June 13, 2024 – 2024.06.13 SOTD: Lather Games Day 13 – Dupelgänger

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Matte Black with 26mm UHD Independent Fibre Knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet (1)
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. – AG 1889
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. – AG 1889
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Haverford

---

Daily Theme: Dupelgänger

Theme justification: Chicago Grooming Co. AG 1889 is "Inspired by Guerlain Jicky." It's a Jicky dupe

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I'm continuing with the Dupelgänger theme. My AS is AG 1889 (same Jicky dupe as previously mentioned) and Stirling Haverford, a dupe of Tome Ford Tabacco Vanille

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Draw a Soap Label

Behold! My masterpiece. Black on black; it's the best.

/u/chicagogroomingco, I am available for future label designs.

---

Fragrance description

AG 1889 - It's a Jicky dupe. With that, to me, it's the scent of a comforting old grandpa. Maybe it is because times change, but it's odd to think that of the fragrance Sean Connery wore that way. Maybe as times move on, our fragrance thoughts move too, you know?

As for Stirling Haverford, it's far too sweet for me. Way too much vanilla with not enough tobacco to cut the sweetness. Don't know if the real deal is like this too, but I have no interest in purchasing it after trying this.

---

Now onto the shave!

The shave was excellent. Darkwing is probably my favorite base currently. Extremely easy to lather, slick, and is great on the face. Definitely the best shave I've had this month. The Wiziment + Drakkant (along with the great lather) is a winning combination.

This shave definitely went better than David's ...

David stood in front of the bathroom mirror, his face freshly steamed from a hot towel. He reached for his badger-hair brush and dipped it into the luxurious shaving soap. As he lathered the soap into a rich, creamy foam, he felt a strange sensation wash over him, as if the room had suddenly grown colder.

He glanced up at his reflection and froze. The man in the mirror was him, yet not quite. There was a subtle difference in the eyes, a glint of something alien and unnerving. David blinked, trying to shake off the unease, and continued lathering his face.

With each stroke of the brush, the reflection seemed to gain more clarity, more definition, as if it were becoming more real than he was. David's hand trembled, and he accidentally dropped the brush into the sink. His reflection smirked.

"Careful," the mirror image said, its voice a perfect mimicry of David's, yet carrying an edge that sent shivers down his spine. "You wouldn't want to mess this up."

David stumbled back, the brush clattering in the sink. "What... who are you?"

The doppelganger in the mirror didn't answer. Instead, it picked up the straight razor David had laid out, running a finger along the blade. David felt an irresistible pull, as if invisible hands were dragging him forward. He struggled, but his feet moved of their own accord, carrying him toward the mirror.

The surface of the mirror rippled like water. David's hand passed through first, then his arm, and before he could scream, he was yanked entirely through, into a world of cold glass and shimmering reflections.

On the other side, David pounded against the barrier, his fists making no sound. He watched in horror as his reflection, now fully solid and independent, stepped out of the mirror and into his life.

"Thanks for the shave," the doppelganger said, stretching as if it had been confined for far too long. "I've been waiting for this moment."

David screamed, but no sound escaped the mirror realm. The world beyond was a distorted echo, a twisted version of his reality. He could see his doppelganger moving through his apartment, picking up his phone, calling his boss with his voice.

Days passed. David watched helplessly as the doppelganger slipped seamlessly into his life, charming his friends, excelling at his job, and even growing close to the woman David had been too shy to approach.

Time moved differently in the mirror realm. Each second felt like an eternity. David's initial panic gave way to despair, then to a burning determination. He studied the mirror, searching for any weakness, any way out.

One day, while the doppelganger was out, David noticed a tiny crack in the corner of the mirror. Hope surged within him. He pounded on the crack, willing it to grow. Slowly, painstakingly, it spread.

On the other side, the doppelganger seemed to sense something was wrong. It returned to the apartment, eyes narrowing as it saw the crack in the mirror. "You think you can escape?" it hissed.

David didn't respond. He poured all his strength into breaking the mirror, his knuckles bleeding against the glass. With a final, desperate punch, the mirror shattered.

The two worlds collided in a blinding flash of light. When the dust settled, David found himself back in his bathroom, shards of the broken mirror around him. His doppelganger was nowhere to be seen.

David looked at his reflection in the fragments. His own eyes stared back, tired but resolute. He was free. The nightmare was over.

He cleaned up the glass and stepped out into the world, determined to reclaim his life. As he walked away, he glanced back at the remnants of the mirror. For a moment, he thought he saw a shadow move, a hint of a smirk, but he shook it off.

David knew one thing for sure: he would never take his reflection for granted again.

 

Man, poor guy :(

---

Sponsor Spotlight

Dogwood Handcrafts makes some of the best handles in the business! I'm glad I was able to grab mine at a killer price thanks to an auction. I'll grab one of his Jurassic Park handles eventually.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 9/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 13/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 13/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 13/30
• Number of Frags: 13/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 13, 2024 – LG Day 13 – d00p day

• Brush: AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss SHD 24mm x Heritage Collection Merit 99-4 Handle
• Razor: Razorock Mamba 70
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium
• Lather: Eleven – Apollo
• Post Shave: Captain’s Choice – Venture
• Fragrance: Guy Fox – Tyler

Apollo is ”inspired by” Creed Aventus, as is Captain’s Choice Venture.

This is one of very few dupes that I own, most of which (including this one) were inherited, not purchased. I don’t tend to really like designer fragrances in general, so having my soap smell like one seems silly. As an added ~~bonus~~ drawback, my partner says this smells like her orthodontist from childhood, so she doesn’t like me using Aventus dupes. But the calendar calls and I must go. Maybe because it’s so busy, or maybe because my brain insists that all designer/mall colognes smell the same, but picking out notes is really hard for this one. I know that pineapple is supposed to be here, and I can smell the ambery, oakmoss, woody base. Noting that soap is a terrible way to highlight fragrance, and also noting that dupes aren’t always spot on, I’m trying not to knock Aventus itself – I’ve never smelled the real thing. I assume that this ain’t it. It’s fine. GF Tyler is largely the same vibe, but with a clear fougère quality. I’m not sure what pineapple leaf smells like, but it’s not the juicy pineapple note I wish was here. It’s very citrusy/fruity, aquatic-adjacent – I think this is what a gym bro wears when he goes to the beach to try and fail to “pick up chicks.” #FOF

Challenge:

*wakes up* *looks at challenge* *looks at soap* *looks at hands and lack of artistic ability*

oh no.

*thinks more* *dies* *comes back to life* *chaos consumes me*

Using the power of Microsoft Word, I hereby present to you: the much awaited follow-up to Apollo by Eleven, EIGHTEEN/APOLLO, a celebration of the eighteenth Apollo mission. BEHOLD!

June 13, 2024 – Putting on the Ritz

• Brush: Maggards Mixed
• Razor: Wolfman WR1
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Sharpedge (Yellow) (2)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Prom King
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Prom King
• Fragrance: Jean Paul Gaultier – Le Male Elixer

What is a dupe? Obviously, it’s a copy of an existing popular fragrance. That’s the definition of it. But more generally, it’s a form of coat-tail riding. An attempt to capitalize on the popularity by repacking for a new (usually less affluent) market. A brazen money grab through imitation if you will. So let’s DUPE. I reached out to u/priusaurus to have him answer questions. Hoping to ride the coat tails of his victory last year into some points of my own now that his original market is saturated. Let’s see what he says:

1. What got you into wetshaving? Looked for a hobby that weirdos gravitated to and wetshaving sounded more useful than HAM radios.
2. So you won LG last year. In this particular niche of the hobby (reddit wetshaving wierdos) we do some pretty whacky things. Is this the strangest hobby you have? If not, tell us what beats it. By far. I still can’t get over the fact that my daily grooming ritual has become a hobby.
3. Are you doing anything different this year as part of your attempt that the repeat? Gave up on interviewing people. It’s been done and no one sane would attempt to duplicate that this year….I honestly think that odds aren’t in my favor. There’s never been a repeat Lather Games winner, so I’m just having fun this year.
4. In that vein, if you could have done one thing different last year what would it have been? It would have been easier if I didn’t try to hide my face in my first public video. Editing was a pain in the ass throughout the games last year. Now it’s kinda become a thing, so I keep my face hidden, even though I think the majority of the people in the sub know who I am.
5. Any advice for the rookies this year they can take into the last half of the games? Stay on theme, pick up all the sponsor/bonus points you can, and have fun with your SOTDs. Legendary points make all the difference top placements. And the judges reward creativity more than your insightful description of sandalwood.

Ah interesting. Well, sometimes dupes put their own spin on a dupe (See Stirling EMP). So, let’s add a few responses here, that is add a little dark spice to my dupe to distinguish it from u/priusaurus’s original department store fresh (boring) citrus fragrance to complicate it a bit.

1. first it’s ham not HAM. Second, I’m not an EmComm (Emergency Communications) type, so I’m not going to argue talking on the radio is useful, but what is useful is you learn a lot of skills along the way. Far more than I do shaving. Here’s today’s #photocontest. A DIY where my daughter and I are learning how to solder. But you have to solder something, so what to do? We made an antenna out of a tape measure and PVC pipes (take note Photo contest judges, there is a tape measure in this photo it’s just become an antenna. It’s a DIY project, made of DIY tools.). Do costal elites even bother with skills that require working with one’s hands? Probably not, can’t scuff up those golf hands. But the skills learned are useful. Moreso than lathering soap in public places. And what’s that next to it? It’s a QSL card from the International Space Station. Sure, LG trophies are cool, and I’ll happily take it this year, but no amount of wetshaving gets you contact with space. My hobbies are even weirder than wetshaving I suppose, but they have some cool results. (Working the world on 100w and a wire is pretty cool.)
2. Ok we agree here. But I guess all hobbies are selfcare so maybe all selfcare is a hobby?
3. This doesn't strike me as quite right. Arugably no sane person would dupe Aventus for the 100th time, and yet, it sells so everyone does it. Here’s hoping that idea works here too.
4. Again, we agree! You should have given up that bit a while ago, it’s just old and tired. Or at least tried to put a new spin on it. (Yawn).
5. Once again we agree. This is good advice, and not a moment too late. I will need to up my game. (But shaving outside in the urban jungle is played out is it not?)

Anyway, on to #fof, Prom King is a dupe of Le Male, a scent my wife likes very much. So, when she got a sampler of Le Male Elixir in her Ulta order a few months ago she tossed it to me and said “use this more.” To wit, I promptly put it away for LG to create this “Dupe-Dupe-Real (Flanker)” progression because LG was more important than using her favorite frag. As mentioned this is a flanker to the original, the upped the sweetness quite a bit (despite calling it a woody aromatic in their ad copy). If the SBS is a good representation of the original, I could go for a full bottle of that, but the bottle is also gauche. As it stands, I feel like we’d be better off getting u/rocketk455 to release Prom King EdT, because it’s better than this flanker, which is cloying. Nevertheless, the splash helps bring it back down to earth from a level of sweetness that's reminiscent of BR450. But I should probably get my nose on the original it’s duping before I draw any true conclusions.

For the Challenge, last year I attempted to use Photoshop AI to generate an image for Runaway, with results that looked like melted faces. I did not want to release that nightmare fuel on the sub so I drew instead. Let’s check in on Photoshop AI again this year.

1. First Prompt “Prom King Shaving his face.” Yikes. It went for ultra realism That’s…not a razor though.
2. Ok adjust, “Prom King shaving his face Cartoon.” Now we’ve gone abstract. That’s not even a person. Nor is he shaving. It's an emoji?
3. Ok last try “Cartoon Prom King shaving his face” I don’t understand what’s going on here. He has a beard and…a magic wand? But clearly not shaving.

End result: AI will not replace u/Wyz0ne anytime soon. His label is better.

June 13 - Duplication Day

• Brush: Semogue 610 21mm Boar

• Razor: Razorock Mamba

• Blade: Asco Platinum Orange

• Lather: HC&C - Year of the Dragon Soap

• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger Splash

• Post Shave: Razorock - One X Splash

• Fragrance: Black Extreme EdT

---

Year of the Dragon - Armani Stronger with You Leather

One X - Acqua di Parma Fico di Amalfi EdP

Black Extreme - Polo Black

Went with these fragrances cos they are all duplications. One X and Black Extreme both have an aromatic freshness about them that blends well, and the fragrance is light so I get more whiffs of the splash than the spray. 6/10

#FOF

2024-06-13 - Ozymandias

• Lather: Phoenix and Beau - Right-handed Giant
• Post Shave: Fabergé - Brut
• Fragrance: Murphy and McNeil - Green Man
• Razor: Bambaw Sea Green
• Brush: Yaqui Metal Timberwolf

Dupelgänger: Right-handed Giant is a dupe of Brut

Unifying Theme: Fougères, if you're boring.
Otherwise, a tale of a fallen, green, brutish giant.

Draw a Soap Label:
In past years (definitely last year, at least), there's been a complaint that players have only reproduced the existing label design for their soap. The intent, reportedly, was for players to create a new design instead.

However, because the wording of the challenge is unchanged, the only reasonable conclusion is that the intent of today's challenge reflects the prevailing interpretation, i.e. to draw the soap label as it exists rather than to design something new.
You have yourselves to blame for that, djudges.

I defy that decision! I have chosen to defy the intent of this challenge, and instead put my own twist on the design of Right-Handed Giant!

I don't know who or what the giant in question is supposed to be, but my brain is insistent—perhaps wrongly—that it's based on some mythological entity. I know that Green Man is supposed to be. I've taken the apparent despair from the original label, and tried to depict what I imagine him to be. Why the despair? Why right-handed? Here, once great, our fallen hero struggles to keep from rescinding into nothingness, the desperate fist of his right hand straining with what remains of his once-brutish strength as he slips away.

But I digress.

#FOF
Brut is nothing to write home about. Right-handed Giant, on the other hand, I think is an improvement over its predecessor. It has a layer of light top-notes hovering over a smooth, somewhat muted mossiness. What came to my mind is if you took Stirling's Varen and turned down the saturation dial. I like it quite a lot.
Brut is, again, nothing exceptional, and I felt unfortunate that it followed the more-pleasing Giant.
The green of Green Man leans more toward the lighter notes than the grassy core, but only slightly. Even so, the departure makes me think that this shave progressed backwards, getting further away from the part of the fougères that I appreciate most.

#photocontest Eyes
Even the giant is kind of horrified at the others.

Day 13

• Brush: Boti 28mm Synthetic
• Razor: Gem G-Bar
• Blade: Gem PTFE
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Sellout Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co – Executive Man Splash
• Fragrance: Chicago Grooming Co – Gold Coast EdP

Alright, fellow shavers, it’s time to talk about something that’s been driving me up the slippery, lathered wall. Dupes. Yep, you heard me—those so-called “inspired by” scents that seem to have taken over damn near every shaving soap “artisan” in the hobby. And I, for one, am fed up with it. So, buckle up, because I need to rant on why I can't stand these dupes in my shaving soaps.

First Off, Where’s the Originality?

When I reach for a shaving soap, I want something that stands out, something unique. But no, instead, I’m bombarded with endless copies of popular fragrances. Aventus, Sauvage, Jicky, Acqua di Parma, BR540—you name it, there’s a dupe for it. It’s like walking into a concert expecting The Rolling Stones and getting a cover band that’s only good at playing Top 40 hits. Where’s the creativity? Where’s the soul? Why should my nose be subjected to a knock-off when it deserves the real deal?

Declaration Grooming Sellout, Stirling Soap Co. Executive Man, Chicago Grooming Co. Gold Coast—three different brands, and what do they have in common? They’re all cashing in on the DUPES! All three have the capability to create great, original scents, yet here we are! It’s a veritable invasion of clones! I don’t want to smell like something another company created. Something that all the bros at the club are wearing! I want something new and unique! I certainly don’t want to smell Aventus all day every day. STOP THE MADNESS!

And let’s not even start on the quality. Dupes might mimic the scent profile, but they often lack the depth and complexity of the originals. It’s like comparing a high-end steak to a fast-food burger. Sure, they’re both meat, but one is a rich, savory delight, and the other is a greasy, forgettable mess. When I’m paying good money for a shaving soap, I expect an experience, not a diluted shadow of a fragrance that was great to begin with.

What Happened to Tradition?

There’s something to be said for tradition in wet shaving. Classics like sandalwood, bay rum, and bergamot have stood the test of time for a reason. They’re timeless, they’re sophisticated, and they don’t pretend to be anything but what they are. These new-fangled dupes are just riding the coattails of popular fragrances instead of embracing the heritage of true shaving scents. It’s a slap in the face to the rich history of wetshaving, Old Spice, and the pirates who created Bay Rum!

And Another Thing…

Finally, let’s talk about the letdown. You get all excited about a new soap release, only to find out it’s just another dupe. Oh, sweet, my favorite artisan is releasing a new scent! Then, bam. It’s same old scent that’s been repackaged a zillion times by a dozen other soapmakers. It’s like unwrapping a gift only to find socks inside. Again. Sure, they’re useful, but where’s the excitement? Where’s the soul??

So, there you have it. My stand against the dupe epidemic plaguing our beloved wetshaving hobby. To the artisans out there: please, I beg you, stop the madness. Give us originality, give us quality, and give us the scents that make us want to shave every day. Because, at the end of the day, our faces—and our noses—deserve better than to be drowned in a sea of second-rate imitations. Stay unique, stay true, and let’s put an end to the reign of the dupes!

I gotta do the #FOF thing for products I just shit on. They actually do smell good, even if they aren’t original. Sellout and Executive Man are dupes of Aventus and Gold Coast is a dupe of BR540. I started with the pair of Aventus dupes which launch into fruity, sweet, leathery/woody vibes. It’s fresh and (if I’m being honest) does have a certain elegance to it. It’s a super popular fragrance for a reason. Then finishing off with Gold Coast (BR540) transforms the dynamic presence of Sellout/Executive Man into something almost otherworldly. It’s a sweet amber with a woody base. The resinous draw of Gold Coast weaved through the robust starting of Executive Man and Sellout, creating a seamless blend of fragrances that project beautifully off my skin.

For #photocontest: Steampunk

Challenge I do what I do best, fired up MSPaint, and recreated this original. It’s like I’m looking at the same picture.

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “Dupelganger”… The Top 5 Best Celebrity Alter Egos:

5.) Donald Glover/Childish Gambino – It’s like your mild-mannered buddy turning into a lyrical ninja at karaoke night

4.) Garth Brooks/Chris Gaines - The country music equivalent of Clark Kent putting on a wig and eyeliner.

3.) Prince/The Artist Formerly Known as Prince - It’s like an art exhibit where the title changes more often than the pieces.

2.) Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana - Every teen's dream of having a double life without the hassle of a convincing disguise

1.) David Bowie/Ziggy Stardust - Like your quirky uncle showing up to Thanksgiving dressed as a cosmic rock god

LG 13 - Dupelgänger

• Brush: Chiseled & Hound - 26mm Badger #COMPOSITE
• Razor: Weck Hair Sharper #WECKONISTA
• Blade: Weck Sextoblade 10¢ (1)
• Lather: HAGS - Voodoo
• Post Shave: HAGS - Voodoo After Shave
• Fragrance: Dolce & Gabbana - K

I usually prefer original scents on soaps but this time I bought Voodoo because my son gave me D&G K and I wanted the full kit.

I've enjoyed my first shave with the Weck, I don't understand why shavers are so scared of this thing. It's like shaving with a shavette, that said, I've only used a shavette once and a Feather a couple of times. I've used weck original blades from a 5 blades package marked at 50¢.

Fast sketch for today's #challenge

.#FOF I love this fragance, fresh citrus, juniper and spicy, with a smooth dry down.

June 13, 2024

• Brush: Yaqi – 26mm Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Tech
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. – 40 Soap
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. – 40 Splash
• Fragrance: Chicago Grooming Co. – 40 EdT

Oscar Wilde said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. If that’s the case, the wetshaving world is VERY flattering to the fragrance world. Because dupes are everywhere.

But I can’t help but think of the classic Michael Keaton movie, Multipicity, when he makes a clone of himself, and the clone makes clone himself, who then clones himself and #4 ends up being a little slow. How they explain it is how I feel about most dupes: “You know how sometimes you make a copy of a copy… It’s not as sharp as the original…”. Dupes often don’t smell near the same as the original. Just ask u/cowzilla3.

And it can be unimaginative. I struggle to call people who just exclusively dump a preblended dupe into their soap "artisans". Sure, a dupe here and there is fun and ea$y, but if you aren’t making your own scents, at least sometimes, can you really call yourself an artisan?? What do you think? Sound off in the comments below! And it’s for this reason, I don’t have many dupes in my den. I find myself gravitating toward unique, original scents as I appreciate the artistry of those who create something new. All that being said, this dupe of 40 is Fucking Fabulous. No, like really, like, it’s so good, but it’s also based on the Tom Ford scent, Fucking Fabulous. And Vida makes damn good products, so this is so enjoyable to use.

And since 40 is a copy of a designer scent, and everyone is using copies of scents today, I figured it’d be appropriate to head to the copy machine at my office and have a nice copy shave there. This is even tougher than shaving in a park or restaurant, or Target bathroom, because I know these people! If I stranger sees me shaving on a bench, whatever. They think I’m a weirdo and go about their day. If someone I work with sees my shaving next to the copier, there’s no coming back from that. Plus, the copier is just kinda in the middle of the office, a stone’s throw away from a VP’s office. My best bet to avoid people would be going at like 5AM or staying well past working hours, but neither of those options seems appealing.

I honestly don’t know how I would explain this away if I get caught. There’s a perfectly functioning bathroom here. What excuse could I possibly have? The truth shall set you free. Explaining the Lather Games is the only way to go about this.

The copier sits directly behind the VP’s Admin Assistant, who we’ll call “Donna”. I start by telling her I’m doing an internet shaving competition and I’ve already lost her. Then I tell her I’m going to shave in front of the copy machine… And the look she gave me was a combination of bewilderment, surprise, and utter confusion. I tell her a bit more about The Lather Games and the hobby side of shaving, and end with “Don’t worry, I won’t make a mess and I’ll be done in 5 mins.” Donna doesn’t really know what to say, because (1) I doubt this topic was covered in her training manual and (2) it’s not like I report to her, so she can’t tell me NOT to shave in front of the copier. She’s not copier security. Plus, Donna is a real one. She just said “Just please make sure clean up when you’re done. [VP] will be really upset if something gets messed up there.”

I reassured her they wouldn’t even know I was ever there and looked at my shaving space for today. I sit down on the floor, get set up and begin to lather and then proceed to shave in front of the copy machine. Miraculously, no one came up to print or copy anything while I was using the space, so I only had to have that one conversation with Donna. Time will tell if she tells anyone about this. I’m considering this a test of Donna’s trustworthiness. I swear if I hear about this from my boss, I’m gonna know you’re a snitch, Donna!

My #FOF was somewhat uninspired, but still smelled amazing. Sure, trickholing a dupe isn’t exactly olfactory rocket surgery, but this scent is great. It’s rich leather and sweet vanilla, with lavender, sage and a slight hint of almond that says, "Yeah, I’m fabulous, and I know it." It has a really nice warmness to it, and one I really, really enjoy. It’s perfect for those days that I want to “just smell good”. Whether it be for a date out with the wife, an important work meeting, or attending a wedding. Every fragrance has its place in my den, and this one is for those times I want to smell Fucking Fabulous.

Challenge: I took my turn with my kids’ crayons and drew the 40 Label. I’m the worst artist in the world.

Soap Theme Justification: 40 is a dupe of Tom Ford’s Fucking Fabulous

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: 40 Trickhole

June 13, 2024 - Duppelgänger Day

• Brush: Omega Bambino 18mm Boar
• Razor: Robert Klaas 117 5/8 SP Kissing Cranes
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co - Mountain Man
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co - Sharp Dressed Man
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co - Executive Man Solid Cologne

Today’s Theme:

Well at Stirling Soap Co all the “Man” scents are Creed dupes. Mountain Man is a dupe of Creed Silver Mountain Water. Sharp Dressed Man is Green Irish Tweed, and Executive man is Aventus. When I thought what dupe should I use, I just said yes.

Today’s Challenge:

I channeled my inner art forger and made an authentic copy of my shave products for today. Available at Stirling, some assembly required.

Feats of the Fragrant Kind:

When I was thinking about what to use this month, I started looking up different dupes. Then I saw we had a couple new soap sponsors. Eleven has an Aventus dupe. In their description they say Aventus is what an astronaut should smell like. So the idea of getting something Aventus started percolating in my head. I didn’t get Eleven’s dupe though. I knew I had a couple samples of Stirling’s Man series, but no Executive Man. That needed fixing. I ordered a set including the solid cologne. Then I started thinking hard, and after the smoke cleared I had a brief epiphany. But then I forgot it.

The next day as I was writing down Prom King on my calendar, I said, “Oh wait I had an idea yesterday.” I’ll trickhole Executive Man, but use my sample of Creed for the fragrance. So I wrote that down. A few days later, I thought why trickhole a single dupe when I can use three dupes on a common theme. To my soap stash I went. Then got disappointed because I had a sample of Mountain Man and Sharp Dressed Man soaps, but didn’t see a splash. Back to the drawing board? The next day I saw a small box on a bookshelf in the hallway that had some samples I forgot about. It was all different splash samples I got in a PIF a while ago. I had kind of put it aside because a couple of them leaked in transit. Nestled in the box was a sample of Sharp Dressed Man. Game On!

Mountain Man starts the ball rolling with a nice citrusy, woodsy, kind of aquatic vibe. Reminds me a little of visiting my aunt’s cabin near Crested Butte, Colorado. The smell of the woods, walking down to Cement Creek to scare some trout. Just missing a pure sugar hit like all the hummingbird feeders my aunt had. Next Sharp Dressed Man. The fragrance strength of the splash covered up the Mountain scent, but in it’s place I’m smelling like Cary Grant. More lemon and sandalwood, but with a bit of florals from the iris and violet leaves. Pretty good so far. Capping off the scent extravaganza with Executive Man starts with the solid cologne. When the heat of my finger hit the cologne, pineapple really jumped out. I know there is citrus, apple, black currant, and birch listed as scents, but the bright sweet scent of pineapple is what I mostly get. I expect the birch to express as the pineapple and bergamot fade. I think Mountain Man and Sharp Dressed Man are more related fragrances, having more notes in common, but the three together is a very nice grouping. I’ll do this again sometime.

Jun. 13, 2024

• Brush: Summer Break 28mm Knight Knot

• Razor: RazoRock Game Changer

• Blade: Nacet [1]

• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Prom King

• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Prom King

• Fragrance: John Paul Gaultier - Le Male

Dupelgänger day….

What a shit show of a day. Had to do quarterly inventory today. It was disgustingly hot in the shop today but it all went well.

Todays shave was pretty automatic, Prom King is a great soap, lathers like a dream and the sent is pretty damn close to Le Male. Speaking of Le Male, yup I dickholed it today, but honestly I don’t thing anything goes better with Prom King.

Today’s daily challenge I drew my label while taking a break to eat some breakfast. I think it came out pretty good.

I’m going to bed now.

Photo Contest Theme Soccer

#ROTY #FOF #PhotoContest

June 13, 2024

• Brush: Omega Penelli White HI-BRUSH Synthetic
• Razor: Schick Injector
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Wholly Kaw – Amber Bomba

Todays scent is a dupe of Grand Soir although nope explicated stated. It is a warming, obviously amber forward decent. Sweet, sensual for a scent. Convened by the tub artwork (lol). this is the scent you would expect to be seduced by, and it did for me. Memory for today is how I fell in love with Amber, and was searching for something similar to this for years. Funnily enough, it was because of a hand soap. I fell in love with it and wanted something similar. That’s when I found Amber bomba.

Challenge: Technically – completed. Vacation travel day 1 and no time.

A rest stop donut photo today for the #photocontest

FOF

June 13, 2024 - Dupelgänger

• Brush: Zenith r/wetshaving sub exclusive MOAR BOAR #OLDWORLD #SUBBROOSH
• Razor: RazoRock Lupo SS 0.72 #CNC
• Blade: Wizamet (27)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Sandpiper
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Prom King
• Fragrance: Rasasi - Royale Pour Homme

Theme: Sandpiper is a dupe of YSL La Nuit de l'Homme; Prom King is inspired by Jean Paul Gualtier Le Male; Royale Pour Homme is a dupe of Drakkar Noir; RazoRock Lupo is a dupe of Wolfman WR-1.

Challenge: The spacing on the letters got away from me 🙁.

I bought a set of Sandpiper to go with my MOAR BOAR in appreciation for Rod’s help getting the brushes through customs. I’d ordered an edt sample from Stirling previously, and already had my eye on a set. The cardamom is appealing to my fragrance sensibilities. The vetiver is just as strong, if not stronger. They play together as a joint note. A middle note of lavender softens things up, a bit. Meanwhile, cedar subtly underpins the vetiver. I don’t really smell anything I’d consider aromatic. This dupe feels mostly like a warm spice, with some wood, and a little fresh spice. As designer fragrances go, this has the appeal of being approachable without being powdery, and being warm without heavy spice notes, or amber.

This aftershave is from the original release of Prom King. It’s the first sub exclusive I bought. I missed out on a couple before, not realizing how limited the opportunity was. I think this dropped in May and arrived in time for me to use it for r/wetshaving Exclusive Day that year. I chose this dupe to use with Sandpiper because they both have prominent cardamom notes and share the characteristics of being aromatic fragrances built on fresh spicy, warm spicy, and lavender elements. The opening of Prom King is aromatic, and fresh spicy. I love the cardamom in this. There’s a mint note that is thankfully restrained. I smell a big vanilla note with an undertone of light lavender powder. There’s hints of warm spice, and amber. But, I mostly get top notes with this splash. Le Male is a fragrance I'd like to sample at some point. The aromatic, fresh spice elements make this feel at ease, and thoughtful. It has levity compared to Sandpiper.

Today’s fragrance is Rasasi Royale Pour Homme. A couple years ago, u/USS-SpongeBob destroyed everyone in the Feats of Fragrance side contest. Amongst his educational write-ups, he expressed a love of Drakkar Noir (I hope I’m remembering that right, it’s been a while). I had never smelled Drakkar Noir. When I saw a vintage Drakkar Noir dupe on the bazaar, I snagged it. I wanted to experience SpongeBob’s favorite fragrance, and hopefully absorb his knowledge and fragrance skills through osmosis. Drakkar Noir is another fragrance that is aromatic, with woody, fresh spicy, and lavender elements. Let’s see how that description pans out with Royale Pour Homme. I’m a 90’s kid. I wasn’t old enough to wear cologne when Drakkar was popular. Heck, I was probably wearing JNCO’s when this was popular. And yet, this kinda hits my nostalgia button. It’s hard to describe the fragrance. There’s aromatic top notes that I can’t ascribe a particular scent to. When I go to get a better smell, what’s underneath is unexpected. It’s… dirty? There’s a powdery note that makes everything else muddled. The dirty notes are the most interesting. It’s dark and earthy. There’s a leathery quality. If I really get into it, and sniff a few times, there’s just the slightest hint of green. After dry down, it starts to smell more spicy, almost peppery. It’s still very aromatic. Some floral notes begin to come through. The powdery note is present, but less cloying. While I think this is a dated fragrance, it is nice. It just doesn’t feel like “me.”

#photocontest - Steampunk

#FOF

June 13, 2024 – LG13: Düpelganger

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Coprolite B15 #FRANKENBRUSH #SHD
• Razor: Yates Titanium M Plate LG2023 #CNC
• Blade: Personna Platinum Chrome (10)
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. – AG 1889
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. – AG 1889
• Fragrance: The Zoo – Sailors

AG 1889 is a dupe of Guerlain Jicky. Stick with me on this frag heads, The Zoo Sailors is a reimagining of Declaration for Men of Cartier Parfums, Declaration is Jean Claude Elena’s ode to Edmond Roudnitskas Eau d’Hermes, which itself pays homage to Aime Guerlain’s Jicky. Ergo, by the commutative property, Sailors is a dupe of Jicky too.FWIW I don’t really get much of the citrus at all in the soap, I get a subdued lavender and vanilla, almost laundry like smell. However, the citrus jumps out right away in the splash. It is short lived and quickly mellows into the lavender, vanilla, amber base. Sailors also starts with the lemony citrus up top, but fades within about 30-45min and settles into a green woodiness. There is a smooth creaminess to the base that I would think is the javonal (a scent note I had not noticed before in other things I use). True meaning of soap not being a good frag medium today #FOF

As for the challenge today, I thought in theory today’s label would be easier than last years, or the year before, or a MM BDLM2 one imgur seemingly lost from before that, but something about all the symmetry and lack of color made it quite the opposite. I went for a photo negative take and flipped the colors.

As for our #PHOTOCONTEST opted for time. The colors just worked well so I included a watch, but also a coprolite fossil (aka turtle poop) in the brush, what’s older that fossils, not much. Also a nod to todays sponsor Dogwood, who as we know makes epic brushes, this one being no exception.

soap brands 13/30, post shave 13/30, frag 13/30, post/frag linked 13/30, software sponsors 9/16, hardware sponsors 8/2, razor hashtags 9/15, brush hashtags 10/15, photo contest 13/30, daily challenges 11/26, special challenges 2/4