LGSOTD 14-Jun-24

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps - Boti NC #FRANKENBRUSH #SHD
• Razor: Koraat - 6/8 14-2.0
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Cryogen
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Cryogen AS
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Cryogen Balm

Frigid Friday

God damn, what in the hell was that! I've struggled with what I considered to be an extreme cold before (B&M Terror) so this may be a mistake, I bought this for the games out of morbid curiosity. Opened the tub to be greeted by this awful sight. The initial contact with the face was fine, but the damn thing kept building. I thought I'd managed to get it in my eyes until I realised it was just the fumes. Never before have I had self-hydrating lather, tears were streaming down my face. I couldn't whip that blade around my face fast enough, never mind that I had to go for another two rounds.

I had the splash and balm taunting me as I splashed my face with cold water, well that was a fucking mistake! Tentatively reach for the splash, whack it on the face and it's another eye watering moment, that stuff couldn't soak in fast enough...do I bother with the balm, sod it may as well...fuck why would anyone make this stuff. Now one thing I did cotton onto after using Terror, make sure you wash your hands afterwards, and I mean wash them. I made a grievous error last time that had me wishing I hadn't gone for a pee, not this time my friend! I sit here 10 minutes later and the stuff is still going nuts and my eyes are still watering. I now can't feel my face and I dare not touch it for fear of transfer. What sadist asked for this level of insanity!

It does not get hot enough here to actually feel any benefit, perhaps I'll leave it till I head down to SA this Christmas, or perhaps I'll palm it off on the father in-law when I'm down there and piss myself laughing!

Challenge - Stacking Day

I was more nervous this time around, I had opted for the straight that the Mrs got me for my 40th, quickest photo I've ever taken!

Photocontest

This one I'm aiming squarely at 'Hobbies', I joined r/skating (it's a small group with mixed skating types) a while ago (still a lurker). I went back to skating when I decided to try and teach the little one. First few times she fell she looked at me like I had betrayed her. She's got into the swing of it though, though I think I enjoy it more than the rest of the family.

Hope everyone had a chilly shave!

Cheers

Marc

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Stirling Two Band Synthetic
• Razor: Van Der Hagen 85mm Safety Razor
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Zingari Man - The Socialite
• Post Shave: Van Der Hagen - Unscented Aftershave Balm

LG Day 14- Frigid Friday

• Brush: Leavitt & Pierce 22mm Silvertip
• Razor: Merkur 37C
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux (6)
• Lather: Master Soap Creations - Peppermint Latte
• Post Shave: Stirling - Glacial Spearmint splash
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented AS balm

Hooo boy. This was not the shave I wanted for today. When the LG calendar was originally released, I was like "Frigid Friday on the 14th? Cool!". I typically work from home on Fridays and play catch-up. But as the result an invitation last week, today will not be a chill work from home Friday. No, I'll be suiting up and heading into the office to interview for an internal VP position. Now, I haven't worn my pinstripe suit in over 4 years (Thanks pandemic!), but I confirmed the other day that it still fits. I had to make a run to a men's store yesterday to snag a white collared shirt. Hell, I even blew the dust off my black dress shoes and polished them last night. Under these types of circumstances, I should be shaving with something more...executive. This would have been a good day for a Fougere Friday. But no, it's Frigid Friday with this super friggin' cold combo.

If you've never used an MSC chilled soap and you enjoy a cold face, MSC does a fine job of building the chill up over the course of the shave. Do a couple of passes and lather a couple of times? You're at Full Freeze Mode. Now, let's add a Glacial Stirling splash, shall we? Thankfully, I learned last year from you pros around this sub to apply Stirling splashes with a damp hand lessen the burn or the freeze. Did I listen to that advice today? Of course not! I made the executive decision to just avoid the whole damp hand thing and just slather it right on my face. I'm pretty sure my knees are going to be bruised to hell from falling on them on the tiled floor as the burn hit, the chill intensified and the tears streamed from my eyes. Good thing my knees will be covered for this interview, but my eyes!! Are they getting puffy from the vapors and the tears? Why yes, yes they are. Oh god, what does the wife use to get rid of puffy eyes?? And will she care that I may have to use the last of her eye cream??

And then my mind turns to how the interview could go...

SVP- "Hey, loudmusicboy, thanks for coming in today and meeting me with us."

Me- "Thanks for the opportunity. I'm looking forward to the chance to dazzle you with my bona fides."

SVP- "Looking forward to it. But before we start, I just have to ask, have you been crying?"

Me- "Nope, no crying here."

SVP- "You sure you haven't been crying? Unless you have a shellfish allergy, you look like you just watched Beaches."

Me- "Nope, all good. Damn pollen."

SVP- "Didn't you coin the phrase 'There's no crying in workers' comp'"?

Me- "I did, but I'm not crying."

SVP- "Hmmmm...You sure you're not upset about the latest large loss? You know, the guy who got squashed by the dumptruck body?"

Me- "Nope, I'm fine."

SVP- "What about the guy who got his arm ripped off in the conveyor?"

Me- "I've seen that before."

SVP- "Or the..."

Me- "Ok, Ok...I've been crying! But not because I watched Steel Magnolias or had some guy crying on the phone to me about how he has to buy his Oxy off the street because we denied it. It's because of what I was forced to shave with!"

SVP- "Excuse me?"

Me- "It's this whole wetshaving subreddit competition thing and today we had to shave with the coldest stuff in our dens and then stack them up for pictures and..."

SVP- "Oh hey, look at the time. Damn, I'm sorry, but I'm apparently double booked and late for another meeting. Thanks for coming in. Really, it's been a pleasure and hey, nice shine on those shoes."

Let's just say I'm hoping the reality of this interview is far different than what my mind has cooked up for it. Try to enjoy your day and remember to be kind to one another.

LG SOTD 13Jun2024

• Brush: Yaqi Midnight Blue - 26mm timber wolf synthetic
• Razor: Karve - Bison (Blue)
• Blade: Wizamet - Super Iridium (3)
• Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit
• Bowl: CaYuen - Dark Nebula, large
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Aftershave Balm, The Watchman

Happy Friday, beautiful people! Welcome to the fourteenth shave of the 2024 Lather Games. Today's theme is “Frigid Friday” where we shave with a lather that is cooling.

I’m going to use Noble Otter’s - Orbit, another long time denizen. I only have two cooling soaps in the den, this and SBS’ Cannonball, and that’s my summer soap for the games. I dislike menthol, I pick up the smell strongly - Stirling’s Glacial Lemon Chill smells like a cough drop, Cryogen like being a sick kid slathered with Vick’s - but the synthetic cooling soaps are fun for a change up. Orbit contains something dubbed Koolada-23 to bring us the cold of space.

Built the rest of the shave on the space theme of Orbit. Got the dark nebula lather bowl, the midnight blue brush, the blue Bison, the dark void of The Watchman. Like shaving in space 🚀🪐

But, before I freeze my face in the vacuum of space, there is a request that we stack all of our treasures. I see what you’re doing. We just prettied up our hoard for the den tour, then you make us drag everything out for something as daft as stacking our soaps like terrible Legos, trashing our efforts for the judges’ amusement. Well, that’s exactly what I did!

Not sure how tall it was, but I’m confident it was over 6 feet as I’m 5’10” and I was reaching up to precariously balance the sample of Everett that is the top of the stack.

From the A&E St Barts downward, that’s the regular den inhabitants. Above that is the stuff currently on trial.

The shave was solid but I should have pushed the water a little further. Slickness would have improved though was good enough for comfort. Although I still want to see a more aggressive head, I seem to have worked out how to get a better shave out of the Bison with my normal 1.5 passes. Still not as good as I can get with any of the horsemen, but not so much that I feel like I should have sucked it up and gone for the second pass. Orbit is an odd scent - it’s there but never that strong. Yet, it does hold your attention. The chill comes out best when you rinse your face and is usually a pleasant level of chill. It was a good start to Friday.

One more shift to the weekend!

June 14, 2024

• Prep: House of Mammoth Embrace Doppio Bath Soap
• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts 24mm 2-Band
• Razor: Wolfman WR2 1.05mm/WRH1
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue (?)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Terror - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Terror - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Montblanc - Explorer - Eau de Parfum

Short stack today. TFIF!

June 14, 2024

• Brush: Semogue Galahad C3 Premium boar
• Razor: Schick Type I1
• Blade: Schick
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Glacé Herbe
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger AS
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - unscented balm
• Post Shave: Olay Complete

I'm not a fan of menthol particularly, but I am a fan of vetiver. This soap is my benchmark for vetiver.

SOTD 2024-06-14 Space: The final frontier

• Brush: Semogue 2020 Best Badger
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat Adjustable
• Blade: Dorco - Prime (4th use)
• Lather: Nobel Otter - Orbit
• Post Shave: Henri et Victoria - La Poire Francaise balm

These are the voyages of the Gillette Adjustable.
Its continuing mission: to explore strange new soaps;
to seek out new balms and new aftershave splashes;
to boldly go where many razors have gone before!

Captain's log Earthdate 2024.06.14: We received an urgent request from Starfleet;
a planet nestled deep in the Tertiary Leo Corpus sector of the galaxy called Iroc-Z.
This planet, located in the Camaro system, was facing a humanitarian crisis.
Due to the ~~reports of blue women on the planet~~ urgent humanitarian need,
we cranked up the Adjustable to factor 9 and raced to the planet Iroc-Z.
After being reminded of Starfleet regulations on warp speeds and the risk of tearing the
fabric of shavespace at factor 9, I reluctantly reduced speed to factor 8.
I think in future I'm just going to ignore that regulation since factor 9 works remarkably well.

On the topic of Starfleet regulations, we had a special passenger on this voyage:
Of the Noble Otter family, one known as "Orbit".
I had the "wonderful pleasure" of explaining to said Noble Otter that Starfleet regulations now
prohibit the use of regular menthol and we can only use synthetic menthol (or "Synthehol").

When we reached Iroc-Z we learned more about this crisis:
Half of the population were knowns as "Scrubs" and the other half "No-Scrubs".
Apparently the "Scrubs" (also known as "Bustas") were spending most of their days hollaring at the "No-Scrubs".
Clearly this was a matter of great concern.

However, one of the crew came up with a brilliant plan:
That plan was to guide the Scruba (as they liked to call them) to non-scrubatude;
using an internally inconsistent list of dos and do nots.

So we left a post on their planet-wide message board with the plan and left the planet before we could see how well it actually turned out.
Perhaps we'll come back and check on them in a later season; or a crew our clones will stumble upon them.
I do hope we didn't leave any technology behind that could be copied and accidentally advance them beyond their normal development speed.

We didn't just leave because we are morally irresponsible ~~and discovered the reports of blue women were false~~;
We also received another urgent request from our own solar system.
The request came from the Mars base commander, Rob Zombie. Apparently, Mars needs women; angry red women.
And so, we are currently on route to Mars.

June 14, 2024 – Lather Games!

• Brush: Cayuen Abalone w/ 28mm Timberwolf Synthetic.
• Razor: YPM – Winning Razor Mk2, polished, tattooed ("The Emperor's Shave!") #CNC #TITANIUM
• Blade: Gillette Winner Stainless (4).
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Cryogen
• Aftershave: B+M – Arctique

A chilly shave? Yes, we have it in spades today! I used to have Terror by B+M, but I ended up parting with that for some reason. These fit in there nicely, except my eyes always water when I use them. Great shave, and I'm off for a mini-vacation.

Have a nice Friday, gents!

#LatherGames

Bonus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyH44gA5OM8 ← Epic Moments in History – Top 10 Spartan One-Liners

Jun. 14, 2024
Brush: AP SHAVECO AP400B XL 28 mm (G5C)
Razor: Karve CB SS SB (D Plate, First Pass; B Plate, Second Pass)
Blade: Astra Superior Platinum [3]
Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. - AG 1889 (r/wetshaving exclusive) - Soap
Post Shave:* Chicago Grooming Co. - AG 1889 Aftershave Skin food (r/wetshaving exclusive) - Aftershave

Splash ingredients:

Ingredients: SDA 40b, Witch Hazel, Water, Parfum, WS-23, DL Panthenol, Polysorbate 20, Jojoba Oil, Willow Bark Extract, Flaxseed Oil, Argan Oil, Squalane, Silk Protein, Vegetable Glycerin, Rosehip Oil, Shea Olein, Mango Seed Butter, Karanja Oil, Vitamin E, Daikon Seed Extract, Bisabolol, Allantoin, Aloe Vera Extract, Tea Tree Oil, Rectified Cade Oil

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

** 14.06.2024 **

• Brush: AP Shave Co 28MM G5A SHD
• Razor: Wacker Best Tradition 6/8
• Blade:
• Lather: House of Mammoth - KRYPTONITE
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - KRYPTONITE
• Post Shave: Mühle alum stone

In this summer hot days I use more and more often mentholated soaps and aftershaves. So it's pleasure to use Kryptonite having this WS-23 synthetic cooling agent. I like the scent very much. As a matter of fact my first choice for today will be "Terror" Barrister and Mann but i have only one small sample left. So PLEASE!!!! If someone here known Will personally PLEASE tell him to start make it again!!! At first I was thinking this challenge its gonna be easy but after hundreds missing heart beats and few micro heart attacks and minor cuts I successfully balanced my precious Wacker open on the top of balm bottle constantly moving. I even stop breathing to not interfere air flow. Finally everything is whole!

June 14, 2024 – 2024.06.14 SOTD: Lather Games Day 14 – Frigid Friday

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Black Synthetic 25mm in AP Shave Co. Blue & Clear handle
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet (2)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Glacial Satsuma
• Fragrance: Simone Andreoli – Silver Marble

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Daily Theme: Frigid Friday

Theme justification: Spearhead Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime contains a synthetic cooling agent.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Today's unifying theme is COLD. The aftershave is Stirling Glacial Satsuma, which is loaded with menthol.The frag is Simone Andreoli Silver Marble, which is described as:

Drawing inspiration from the northern Kingdom of Niflheim, Silver Marble is an icy and crystalline composition of frozen citrus and aromatic juniper, snow-draped evergreens and frosted woods. A potent and invigorating scent, with glacial freshness, woody depth and cool elegance.

From Simone Andreoli:

An exquisite union of crisp, frozen citruses and juniper berry notes that shine like icicles in the sun. A medley of spruce and cypress needles meld with the freshness of arctic air, evoking the vast expanses of an icy tundra. Base notes of frozen woods and molecules envelope the senses like an unforgettable olfactory journey to the icy North, bringing to mind vast landscapes of snow-capped mountains and frosted fir trees.

This is about as cold as a fragrance can get.

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

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Daily/Special Challenge: Stacking Day

Behold! My masterpiece v2. It's not the best tower out there, but I think it is commendable.

Sadly, this challenge took a toll. In my first attempt, it fell. As a result, I (slightly) damaged one of my favorite razors.

Thankfully it wasn't worse.

---

Fragrance description

Sea Ice Lime and Stirling Satsuma are some of my favorite scents. SIL is the only tub I've killed. They fit well together, too. The citrus stands out even more over the salty ocean scent from SIL.

As for the frag, the description is pretty spot on. It smells like one of those winter mornings where you wake up, go outside, and take a deep breath of frozen air. It's nice.

---

Now onto the shave!

Well, this shave had prep that started last night. I took my fresh tub of SIL, and scooped some into my old lather bowl. I then decanted some Glacial Satsuma into a travel vial.

I then took the entire kit and placed it into the freezer

I took it all out this morning after my shower to shave. Everything was nice and frosted from its cold slumber.

Well, that's when I realized something. We need to make this a little colder, thankfully I have HoM Permafrost & Stirling Frost Drop. Let's add some of that instead of water. Well, not entirely, unfortunately. I did have to add a smidge of water, as the WS-23 & menthol just weren't producing a lather. The end result wasn't the best, but it was usable.

Spearhead's Highland base is great and produces a fantastic lather, so even with this sub-optimal lathering it was still slick. The worst part of this shave, though, was the frozen razor. Holding it was more challenging than dealing with the icicle that was on my face. I don't know if you guys know this, but stainless steel can get cold. Almost wish I had worn some mittens.

After I shaved, I used the cooled Glacial Satsuma splash. The added freezer time didn't really seem to have an impact on the splash. The added cooling agents to the soap, though, made the menthol in the splash less potent.

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Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 10/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 14/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 14/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 14/30
• Number of Frags: 14/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP freezes all the things and should have worn mittens.

OP freezes all the things, should have worn mittens, and replaces (almost all of the) water with frost drops.

June 14, 2024: The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway

• Prep: warm splash of water
• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia Tuxedo 24 mm
• Razor: AtT S1
• Blade: Gillette Blue
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Terror
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Terror
• Fragrance: none

Hot day and the frozen feeling feels absolutely refreshing. Beautiful Latter Frames to you all.

LG SOTD CHALLENGE * Brush: Stirling - Synthetic 2 band.
Razor: Gillette - Black Handle Super Speed.
Blade: Gillette - Platinum.
Lather: Noble Otter - Northern Elixir.
Post: Noble Otter - Northern Elixir after shave balm. * Post: Zingari - Sego Unscented Balm.

This is the first tub I ever bought in my wet shaving journey and so far the coolest of the bunch that I’ve tried (Orbit, Stirling’s glacial soaps,Proraso eucalyptus, Maggard’s menthol). I will pick up another tub before it’s gone forever bc I love that the chill is long lasting and I even like the refreshing smell. I don’t usually use splash on my legs but this is one I purchased on a whim before I knew it was unnecessary, but it really does make the scent and chill last longer. The balm Is awesome.

ROTY

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR14 with Ikon Bulldog handle
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Waves

It has been hot lately so this felt pretty good today. I don’t typically care a lot for these soaps and can’t lather them for shit. And today was no exception. But the cooling was nice.

2024-06-14 - Stack 'Em to the Heavens!

• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Island Man (Glacial)
• Fragrance: Bath & Body Works - Mountain Frost
• Razor: Phantom Blue Slant
• Brush: Summer Break Soaps

Frigid Friday: Rope Swing features the synthetic cooling ingredient WS-23.

Unifying Theme: Coldth.
You know, like slow + -th → sloth, warm + -th → warmth, and cold + -th → coldth
Rope Swing has WS-23, Island Man has menthol, and Mountain Frost has 'frost' right in the name!

Bonus: Everything is in the same neighborhood of blue, transitioning smoothly from Kyle's vaguely green pen to the deep blue purple of his brush.

#photocontest Water

I think this is what was intended from the description:

[...] the Platonic solid associated with water is the icosahedron which is formed from twenty equilateral trianges.

Stacking Day: I can write a song called "Stack 'Em to the Heavens!"

Nothing is flat. The tiny, ancient tube of rubber cement that I found has long since dried out.
Twice times, those glass bottles fell from horrific heights onto the hard concrete floor below.
How many people have literally destroyed stuff by attempting this?

Okay, the razor handle and soap container are mostly flat; I can take advantage of that. Not bad.

The (fuller) bottle is heavier, though, making it more top-heavy, but I can take it one step further.

#FOF
Rope Swing never fails to surprise me with how nice it is. It's grassy and woody, with whatever other elements purport to make something aqautic, which is such a vaguely-defined mystery that I've begun to question whether the perfumers themselves have any idea until they find one in their cauldron. But I digress.

This glacial Island Man aftershave made my eyes burn, which doesn't tend to happen, but not before delivering the absolute fruitiness that is its scent. I can appreciate this a lot more than other fruity flavors, but I just don't care for fruit. I can see it being fitting for a warm—not hot—day... The problem is, that that only ever happens once or twice in the heart of winter, when there are more appropriate scents.

Mountain Frost might just be my absolute favorite scent ever, but it doesn't exist anymore and I couldn't tell you what it smells like (seems like maybe it's aquatic) other than what it says on the ~~tin~~ bottle, i.e. mountain frost.

Day 14

• Brush: Yaqi - White 22mm – Badger
• Razor: Gillette Travel Tech
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving – Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Captain’s Choice – Nor’ Easter Splash
• Fragrance: Issey Miyake - L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme EdT

Thanks u/Priusaurus for the smush!

Today I embarked on an epic, frostbitten journey that left me feeling as cool as than the other side of the pillow. Picture this: a battle of man versus menthol, where the stakes are high and feeling of ice is, well, everywhere.

First up: The Glacial Greeting

I kicked things off with Spearhead Shaving’s Sea Ice Lime. Just opening this little plastic baggy sent an arctic blast to my face. I swear I heard a polar bear whisper, “Good luck, buddy.” As I built the lather, the room temperature dropped by 10 degrees. The second that frosty foam hit my cheeks, it was like Santa’s sleigh crashed into my bathroom. The lime provided a refreshing twist, but the menthol—oh boy, the menthol! My face turned into an igloo faster than you can say “winter wonderland.”

Next stop: The Nor’easter Knockout

Next up, Captain’s Choice Nor’ Easter Splash. By now, I was already shivering, but hey, in for a penny, in for a frozen pound. I slapped on this splash and BAM! If the soap was a chilly breeze, the Nor’ Easter was a full-blown Arctic Circle hurricane. My skin went from chilly to “I can’t feel my face!” faster than an ice cube in a sauna. I’m pretty sure a snowman appeared in my mirror and gave me a thumbs up. The menthol was so intense, I half expected to see snowflakes forming on my stubble, while the amber, lavender, citrus scents signaled a thaw out was coming.

Finally: The Thaw Out

To finish up, I sprayed on Issey Miyake’s L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme. After surviving the menthol maelstrom, this was like finding a cozy cabin in the middle of a... Nor’ Easter. The crisp, aquatic notes were a gentle reminder that my face wasn’t actually stuck in the freezer, and the citrus notes tied the whole #FOF experience together. As I spritzed it on, I could feel my face slowly thawing out, like a snowman basking in the first rays of spring sunshine, finally escaping the cold. The woody base notes provided a comforting warmth, wrapping up this frosty adventure.

Today's shave was more than just shaving; it was a frosty rollercoaster ride through a winter wonderland. My face went on an adventure from the North Pole and back, emerging smoother than an ice rink and fresher than a peppermint snowflake.

Challenge Goddammit. A stacking challenge the day I’m using sample sizes and smush. What is this? A stack for ants? The stack has to be at least three times bigger than this!

My #photocontest theme is: Baseball

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “Frigid Friday”… The Top 5 Most Ridiculous Winter Olympic Sports:

5.) Ice Dancing – More like Ice-Snoozefest, amiright?

4.) Nordic Combined – Adds jumps to the Country Skiing. If there was a sport that desperately needs more excitement it’s Cross Country Skiing.

3.) Biathlon – Combining Country Skiing and Shooting. I’d say only in America, but other countries compete in this too???

2.) Skeleton – I remember sledding the hill as a kid. Now it’s an Olympic Event? I missed my calling…

1.) Curling – I mean… Come on.

OP must construct a tower of samples and feels inadequate.

OP looks up every synonym for "cold" in the thesaurus.

June 14, 2024 – Let it goooooooo!

• Brush: Omega Mixed Midget
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Sharpedge (Yellow) (3)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Cryogen
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face – Cryogen
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Uitwaaien

“Freeze!” Today’s command from our shaving cops. Ok fine, I’ll do that. Now there will be people getting ice filled baths, or shaving in their freezer, but let’s play this straight. Last year I commented I had never used cryogen so u/onionmiasma said “take mine!” As in he just sent it with something else he was sending me. So, I guess I’ll use it. But that’s not all, I want the full experience, so I picked up some cryogen splash from Maggard’s since they sell samples. It’s 90 something today so lets see if we can chill to the point of beating the heat. To extend the ~~pain~~ experience, I’m going to use the Mixed Midget brush and face lather. It’s tiny this is going to take a bit of time.

On to the lather. The first thing I notice is this isn’t as bad as I expected. Then I notice my eyes starting to water. I realize the tears are not from the cold but from the intense menthol smell running up to my eyes. Like an Onion (heh) causing me to cry as I cut it. As I add more water the cooling sensation gets more intense. This soap is thirstier than my other CF stuff. Probably the menthol.

After what seems like forever to lather, I finally start to shave. I…can’t feel the razor. This makes finding the angle hard, but the superspeed is sorta mindless anyway. Pass 2 is weird, the brush feels like poking myself with ice crystals as I go. I think I feel menthol crystals coming out of solution. By pass 3 I want to be done, but I have extra lather. When this happens I usually engage in some u/itchypooter type shaving because I like a clean chest under the collar. So here we go! Surprisingly…no cooling sensation.

Ok, onto the splash, now it’s a Maggard’s sample so it came in a sprayer, spray it on my hands and…WTF I can’t feel my hands now? (Note: I’m typing 40 minutes later and my hands are still tingly). OK put it on my face…huh no effect, probably because the soap already chilled my face to maximum…WTF IS THAT OH GOD IT STINGS. Apparently, the splash has a delay of about a minute before it sets in. Whelp, I still have half a sample of soap and 12ml of splash left…guess I’ll use it at some point.

For #fof, while these are all samples (and that’s a connection) but I wanted to match scents too. Or at least build to a better scent. Cryogen was quite hard to pair with, I get a sort of medicinal minty smell from it. That is: menthol. It’s sorta like mouthwash. So I decided to pair with HoM Uitwaaien, which has a subtle mint note, but also elements of a cool breeze by the ocean. The hope here is to play off the chill, rather than fight it. What ended up happening was the drift wood note came through and actually complimented the minty/menthol note. I do feel like I’m walking on an old pier up by the shore on a winter day.

For #photocontest, let’s do water, or rather ice. I have a fancy fridge that makes ice balls, which seem perfect for today. And since it was the stacking challenge I managed (after much trying some assistance from melting) to get the razor on top of the ice ball near the top of my stack. Again, since everything was small I used a small brush too. Turns out getting the ice to stay on the brush is hard. Ice is slippery!

Edited to quickly add, my kids tried to help with the challenge. They got about 3 high but couldn't manage the razor (blade out for this challenge obviously).

June 14, 2024 – Lather Games 2024 Day 14: Frigid Friday

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft “Ocean Blue” 26mm Omega Pro 49 Boar
• Razor: Timeless AL45
• Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (1)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Fragrance: Pinaud – Clubman Lime Sec – EdC

We’re coming up on the half of a grueling month. I don’t think it gets less busy for a few more days and then the month ends as busy as it is now. But we shave on!

Use of Theme: Frigid Friday

I’m jumping into the icy, limey sea this morning with Sea Ice Lime and a cold water shave. It might not be the coldest menthol soap out there, but it’s limey and that’s good enough for me. I was glad to get my hands on a set from the second run of this fine soap. I haven’t used the AL45 in awhile, so it was a bit harsh as I hurried through the shave. Thankfully, the cold water helped to tone things down a bit. Fragrantly finishing the morning shave is Clubman Lime Sec. It is definitely bright and juicy like a lime and complements the soap and aftershave nicely. My only complaint would be the cologne strength.

Daily Challenge Stacking Day

It figures, that I’d choose a big, fat, plastic cologne bottle to have to stack. I have too much going on this morning to mess with it without incurring the wrath of Mrs_D. So, this is what you get today.

Have a great day and be kind to one another.

June 14, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co. - 24mm Synbad Fan
• Razor: Blackland Era - Level 3 SB
• Blade: Bolzano Superinox (German) (5)
• Lather: Black Ship Grooming - Shiver Me Timbers - Soap
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - Weinstrasse - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Barrister & Mann - Lavender, Interrupted - EdP

CNC

For the CNC tag, CNC means "computer numerical control", so even thought this razor is 3D printed instead of machined, CNC is used. The computer controls the up/down/left/right, and voila.

Shiver me Timbers has menthol. I hate menthol, but this was actually a nice amount and relatively pleasant.

Cooling SOTD:

• Razor: Gillette Flat Bottom Tech
• Blade: Polsilver Super Iridium (14)
• Brush: Summer Break GP B11
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball!
• Aftershave: Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball!
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Everett

The combo of Cannonball and Everett might be the most childhood nostalgia possible to fit into a shave. I highly recommend it.

Challenge

June 14th, 2024

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Simpson Wee Scot
• Razor: Feather DX Kamisori
• Blade: Feather ProGuard
• Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Orbit
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Menthol
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Permafrost
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Frost Drops
• Fragrance: Dior - Sauvage Elixir

What's cooler than being cool? ICE COLD. To get the formalities out of the way, Orbit contains synthetic coolant. But that's not enough. I'm adding more. It's going to be a hot and humid day here, so a perfect time for Frigid Friday. Drops are going into the lather as well as some in the splash. It's going to be a cold one.

And of course, my stack for stacking day.

OP uses every brand's coolant at once.

OP uses every brand's coolant at once.

Today I shaved with Orbit and a Proraso boar brush. I used a 6C/4 plate with a Personna blade. I followed up with Margaritas in the Arctic aftershave and Orbit edp.

LG23-14: Frigid Friday

• Brush: Grizzly Bay 28mm 2BED
• Razor: Blackland Sabre Level 2
• Blade: GEM (23)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Fern Concerto Menthol - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Aqua Velva - Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave
• Fragrance: BLACKBIRD - Triton
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: v: 75% Colombia Huila washed / 25% Ethiopia Guji natural process. r: medium
• Music: NxWorries - Why Lawd?

I don't use this mentholated soap often, but I use it far more often then my other cooled soaps, since it's more reasonable in it's level of cooling. It's cool, not cold or get-it-off-that-burns plus wind chill. The debatably-fougère scent is good too.

Followed up my shave with Ice Blue (which is self explanatory 🧊) and Triton (themed around the cold, stark surface of Neptune's moon 🌑).

stacking day

OP stacks...all the things.

OP stacks...all the things.

Don't try this at home, kids.

June 14, 2024 - Friday

• Brush: Chisel & Hound "The Duke" / 27x61 Omega boar
• Razor: Yates 921- H
• Blade: Gillette Platinum (1)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing splash
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Taum Sauk EdT

A chilly cold water shave for Frigid Friday. Very nice.

2024-06-14 LG SOTD

• Brush: Dogwood Milkglass (24x54mm Synth)
• Razor: Schick Injector L1 (1967-1972)
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Proraso - Menthol and Eucalyptus
• Post Shave: Mennen - Skin Bracer
• Fragrance: BRUT Special Reserve

All green (except for the razor), mostly fougères for Friday, and all of them have menthol - even the Brut. It's the only perfume I know that actually lists menthol in its ingredients on the label.

Frigid Stacking Friday

• Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
• Razor: Fatip - Lo Storto - Testa Dentata
• Blade: Mühle
• Lather: Noble Otter – Orbit
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Terror
• Fragrance: Mäurer und Wirtz – Tabac Man Gravity

We've arrived in Rome for a Friend's Wedding yesterday evening. The temperatures are already brutally hot so it's excellent timing for Frigid Friday.

Theme justification: Orbit has a healthy dose of the synthetic cooling agent W23.

Relevant post and frag: Terror has the same cooling agent, and Tabac Gravity is so close to Orbit in scent and marketing that I wonder whether M&R took "inspiration" from it. both have cool blue space-themed packaging and both are cool rose scents with fresh metallic notes.

I chose Italian hardware for this trip to blend in with the locals, with my trusty Lo Storto which simply cannot give a bad shave, and my brand new beautiful butterscotch badger. It's both my first Zenith badger and my first Manchurian badger knot. The brush has a scrubby loft with a good backbone and a bit of scritch. My initial impression of this lovely brush is great, let's see how it breaks in.

Challenge: Our friends are getting married in a bougie hotel that hands out Acqua di Parma products as their toiletry amenities. When I saw it, I knew that I had to incorporate them into the stack. In my eagerness, I overlooked half of them, so have an additional AdP mini stack.

On a side note, when I flipped through my stack pictures, I noticed a fun detail: in the background of the picture that ended up getting the nod, there is what I believe to be the first documented evidence of a free Roman Spice in its natural habitat. What a find!

Can we just talk about this hotel that hands out AdP

June 14 2024: Frigid Friday

• Brush: Omega 11137 boar
• Razor: Schick Eversharp
• Blade: Injector blade (5)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Uitwaaien

Stack Day, the best and finest of the Lather Games traditions. My stack is just OK this year, but I am always happy to partake. Really, the Lather Games should transition to the Stacking Games, and maybe one day of the month there is a themed shave.

The theme to my shave today, besides the refreshing cooling of Rope Swing for Frigid Friday, is not-aquatic aquatics. What I mean by that is neither Rope Swing nor Uitwaaien feature calone (to the best of my knowledge), which is what powers most scents traditionally thought of as aquatics. Instead, these scents are aquatic in theme. Rope Swing is inspired by a plunge into a cold mountain lake, and Uitwaaien is inspired by a walk on a windy beach. This was a great combination for a hot day.

June 14, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co - Black/Gold Flakes - 30mm Oumo Boar
• Razor: Personna - New Angle 70: BBS-0
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving – Sea Ice Lime Soap
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – 1904 Splash
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving – Sea Spice Lime EdT

Today was a bit of a science experiment. So, let’s go through the Scientific Method:

Step 1: Define a Question to Investigate: Can I make a bowl of ice, build a lather in it, freeze it, and then then use it a couple days later for Frigid Friday?

Step 2: Make Predictions: Sure, why not. It’s called Sea ICE Lime. Surely, it won’t mind being turned to ice.

Step 3: Gather Data Through Experimentation:

Three days ago, made a lather bowl out of ice.

Two days ago, I attempted to make lather of Sea Ice Lime to freeze for a couple days. First, soaked the brush in ice-water in an attempt to ensure my ice bowl didn’t melt when making lather.

I got my ice bowl ready

And I tried making lather of Sea Ice Lime in the ice bowl, but it became a watery mess.

So I built it in a different bowl

Then transferred it into the ice bowl.

And put everything back in the freezer. I had no idea how it would react or what would happen.

Today, I removed the ice bowl lather from the freezer and followed Dairy Queen’s lead to ensure it was frozen solid.

Let’s lather!

Well, that didn’t really work. I just made a cold, watery mess and my brush couldn’t really pick up enough lather.

Step 4: Analyze the Data: FML.

Step 5: Draw Conclusions: Even though the soap is called Sea Ice Lime, it works best when it’s not frozen solid. This turned into a cold, watery mess of a lather.

Well, that’s the scientific method for you! You never know how an experiment is going to turn out. That’s why it’s called an experiment!

BTW – Shout-out u/Ironbeard_SYS for giving these tubs away for just the cost of shipping to newbies a few years back!

Also – Shoutout to u/jwoods23 for PIFing this razor to me.

From a #FOF perspective, these scents are absolutely perfect for each other. All the scents are lime+alittlebitmore. And it’s that littlebitmore that makes it special. It’s the salty sea breeze mixed with the zest of freshly sliced limes. As the shave continued, a scent of driftwood comes out, giving the scent of soap a little more depth. Then with the splash, the lime is the star of the show once again. Except this time it’s lime with florals, sandalwood, and a touch of coffee. It’s zesty, evocative, and takes the scent of lime to another level. Finally, going back to the scent of the soap for today’s frag, we’re back on the beach with the limes, driftwood, and salty air! This blend of bright citrus and aquatic elements really creates a refreshing, invigorating scent that creates the allure of the sea and the crisp zest of lime into a scent you can wear all summer long. As I typed this out, I realized the Shawn Maher created both of the fragrances that I used today, for different companies. I wonder if that’s why I ALWAYS pair SIL with 1904. To my nose, they are perfect for each other.

Challenge: Stacking! Pro-tip: Taking the caps off the splash and frags give a flatter surface to work with. Risk vs. reward, because WHEN the tower drops, splash will go everywhere.

Soap Theme Justification: Sea Ice Lime is mentholated, hence the word “Ice” in the name.

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Limes all around!

frozen lather

Jun. 14, 2024
Brush: Stirling 2-Band Synthetic Brush
Razor: Merkur 37C
Blade: Gilette 7 O’Clock - Super Platinum [4]
Lather: Barrister And Mann - Arctique - Soap
Post Shave:* Kroger - Witch Hazel - Aftershave

Can’t feel my face by the third pass.

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

Jun. 14, 2024 - use the Schwartz
Brush: Chisel & Hound Bermuda Fanchurian V10 Badger
Razor: C.F. Schwartz & Co. - Clover Four - 11/16 square point * Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit - Soap
Post Shave:* Noble Otter - Orbit - Aftershave

This morning I tried to use the Schwartz and failed (mostly). I just picked up this razor on e-bay, ground down the edge completely as there was a chip in the blade near the heel and started over from scratch. Mostly successful but still needs some finishing stone love. My prize was a cut on each jowl. Nice. I’m getting close tho. Thank you to my pudding-loving sensei for all of his wise advice!

Orbit vs cuts on the face burns more than with no cuts. Facts. Also a great scent and lather. More facts.

My SOTD photo is also my daily challenge pic. I will go for the Darkness photo theme today as, ya know, space is dark. And to try to kill all birds with one photo.

#photocontest

June 14, 2024 – Frigid Friday

• Brush: Z Feidu - Barber Brush
• Razor: Merkur - 34C #ZAMAK #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet – Black Beauty (?)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving – Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving – Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime EDT
• The Lather: I’m no stranger to Spearhead’s products, but this was the first time trying the synthetically mentholated version. The scent was exactly the same as the unmentholated Sea Spice Lime version, as was the lather produced.
• The Shave: I found the cooling effect to be a nice touch to the fragrance, but ideally would have had a little more of a freezing feel. The shave was otherwise nice, and I find the Treet Black Beauty I found in my blade stash to give a relatively smooth shave.
• Aftershave/Frag: I couldn’t pass up a full Sea Ice/Spice Lime day, especially since I’m using the Sea Spice Lime bath soap right now making it a superfecta.
• Theme: Sea Ice Lime includes a synthetic menthol for a gradually increasing cooling effect.
• Challenge: I thought this would be easier than it was, but surprisingly the round Merkur head is hard to balance a giant brush on (see SOTD Picture).
• Acknowledgements: Thank you u/2SaintsDude for the soap for today’s shave.

The Stack

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Razor: Merkur VISION 2000
• Blade: Super Iridium
• Soap: Elysian Green Fig
• Brush: vintage Simpson S10 with reknotted Simpson Super Badger
• Post: Epsilon 01 + Jack Black Double Duty
• Fragrance: The Zoo - Fig My Love

This is my favorite day of the year, little did I know that 5 years ago my random stacking posts throughout lather games would turn into its own challenge, but I'm forever grateful and thrilled. I love seeing the creative ways people come up with stacking ideas, whether legit or not. My advice for stacking is to risk it for the biscuit. So taking my own advise I used the largest aftershave bottle I own as well as my near irreplaceable vintage simpson, and did the stacking over hardwood next to our new couch (with the wife out of the house just in case of disaster).

quick video of the completed stack

video proof of the workthrough to make a stack work

Jun. 14, 2024 Frigid Friday * Brush: Chisel & Hound Quartermoon
Razor: Yates Winning Ti
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue * Lather: Proraso - Eucalyptus & Menthol
Post Shave: Fine Platinum * Post Shave: Osma - Alum
Post Shave: Jack Black - Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

This Proraso cream was one of my first purchases when I got in the game. Fine provided the aftershave with their infamous alcohol, water, fragrance & MENTHOL ingredient list.

#ROTY

June 14, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co Summer 28mm G5C #PREMIUMPLASTIC
• Razor: Gillette Super Adjustable 109 (Black Beauty) Gold O-4 (setting: 7)
• Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock SharpEdge (Yellow) (1)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Thayers - Lavender - Toner
• Fragrance: Elysian Soap Shop - Olympus - Eau de Parfum
• Talc: Pinaud Clubman Finest Powder
   

---

Last year, I looked forward to Frigid Day as a way to use MiTA. This gave me a chance to prepare a mouthwatering (to me) Margarita and drink it after making the SOTD photo the night before the shave. [OK, I may have had more than one.]

But this year, I have to chase some silly point and stack the items I used in my shave today. You did mean focus-stack, right?!

😉

June 14, 2024 – LG Day 14 – She’s as Cold as Ice

• ~~Brush:~~ ~~AP Shave Co. Synbad~~
• Pre-Shave: AP Shave Co. Synbad, Frozen
• Brush: Omega 11047 Mixed Badger/Boar
• Razor: Gem MMOC, Frozen
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Co. – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Co. – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime – Splash
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime

TL;DR: Don't freeze your hardware. Most photos are mildly NSFW, but nothing too exposing. To make up for it, I'm adding to the cat photos that so many others have graced us with so far this month.

Frigid Friday. What to do? I'm not buying $50 of ice at the gas station just to repeat what others have already done last year. My partner suggested shaving in a beer cave (maybe next year), but I knew I wouldn't have time this morning before work. The ice kamisori, though...that was good inspiration.

Frozen Brush: This worked about as well as anyone could have anticipated. Turns out freezing the knot in a chunk of ice doesn't make for good lathering.

I tried tub loading anyway, which did a whole lot of nothing. I also tried using another brush to put lather on the ice brush and then paint it on. That also didn't really work. Ultimately, I used the ice as a pre-shave and as my water source for building an ultimately shitty lather that looks like it should have been saved for tomorrow's daily challenge. Definitely colder more because of the WS-23 than because of the ice though...it's almost like synthetic cooling agents are made to feel cool.

Frozen Razor: This was both successful and also a total failure. Successes: I could hold it in my hand (with the help of one of those rubber jar opener things). The blade/head was exposed enough to get the right angle. It was cold. Failures: Blood. Lots. Of. Blood. Full album here for your pleasure and for a couple of bonus pics.

Why I chose an MMOC for this is truly a mystery. The first cut I got is a gash that won't heal for days, but the rest are small nicks at least.

Was any of this worth it? You be the judge.

Daily Challenge: Stack seen in the SOTD photo, with close-ups also available here.

Sea Ice Lime, just like the non-cooling SSL, is perfectly pleasant. It's a crowd pleaser and an easy grab, but that doesn't mean it's not special. It begins its aromatic voyage with an invigorating burst of fresh lime and the sharp zest of pink pepper, set against the expansive backdrop of salty sea air. The heart of cedar with nuances of coriander and bay, all in perfect balance, accentuate the lime and salty nature, giving a clean, invigorating, masculine finish. In the words of a former coworker, "you smell like a MAN." As an owner of SSL soap and toner, SIL soap and splash, and SSL EdT, this is a scent I'm not ashamed to trickhole. #FOF

Epic stack.

User freezes his brush, hilarity and much blood ensues.

Jun. 14, 2024 - Brrrrrrrrrr

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Zenith 506U XSE unbleached boar

• Razor: Stirling Soap Co, Stainless

• Blade: Astra Green (1)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Cryogen

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder Balm

• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Every Storm a Serenade

Another year, another frozen face! After freezing my lather earlier this month I thought about making an ice bowl and now that Im looking at this thread and see u/Priusaurus failed I'm glad i didnt. I thought I had a diabolical and unique thought but it seems that u/bmac92 has beaten me to the punch. Thankfully today is not wildcard wednesday and i wont buy a DQ for it. I just wish there was a consolation prize, like maybe the ability to feel my face at some point today...that would be great!

But anyway, onto my (apparent) copycat shave:

Cryogen, probably only second to Terror in the amount of menthol in the soap out of all the frozen soaps out there. Stirlings Glacial line is just a cool breeze in comparison to this, but even that is not enough for Frigid Friday! As I pulled my stuff out for today I realized that I havent used nearly enough of my Stirling Frost drops, despite using it as my splash last year. So for today I figured, "it's liquid, why do I need any water for my lather?"

And so, I loaded up my brush, then started adding liquid, then of course added more and since I like a drippy lather, added more!

Global warming? never heard of it! I'm pretty sure this shave has brought a new ice age upon my face! Im worried that Im going to have to watch out for a Mammoth! I feel like i might have a deadly encounter with one of those soon so better get ready!

Daily Challenge: My stack its not the best work, but I also was dodging two boys who wanted to "help" this morning.

Daily theme justification: yep, its all cold

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Winter-->Spring-->summer. Cryogen is the depths of winter cold-->Sonder is the hope of warmer weather in spring with the random chilly day from the WS-23 -->Every Storm a Serenade is the summer afternoon thunderstorm that frequents Mississippi

Player used Stirling Frost drops in lieu of water to lather cryogen.

LG 14 - Frigid Friday

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps - Lucas - Boti N3C Fan
• Razor: Heljestrand Safety Razor #FOREVERSAFETY
• Blade: Heljestrand
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Iced Tea
• Post Shave: The Goodfellas Smile - Sea Citrus Aftershave
• Fragrance: Fine Accoutrements - American Blend Edt

Smooth shave with the Heljestrand but this blade will need some honing&stroping. Iced tea is lightly synthetic-mentholated.

I failed to stack today; my spectatives were so high that I ended up with a two-column stack.

.#FOF

Jun. 14, 2024 - Stacks

• Prep: Shower, Baxter Shave Tonic
• Brush: Chisel and Hound False Kamani Fanchurian V18
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird OC
• Blade: Personna Platinum (1)
• Lather: Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements - Cold Spice
• Post Shave: Old Spice (1950s)

Another year that I am forced to bust out PAA Cold Spice as it's the only mentholated duper out there. In celebration of this I asked AI to write me a defense of PAA and, true to AI form, it stole all the cringiest arguments from the web in order to gloss over "Mr. Smythe" and his business practices. I feel a bit dirty just reading it so now you (or whatever judge gets this) can feel a bit dirty too. Interestingly, this kind of shows the many faults of AI-generated content, which writes here with an authoritative voice but provides little background into anything.

A Shaving Renaissance: In Defense of Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements (PAA), a name synonymous with the wet shaving revival, has found itself at the center of some debate. While some celebrate their innovative spirit, others criticize their business practices. Let's delve deeper into the world of PAA and examine the arguments on both sides.

PAA's Enduring Influence

Undeniably, PAA has been a driving force in the resurgence of traditional wet shaving. Their alluring fragrances, high-quality shaving soaps, and commitment to craftsmanship have drawn in a new generation of enthusiasts. They've expanded the market, offering a wider audience a chance to experience the satisfaction and closeness of a proper shave. PAA's influence extends beyond their products. They've fostered a thriving online community of wet shavers, providing a platform for education, shared experiences, and enthusiastic debate. This community aspect is crucial for niche hobbies like wet shaving, keeping the practice alive and ensuring its knowledge is passed down to new generations.

Addressing the Business Concerns

Some criticisms lobbed at PAA focus on their business practices. Accusations of borrowing from smaller artisans and the use of a flamboyant persona by co-owner Douglas Smythe (Eric Hodges) have tarnished the brand's image for some.

Here's a possible counterpoint: The shaving world, like many creative fields, thrives on experimentation and iteration. While inspiration is drawn from various sources, PAA puts its own unique spin on classic scents and products. This fosters a dynamic environment where artisans learn from each other, pushing the boundaries of the craft. Imagine a world where every soap recipe was rigidly protected – innovation would stagnate, and the consumer would be left with a limited selection.

The Douglas Smythe Persona: A Marketing Masterstroke?

Regarding the Douglas Smythe persona, some might view it as a marketing ploy, a fabricated character to drum up interest. But isn't a touch of theatricality part of what makes PAA interesting? It injects personality into a traditional practice, making it more approachable for a wider audience. In a world saturated with generic marketing messages, the Douglas Smythe persona stands out. It sparks conversation, generates a sense of intrigue, and allows PAA to connect with customers on a more personal level. Whether it's a calculated move or a genuine expression of individuality, the persona is undeniably effective.

PAA's Legacy: A Secure Place in Wet Shaving History

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements' impact on the wet shaving scene is undeniable. They've introduced countless individuals to the joys of a safety razor and shaving soap. Their dedication to quality and their willingness to experiment have kept the hobby fresh and exciting. They've fostered a thriving online community and, perhaps most importantly, ensured the continuation of this time-tested ritual for future generations.

The Final Shave

PAA isn't perfect, but their role in the wet shaving revival can't be understated. They've introduced a new generation to this niche but rewarding practice, while their commitment to quality ensures a delightful shaving experience. So, the next time you meticulously build your lather with a PAA soap, take a moment to appreciate their contribution to this niche yet thriving corner of the men's grooming world.

Lather: Stirling Soap Co - Margaritas in the arctic

stack

June 14, 2024 - Frigid Friday

• Brush: Omega 10077
• Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - 921-M
• Blade: Gillette - Nacet
• Lather: Proraso - Eucalyptus Oil & Menthol Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Mennen - Skin Bracer

Today's Theme: Had to bust out my only mentholated lather product today. Each time I use Proraso cream, I start to like it a little more. Not crazy about the menthol, but damn for $10 tube of cream, it is pretty good. I've been adding a lot of water to it and it gets really slick. Using some cold water and Skin Bracer to make myself shiver today!

Today's Challenge: My stacking really made my... uhhhh... something pucker. I am surprised I didn't break or damage anything in the process. It was easily over a foot tall!

ROTY

June 14, 2024

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

For a few seconds after applying the lather, I thought, that's funny, I remember this being really intense-- there it is!

Cryogen is way too much for me. All I want is to get it off as quickly as possible. But then my skin continues to tingle for a half hour. Yeesh!

Stacking day challenge: the challenge description says, "pile your expensive treasures..." Well, none of the shaving kit I used today is particularly expensive or treasured. So I stacked some other treasures. Which felt really weird. And nerve wracking.

ROTY

Jun. 14, 2024
Brush:* Century #3

• Razor: Weck Med Prep

• Blade: Kismet Hair Shaper [1]

• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Cannon Ball

• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Cannon Ball

• Fragrance: Christian Dior - Homme Intense

I woke up today running a fever and noped right out of work and went back to sleep. My youngest has been sick the last few days and I caught his crude. On the bright side 3 day weekend.

SB Cannonball lather has a nice amount of cool to it, but combined with splash, 40 minutes later I still feel it. It’s intense. I remembered this when I chose it for today and that’s why I paired it with Dior Homme Intense. I pick up on the Chlorine in the soap and the lavender and iris in DHI play well with it.

Daily Challenge Stacking. This challenge made me pick what razor I used today. I could not get the Sabre to stack with out falling and after the 3rd attempt I went with the Weck because I could get it to balance. Here it is in all its stacked glory

Photo Contest Theme Water

#ROTY #FOF #Photocontest

Jun. 14, 2024
Brush: Yaqi Casino Husky Knot
Razor: Wilkinson Sword Classic
Blade: Shark Super Stainless [1]
Lather: Stirling - Margaritas In The Arctic - Soap
Post Shave:* Stirling - Margaritas In The Arctic - Balm

My Mr freeze shave,

Lathered using ice cubes in a lather bowl. Froze my razor and blade overnight.

What an epic fail, water was about as cold as my tap water and razor got to room temp almost instantly. Bummer, so I decided to have an ice bath and a daiquiri to feel the burn

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

• June 14
• Brush: Omega 10098 Boar
• Razor: Gem 1912 and EverReady 1912 #TWINS
• Blade: Gem
• Lather: The Holy Black – Lavender Creeper
• Post Shave: Maol Grooming – Wilde Flowers
• Fragrance: Prada – Luna Rossa

Since u/Enndeegee posted his poorly written manifesto and crackpot theories yesterday, I’ve been dragged into an all out Lather Games ~~investigation~~ witchhunt. But, I quite frankly, don’t know what to say. What’s the best way to engage with a crazy person on the internet? A normal person would have simply asked me who lead me here to reddit. But I’m not dealing with a normal person. I’m dealing with u/Enndeegee. And it doesn’t seem like “normal” is really his thing. So, I’m going to take u/jeffm54321’s advice and let him do his detecting. I’m sure there are clues sprinkled about and a quality detective would have figured this mystery out by now. But again – we’re not dealing with a quality detective. We’re dealing with u/Enndeegee.

Today’s shave was an ~~escapade~~ ice-capade where flowers and frost collide, leaving my face smoother than a glacier and fresher than a daisy in the morning dew. Fasten your seatbelts, for this flowery frolic was frosty!

I used The Holy Black’s Lavender Creeper soap. This isn’t just any lavender—it’s a lavender that creeps into your senses with a cool, refreshing mentholated touch. As I lathered up, it felt like a garden in springtime, but with a twist. The menthol in this soap snuck up on me like jack frost in a field of flowers. One moment, I’m inhaling the sweet, calming scent of lavender; the next, my face is tingling as if it’s been kissed by a frosty fairy. My cheeks went from a serene lavender field to an ice-cold mountain top in seconds. My floral fiesta turned into a refreshing tundra!

With my face already experiencing a menthol marvel, it was time for Maol Grooming’s Wilde Flowers splash. This is no ordinary aftershave—this is a wild bouquet in liquid form. The moment it hit my face, I felt like I was diving headfirst into a meadow. The lavender heavy florals danced around my senses. It was like hosting a garden party after a snowstorm—bizarre, delightful, and incredibly invigorating.

To top off this botanical bonanza, I reached for Prada’s Luna Rossa. This fragrance blends citrusy zest, a lavender punch, and aromatic herbs with a smooth, sophisticated base. After the cooling lavender and floral frenzy, Luna Rossa brought everything together with a touch of freshness. It was like stepping out of a cool, fragrant flower field and into a sleek, modern yacht. The citrus and lavender notes harmonized perfectly, creating a scent that was fresh and comforting.

Today's shave was an exhilarating journey through a world where flowers bloom on icy peaks and sophistication meets wild nature. My face emerged from this fragrant adventure feeling frozen while smelling like a botanical garden.

Challenge: Stack it to the moon!

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

June 14, 2024

• Brush: Omega Penelli White HI-BRUSH Synthetic
• Razor: Schick Injector
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Cannonball!

Cannonball is one of my favorites cooling soaps, along with rope swing. I love how SBS is going for the feeling of a cannonball and not just a good smelling scent, which it also is. This reminds me of when I was young, when heated pools were not a thing that I was aware of. I would slather on my banana boat sunscreen, actually I wouldn’t because I was a stubborn brat but others would force me to put it on. It’s a smell that brings back memories, pina colada or tropical scent notes by the pool side. I would walk through the public locker room to head to the pool and always go right to the diving board. The best way to get acclimated was going in head first. The month of May never had warm water so the effects were chilling. Taking your breath away, over chlorinated vapors heading into your mouth too. This scent brings all of that back but in a refined and deliciously scented soap. It’s tropical, yet reminiscent, and chlorinated but not at all harsh. And the cooling is tolerable and enjoyable. Coincidentally I was at a pool today so was pretty excited I was able to use this soap.

Challenge: I wish I were at home and had access to more things to stack. So today was my travel stack.

Today the theme is sugar and sweets featuring several candies #photocontest

FOF

June 14 - Cold Day

• Brush: Semogue 610 21mm Boar

• Razor: Razorock Mamba

• Blade: Asco Platinum Orange

• Lather: Stirling - Margaritas in the Arctic Soap

• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger Splash

• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Northern Elixir Splash

• Fragrance: Noble Otter - Neon Sun EdP

---

Some good cold stuff that started the day off nicely. Northern Elixir, though more medicinal smelling at first, has this odd creamy tail note that made for quite a punch when paired with Neon Sun. I'm a fan. 8/10

#FOF

LG24-14: Frigid Friday

• Brush: Wild West Brushworks Blue & Black 26mm BOSS Synthentic Knot
• Razor: RazoRock SLOC
• Blade: Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Stainless (Green) [10]
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball! - Soap
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Noble Otter - Rawr - Eau de Parfum

The SLOC looks intimidating, but I think it's an underrated razor in that mild-to-medium range of aggression—a very smooth shaver.

This morning's shave was a dive into a cold pool or a jump into a mountain lake. It was absolutely refreshing. The dandelion note in Rope Swing tied seamlessly into the same note from Rawr.

Happy Friday, and stay cool!

June 14th, 2024

• Brush: Yaqi Panda 24mm Two Band Badger
• Razor: Fatip Il Piccolo Storto - Oro
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball Splash
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps - Daydream EdT

FOF

Today’s Theme:

One of the first soaps with synthetic menthol that I got was Rope Swing. It is a slow build of cold, so I added four drops of the menthol that I got with splashes from Declaration Grooming. Very cold from the first pass, and just got chillier and chillier after that. Cannonball splash adds more WS-23, so I gave myself two splashes of it. Definitely feeling cold today. Also, the shampoo I use sometimes has menthol as well, so I got coolant three different ways.

Today’s Challenge - Reverse Jenga?

I got this idea after getting everything out for the show your den. How tall a stack could I make from all those soaps? Well a straight up stack has been done, so what twist can I put on it? Actually, I could do a twist. I decided to make a spiral tower I’d call The DNA of Shaving. I started by stacking groups of three and then rotating the next group about 1/2” (13mm). I got several layers along before I remember to take a picture. A A few more layers after that, and I noticed the tower started to lean. I realized that, though I was making each layer from similar jars, the differences in how much soap was in each one seemed to make it lean. Plus I might have been stacking to one side. Start over this time with layers of 4 jars. This was working well and easier to judge how much to offset each row. Oh wait time for a photo. Not long after that, I ran out of full size jars that matched for a layer of I’ll go single stack from here. Another picture at the start of the narrow section. About 10 tubs more and the tower was taller than me. It was at least 6’ high. Now where did I leave the camera? I noticed my erection was leaning to one side. Better fix that before I add the last few…. Oh crap! Like Icarus flying to high to the sun, it came crashing down.

That was it for me. After about an hour of organizing and stacking, I wasn’t feeling like rebuilding. There was one casualty. My tub of Sonder from last Austere August broke part of the lid. Time to put it all away. I sorted it all by brand and Noble Otter, House of Mammoth, Summer Break Soaps, Declaration Grooming, and Stirling Soap Co each got a tub. Everything else was put in the leftover spaces. Pretty successful reorganization at least.

Oh the Smells:

In yesterday’s dupe day, u/rocketk455 mentioned that other than Prom King, he didn’t go into dupes, but thought he was most known for Cannonball. I decided Cannonball needed to be in the mix. I almost went with it as the soap, but decided that I liked the Rope Swing/Cannonball/Daydream progression. I’m on a summer vacation and swinging out over the water on the rope swing. It is on a lake surrounded by woods. After getting exhausted, head back to the resort and hang out with the family at the pool. Of course my daughter has a Pineapple Fanta, while I have an Orange Fanta. A bit later decide to have a more tropical cocktail with some passionfruit and citrus. Hanging out now on the deck near the bar, I still get the clean scent of the woods wafting over me. Oh crap, I didn’t reapply my sunscreen soon enough. This is going to burn, but I have just the thing to cool me off today.

User spends so much time stacking tubs only to have it crash

Jun. 14, 2024
Prep: Proraso - Green - Preshave
Brush: Parker Mixed Badger #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS * Razor: Rex Supply Co Envoy #CNC * Blade: Astra SP Green [5]
Lather: Proraso - Green - Soap
Post Shave: Proraso - Green - Aftershave
Post Shave:* Proraso - Green - Balm

Hopefully I’m doing these hardware hashtags correctly lol. Today’s was a long one. Anyways good ole proraso. Can’t hate on it. I love me a mentholated soap. Also stacks well. Link below.

https://imgur.com/a/Pyy5j5F

LG SOTD Jun 14 2024 - EYES EYES BABY

photocontest

Theme: Eyes (Eyes in the sky, Eye ring on Hydra, Eye-shaped background to contain bowl that contains shave sample)

• Brush: Alpha Brush & Shaving Co. - Bully Boy 28mm
• Razor: Henson - AL-13 Medium Blue #CNC #RAINBOW #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet - Carbon Steel [2]
• Lather: Seaforth - Sea Ice Lime - sample
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon's - Hydra - sample
• Fragrance: Etro - Lemon Sorbet - Eau de Toilette - sample

I had almost forgotten how good Seaforth base is.

I had been skeptical about the scent, on the (misleading) base of an off-the-tub whiff, which felt a little plasticky. Once lathered, the scent is remarkably good, with the spicy/mossy drydown nicely balancing the citrus top notes.

However, Sea Ice Lime's cooling component feels already too much for me, so at present (while temperature is still below 30°C) I'm not planning to go full tub. I am usually not interested in open refrigerator effect. But things may soon change once the heat becomes unbearable.

Unbearable heat was the circumstance that made me appreciate Dr. Jon's AS cooling properties last year, when I managed to lay my hands on some remaining stock at Maggard's and TOC, after Dr. Jon ad gone RIPped.

Hydra offers a tart, kind of unripe-lemon citrus accord, that is better on its own than layered on Sea Ice Lime (which provides a more perfume-like, three-dimensional smell). Wish I had dickholed here.

I got this Etro Lemon EdT sample a few years ago in a department store, and then forgot about it, until I found it at the bottom of a samples container. Being inspired by a lemon-flavored crushed ice recipe, it felt like the perfect complement for my citrus / cool shaving products.

With this EdT I was expecting a shallow sweet citrus accord, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that the fragrance also features aromatic green notes: with respect to my low expectations, this felt pretty good, a lemon + herbaceous fougere that on my skin didn't feel fake or chemical. I am not a big fan of lemon-forward frags, but this was a more than decent final step for today's shave

FOF

SPECIAL CHALLENGE: my chaotically-stacked Tower of Babel, a reminder of humankind's doomed dream to have one comprehensive shaving horizon that may put together all preferences and languages.

ROTY

This is a truly impressive stacking of wares.

Frigid Friday

• Brush: Omega 10049
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable
• Blade: Astra
• Lather: Proraso - Green

photocontest

Bucket.

Today’s Challenge:

Stacking Day

OP puts Proraso on ice.

14 June 2024 Complementary Non Dickkhole Noble Otter Northern Elixir

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Dogwood White Oumo LOD 26mm
• Razor: Henson Aggressive
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (25)
• Lather: Noble Otter - Northern Elixir (1)
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - ITaum Sauk A/S
• Post Shave: Thayer's Concoction
• Post Shave: Good Oleo
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Unscented Balm
• Fragrance: Blackbird - Triton

Cheers

6/14/24

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks w/ TNS 28mm M7 Fan
• Razor: Wüsthof 220 "Barber's King" 7/8, Extra Hollow Square Point
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Kryptonite
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Kryptonite Aftershave Splash

Kryptonite was one of my first HoM purchases. Back when I was still playing it safe with scents. Lime was my big one. I had a lot of lime. I decided, one day, to go wild and get some Lime with some woods. It's a very easy to get along with scent. I don't use it very often these days. Maybe this AA for Mammoth Mafia. This was also my first soap with any menthol. This whole set just slaps hard on a summer day.

For the side challenge today, I present my Stacked SOTD. u/Tonality, I await your judgment.

SOTD - 2024-06-14

• Beard Growth: 24 Hours
• Prep: Hot Shower
• Pre Shave: None
• Brush: Yaqi - Sagrada Familia Synthetic
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Treet - 7 Days Platinum
• Passes: WTG x2
• Lather: Proraso Green
• Post Shave: Proraso Balm

• Fragance: Dolce & Gabbana - Light Blue EDP

• Comments: Menthol Day - used Proraso green soap and balm booth have a cooling effect with menthol and eucalyptus. Right of the bat you a get whiff of menthol and as you start lathering the eucalyptus takes over. It's an okay scent, slightly generic but not bad by any means. Typically, I get headaches with mentholated soaps/shampoos etc. but it wasn't too bad or overpowering in its smell just slightly unpleasant and tingly when I started to lather. Usually, I let the lather sit on my face while I gather the blade and razor etc. But soon as I put it on my face I wanted to get it over with. Shaved quickly and did a super quick second touchup/pass.

Coming to the razor Blackland BB-Ti - idk what to make of it yet. I got it right before the lather games began and I don't think I've given it a fair shot with a familiar base. Too many variables at the moment. Having said that, today's shave was great, super smooth with the Treet blade, high blade feel and high efficiency. The weight is great too, it's a nimble little tool. One thing that I've noticed though is that there's a little friction or drag with the top cap. Not sure if that's something to do with the satin finish or maybe the slickness of the lather hasn't been consistent recently. Definitely need a few more shaves.

For the challenge today - I started off making a pyramid but that was too boring. So, I started making a reverse pyramid after a few accidents I ended up with something like soap jenga!!

It all came crashing down as soon as I removed the blackbird lol

#ROTY

Lather Games 2024-06-14 Frigid Friday

• Prep: Coffee, Face wash soap/warm water
• Brush: Summer Break Soaps - Mountain Laurel, synthetic 26mm Maggard knot (from London Razors Mountain Laurel release PIF)
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable - Date Code J3
• Blade: Gillette 7 O'clock Super Stainless (green), DE
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Cannonball!
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Cannonball!

Cannonball! Shave soap and Aftershave set by Summer Break Soaps

- fortified with WS-23 synthetic menthol analogue!

Scent Notes for those interested (both soap and aftershave):

Pineapple, Orange, Water, Ozone, and Chlorine, (includes WS-23 a synthetic cool-menthol analogue which does not impart a mint scent)

Great interpretation of a summer pool to me:

Most local public pools where I live opened with Memorial Day. Growing up the local pool had a concessions area and sold Wacky Wafers which were kinda like overgrown sweeTARTS. These were fruity and tart, about the size of a US half-dollar, and far from chalky like those repugnant NECCO WAFERS (may NECCO Wafers rot in hell). Wacky Wafers are now discontinued but you can understand what they taste like if you open up a roll of sweeTARTS.

This soap with the fruit, ozone, and chorine notes is a great interpretation of my experiences at the local pool growing up.

Take care and have a good one.

LG 2024- June 14th “Cold as ice”

• Brush: Elite Razor Custom Birch Synthetic
• Razor: Razorock GC .84
• Blade: Voskhod (2)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps- Rope Swing
• Post: Stirling- Mountain Man splash w/ menthol

Shave: SBS rope is up there as one of my new favorite scents. From their site it lists “With Rope Swing, we are headed to a pristine mountain lake. The scent notes on this one are dandelion, water, moss, galbanum, juniper, ozone, patchouli, and cedar. The scent opens with a rush of green before settling down into a beautiful mix of dandelion and woodsy elements. The aquatic notes are not featured here but instead play a supporting role. Rope Swing will also feature the synthetic cooling ingredient WS-23.“ just a wonderful experience. Paired with Stirlings Menthol Mountain man I really loved my stacked shave.

Challenge: see my stack above

Viewing: it’s cold as ice

ROTY

6/13/24 Lather Games shave

• Brush: Farvour TurnCraft / Boti NC badger

• Lather: Proraso - green shaving cream

• Razor: Gillette flare-tip superspeed w/ Treet platinum

• Post Shave: Thayers - cucumber witch hazel

• Post Shave: Osage Rub - AS

• Fragrance: Lacoste - Essential

Today is just not a shave I was looking forward to for several reasons: 1) I don’t like menthol, 2) I don’t like Proraso (and this is now the 2nd time I’ve been stuck using it during LG), and 3) I don’t like shaving creams, but had to use the Proraso as I couldn’t find anything else mentholated in my collection. The shave itself worked out ok though,and I decided to go all-in on the menthol and brutalize myself with Osage Rub for the post. I live to tell the tale.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

June 14, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts / DG B11 26mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Ausflug - EdP

Happy Birthday to me! Ausflug came in today.

June 14, 2024 - Frigid Friday

• Brush: Century 752 w/ 22 mm Maggard Badger
• Razor: Gillette 40’s Super Speed
• Blade: Wizamet (28)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Rope Swing
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive - Orris Forest

Challenge: Not as impressive as some of my previous efforts. The lid on the soap doesn’t sit flush, which prevented me from stacking it vertically.

Rope Swing is such a fun fragrance. I love the playfulness. The dandelion is unique. Ozone and green notes create a sensation of fresh air. A bitter green note makes me think of crushed plant leaves. This evokes images of spring outings; Those little adventures when the flowers are in bloom, where you take a trail just to see where it goes. It fits in the same niche as Rawr, in that regard (also, dandelions!). The splash smells sweeter. The cooling lasts for several minutes. I still smell dandelion more than 4 hours later. The longevity might be longer than the frag.

The description of Orris Forest reads: "Growing up, my grandmother lived south of Saint Louis close to the Meramec River. As a child, I loved hiking out in the woods behind her house down to a creek that was a tributary to that river. There were fun hills to climb, and the smell was so fresh, green and vibrant.” I felt that was in keeping with the theme of Rope Swing. The top notes are armatic green leaf notes, sweet floral, with a trace of evergreen. There’s an earthness, and woodiness, like ginger/vegetable peel, and some fresh spicy notes. Later, it's takes a softer tone, with lavender taking over the aromatics. This one feels more leisurely than adventurous. This is like a relaxing day spent gardening.

#photocontest - A (popcorn) bucket

#FOF

DAY 14 LATHER GAMES! STAAAAACK OOOOOON MEEEEE! STACK ON ME

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Omega 10049 #TOLL #HOLLOW
• Razor: Henson - AL13 Medium #RAINBOW
• Blade: Nacet
• Lather: Proraso - Green
• Post Shave: Proraso - Green Splash
• Fragrance: Captain Fawcett - Booze and Baccy

Today was a very special day for me, and it‘s why I am writing this post so late. Today I lost my virginity! That’s right I popped my cherry! It’s something that happens once in a lifetime so it’s a special moment I cherished. Thankfully I was with 5 close friends with whom I enjoyed the experience. We set the ground rules and in the beginning I was really awkward, but as the time passed I loosened up and it became quite enjoyable. The whole thing lasted around 7-8 hours. By the end we were all exhausted but it was all worth it. All of us liked it so much that we even talked about doing it again in the near future. To anyone who has never tried, I urge you. Dungeons&Dragons is a great experience and is a great way to spend your evening!

Now onto today’s topic. At this theme day last year, it all started, THE HOLY SPITE SHAVES, with me and u/Priusaurus. It was the beginning of something special, fun and exciting. I really have fond memories of last year's LG, and I hope around this time this year, I start to get more active and interact more.

So, for the first time in three years, I will not use Cryogen as the theme based soap, sad but that’s life. Something I did not consider last year, was how much to raise the bar, cause if you participate on an annual base, one should always try to improve. I see mentholated day as a way to punish myself, and last year, talking in front of the camera as I put Cryogen on my balls, is pretty hard to follow…. Well early in the morning I figured it out. Too bad I didn’t have time earlier in the day to do it, but I guess even late in the evening will suffice! There is this thing in Bulgaria, called Karmolis, it’s basically the equivalent of Cryogen in terms of strength of menthol. So what did I decide to do?

Well ladies and gentlemen, here is a VIDEO, of my stupidity for your entertainment!

And now the explanation. I decided to apply Karmolis to my whole body, wait for the effect to take place and then take a cold shower(water here is pretty cold), which as you know when you’ve used a mentholated product, the sensation of cold water amplifies. So yeah, shave under the cold shower blasting me, all while the cooling effect of Karmolis had set in with full force.

Let me tell you what I learned... IT FUCKING SUCKED!!! If I participate next year I have no idea what I'll do, BUT IT AIN'T GONNA BE THIS. To anyone crazily intrigued and curious to try, go on right ahead, but I think you'll be sharing my views. It's 86 F in my room at the moment, and I'm still shivering....

Challenge for the day:

HAVE YOU SEEN A 7 STACK!?!? The holy unheard of 7 stack? Well HERE it is(same picture as SOTD photo), pretty proud this year that I made such a big tower and that I didn’t break anything! Stacking day is awesome, one of my most favourite challenges of the LG. Simple, clear, and yet challenging!

Daily Lather Themes: 14/30

• Daily Challenges: 13/30
• Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 18/20
• Hardware Vendor Points: 2/2
• Software Vendor Points: 7/16
• Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1
• 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 14/30
• 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 14/30
• 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 14/30
• 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 14/30

OP freezes himself from tip to taint.

OP builds the mythical y-stack and also freezes himself from tip to taint.

June 14, 2024 – Freezey Minty Stacky

• Brush: Ap Shave Co Synbad 24mm
• Razor: Schick Injector Type I1
• Blade: Personna Injector
• Lather: Noble Otter – Orbit
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Dammusi
• Post Shave: Thayers – Rose Petal

Has the frozen lather bowl been done to death? How about an additional soak/rinse bowl? Maybe we throw in some mint? Im not the most extreme, but for me that’ll do. Pretty darn cool, man.

While the bowls were in the freezer, I did a quick stack. It was a bit better than the one in the SOTD, using a maggard handle as the base. But once the bowls were done I had to use the extra ice from weighing down the inner bowl and turn them into a stand for my stack.

Bowls turned out pretty good for the first time. But today has been the hottest day of the year so far and without central air these puppies started melting fast. But I was looking forward to the cool lather, or the lather I was able to make. Soaking/rinse bowl melted through before the end of the first pass but the lather bowl held up surprisingly well. Unfortunately, that nice tallow based soap didn’t play well with ice. But when on my face I couldn’t tell if it was the Orbits menthol or the ice that was cooling my face more. It was helped by the fact that I used the melting soak/rinse bowl to clean up between passes and at the ends. The second pass lather actually turned out quite nice and with the ease of the injector it was an overall a decent shave. Proof in the pudding pop.

Orbit is great. I can’t wait till the end of LG and I can make the rich yogurt lather it deserves. First time using Dammusi this year, crisp cool and salty. Thayers finished me off to match the Rose in Orbit. Good shave. Honestly will probably start experimenting with it the cold shave more this summer.

Edit: I also tried listening to the We Hate Movies podcast episode “Cool as Ice” where they talk about the Vanilla Ice movie. Couldn’t take the wacky banter though. Maybe next year I watch Cool as Ice and shave those lines in the side of my hair.

Cheers!

14JUN2024

• Brush: Aurora Grooming LG24 w/26mm Paragon Synthetic
• Razor: GEM Pushbutton
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [13]
• Lather: Zingari Man - The Royal
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - The Royal
• Fragrance: Zingari Man - The Royal

Well, I really fucked up today. I don't have a single scent with menthol. And I sat around for half an hour trying to get ANYTHING to stack but I just think I'm not made for stacking..

However, I did have products from today's sponsor. Products that I actually just got yesterday! I've been excited to try it and I have to say, The Royal may be a new favorite. Then again I think I just like scents with a little leather.

On the bright side of things, I may have found something to use when I run out of HoM's Almond Leather.

June. 14, 2024 - SOTD 

• Prep: Splash of warm water
• Brush: Oumo O4 Venus SHD Badger Brush 26MM
• Razor: King C Gillette
• Blade: King C Gillette
• Lather: Zingari Man - The Socialite
• Post Shave: Nivea Men - Sensitive Soothing Aftershave Balm

June 14, 2024 - a bucket for my tears

• Brush: AP Shave Co 26mm G5C
• Razor: Karve CB (SB-C)
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Arctique
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Arctique
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Seville

This shave was so cold I'm surprised the tears didn't freeze on my face. I swear this stuff gets colder every year. The splash was especially diabolical today. This splash on EdC is also mentholated, so I've got cooling in all parts of the shave.

I really don't remember Arctique being this bad. I legit had to stop after two passes because I just couldn't keep going today. The peppermint smell also really messed with my head today. First ever headache from this soap, but I'm blaming this one on the lack of sleep and not on the soap. Seville really helped mellow things out, the citrus played real nice with all the mint and helped extend the cooling past just my face.

I tied today's photo contest theme (a bucket) and the daily challenge together. My stack lives on a bucket. A bit of a cowardly stack, I really don't trust the curved bottoms of the splash bottles, but it is a stack nonetheless. #photocontest

June 14, 2024 - FRIGID FRIDAY

• Brush: Stirling - Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: Schick - Krona 1960s TTO DE
• Blade: Personna - Platinum
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Cryogen
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Artic
• Fragrance Duke Cannon - Midnight Swim Dark Water

SOAP - COLD, COLD, COLD So when I decided match everything together for today’s shave I didn’t take into consideration that my face would scream at me!!! I was compounding cold with colder splash and F%^*ing colder with the Edt. Didn’t help that all my set up was cold in temperature from sitting in the freezer waiting for me to take the perfect shot!!! But in my defense I had to get a pic of frozen bacon and I was actually surprise to find frozen lobster!!! And to my surprise I didn’t know we ate organic broccoli! Who knew!!! So I hid the lobster so I don’t have to share it and took the ice cream with me to work!! Breakfast of champions!!!

RAZOR - Oldie but trusty!! Nothing new here. Oh and wait big thanks to u/curbside_champ for DC dark water.

THE THEME - I have never been really good at Jenga. I lose every time!! Damn coordination my only weakness!! Well THAT and lack of crying! Anyways I tried to make a big ass tower and this is what I came up with. I mean it’s no Burj Khalifa but I got up there! STACK PICTURE!! My wife commented that she has never seen such a big structure in this household and I wasn’t sure what she meant by that!! Whatever….

https://imgur.com/a/Wpk9ium

• Prep: PAA - Bubble Gube
• Bowl: Naked Armor - Silver Fox Scuttle
• Brush: Ariana & Evans - Retro Shaving Brush Synthetic
• Razor: Karve - Overlander
• Blade: Rockwell - Swedish Stainless Steel
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Kryptonite
• Post Shave: HAGS - Resurrection

Another fine shave today using my Karve Overlander. The House of Mammoth lathered so thick, I made way too much! It had a mild cool from the WS-23 synthetic cooling agent. I used a Rockwell blade I have never used before and it went well.

Stacking Day Challenge: I call this my Tower of Terror. It wasn't very tall. but I was terrified my just delivered today and never used Alpha Spirit SE razor would fall and break into pieces. I wanted to be unique and I used 4 scuttles (Why do I have 4 scuttles? I don't know!) and one shaving bowl. I have a second bowl, but my son has claimed it and was afraid I would break "his" unbreakable bowl. So, I was stuck with only one bowl. Kids!

https://imgur.com/a/w6sN2XX

Still have been using a different blade, razor, brush, aftershave and soap brand every day.

ROTY

User uses PAA. Djudge in need of trauma counselling and a second "offensive" button

June 14, 2024 – Lather Games: Day 14

• Brush: Shavemac w/ AP Shave Co 26mm Pure Bliss™ SHD Premium Synthetic Knot
• Razor: Blackland Osprey
• Blade: Astra SP (Green)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Cryogen
• Post Shave: Soap Commander – Passion

I received my Cryogen through the shave bazaar via a trade. The gentleman I traded with stated the consistency was funky, but I was okay with that; I just wanted to try it to see what the hype was all about. When I received it, it was like goop or very wet slime. I did get it to lather, albeit, not well. Despite all of that, I learned why people were talking about it. It brought a tear or two to my eyes.

Since the batch I had (and still has) an unusual consistency, I can’t really say if the performance is good or not. Based on other Chiseled Face soaps I have, I’d say it would normally be fairly decent. The scent is just menthol or maybe that’s all my poor nose could smell.

June 14, 2024 - Frigid Friday

• Prep: Warm Shower
• Brush: Stirling Soap Co. - 22mm Synthetic
• Razor: Muhle R89 #ZAMAC
• Blade: Voskhod (3)
• Lather: Tcheon Fung Sing - Barber Soap
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Ghost Town Barber
• Fragrance: Chiseled Face - Ghost Town Barber

It's not the best-performing soap in my den, but I have grown to like mentholated soaps more and more, so it's not all bad. I paired it with Ghost Town Barber using the fact that both have Barber in their names—I know, super creative.

PHOTOCONTEST - The Elements: Water

CREAM

• Brush: Wallygator - mystery vintage brush #SMOLL #RUNT
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable J1 #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Personna - Comfort Coated
• Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Orbit Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - O Unknown

Daily Gratitude
Thanks to wallygator88 for the brush. Thanks to my mom for letting me use the orbit I gave her. Thanks to my dad for buying this razor from the antique shop with me after pho as my second razor ever! Thanks to the judges and fabulous people putting this whole thing together.

Daily Mistakes
None, I am perfect.

Daily Writeup
Honestly considering the knot isn't actually attached to the brush and how small it is, the lather was pretty good. I love this soap and I'm glad my mom does too. Today I spent $100 on a fictional item in minecraft.

Daily Theme Points
Really nice chill in orbit.

Daily Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance Points
The post shave is the matching aftershave. As for the fragrance I went with imaginary authors because it's a somewhat summery scent to my nose and I think imaginary authors had a collab with noble otter if I'm not mistaken?

Daily Challenge
It took an hour to stack this so you better be grateful. I ended up going through about every razor and brush in my collection trying to stack something. I ended up cheating a bit by unscrewing the slim and rescrewing it on the brush.

Hardware Scavenger Hunt
No new hashtags so look at previous posts for explainations.

Photo Contest
So I kind of forgot about photo contest until I had already stacked stuff so I just put on a new wallpaper and called it a day. AIR, one of the four major elements, stacking this wouldn't be possible without it, because there would be nothing to hold it or I would suffocate or something. There is air in the picture I promise.

TL;DR
Mom's soap, minecraft coins, hour stacking, air, I win rookie of the year thank you very much give me my prize.

Side Contests

photocontest

ROTY

June 14, 2024 – LG24 Day 14 - Frigid Friday

• Brush: DS Cosmetics 24mm SHD G7 Synthetic bulb knot set in Frank Shaving Butterscotch Classic handle
• Razor: No-Name Cheap China Crap Kamisori Form Factor Shavette #KAMISORI
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium (4)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Cryogen
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Black Ice Witch Hazel & Aloe
• Fragrance: Dior - Sauvage EdP

Daily Theme & Relevant Post/Frag: Cryogen's product page states - "We put a ridiculous amount of menthol in here." Black Ice's product page states - "Anise with over 2% menthol crystals." Menthol + Menthol - so far so good. None of my frags have menthol but one has an Anise note, so Sauvage is today's frag choice.

Daily Challenge: I had chosen today's software and hardware over a week ago. When I saw today's challenge I smiled. I couldn't have selected better stacking items... except the kami. It took multiple failures but eventually the kami cooperated and stayed put. Here are a couple pics of my stacking effort.

Shave: Last LG I used Cryogen, and waterfall level tears were the result. Not having learned my lesson, Cryogen is back as my Frigid Friday lather. Because I am a glutton for punishment, I've added a Kamisori to today's shave (FYI -this is the first time I've ever used the kami form factor and only the second time I've ever used a straight/shavette).

I followed my normal precision load/face lather progression and was pleasantly surprised that the tears were minimal this year. Cyrogen needs significantly more water than any other CF soap I've ever used, so the face lather building went on and on and on. Cryogen lived up to its name because the more I built my lather the more my face became numb. If I was using a DE this wouldn't be a problem, but as I discovered, a numb face and the kami don't work well together. Shaving the cheeks and neck were uneventful, so I shifted to the upper lip/chin areas. I thought things were going well until red splotches started appearing on my upper lip and chin. Closer examination indicated I had nicked myself a handful of times and I didn't feel a thing!

After treating my battle wounds and showering, it was time for post. After freezing my face with Cryogen, Black Ice felt almost normal. I could feel the mentholated tingling, but it was surprisingly pleasant and helped mask the throbbing pings in the multiple kami nicks I inflicted on myself.

Self-reflection is how I learn. The definition of idiocy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the outcome to change. Expecting a smooth shave while using Cryogen is an idiot play. Adding the kami makes it even worse. Idiot + Kami = Moron. Yes, today I'm a moron!

edit-typing error

Friday, June 14, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts - Sparkly Blue Translucent Reject - 28mm B16
• Razor: Karve Shaving Co. - Overlander (Matte Black Aluminum)
• Blade: Personna Med Prep
• Lather: Stirling Soap Company - Black Ice - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Company - Black Ice - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus Fougere - Eau de Parfum

Stirling's wonderfully mentholated Black Ice, like a chilled shot of sambuca... Used Cerberus Fougere because I was looking for something with a little anisic tinge to go with Black Ice

June 13, 2024

• Brush: Stirling Soap Co. Finest Badger 24 mm Fan Knot
• Razor: Fatip Piccolo Slant Closed Comb
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (Green) (5)
• Lather: Master Soap Creations – Frosted Lavender
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Uitwaaien  
• Fragrance: Mountblanc – Explorer

Stacking

These stacks they keep me down, so I build some more

—Fugazi, “Stacks”

Today I put things in a stack. Went better than expected. Especially considering yesterday’s monstrosity.

Stay Frosty

For soap I used Master Soap Creations Frosted Lavender. I don’t use menthol products (Orbit was too intense for me). MSC FroLav was so frosty that while making the lather I could already feel it on my face (or so I suspected—maybe psychosomatic). When I applied, though, it didn’t seem that cold. Initially. Then it got cold. Stayed cold. Stayed with me.

Uitwaaien aftershave seemed a good pairing. Has an unusual cooling effect immediately evident.

Mountblanc Explorer isn’t cold by itself. It’s actually got a funky/armpit note. But Mount Blanc—I assume Mount Blanc has snow on it. And it's a mountain—so cold. And "Explorer" could imply venturing to some distant, cold place. Let us face ourselves. We are Hyperboreans; we already know how far off we live. Beyond the north, ice, and death—our life, our happiness.

Cracked Ice

In today’s edition of Brush Strokes I wanted to feature the cartoon character Chilly Willy. But I have to instead share this remarkable diptych, depicting cracked ice, painted by the Kyoto artist Maruyama Ōkyo. This was painted in the late 18th century. It’s just ice. With cracks in it.

#ROTY

June 14, 2024 – LG 14: Frigid Friday

• Brush: CaYuen Cosmic Abalone 24mm Maggard SHD Fab #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: Gillette Blue Tip Super Speed
• Blade: Personna Platinum Chrome (11)
• Lather: Noble Otter – Norther Elixir
• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw/House of Mammoth – Iced Tea
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Saint Julep

Sorry, no ice kamisoris today. For our #FOF we have a nice mint though line today in all 3 software forms that is quite prominent. NO NE packs a heavy minty eucalyptus punch. Hints of earthy lavender and cedar wood give it a foundation, but the peppermint, frost, and eucalyptus really shine and dominate this scent. The iced tea follows with a zesty yuzu and refreshing cucumber combo. The mint and basil gives it an herbal quality while simple black tea lingers beneath. Lastly, saint julep is modeleed after the mint julep beverage. I don’t get a lot of the bourbon, but there is plenty of sugar and refreshing sweet mint featured in the scent. A little one dimensional, but pleasant nonetheless. The cooling of soap and balm are way less intense than typical splashes on this day, but are notably refreshing.

As for our #PHOTOCONTEST, elements: fire seemed fitting. A nice juxtaposition against today’s frigid. A Song of Ice and Fire for the fellow fantasy nerds out there. Currently making my way through a second ‘read’ with the Roy Dotrice audiobooks. Plus, it was fun to get the inner child pyro going with the lighter and hairspray.

Today’s challenge. Tried forever to get the tub on edge, but it wouldn’t cooperate with the others. Still dig the outcome though.

soap brands 14/30, post shave 14/30, frag 14/30, post/frag linked 14/30, software sponsors 10/16, hardware sponsors 8/2, razor hashtags 9/15, brush hashtags 10/15, photo contest 14/30, daily challenges 12/26, special challenges 2/4

Legit stack

Jun. 14, 2024
Prep: Cremo - Coconut Mango Shave Cream - Preshave
Brush: Simpsons Chubby 1 Best Badger
Razor: W.C.S. Multi Titanium Collection Razor, 84M
Blade: Lord Platinum [2]
Lather: RazoRock - For Chicago - Soap
Post Shave: RazoRock - For Chicago - Aftershave
Post Shave:* Tower 28 - SOS Rescue Spray

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

SOTD June 14, 2024 

• Prep: Splash of warm water
• Brush: Maggard Two Band Badger Fan Knot 24 mm
• Razor: Van Der Hagen 85MM Safety Razor
• Blade: Van Der Hagen Stainless
• Lather: Stirling - Margaritas in the Artic
• Post Shave: Stirling - Unscented Glacial balm

June 14, 2024  

• Brush: Dogwood – Badger  
• Razor: Merkur 34C  
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Orange Chill  

Theme: Orange Chill. A nicely mentholated orange shave soap.

Sure there are those who bring out the cryogen. those who put ice in their lather (I like to think most of us learned from previous years), even those who shave in an ice bath.

I offer three words “ankle to hip”. I shaved both legs, ankle to hip. It’s a good thing it’s a summer night.

Challenge. It didn’t show up as well as I wanted it to but I stacked my gear in the water.

June 14, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts with Declaration B11

• Razor: Karve Christopher Bradley OC B Plate

• Blade: Ladas Super Stainless

• Lather: Noble Otter - Northern Elixir - Soap

• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Northern Elixir - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Gentleman's Nod - Musashi

Karve CB had been great daily so I'm just gonna keep running it until I get bored or the blade goes bad. Tough choice between Orbit and Northern Elixir, but I wasn't feeling the rose as much today. Great performance all around from the soap and aftershave. I really should use menthol soaps more often and I quite enjoy them. Mushashi fragrance today because why not.

I wasn't going to stack originally, but I know it's u/J33pGuy13 's favorite day.