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