Jun. 20, 2024
Brush: Chisel & Hound Quartermoon
Razor: Merkur 34C
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue * Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball! * Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball! * Post Shave: Osma - Alum
Post Shave: Jack Black - Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

ROTY

June 20, 2024 – 2024.06.20 SOTD: Lather Games Day 20 – Sunny Days

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Matte Black with 26mm UHD Independent Fibre Knot
• Razor: Yates Winning v2
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: 345 Soap Co. – Shark Bite
• Post Shave: Alcolado Glacial
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Seahorse

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Daily Theme: Sunny Days

Theme justification: 345 Soap Co. Shark Bite is marketed as a summer scent:

In the dog days of summer, you’ll need a light, fresh fragrance to start your day off right

I mean, just look at the label. It's about as summer as you could get.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: The relevant theme for today is aquatic animals. The Alcolado Glacial has a penguin, Zoologist Seahorse has a seahorse, and the soap, as previously shown, has a shark. I even wore a shirt with a sea turtle on it, but forgot to take a pic :(

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Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

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Daily/Special Challenge: /u/Old_Hiker Appreciation Day

In appreciation of /u/Old_Hiker, I shaved outside. It was awful, but not because of the shave, but it didn't start off that way. I went to my back yard and found a cozy spot.. Then I had to find a water source. Thankfully, it's not like I'm in the middle of the woods. I wet my lather and brush and got to work.

This is when the trouble started. Just take a look here, and you'll see why. I should've known. June in OK? Yeah, these bastards are everywhere and I apparently am like sugar to them. Seems I'm one of the lucky mosquito magnets (always have been, unfortunately).

So I shaved about as quickly as I could, using my phone as a mirror.

End result was about 15-20 bites. I killed that many as well. See some of the fallen here on my leg. There were more, but that was the easiest photo.

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Fragrance description

Shark Bite is primarily pineapple and wood to me, and I really enjoy it. Love pineapple.

Alcolado Glacial just smells like alcohol, which makes sense considering it is made by the Curaçao liqueur company.

Zoologist Seahorse definitely has a strong marine/ocean vibe. Nice, clean smell, unlike what you'd get if you walked into an aquarium. This is more akin to when you step out of ocean from snorkeling and take a deep breath.

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Now onto the shave!

Outside of the misquotes, it was nice. I did shave as quickly as humanly possible so that I could stop getting bit.

This is the first time I'm using the aftershave splash. I purchased it in Curaçao when I was there for vacation earlier this year. Honestly, it wasn't bad. I don't know if I'll keep using it as an aftershave, but I will for a "cool down" splash (which is one of its main uses as well).

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Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 20/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 20/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 20/30
• Number of Frags: 20/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 20, 2024

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Chisel and Hound Sakura with v21 Fanchurian
• Razor: Muhle Companion
• Blade: Astra Green (Indian)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Summer Storm
• Post Shave: Zingari Man Sego Aftershave Balm Unscented

Work sucks.

ROTY

LG2024- June 20th “Skipping rocks”

• Brush: Elite Razor Custom Birch Synthetic
• Razor: Razorock GC .84
• Blade: Voskhod (5)
• Lather: 345 Soap Co.- Cairn
• Post: Wholly Kaw- Eroe splash

Shave: From the artisan

“Finding the way when traveling.  When I was younger, we would go backpacking in the Colorado Rockies!  We would explore every National Park that we could, and pick a new place every year. There is something about the mountains, rivers, and lakes that just bring a calmness to the hectic world!   A Cairn can be used for navigation when you stack rocks (see them in the label) in a way where it's largest rock on the bottom, then smaller ones on top.  This is to show your path so others can follow, and you can find your way back. I would use them when we reached the lakes and rivers that we went fishing at.  To mark the occasion and say to the wilderness that I was there! Pasteur's reached out and wanted to collaborate and make something special.  With this release we went for an aquatic that brings peace to the mind, and calmness to your shave!.  Scent notes:  Bergamot, Lemon, Jasmine, Pineapple, Cedar, Ozone, Sandalwood.  it's a clean, grassy aquatic!”

Challenge: As stated above a Cairn is a human-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound.

In the spirit of the challenge I found my nearest stone and shaved atop it. I did not kill or bury anything but I am trying my darnest to kill this splash. It has been overcast the past few days here which has been a thankful respite from the relenting Texas summer heat.

I could have used the water from the pictured “pond” but pretty sure it’s sewer water and filled with turtle shit, so I just brought a spray bottle.

Viewing: The lake provides

ROTY

Jun. 20, 2024
Prep: Cremo - Coconut Mango Shave Cream - Preshave
Brush: AP Shave Co AP400 Gelousy SHD Fan 2 Band Badger
Razor: RazoRock Lupo 95 OC #CNC * Blade: Personna Red [3]
Lather: Crowne & Crane - Ipanema - Soap
Post Shave:* Ariana & Evans - Peach & Cognac - Aftershave

According to Crowne & Crane, “IPANEMA is a sweet tropical-type scent that will be great for summer.” So I think this qualifies as a summer scent.

ROTY

Shared from My Shave Den for iOS

LG SOTD Jun 20 2024 - Summer Solstice Sun Seeking Hike

#photocontest

Theme: Grass

• Brush: Muhle Travel Brush - Synthetic #HOLLOW
• Razor: Bic single blade disposable
• Blade:  Bic single blade disposable [1]
• Lather: Eleven - Sicilian Lemon (smush by u/OnionMiasma)
• Post Shave: Murphy & McNeil and Black Mountain Shaving - Nantahala aftershave (sample)
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive - Sun Soaked (sample)

Today's weather forecast was for an overcast sky, high humidity, and max temperature of 37°C/98,6°F.

Not a Sunny Day, not the ideal day for a hike.

But I'm no quitter blah blah: woke up an hour earlier for an AM hike to one of the hills that surround my city.

Today's SPECIAL CHALLENGE forced me to revolutionize my plans.
The Eleven - Sicilian Lemon kindly provided by u/OnionMiasma fit the Citrus-forward Theme Requirement, and was also easy to take outside for a hike.

Everything else I had planned to use today was not as minimal as I now needed.

The special challenge made me decide that the rest of the hardware and software had to be something that I could carry in my pants' pockets, without forcing me to carry a bag during the hot humid morning hike.
I wanted the hike to be enjoyable and meditative.
No luggage. Literally and metaphorically.

The prospect of a hike into nature immediately inspired me to grab the Nantahala AS sample, because of all the outdoor references in the official description for the scent.
My previously selected pairing, T+S Sicily, would have been more connected to the "Sunny Days" theme as well as to the "Sicilian Lemon" lather, but my full AS bottle refused to go out for a hike, also claiming that all this Summer / Citrus association is vastly unnatural. Google up when the majority of Sicilian lemons and oranges are harvested, and start questioning the criteria behind the arbitrary decision to associate Italian citrus and Summer. Just to double check, after the hike I went to my greengrocer and asked what citrus they had: lemons from Argentina, oranges from Spain.

There was also no way to bring with me the envisioned large bottle of my favorite Citrus-forward chypre. So I quickly browsed my samples collection and picked Sun Soaked, hoping that through powers of synesthesia it would have provided the Sunny-ness that was absent from my actual view.

FRAGRANCE WRITEUP

Sicilian Lemon is a rigorous and straightforward "restitution" of a green lemon scent. I particularly appreciated the vaguely herbaceous (almost, but not really, smoky) note, that made it more vegetal than gourmand. It reminded of Limone Verdello, the Sicilian variety that actually does mature during the Summer.
Hats off to Eleven for actually picking a citrus scent that has an actual connection with Summer.

The transition to Nantahala was perfect: after the citrus top notes, the AS opened up to the rest of the accord, providing no contrast to the actual experience of being outside for a hike.

This was my first experience with Sun Soaked, and I must confess that it took me completely by surprise.
The accord is not just citrus/neroli forward, as the amber and chamomile notes are making their "rounding" presence felt from the very beginning. This is not a background citrus cologne, it's a main player who requires your full attention, a properly "mature" scent, also in the sweet / "ripe" sense of the word (in Italian we use just one adjective, "maturo", for both meanings). I would've sworn I could smell a mossy chypre drydown, but I see no mention of such notes in the official writeup, nor on the Fragrantica page.

A fitting Baudelerian correspondance to the serendipitous, off-the-beaten-path nature of my experiences today.

Baudelaire, which rhymes with Fougère.

See you tomorrow.

#FOF

#ROTY

SOTD * Prep: Soap Commander - Energy Bath Soap.
Brush: Stirling - 2 Band Synthetic.
Razor: Gillette - Lady Gillette.
Blade: Gillette - Nancet.
Lather: Soap Commander- Recreation.

I received my first order from Soap Commander and have been patiently waiting to take it out for a spin. I received a hand written, personalized card and a sample with my shaving/bath soap order which was amazing. I do generally get a message on invoices with orders, but this extra touch was a nice surprise and I was impressed. I will definitely place another order as the smell of both the body soap and scent /performance of Recreation were delightful. On to the soap justification- “RECREATION (Summer 2018 scent) was crafted as an attempt to capture the warm and sweet scent of the season with the delightful and refreshing tropical combo of Mango, Mandarin, and Dates. This delightful fragrance blend will have your senses ready to enjoy some time off, embracing all the best that Summer has to offer.”

It absolutely has me thinking summer fun and time outside. The sound of summer neighborhood festivals, smell of grilled foods wafting through the air, baseball (go Cubs!), fresh mowed grass, the “beach”/lake, sunscreen, and fireworks. Chicago comes alive this time of year and it’s incredible.

ROTY

June 20, 2024 - Sunny Days

• Brush: Yaqi Surf 22mm
• Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - Merica
• Blade: Gillette - Silver Blue
• Lather: Murphy & McNeil - Merrow of Clare
• Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Le Grand Chypre Splash

Today's Theme: Merrow of Clare is described as "a refreshing light sea breeze of aquatics and citrus". To me it smells exactly like an ocean or a lake. The base note of musk is very apparent in this one.

Today's Challenge: I don't have the time to go for a full fledged hike today, but I did manage to get a quick shave in on my deck overlooking the yard. It is weird shaving without a mirror, but it was actually very pleasant. Hopefully I did u/Old_Hiker proud.

ROTY

Jun. 20, 2024

• Brush: Rubberset 400 Un-numbered 26mm Zenith Boar

• Razor: Blackland Sabre

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [20]

• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Contemplation

• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Contemplation

• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Contemplation

Sunny Days!

I grew up in Jersey City but every summer I spent the entire time on at the Shore. My parents were divorced, my dad lived down the shore so I always spent my summers with him. Going to the beach, walking the boards, or just hanging out with friends. It was a glorious time. When I was old enough and financially able to, I moved out of my mom’s house and moved to the Shore. I pretty much lived within 10 minutes of a beach for the next 17 years. When I moved to Florida I did not want to live by a beach but did move to a home with a lake view. I really like living by water. I drive over the Tampa Bay everyday to get to and from work, and just seeing all that water just relaxes me.

Anyway enough rambling, I dick holed it again. Contemplation is too good not to just go start to finish with it.
Just to make sure lather justification.

From DG site: There is a stark difference between spring and summer, and Contemplation falls squarely in summer

Today’s challenge. To honor u/Old_Hiker My wife thinks I’m nuts but here it is. I shaved in front of my house. It was the perfect day for it. The sun was out, not a cloud in the sky and we got to see some ducks at the end. .bef

Photo contest Hobbies

I love to cook. Does not matter stovetop, oven, gas grill, charcoal, pellet grill, barrel smoker or flattop grill. I love it.

#ROTY #FOF #Photocontest

https://imgur.com/a/CLuuDLV

• Prep: God - Sunshine
• Bowl: PAA - Intergalactic Indestructible Shatterproof Travel Scuttle
• Brush: PAA - Green Ray
• Razor: Blackland - ERA
• Blade: Dorco - Prime Platinum
• Lather: AA Shaving - Wapiti
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger - Bay Rum

Old Hiker Appreciation Day: Shaving outside was a first for me. It was not an easy task, I had to sneak out of the house. I went out to pick up take out and made a quick detour for for a short hike along the Pachaug River. I think my wife is going to start to get suspicious that I am having an affair with all of my sneaking around. If she notices I shaved my legs she is going to start to wonder what kind of an affair it is. "But Honey, it's the Lather Games!" The sample of AA Shaving's Wapiti (Thanks Onionmiasma!) matched perfectly to my surroundings. The aquatic notes, followed by the woodsy finish was just outstanding. I did a 1.5 pass shave with some quick touchups so I could get home without too much suspicion.

Still using different razor, blade, brush, so brand and after shave every day.

ROTY

20JUN2024

• Brush: Aurora Grooming Nebula (r/Wicked_Edge Sub Brush) w/28mm AP Shave Co. Gelousy
• Razor: GEM Pushbutton
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: St. James of London - Mandarin and Patchouli
• Post Shave: St. James of London - Mandarin and Patchouli

Sunny Days

Well I scourged my "collection" of soaps (if you can call it a collection), and the best citrus scent I had (from looking at just labels and without looking at the scent notes for everything because I definitely forgot) was Mandarin and Patchouli. Ohhhhh noooooo. I'm not complaining, I've said it before, I am MADLY in love with this scent.

Takes me back to my days in my hometown in NC, sitting in the kitchen with the light filtering in through the shades, my family all gathered around, grandma is cooking, and I'm eating an orange and smiling. Everything was much simpler. No bills, no real problems, just hanging out with family and friends enjoying the Carolina summer.

Except mosquitos. Fuck mosquitos.

I've since grown to hate the heat, summer, spring, all of it. I hate how negative I've become towards one of the most beautiful seasons. Probably because there's really nothing to look forward to anymore. Maybe with time, my attitude will change. It's another thing I need to work on.

But for today, I'll sip my brandy, relax, and enjoy the beautiful scent that is St. James of London's Mandarin and Patchouli. Lovingly applied with the r/Wicked_Edge Sub brush.

So much character in it, so much color, variety in knots. I can't imagine ordering a brush that I couldn't even choose different options for, or that would just look plain, bland, like everyone else's. I'm sure there are people who would opt for that kind of brush out there somewhere.

Oh well.

Have a great Thursday night y'all!

ROTY

Sunny Days

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Vitae Taper w/AP Shave Co. 26mm Pure Bliss Knot
• Razor: Yates Precision Polished Winning Razor #CNC
• Blade: Gillette - 7 O'clock SharpEdge
• Lather: AA Shaving - Wapiti
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving - Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Fragrance: Hendley Perfumes - Blond

Daily Video

Daily Gratitude
Thanks to Onion for the soap smoosh? Thanks to my mom for recording and the mirror. Thanks to engineeredshave for doing the winning passaround. Thanks to the judges and fabulous people putting this whole thing together.

Daily Mistakes
The lather sucked but it's not really my fault because I didn't have running water lol.

Daily Writeup
Long time since I've done a video but I thought today was a good day to do so. Pretty bad shave today but meh because the scenery kind of made up for it. Not going to say too much because that's what the video is for.

Daily Theme Points Wapiti is a summer smell.

Daily Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance Points
I went with a citrus aftershave and a "blond" aftershave because blond is bright and the sun is bright and sun is in summer.

Daily Challenge I was on a balcony with only one wall, I sent a video earlier and judges said it was a pass, so it's good.

Hardware Scavenger Hunt
Nothing new today.

Photo Contest
Earth is an element, don't worry, I made sure to get the passaround razor on top of the plastic bag for smoosh so I didn't get dirt on it, also the brush bristles.

TL;DR
Video, gratitude, lack of water, scenery, summer, citrus, outside, earth, I win rookie of the year thank you very much give me my prize.

Side Contests

photocontest

ROTY

SOTD - 2024-06-19

• Beard Growth: 24 Hours
• Prep: Hot Shower
• Pre Shave: None
• Brush: Yaqi - Mysterious Space Synthetic
• Razor: Yaqi Katana #ZAMAC
• Blade: Derby Professional SE
• Passes: WTG x2
• Lather: Stirling - South Padre
• Post Shave: Stirling - South Padre AS

• Fragance: None

• Comments: Summer!! Used the Stirling South Padre soap and AS samples from my stash.

Too much work this week but got a chance to take my equipment on a hike (bike ride actually). It was a cold, foggy and generally miserable and too many tourists, oh yeah and my chain came loose on the downhill. Still, I really enjoyed the mid-day break. Made it quick spin across the Golden Gate Bridge to Marin and came back and shaved. I didn’t have the guts to shave out in public lol

#ROTY

June 20, 2024 

Brush: Commonwealth ’CW’ Badger 

Razor: Fatip Piccolo Slant Closed Comb 

Blade: Gillette - Nacet 

Lather:Summer Break Soaps - Cannonball  

Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Dammusi  

Fragrance: Goldfield & Banks - Pacific Rock Moss 

For the second day in row, I'm using a smush sent courtesy of u/chronnoisseur420 . This time it’s SBS Cannonball! First time trying soap from SBS—I think I’m a convert. HoM Dammusi is definitely summery. Goldfield & Banks Pacific Rock Moss is an oceanic scent from the Land of Oz.  

Was at a concert tonight (Wilco) and got really sweaty. Without music life would be a mistake.   

#ROTY

EDIT: formatting, hopefully