks. I like tea, citrus, and mountain air.

Haiku #5:

Aqua Velva? No!

Really just don’t get the stuff,

Be nice to your nose.

Bonus Drugstore Day Burma Shave Poem (author unknown):

Said Farmer Jones,

Who’s bald on top,

I wish I could,

Rotate this crop.

2023-07-05 Lather Games SOTD

• Brush: Omega 11126 (24x55mm Boar) #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Generic Mach III
• Blade: Generic Mach III (21)
• Lather: Nivea - Protect & Care Shave Cream
• Post Shave: Nivea - Protect & Care Aftershave
• Fragrance: Nautica - Voyage

I worked at the Shopper's Drug Mart down the street from my house years ago while I was in University. I still have bad dreams about it. And the intercom music was brutally repetitive... the featured playlist in today's thread topic is a recreation of pretty much every song they've included in their rotation over the last 20+ years. That job ruined a lot of songs for me.

Anyway, everything I used today came from that store. The chain actually has a pretty decent shave selection - usually some Proraso stuff, lots of Nivea, some variety of "10000-series" Omega boar brush (the model they stock changes from time to time), a few commercial safety razors and maybe a shavette some days... Decent for a huge Canadian pharmacy chain. They also have a cosmetics department with a medium-sized designer perfume collection, so I went with a bottle of Voyage I got for $20 on sale a few years back.

Also, everything except the brush is blue or decorated with blue trim, including the Chinese rice bowl I used as a lather bowl today.

Daily Challenge:

What would be in my perfect original shaving scent if I were the one making it? So far it's Colonia Nove, but I'm tinkering a bit here and there with some new ideas. Right now I'm mulling over a scent that I'll probably call "SandalwOud Spice"... I have a few pre-blended FOs that I really like that I think will blend nicely. It would go something like: Sandalwood (phony; woody-creamy character), Oudh (phony; dusty-earthy-woody character), Patchouli (real), Exaltolide, some phony leathery nuances, and a bit of a waaaaay-off-the-mark Old Spice dupe FO that just comes off vaguely woody-spicy without any of the detail of the original stuff, but nevertheless smells nice on its own merit.

#FOF because apparently wally cares about that or something

DAY 5 LATHER GAMES! Man do I not like drug store products... #MOANPOST

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Gillette British Rocket #REGUS
• Blade: Nacet(2)
• Lather: Kapo - Classic shaving cream
• Post Shave: Kapo - Classic aftershave splash
• Fragrance: Avon - Full Speed Surfer

PIC OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN

​

INTRO:

Right, I don't want to really moan about the daily theme, it's more about what is offered here at Bulgaria. I mean you guys can go and get Pinaud Clubman at your stores, that's awesome! Even though we had classical wet-shaving tradition here in Bulgaria, they are ALMOST long gone, good thing is that there is a re-birth of the hobby(in general) so we may see things going better in the future. Fingers crossed!

LATHER:

Man.... People say that the old Kapo(it's pronounced Karo for people who might be interested) was waaaaaay better than this new one, honestly I have no idea, cause it was before my time, but boy was it an average at best lather... The less I say, the better. There are other options, but all of em are just good enough to get the job done....

RAZOR:

Last time I used this was either during the last LG or the Atlas Shaves during February last year. It's my grandpa's razor and it's waiting it's turn for my wallet to fill up a bit so it can go on a replating trip to the USA and be restored to it's former glory! As a shaver it provided me with a much better shave than yesterday's Henson shave. Only gripe I have, and that was a problem also last February, is that the TTO knob untwists itself and sometimes you realize a bit too late.... Other than that, great shavers, old Gillettes shave great!

BRUSH:

Now, the MOAR BOAR!!! Most of you here are familiar with this brush. I'm usually a synthetic kind of guy, but when I saw that there were some left unacclaimed I jumped the gun! The brush is great and gorgeous, only one tiiiiny-teeeeny problem. THIS THING EATS SOAP LIKE IT'S AT A HOT DOG EATING COMPETITION.... It's a problem cause I'm the type of guy who wants to get the most shaves out of a soap. But for creams that are cheap, pfff no problem chug a away! It is very soft, even during the first shave after being soaked for 5-6 minutes it was a great massage to make lather on my face!! Thank you all that were behind this project!!

AFTERSHAVE:

One of the worst smelling things I've used. And it's not in a bad way, it's just so generic and chemical(maybe I've become a snob, who knows).... It's probably the scent of the products that make me moan the most about this daily challenge.

DAILY CHALLENGE:

Wax poetic about my perfect scent I would create, if I had the possibility of doing so? Man I wish I was Red at this moment.... He's gonna be pretty annoyed that I tagged him, cause I've been crying about it since at least a year, but u/mammothben knows how I would love if he made an ANGLE GRINDER scented soap! Yup you heard me right! That's my favourite smell in the world!!! Why? Who knows maybe I was left for a day or two by my mother near a construction site, but then she reconsidered and took me back. Maybe it's all those times I've helped my father with angle grinding stuff. Or maybe I'm just a bit loose in the head.

But this is stuff I've ranted about before. Since the past year some great fragrances have passed through my nose, here's a list:

• The Rambler by Zingari man
• Delta V by Declaration Grooming
• Sutton Distilled by First Line Shaving
• Valedictorian by Summer Break Soaps

These are just new ones from the past 5-6 months, added to a list of a few others(FG, STAG, TOBACCONIST) I also consider masterpieces. But having smelled all these fragrances I'm not sure I can make something that is better than them, again angle grinder is more a meme than anything else(even though I would love the idea). If I did have to create one it would be something as follows:

• Top Notes: Sea Breeze, Bergamot
• Middle Notes: Oud, Honey, Bubble Gum
• Base Notes: Asphalt, Smoke, Tar

How does this all fit together? On paper it doesn't, in my head it's magnificent!! To each their own I guess!

#FOF

I'll try and keep this one short, cause it's already a long post. I chose Avon, cause it's something that is easily available and it's also very generic and fits the scent theme of the cream and aftershave. Scent wise today was awful... Nothing more to add!

• Daily Lather Themes: 5/30
• Daily Challenges: 5/30
• Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 10/20
• Hardware Vendor Points: 0/2
• Software Vendor Points: 0/13
• Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1
• 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 5/30
• 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 5/30
• 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 5/30
• 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 5/30

July 5, 2023

• Brush: Maggard Razors Black Handle Timberwolf Synthetic Travel Brush, 18mm #RUNT #SMOLL
• Razor: Razorock Mamba 70
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Super Stainless (Green)
• Lather: Nature’s Promise – Lime
• Post Shave: Maggard Razors – Limes & Bergamot
• Fragrance: Blackbird – Universal Supreme – EdP

I grabbed this tube of goop from my local Hannaford (regional grocery store) a couple weeks ago in anticipation of today, upon noticing that it was aggressively marked down – a sure sign of a quality product. Nature’s Promise is one of the primary private labels for Hannaford, which is usually fine and dandy for food, but I wasn’t so sure about the quality of today’s shave.

My assumption was mostly correct. It was…fine? The lime scent was very saccharine, like a lime slushy, and the consistency was neither soap nor cream. It was much more liquidy than I expected, so I accidentally poured out way too much for a neck and beard shaping day (head needed a break due to not being used to daily shaves). Even using some water and a brush, it didn’t really lather up into what I’m used to with artisan soaps. It was thick and viscous initially, and although water helped a bit, it didn’t exactly build a “lather.” No cuts or frag burn, though, so I can’t really complain.

To even out the sweet lime, I used Maggard Lime & Bergamot, which gave a little bit of complexity. I was going to then use Tyler by Guy Fox, but decided to go with Universal Supreme instead, thinking/hoping that it would create a cherry lime rickey vibe. This didn’t quite work, as the scent of the soap and splash faded quickly on account of not covering my entire head, so I mostly just got cherry. Again, no complaints – just not what I was going for. #FOF

Per the challenge, I fully recognize that I am not a perfumer. I struggle to pull out scent notes, and sometimes I read note lists and have trouble identifying them or even believing that those notes are to be found. For somebody who is really into fragrances and cooking/food, I have a less-than-discerning palate and olfactory ability. That said, I would love a soap that evokes an Aviation cocktail. The cocktail is made with gin, maraschino liqueur, creme de violette, and lemon juice. So, scent notes would probably be juniper, coriander, cherry, vanilla, lemon, and a hint of violet. I would imagine the fragrance being largely herbaceous, with a rounded sweetness and mid notes of citrus, and top notes of florals which fade (to represent how you shouldn’t overload the creme de violette in an Aviation). I imagine some other notes would need to be added to make a more balanced fragrance, and some perfume oils to be in the background in order to make the important notes stand out – I just don’t know how any of that exactly works.

July 5, 2023

• Brush: None
• Razor: Harry’s – The Winston #RAINBOW
• Blade: Harry’s Cartridge
• Lather: Nivea - Sensitive Skin Shaving Gel
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive Skin Post Shave Balm
• Fragrance: Lacoste L.12.12 Bleu

I remember when I first “upgraded” to Harry’s I thought I was the shit. I got rid of the plastic Gillette Fusion and went to this super high-quality metal (with rubber grippies) piece of art. Boy was a naïve fool at the time. It’s metal, its cartridges are German-engineers. This thing SCREAMS high quality. And because I wanted nothing but the finest for my skin, I used Nivea products for sensitive skin. This was my set-up for years and years and years and years. And today, regressed back and I have to admit, I’m embarrassed I ever thought this was high quality. Like, at the time, I honestly thought I had reached shaving enlightenment with this set-up. I now want to hide my head in shame when I think back to those days.

I used this exact set-up for a long time, so it was sort of like riding a bike. I hadn’t gotten around to tossing this stuff out yet, and it’s a good thing, for two reasons: (1) It gave me the perfect set up for canned goop day today and (2) it made me realize how far I’ve come since I last used this stuff 8 months ago. Using this today helped me realize I can throw this stuff out and never, ever, ever look back. It wasn’t a bad shave, per say, but it definitely wasn’t a good shave. The fragrance I used, Lacoste Bleu, is readily available at pretty much any drug store and is a “nothing special” fragrance to me. The description says clean, sensual & masculine and I say its generic, overpowering, and nondescript. #FOF

If anything, today’s shave made me sad for the millions of people out there that still shave like this. My only hope is one day, they all decide to look and see what else is out there and discover wetshaving. Because there is a better way. And that better way is the way all of our grandfather’s shaved. And today’s shave really proved that to me.

Challenge:

If I need to design a fragrance, I’m going with stuff that everyone has heard of. When I first got started wetshaving, I was extremely frustrated at all the scents that I had no idea what they were (bergamot, ozone, tonka, etc). So I’d like to go back to basics for the every man idiots like me that don’t know scents. So I’m going with Lavender, Lemon, with a tiny sprig of Mint. I think that would be a great summertime scent.

July 5, 2023 – LG 5: Canned Shave Goop

• Brush: Amazon Badger #ANCIENT #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: Merkur 23c
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (1)
• Lather: Barbasol – Soothing Aloe
• Post Shave: Burt’s Bees – Natural Aftershave
• Fragrance: Giorgio Armani – Acqua do Gio

How does such a solid playlist lack Canadian greats like Celine Dion and The Biebs?!?

All products available at drug and department stores. This crappy old Amazon badger was my first shaving brush, a no name best badger that came in a kit with the 23c. This seemed like a perfect day for #PHOTOCONTEST (r/wicked_edge), since that sub is how I came to the hobby many a years ago. Furthermore, everyone on w_e knows a stand is completely necessary for your brush to dry properly. Beginning shave products only accentuate the classic w_e photo, to bad I didn’t destroy my neck too show you as well…

As aforementioned, all products are linked by their availability today, so I won’t dwell on scent too long. Barbasol is modeled as a classic barbershop of sorts, the Burt’s bees is similar masculine freshness, with a touch of minty/menthol. The AdG was my first and only big house cologne, that got me all the compliments in the early to mid 2000s. A “classic” so to speak, a citrus aquatic scent that to me has a typical cologne scent that I can’t really discern the individual scent notes, but is blended into a fresh and clean nostalgia bomb. #FOF

As for my scent, I would design a POG Aquatic. POG stands for passion orange guava, and is a common and popular drink in Hawaii. My GFs mom grew up there, and her sister now lives there so we visit a lot. It’s quite sweet, but a lovely fruity drink nonetheless. Lately I’ve had a few POG seltzers and POG Hazy IPAs that have been absolutely delicious and refreshing. It has some of the fresh citrus notes already in many aquatics, but I’d want to spruce it up from just fruit notes to a fruity aquatic. According to the internet I’d want calone and aldehydes to give it that saltiness. I think some cucumber might give it some nice freshness as well. So to all you artisans out there reading this, feel free to make one, and if you want to give me $0.10 for each tub on the back end that would be great. Or just make it and I’ll buy it, but keep it fruit heavy.

soap brands 5/30, post shave 5/30, frag 5/30, post/frag linked 5/30, software sponsors 1/15, hardware sponsors 1/2, razor hashtags 3/15, brush hashtags 3/15, photo contest 5/30, daily challenges 4/25, special challenges 1/5

July 6, 2023 – Canned Goo

• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Lite
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Barbasol
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face – Ghost Town Barber

Look, I wanted to hate this crap, but, listen – I didn’t. It’s not that I would go back, artisan soap is so much better. But, like, this wasn’t terrible. My skin didn’t melt off, I don’t have terrible burns, the shave was relatively smooth, and the scent is mild and nostalgic enough to be fine. I had a debate with myself while I shaved – what would I give up if I was forced: DE razors in favor of cartridges or artisan soap in favor of canned goo. The answer is I would take carts and artisan soap (RIP my wallet on those replacement blades), becuase this stuff just isn’t as smooth or moisturizing or enjoyable as all the soap, but, it’d suck to do that. I don’t ever want to go back.

GTB crushed the follow up, though, and I now smell great.

I will say, though, it was very quick and convenient to just have it all ready to go – no prep, nothing. Just squeeze it on my hand, rub it on my face, and boom, shaving.

If I were to come up with my own scent, say I placed high enough in these games – I would be completely screwed. I am terrible at this stuff, but, if I was forced – I would want a hybrid scent: HoM Sonder with Chatillon Lux Admiral with an ode to Creed Island Water. I know – that’s a lot, but, I like the bright green of sonder with the stellar smoky dry down of Admiral and I want my wife’s reaction to be the same as when I use Island Man (Island Water). So – that’s me.

FOF Haiku of the Day

Barbasol is fine
Brings back some fond memories
My dad used this stuff