June 12, 2024 – Creamed

• Brush: Turn n Shave – L7 Boba
• Razor: Wolfman WR1 #cnc #stainlessless
• Blade: Treat Classic (Carbon Steel) (3)
• Lather: SIR – Irisch Moos
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Varen
• Fragrance: SIR – Irisch Moos

Cream! I was fortunate enough to be involved in one of u/j33pguy13’s raid of the B&B forums that resulted in many Moos cream tubes. I had heard good things about the Moos, so I decided to get one. It’s one of the few scents my wife goes “that’s good” when I lather it up. I picked up a second from him later.

It’s a true cream in a metal tube, so no bowl, just onto the brush and lather. It makes a decent enough lather. Not as good as any artisans, but better than the Cremo I used earlier. For #fof, I call this my Moos-Varen-Moos sandwich. Born out of necessity that I don’t have Moos splash, I tried it, and it works wonderfully. Varen is a bit spicier and darker to my nose. It is more vetiver forward, and that vetiver lasts a long time on my skin, so when I return to the Moos, I get a delicious blend of the two that’s greater than any one individually. Sure, I still do a Varen Trick every now and then, especially in winter, but if you get Moos EdT, paring it with Varen splash or (in my case) balm is a match made in heaven. Moos is special so for #photocontest let’s fill the frame with it. But I’m going to fill my frame a bit differently. I’m using a lens ball to play with perspective here, because why not.

Today’s challenge shows the necessity of improv in lather games. My daughter and I worked out a bit for den tour day again this year, with her leading the video. But she’s sick in the other room. In her honor though we’ll continue the bit just via pictures and text. Pretend the italics is her.

What’s this? An Admission fee?
Mom says we need to recoup the vacation fund you spent on soap.

“It’s my bathroom, also I don’t carry cash. And what about her Sephora bill?”
We take Venmo! And I won’t’ tell her you said that if you tip well.
“Fine” (Makes payment).

Excellent, I’ll lead your tour. Over on this wall we have the TOWERS OF SOAP. See how precarious they are? And how occasionally they get knocked over at night?
“Amazing! Also disorganized.”

Over here we have THE DRAWER OF MYSTERY! Random odds and ends, some of which haven’t been touched in years!.
“Those carts are probably not dull yet!”

And in here, THE MAGIC CABINET! Stuff goes in, sometimes to never be seen again!
“Yes, Yes, I get it, I need to get better organized.”

Would you like to upgrade to a VIP ticket to see the overflow den in the office? It’s only $29.99 and comes with a Seaforth! sticker we found on your desk!
“It’s my office! I’m not paying to go in my office, also give back my sticker.”

Vacation fund, remember!
“I’m good, they Saw that yesterday.

Frag display is not included in this level of tour, but we can tell you the LG 2024 winner’s frag collection has grown substantially since last year, now containing over double the full bottles of last year and many smaller sprayers!
“Thanks! Great tour!”
Don’t forget to tip!

Edit: the honorable u/djundjila informs me the brand for Irisch Moos is "SIR" which is owned by M&W but is it's own brand. I have updated accordingly.

June 12 - Crema da Barba

• Brush: Semogue 610 21mm Boar

• Razor: Razorock Mamba

• Blade: Asco Platinum Orange

• Lather: Cella Crema da Barba Soap

• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger Splash

• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Big Leap Splash

• Fragrance: Noble Otter/Australian Private Reserve - Jungle Warrior EdP

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Cella is always a good time for me. It brings back lots of good memories, and it makes for a very pleasant shave. Just remember to load it like you hate it.

Big Leap is a more vintage fragrance, with heaps of powder, some well blended citrus, some geranium and a lotta class. I'd even liken it to a vintage barbershop. Add on the sweet n creamy fougère of Jungle Warrior, and mmmmm that is one hell of a dapper, distinguished gentleman. The powdery and citrus blend super well with the light fougère and it brings about the best of the fragrance. I love it.

#FOF

Edit: I'm a dingdong who updated everything but the soap for today's shave FML.

June 12, 2024 – 2024.06.12: Lather Games Day 12 – CREAM

• Brush: Shave Forge Horsehair, 20mm #HORSESASS #HOLLOW
• Razor: GEM 1912 #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Harry’s – Shave Cream
• Post Shave: Proraso – Menthol and Eucalyptus
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Every Storm A Serenade

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Daily Theme: CREAM

Theme justification: Harry's Shaving Cream for Men is listed as a shaving cream. The tube is also clearly labeled as a cream.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Today's matching theme is Eucalyptus (otherwise known as the plant that koalas eat). All elements incorporate eucalyptus into their products. The Harry's Shaving Cream is made with "aloe and eucalyptus"(it's also listed on the tube), the Proraso Aftershave is with Eucalyptus & Menthol, and Imaginary Authors' Every Storm a Serenade has a note of eucalyptus as well.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: This GEM 1912, which was provided on loan by /u/EldrormR, has a patina. I did my best to capture it: here, here, and here.

Brush facts: This brush, loaned by /u/OnionMiasma, is made of horse hair and has a hollow handle. It is the same brush he used here. A judge wouldn't lie about the brush characteristics, would they?

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Daily/Special Challenge: Den Tour Day.

All I ask today is that you do not judge me on the messiness of my den/bathroom. Also, my cat wanted to take part in the den tour. I am willing to answer any questions related to my cat.

Here you have the right side of my counter. Encounter #1 with the cat. He was very interested in what I was doing. I keep all my brushes & razors up here because I have not found a good storage solution for them. I'm open to suggestions. My toothbrush also lives nested in the warm embrace of the brush forest, as does my CaYuen bowl. To the left of the sink is my organization tray. It has some of my most used items. My frags also live on this side, along with most of my lotions, because I haven't found a better place for them yet. The items on my HoM x Lancaster towel just haven't found a home yet either.

Here is the drawer on the right side. It has a few soaps and some miscellaneous items. It also has my blade bank. Under that drawer, we have a cabinet that I've installed two pullout drawers in. On the top we have my soap, and on the bottom we mostly have my aftershaves. The bottom does have my Stirling samples as well. I will say I greatly prefer the top drawer. It is much smoother and feels higher quality. Plus, I think it looks nicer. There are some boxes on each side of the drawers that have various items in them. The ones on top are filled with samples (one for smushes the other for actual sample products), while on bottom we have smush making items.

On the left side, the top drawer has my floss, hair stuff, and my sample frags. The cabinet below is a hodgepodge of items... Cat! What are you doing? You don't belong there! Come one, get out. Don't give me that look. I know you like drawers, but I don't want to be in a position where I have to tell a vet that you at a razor blade. Great, now that he's gone we can continue.

The top is mostly blades and boxes, while the bottom is a lot of bath soap and other miscellaneous items (like drop kits, travel razors, canned goo, and other various items I don't really use any more). This side really needs more organization. Next time I go to a place with a Daiso I'm buying some more organization items. The box I bought for my blades is perfect, and the stand on my countertop is nice too.

So thanks for taking a tour of my ~~crib~~ den. See you next year.

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Fragrance description

The Harry's cream was so bad that it's not even worth mentioning in this section.

The Proraso lived up to its name and smelled like eucalyptus. Good on you, Proraso.

As for Every Storm a Serenade, the main note I'm getting is spruce and a bit of vetiver. I, unfortunately, do not get the any sense of storm or west coast of Denmark. Nor any sea notes. Not bad, but a bit different that I expected.

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Now onto the shave!

Overall the shave was decent. I probably wasn't supposed to use a brush for the cream, but I did anyway. I mean, it doesn't say not to use a brush. The cream smelled horrible, but provided enough slickness to shave with the 1912. Result was a decent enough shave that was presentable without murdering my face.

I'll call it a win.

Finished up the morning by making some eggs, the Kenji way.. I prefer my scrambled eggs on the harder side, and this method worked great for that. They were still moist and delicious.

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Sponsor Spotlight

House of Mammoth (/u/MammothBen). What can really be said. Active in the community while making great stuff. Him and Vida make a great team, and I've never been disappointed in a HoM product.

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Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 8/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 12/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 12/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 12/30
• Number of Frags: 12/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 12, 2024 – LG Day 12 – Mmm…Creamy

• Brush: Chisel & Hound v23 Fanchurian
• Razor: Karve CB SB-C
• Blade: Treet Classic (2)
• Lather: Derby – Lemon
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Glacial, Lemon Chill
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Sonder

Artisan shaving cream: for when you don’t have 30 extra seconds to make lather from soap. This is incredible. A marvel. Why are we using soap? Saving those extra 30 seconds was honestly life-changing. I got just as good as a shave with a fraction of the work! I’m actually so excited about this that I went back in time eighty years to make a radio ad, which you can listen to here!

The fragrance theme of the day is (obviously) lemon. Because of the use of lemon oil in ubiquitous cleaning products, using Derby Lemon brings that unfortunate association to the front of mind. It’s a big “lemon fresh” vibe, which wasn’t helped by glacial lemon, which is…also just lemon oil. Neither Derby nor Stirling were trying to do anything fancy, tricky, or convoluted here. Just bright, fresh, clean lemon. Sonder, on the other hand, is something special. I’m brought back in time to my childhood, taking my first bite of a lemon Oreo (or some other sandwich cookie brand; my memory's not great). Swirls of fragrant vanilla, sweet lemon, and pure childhood bliss. Sonder exudes comfort and summertime joy. #FOF

Den tour time! Album link for those who want just a quick look.

Photo 1: Razors live on a test tube rack in front of all my splashes (and a few balms), and above them on a shelf made with scrap wood live my brush collection, which is starting to get too big.

Photo 2: A disorganized mass of shaving soaps and a dopp bag containing a plethora of blades, many which have fallen out of their tucks and into a dangerous grab-bag layer on the bottom, as well as smushes and some other random items. On the right is where all my samples are, once organized, but now a chaotic mess.

Photo 3: My full bottles and travel sprays of fragrances. I wish this collection was bigger, but…money. I would like to figure out how to display these better.

Photo 4 and Photo 5: My fragrance samples, the only organized thing in this den. This system has made my daily SOTD pairings a whole lot easier, since I choose based largely on vibes when it’s not June, and when they’re all in a messy box, some (many) get forgotten about.

2024-06-12 - CASH RULES ALL PEOPLE

• Lather: St. James of London - Cedarwood & Clarysage (cream)
• Post Shave: St. James of London - Cedarwood & Clarysage (gel)
• Fragrance: Nicor - Royal Ebony
• Razor: Wolfman Razors - Guerrilla
• Brush: West Coast Shaving - Two Tone Synthetic 26mm

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#photocontest MONEY

MAIN POINT OF SELLING BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS EXTREME PRICE OF WEAPON AND CARTRIDGE.
BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON OF MAN WHO WEARS EXPENSIVE ITALIAN FASCIST SUIT OF HAND SEWING, DRIVE HUGE EXPENSIVE NAZI MERCEDES OF A.M.G. SHOP, SAIL ON MASSIVE YACHT TO GREEK ISLANDS. I THINK YOU GET PICTURE. BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS WEAPON THAT SAYS IS NO SUCH THING AS CONCERN OF MONEY.
FOR MAN WITHOUT EXPENSIVE SUIT, BIG BLACK MERCEDES, AND MASSIVE YACHT, BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN IS FOR PRETENDING OF BE RICH LIKE BLACK GANGSTER OF AMERICAN CITY WITH GOLD CHAINS OF LOW QUALITY AND JEWELS OF COLORED GLASS. WHEN YOU EXPLAIN USE OF BELGIAN FIVE SEVEN PISTOL IS ONLY FOR SHOOT MAN WITH BULLET VEST WITH CARTRIDGE ILLEGAL TO CIVILIAN, THIS MAN HAS NUCLEAR RAGE. WHOLE IDENTITY OF THIS MAN IS SPENT IN PRETEND PISTOL SHOWS HE IS RICH. IS VERY AMUSE.
FOR REST OF WORLD THERE IS 9 MILLIMETERS OF LUGER WHICH IS SAME WOUND FOR COST LESS.

C.R.E.A.M.:
EVERY BREATHING DAY I WISH SUFFERING ON INVENTOR OF SHAVE CREAM. CREAM IS SHAVING FOR LAZY MAN WITHOUT DEXTROUS SKILL OF HANDS AND BRUSH.

SMELLS ARE ALIKE: SUBSTANCE IS ALL WRONG (BUT MAYBE ALL WOOD)
CREAM FOR LAZYMAN AND INSANE LUNATIC MAKES FRAGRANCE IN WAX.

DEN TOUR DAY:
ДОБРЫЙ ДЕНЬ, MY DEN! XA!
LOOK WITH YOUR BALL-EYES GIVEN BY MOTHER: DEN AND TRIPLE SHAVE AS THROUGH MY OWN EYES!

I LEARN VIDEO EDITING IN OPEN SOURCE BUT THEN BIONIC EYES RECORDED NO SOUND. JOKES AND TUTCHEV POEM LOST BUT VIDEO SHORTER. DJUDGES ARE SPARED.

I HAVE BOXED SWEDISH MORNING CABINET FOR MOVING TO LAND WITHOUT DEATH OF SUN.
LOOK AT КОШКА ARTEMIS! I DIGRESS!

GOOD LUCK WITH GAMES! ИГРАЕМ LIKE RED-HAIRED CHESS ORPHAN.

#FOF

CREAM SMELLS EXACTLY AS WRITTEN ON FLIMSY PAPER ENVELOPE: LIGHT WOOD AND CLARYSAGE, I RECALL FROM YESTERDAY'S ELEVEN WITH VIOLATE. PAPER ENVELOPE IS FOR UNKILLED HANDS THAT ARE INCAPABLE OF USING CIVILIZED SOAP TO CRUSH LIKE CAVEMAN FOR UNFATHOMED SLIME OF POSTSHAVE

WAX FRAGRANCE FROM WEB CHINESE STORE SELLING TRASH TO PEASANTS.
IT SMELLS LIKE BROWN.

June 12, 2024

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps - Berwyn Handle - 26mm APShave Co Gelousy Badger
• Razor: Wolfman WR2 – 1.15 Gap
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Moon Soaps - Amaretto Speciale Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Moon Soaps - Amaretto Speciale Splash
• Fragrance: Pearlescent Parfums - Baklava Extrait

For today’s shave, we’re all using creams. Which are a different consistency than soaps – on the product description for this cream, Moon Soaps says: “This formula is a very soft cream comparable to the consistency of room-temperature butter” and they are absolutely right. But don’t spread this butter on toast, despite the delicious smell! And this smell is awesomely delicious. For the uninitiated, Moon Soaps is one of the most unique artisans in that they have several different soap bases across their line-up – pretty much every scent has its own base. Which can be frustratingly confusing when you like one-scent they offer, but prefer the base of a different scent. Anyway, that’s how they do it and it works for them and they are the only artisan (that I know of) that operates like that.

I don’t have any wacky shavanigans planned for today, so I’m focusing my effort on a great #FOF write-up. Today’s shave was the perfect shave for The Gourmand King (me). It was sweeter than a trip to Willy Wonky’s Factory. Can you get Type II Diabetes from a shave? We’re about to find out!

Starting with the Amaretto Speciale Shaving Cream. My bathroom was transformed into the bakery section of Willy Wonky’s Factory. I loaded my brush into the creamy goodness and was immediately hit with a whiff of sweet almonds and cherries. Lathering up almost felt like spreading sweet marzipan over my face. I half-expected a team of tiny Oompa Loompa’s to emerge and start decorating my cheeks with frosting swirls and sprinkles. Then, if the shaving cream was an Oompa Loompa’s dream, the matching splash was a delicious river of almonds and cherries cutting through land of sweets. I slapped it on, and BOOM—my face was engulfed in a wave of sweet delight. The splash almost had a warming effect, like a cozy blanket of almond and cherries, soothing my freshly shaven skin while making me smell like Little Debbie’s Dad.

To top off this sugar-fueled journey, I used Pearlescent Parfums’ Baklava Extrait. One spray, and I was back to the Willy’s bakery! The scent of the extrait surrounded me with by layers of flaky pastry, dripping with honey and pistachio. The scent was rich and decadent, perfectly complementing the almond notes from the soap and splash. I felt like a walking dessert tray, ready to tempt anyone within smelling distance.

Today's shave was a sugar-coated extravaganza! From the sweet embrace of Amaretto Speciale to the buttery goodness of Baklava, this shave was a Confectionery Circus and I was the Ringmaster.

Oh, and that line about no wacky shavanigans was a lie.

This lather smelled so sweet, and I had a Chocolate Eclair Cream Pie that was missing something...

I couldn’t help myself but to put a little bit of lather on top of the pie and ate it.

Was gross. Don’t recommend. Lather is for shaving. Not for human consumption.

Challenge: Den Tour Time! Last year, I made sure I included my feet in every picture for u/J33pGuy13’s pleasure, and felt dirty afterwards, so I’m playing it straight this year. If no feet in the pics costs me the victory this year, I’ll be kicking myself (with these sexy tootsies of mine).

First off: Full sets of soaps and splashes live in organizers under the futon in my home office.

Coffee scented soaps/splashes get their own little tub

Brushes go on a on spinner organizer thing

Razors on the windowsill

Two plastic tubs for fragrances

I keep the little things in organizers in an antique Table Talk Pie Crate

Soap Samples

Splash Samples

Blades

Straights

Misc handles (some I’ve turned myself) and knots

And finally…

Two toolboxes of soaps/splashes that are not part of sets – Also the top top of the toolbox has blades, different baseplates, and stickers, which I’ve been meaning to stick to the box, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

I’m REALLY trying to stop buying soaps and splashes unless it’s something special. I’ve been getting more into the fragrance side of things because (1) I have enough soaps to last forever and (2) the scent of the fragrances last for so much longer so I can enjoy the scents throughout the day. It’s science.

Soap Theme Justification: Amaretto Speciale Shaving Cream. It’s right there in the name.

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Deliously gourmand, almond scented Soap, Splash, and Fragrance. Yum!

LG 12 - CREAM

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts - Oumo Two Bands 5th Edition Hand-tied 26mm Fan
• Razor: Kamisori Iwasaki #KAMISORI
• Lather: Lea Classic - crema de afeitar
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Traditionalist
• Fragrance: Álvarez Gómez - Agua de Colonia Concentrada Barberia edt

Some of the hardware and almost all Software (Post shaves are in another cabinet) for today's challenge.

.#FOF Lea has a mentholated scent with traces of sandalwood, the tradi -one of the best sandalwood out there- goes in the same line but with better sandalwood and more complexity, Alvarez Colonia pairs well with the after, with a more prominent cedar note but with sandalwood too.

Who doesn't love Cream? Strange Brew

Day 12

• Brush: Boti 28mm Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Executive Fatboy
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Geo F. Trumper – Almond Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Clubman Pinaud – Classic Vanilla Splash
• Fragrance: Tumi - Kinetic EdP

I’m going old school today. Using a sample of Geo F. Trumper. It’s funny how samples just appear on their own because I’m pretty sure I would never have purchased this. Honestly no clue where it came from. But I’m glad I had it today!

Both the scent and performance are largely inoffensive and forgettable. Same with the splash. It’s as bare-bones and basic as you can possibly get. I think these two companies may literally be the first shaving companies ever. Like the Christopher Columbus was trying to trade this stuff with the Native Americans. The splash was fine. The vanilla scent smelled artificial and disappeared quickly to makes room for the cologne, which I appreciated because I did not want the scent to linger.

I chose Tumi Kinetic for my cologne. From a #FOF perspective, it was the highlight. I was hoping the almond soap, vanilla splash, and a fragrance that features smoky vanilla would work well together for an almond/vanilla party. And on paper, it would have. But we don’t shave on paper! The scents of the soap and splash left much to be desired, so by default the Tumi Kinetic was the MVP. The smoky vanilla in the cologne was light, yet refined and it sits with a nice sandalwood base. It has a slight sweetness to it, almost there’s cherry somewhere in there, but the sandalwood is the prominent note. I’m not about to go out and buy a full bottle of this, but for today, it was just fine.

For #photocontest: Cactus

For the challenge, here’s my “den”. It’s a little smaller than a lot of people here, but I’m limited on space and it’s not the size of the den that matters, but how you use it! Everything fits in one cloth box. I have a leather dopp bag for brushes, a metal bucket for razors, a ziplock bag for samples, and all the full size soaps and splashes are at the bottom. The cloth box lives under my sink, and I typically use the same set every day for a week or so before switching out for a different set. That approach allows me to mix it up a good amount without my collection getting unmanageable.

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “CREAM”… The Top 5 Best Flavors of Ice CREAM from Ben & Jerry’s:

5.) Half Baked

4.) Americone Dream

3.) Netflix & Chill’d

2.) Cherry Garcia

1.) Chubby Hubby

June 12, 2024 - CREAM

• Brush: Munnin Woodworks Mother of Pearl APShaveCo G5C 24mm
• Razor: RazoRock Hawk v2
• Blade: Feather Pro Guard (15)
• Lather: Gillette - Pure
• Post Shave: Maurer & Wirtz - Tabac
• Fragrance: Calvin Klein - CK One Shock For Him

Challenge: Den Tour pic 1 - the shelves of shaving; pic 2 - soap box; pic 3 - post-shave box; pic 4 - frag box; pic 5 - razor box; pic 6 - under sink storage; pic 7 - bathroom drawer; pic 8 - overflow has gotten… pic 9 - kinda crazy.

Once upon a time, Gillette Pure was my Drug Store Day lather. It used to be available in my local Wallgreens stores. It’s not on shelves anymore. I guess it didn’t sell. There’s not much fragrance at first. I got a faint green powder and laundry musk in the soap while aloe seemingly hangs in the air. This cream is fluffy. The cream went from the tube, to my hands, then to my face, which was messy. I shouldn’t have rubbed it between my fingers. It made my hands soapy. It looked thin on my face at first. After a pass with the brush it morphed into pasty proto-lather. It puffed up quickly once I started adding water. I hydrated it until lather flung off of my brush. The slickness was okay, but not as good as the appearance of the lather led me to believe. It was at least a bit better than the Barbasol on Canned Goop Day. But, it was drying. The fragrance came out more when it was hydrated. The powder note was more prominent and smelled more distinctly of lavender. Overall, it’s a safe fragrance for a commercial product. It’s similar to what canned foam smells like. It’s non-offensive, and that’s probably the nicest thing I can say about it.

Today’s theme leaves the fragrance options wide open. I started by picking hardware and software that are physically black and white for my SOTD pic. Out of those options, I liked the idea of using other mass-market products in tandem with Pure. I won this bottle of Tabac in a PIF from /u/loudmusicboy. It’s the only Maurer & Wirtz product I’ve used. This fragrance is the most old man thing I’ve ever smelled. To be fair, it’s an old man who has taken care of himself and still cares about his appearance. I’d hate to smell the chain-smoking alcoholic on oxygen wearing a half open bathrobe old man fragrance. It’s floral. I get a mix of carnation, rose, and maybe some jasmine. This is that stinky rose note that modern fragrances have veered away from. It's soapy and woody at the same time, like this was cut from a soap tree. There’s a grassy note in there. Given time on my face, it does kind of smell like tobacco (I’m still uncertain whether tobacco is actually a note, here). It’s definitely old-fashioned. I have a lot of vintage razors. I appreciate seeing what older generations shaved with, and the trends wetshaving products have gone through. So, I’m happy to have this in my den.

I picked Calvin Klein CK One Shock For Him because of the black bottle, and because I thought it would go well with Tabac. The first smell of this makes me think “warm spicy.” It’s woody, but I get a hit of powder up front. Tobacco sits at the edges of the spice notes. There’s a hint of sweet citrus. After dry-down, the tobacco note comes through more. I get a note of amber in the base. The amber and powder combine into a sweet note resembling vanilla. I think it smells better after dry-down. Longevity is short. This doesn't have a lot of depth. It's a bit old, but not outdated. But, it's nice to splash on when I want a hit of tobacco.

#photocontest - Black and white

#FOF

June 12 2024 - FIELD OF CREAMS

#photocontest

Theme: Baseball

• Brush: CREAM & Wine Merit 99-4 by Heritage Collection / AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss SHD Premium Synthetic 24 mm
• Razor: Rex - Konsul #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Voskhod - Teflon Coated [2]
• Lather: Acqua di Parma - Barbiere - CREMA soffice da rasatura
• Post Shave: S.M. Novella - CREMA pre-dopo barba
• Fragrance: Murphy and McNeil - Barbershop De Los Muertos 2 Solid Cologne

American newsletters inform me that I should hurry with my carts checkout, as the Father's Day discounts are about to expire. I am moved by how online stores really care about my attention for family-related festivities. There's no better way to show affection that to buy some stuff.

Following Father's Day rules (yes, I committed to keep following the rules), for my lather and AS I diligently used two local brands that are older than me.

Accidentally, they also happen to be mention their adherence to the CREMA category, Italian for cream. The first word in my brush description is also CREAM. As this creaminess seems to be important to someone out there, I even tried to find a fragrance that came in cream form: as deodorants are not eligible, the closest approximation I could find was a "solid" (actually kind of soft lip-balm consistency) cologne.

Today's photocontest scavenger theme is baseball, which as you all know is Italy's national sport: depicted in today's photo is a snapshot from tonight's amateur leage game, together with my shaving gear. Yes, I do follow the American habit of regularly taking my shaving gear out to public arenas. I am well aware that you are nothing but a sore loser if you're not taking your gear out and shave in public while watching people trying to grab or bat each other's balls.

Thanks to American cinema, I also learned that a father/son relationship will never be fulfilling unless you spent a lot of time playing catch in your backyard. Grabbing balls is really essential if you want to live up to your potential.

Another American pastime that is super-popular here in Italy is showing off our own shaving den: man, what fun that is! It's even more popular than staring at each other's dicks while talking about your preference in cream.

As requested by the judges who don't even want to get paid for the privilege of looking at such mind-opening photos, here's my metonymic picture that reflects the chaotic spirit of my shave products collection. It feels so rewarding to share some sexy visuals! Words are boring, but a lifetime is not enough to enjoy all the shaving den pictures that can be found in the world!

Now, I have to interrupt this celebration of Uncle Sam's values in the overseas consumeristic domains, to say a few words about the topic of fragrances. I know, it's not as sexy as grabbing balls and peeking into each other's bathrooms, but you don't really have to read it if you don't care.

My lather, Acqua di Parma crema soffice da rasatura, is a surprisingly good reflection of the Acqua di Parma Colonia scent, including the bright topnotes: compared to the muted AdP balm I used on day 3, this was actually very centered and expressive in terms of scent. And it even performed more than decently, even if I had no clue about the appropriate level of hydration, and eventually just started shaving hoping for the best: it all went way better than I feared.

On the other hand, Santa Maria Novella pre- and post- cream was an olfactory disappointment - possibly because it's a few years old. Not much to say here.

More recognizable scent notes were provided by the BDLM2 Solid Cologne, which is allegedly inspired by Tom Ford for Man (according to the manufacturer's website). Fragrantica mentions no individual Man, but plural Men. In any event, I am not familiar with the original fragrancel. The dupe, while offering a very convenient form factor with its lip-balm-like tube, feels generic and ultimately meh.

Acqua di Parma was the star of the day.

All the rest was as memorable a fun as a sport that makes a big deal out of balls-grabbing since you early childhood. Too bad the day is almost over, and tomorrow we'll have to move to different challenges!

#FOF

#ROTY

Jun. 12, 2024

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Strata W/TnS Quarter Moon Synthetic

• Razor: Ever Ready 1930’s Streamline Stroper Set

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [19]

• Lather: Taylor Of Old Bond Street - Jermyn Street

• Post Shave: Guy Laroche - Drakkar Noir

• Fragrance: Guy Laroche - Drakkar Noir

CREAM day.

I was looking forward to today’s shave, I don’t use TOOBS enough. It’s the first soap/cream that I successfully face lathered. The sent is light but it is enjoyable while shaving. I’ve had the Streamline set for awhile now, first use today. When I planed out my calendar I penned in Streamline and Drakkar. The Drakkar for me is 8O’s-90’s barber shop scents and what better to go with a soap that’s literally the name of the street and barber shop.

The shave was great but my thoughts during it were how I was going to set up today’s picture. The theme I chose to day was Onion. I call it Romance of the onion.

Today was youngest son’s 14th birthday. I know I have been saying I have a 14 yo lately but today it’s official. He’s outside right now in the blistering heat running around in his new cleats kicking a soccer ball around. I almost past out from heat stroke just watching him. Oh to be young again.

Today’s Challenge Den tour.

I only started wet shaving a 6 months ago and have fallen down the rabbit hole very quickly.

I’ll start off with frags. I was collecting fragrances long before wet shaving.

This drawer is body washes, body sprays, deodorants, unopened frags, bar soaps and lotions.

Here is the den

Soaps

Samples and pucks

More samples

I also have a lazy Susan of Badger and Synthetic brushes

I need to buy more storage for my aftershaves

Here are my boars and Weck. The green one is on loan

And lastly here are my razors and blades

Razors 1

Razors 2

Razors 3

Blades

That’s it for today!

#ROTY # FOF #PhotoConest

June 12, 2024 - Crema

• Brush: Zenith Copper 28mm Boar
• Razor: MM24 #MODERNGEM
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Proraso - Green Tea and Oatmeal
• Post Shave: Proraso - Pelli Sensibili Balsamo Dopobarba
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Just Right For a Tuesday

FOF

Today’s Theme:

I had a couple creams to use, but decided last minute to switch to Proraso. It is a cream in a tube and fits pretty well.

Today’s Challenge:

My den is getting a bit more organized. At the end of last month I picked up the shelves to replace a tiny little bookcase in the corner of my bedroom. The intention was to use the lower shelves for the books, and the upper shelves for shaving gear and fragrances. I thought I would be able to fit all my fragrances on one shelf. Instead they are taking up 1 1/2. I might make some kind of shelf grandstand to make it easier to see everything. For now I used various boxes to lift up the ones in back and tried to keep the taller stuff in the back. I put the stuff that still has a box in the front to block the light a little. On the spill over shelf of fragrances are all my small vials kept in a lab sample rack. I think it was designed to hold 5ml tubes up to 12mm in diameter. The 2ml tubes from today’s sponsor House of Mammoth fit really well. I thought I would take longer to fill it up but I have 3 different samplers and usually get a sample of new products before committing to a full bottle when I can. The rest of the shelf will eventually hold more splashes. Stuff on the bottom shelf is either new and no home decided, or soaps I pulled out for this month. Trying to keep out the splashes I’ve used so I think twice to see if I already used it. Most of my blades and hardware gets kept in a Walker’s Shortbread tin. I emptied it out to drive home to myself how much stuff I have. A couple years ago I got a gift tin of the Proraso used today. I use it to hold sample soaps. Last I have 6 plastic bins for my soaps, and 2 for aftershaves. I have a couple things in my office like a vintage Old Spice mug and a Seaforth! Highlander mug. A few razors I need to clean like a Fatboy and Slim, but 90% or more of my stuff is in the photos. I also need to figure out where to put my straights. I’ve seen pen racks or test tube racks used and may go that way. That’s pretty much it. Now I don’t want to count how much I have. Somehow need to maintain plausible deniability. Willful ignorance may be best.

Fragrance Feats:

The Proraso Pelli Sensibili or Green Tea and Oatmeal is a very mild scent that gives me a green leafy scent. Can’t say I get a strong tea impression, but definitely fresh leaves with maybe some cut or torn to release a little scent. Basically it provides a base to add almost anything. Looking over the pile of fragrances on the shelf, Just Right for a Tuesday caught my eye. To quote the description on Barrister and Mann,:

“I find myself reaching into my shave den and reading notes for, say, Hallows, Leviathan, or Night Music and going, “Well that’s lovely, but just a bit much for a Tuesday.”

I found that sentiment just right for a Wednesday too. A light yet complex scent with ~~12~~ 11 scent notes; rose is listed twice. What I can pick up from it is the green fig, violet, and vetiver. Because of the Vetiver day last week, I can actually pick up that green grassiness. The lavender is giving me a slightly powdery vibe and while not getting the scent in particular, my nose is feeling the black pepper. About 10 years ago or so, whenever I have something with a bit of black pepper, I get a stuffy nose. It goes away a little while later, but it took a while to figure it out. Seems like scents with a black pepper note can do it a little, but worse when I eat something heavy on black pepper like steak au poivre or sausage gravy. Still JRFAT is a great fragrance, and I have a full bottle kind of hiding in the middle of my shelf.

June 12, 2024

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks purple burl AP Shave Co. 24mm MiG
• Razor: Schick Injector
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Proraso – Sandalwood
• Post Shave: Zingari – Unscented

This sandalwood scent is nice and light, sandalwood at its core. A little musk, a little depth. That classic shave smell. It brings back memories, no surprise, of shaving. It was the first time I received something via mail from a fellow wetshaver. It was u/35048467 who sent it after an awesome SOTD photo full of empty tubes. That April, Proraso became number one in the subs use single-handedly because of all the samples sent out. It was a cool introduction into the community. 🚂🚂🚂

Challenge: My den is chaos. I have a cubby hole that I am spilling out of and a drawer of recently used items.

Photo today features soccer (and football). Had to play it safe to be on soccer theme.

photocontest

fof

June 12, 2024 – LG 12: CREAM

• Brush: Catwood Handcrafts Golden Nib 18mm Master Badger #SMOLL #RUNT #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: Gillette Flare Tip Superspeed #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Blade: Person Platinum Chrome (7)
• Lather: St. James of London – Lavender and Geranium
• Post Shave: St. James of London – Lavender and Geranium
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann Lavender, Interrupted

Back to back lavender days, what a treat! The cream was actually a decent shave, but that also could be a more preferred razor/blade combo for me today. The AS gel is a bit weird consistency. For #FOF I would say the soap/AS gel are quite green takes on lavender, again reminiscent of the actual plant. The geranium gives it a bit more brightness due to its citrusy qualities. Lavender Interrupted is much different, and I get so much vanilla. The MdS accord that brings the funk in lavanille seems subdued by the sweetness of Lavender Interrupted. I’d wager this is both the tobacco and vanilla. There is the faintest spice but it is not intrusive. LI a sensual one for sure, strongly recommend.

For our #PHOTOCONTEST, opted for eyes today, because it matched the brush. Speaking of, the Atwood has gone through some LG iterations, but sadly not this year. It came in to play for the hashtags, sorry not sorry.

Today’s main event and challenge is the den tour. Always so fun. Here you go!. It seems like on of the videos embedded there isn’t working, so here it is by itself for a closer view.

Tried to get a better look at this developing patina, lots of green in the vertical lines. The human eye catches better than the camera. I also think people always think of brass (but I keep that karve CB looking pristine!), but nickel and silver can make cool patina too.

Oh, and that u/mammothben guy is pretty cool. Great products with $ going to great causes, and one of the most active artisans in our little r/wetshaving corner. His custom scent is easily the most coveted prize IMO for LG. #MAMMOTHMAFIA

soap brands 12/30, post shave 12/30, frag 12/30, post/frag linked 12/30, software sponsors 8/16, hardware sponsors 7/2, razor hashtags 9/15, brush hashtags 10/15, photo contest 12/30, daily challenges 10/26, special challenges 2/4