June 25, 2024 – 2024.06.25 SOTD: Lather Games Day 25 – Christmas in July, but in June

• Brush: AKA Brushworx Blues Stanley Cup with 26mm Turn N Shave Quartermoon knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: MacDuff’s Soap Company – Christmas Cabin
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Christmas Eve
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Santa Noir

---

Daily Theme: Christmas in July, but in June

Theme justification: MacDuff's Christmas Cabin has Christmas in its name and is sold as a Christmas vibe scent.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Let's keep with the Christmas spirit (theme)! Stirling Christmas Eve and House of Mammoth Santa Noir are both Christmas scents

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Shave in a Hat

I'm a hat guy, so this isn't really too challenging for me. I only wish that I had ordered my new Barmah hat sooner. I bought it mainly to use while traveling since it squishes down, but it would've made for a good shave hat.

Now, I noticed that the challenge says, specifically,

Just that. Wear a hat while you shave.

Sounds like I'm only allowed to wear a hat while I shave. Fine; I'll acquiesce to the judges desires. Here you go judges: Lathered up, and shaving. There's nothing NSFW about these photos, but I put them on imgbb instead of imgur since imgur has deleted my lather photos in the past.

I went with a Calgary Flames hat due to the Stanley Cup Final ending last night. The Oilers lost, so I felt it was appropriate to wear a Calgary hat since I'm sure Flames fans are happy Edmonton didn't win. Felt appropriate. This is also why I used my Stanley Cup brush.

---

Fragrance description

I love all these scents. Combined, I currently smell like tree that has been musked on by a reindeer. Sounds bad, I know, but it's not. Santa Noir just has a strong musk opening (at least I think it is musk).

---

Now onto the shave!

It's been ridiculously hot where I'm at the past week. So hot, in fact, that my back windscreen has decided it wants to melt away. So a Christmas theme shave is a welcome thought. Christmas time is typically nice and cool without being cold. Sounds lovely

MacDuff's Christmas Cabin is a great scent and their soap produces a fantastic lather. I know they're relatively new (at least it seems like they are), but they make a great soap. I'm unsure if they make their scents in house or if they are just using pre-blends, but the quality of the lather is top notch.

I reached for my Aylsworth Drakkant today out of habit, not even realizing they were the sponsor spotlight for the day. This is by far my favorite razor in my den. Don't really know what it is about it, but the shaves it provides are sublime. Efficient enough to handle some growth while being mild enough to be a daily shaver. I need to pick up the plus plate, which I was loaned on discord, as it is just a smidge more efficient (not necessarily better, but I like it a lot). There are a lot of great razors out there, but if you ever get the chance to try a Drakkant, please take it.

Stirling Christmas Eve aftershave and HoM Santa Noir EdP were a nice pairing to the soap, and rounded out a very nice, naked, shave.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 15/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 25/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 25/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 25/30
• Number of Frags: 25/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 25, 2024

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

Apricity means “the warmth of the sun in winter.” I can't imagine any other reason to name this soap Apricity except to emphasize that it's a winter scent.

I normally wear a hat. Like pretty much all the time. I feel naked without my cap (my Walz cap, naturally, as they are the best). I have even, occasionally, forgotten to take it off when going to bed. However, this morning I forgot about the challenge and therefore was not wearing a hat until after the shave. Sigh.

ROTY

June 25, 2024 - Christmas in July, but in June

• Brush: Yaqi Surf 22mm
• Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - 921-M
• Blade: Gillette - Silver Blue
• Lather: Stirling Soap Company - Christmas Eve
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Barrbarr Splash

Today's Theme: Thank you to u/bmac92 for the generously sized smush of Christmas Eve. I have never tried any Christmas scents in the wetshaving world and this is really a great scent. Lather was perfect as Stirling always makes a great soap. It is such a nice scent that it can easily be used year round.

Today's Challenge: I busted out my vintage and coolest hat I own today. Our family used to rendezvous at my grandparent's house for Christmas every year, so I associate Christmas with my grandparents heavily. I have this old Allis Chalmers trucking hat that my grandpa used to wear amidst his collection of maybe 100 tractor hats. The hat and Christmas scented soap made for a nice trip down memory lane today.

ROTY

SOTD * Brush: AP Shave Co. -28 MM G5C Synth. #PREMIUMPLASTIC.
Razor: Gillette - Slim Adjustable.
Blade: Gillette - Silver Blue.
Lather:* Noble Otter - Tis the Season.

I love Christmas- the lights, baking, wrapping presents, the music, movies. It’s my favorite holiday and I am looking forward to adding more holiday scents my collection. I picked this one up on the bazaar and was pleasantly relieved how christmasy it smells. As with all NO cover art this one is spectacular.

Hats- I don’t have a Santa hat as much as I love the man. He might be too political anyway. My favorite hat has a logo of a bad ass lady who should have been; well it’s her logo so I don’t want to offend anyone or cause a divide. So no hats it is.

ROTY

Jun. 25, 2024

• Brush: Summer Break 28mm Knight Knot

• Razor: Red Impe 5/8 Blade

• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Promises

• Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Promises

• Fragrance: Christian Dior - Fahrenheit

Christmas in July, but in June

Went to my other Cardiologist today, told me me to keep doing what I’m doing and he will see me in a year. That right there for me and my family is the best Christmas in July, but in June gift we could ask for. I think my boy is finally over what was going on with him so that’s also great news today.

Today’s shave is another one I’ve been looking forward to. I love B&M Promises. It when I use it, it really does remind me of north east winter smells. Going to family up in north west Jersey in the winter or family up in Scranton, PA riding snowmobiles and getting snowed in Yeah I miss those days. It was also my first ever straight razor shave. The impe is on loan from u/infernalinternal and now I’m looking at straights. YoU WiLl sAve MoNEy It’S soOoOoOOooooOOO MuCH CheAPeR..

I chose Dior Fahrenheit for today. It has always had the reputation of smelling like gasoline and you do pick that up some and Promises has that same note.

Soap Justification: From BM website “Winter is a special time in Upstate New York. Deer season opens, folks fire up their wood stoves, and the mountains become dusted with caps of glittering snow.

But, more exciting than any of those, the snowmobile trails open again. Promises is an ode to this most exhilarating time of the year, the smell of a warm drink from a thermos while out on the trail with friends. Notes of orange and bergamot are suffused with the warmth of real honey, whiskey lactone, peat, and nutmeg. To finish it off, we’ve incorporated the strange, rubbery, industrial character of a high grade saffron molecule to give the scent the feel of being out on the trail with idling sleds all around.

Promises is a slice of Northeastern wintertime. Let it snow!”

Today’s Challenge: Shave with a hat on

Here is a short video proof of Hat and straight

Photo Contest: Theme Bokeh Balls Also keeping with todays lather theme, yes I hung Christmas lights up in my bathroom

#ROTY #FOF #PhotoContest

Christmas in July, but in June

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Vitae Taper w/AP Shave Co. 26mm Pure Bliss Knot
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Brass SB Long Handle #CNC
• Blade: Personna - Comfort Coated
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Santa Noir
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Christmas Eve Aftershave Splash
• Fragrance: American Perfumer - Tapestry

Daily Gratitude
Thanks to ShavinginCT for the soap and frag. Thanks to the judges and fabulous people for putting this whole thing together.

Daily Mistakes
I should have shaved earlier so I would have more time to write this.

Daily Writeup Merry Christmas! Fast fast shave and writeup because I leave for work in 10 minutes. Good shave, first time using HoM anything and it is good. First time using this aftershave and it really feels like Christmas.

Daily Theme Points Santa is a Christmas guy.

Daily Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance Points
Aftershave has Christmas in the name. Frag talks all about the holidays in description.

Daily Challenge Me in my mom's old tuque from when she lived in Canada, it has a maple leaf on it but picture isn't angled at it and I don't have time to take another pic.

Hardware Scavenger Hunt
Nothing new today.

Photo Contest
EYES, this photo took a while to take and then my mom walked in and looked at me all weird because I was on the floor doing this lol.

TL;DR
Speed, new stuff, christmas, tuque, eyes, I win rookie of the year thank you very much give me my prize.

Side Contests #photocontest #ROTY

https://imgur.com/a/KOiEcIN

• Prep: PAA - Chocolate Cube
• Bowl: Naked Armor - Silver Fox Scuttle
• Brush: Wolf Whiskers - Blue Train Aquinas
• Razor: Paradigm - Ti2
• Blade: Feather - Hi Stainless
• Lather: Noble Otter - 'Tis the Season
• Post Shave: Razor Emporium - Frosted Cranberry Fir Tree, Menthol
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Christmas Eve Cologne

Fun Christmas shave! I used my Paradigm Ti2, which was delivered today from Australia. It was smooth with a Feather blade. I was rushing the shave to finish before anyone got home and saw me shaving with an Indiana Jones Hat on. I did nick my jawline. Another battle scar form the Lather Games. I used Stirling Christmas Eve aftershave and finished everything off with Razor Emporium Frosted Cranberry Fir tree for a nice Christmas scent! Brand new to me razor, different blade, brush, soap brand and aftershave for another day.

Challenge of the day: Hat Day https://imgur.com/a/mY40z4H I couldn't find a Santa hat so this will have to do! Makes me think of this from my High school days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Sj-RWZu7FY.

ROTY

LG2024- June 25th “Cowboy Christmas”

• Brush: Elite Razor Custom Birch Synthetic
• Razor: Razorock GC .84
• Blade: Lord Platinum (4)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Smoking Bishop
• Post: Noble Otter - Lonestar splash

Shave: Smoking bishop is the best Christmas scent I have tried. It’s warm and cozy like Clark wrapped up in all the old clothes in the attic watching old family reels. For the splash this is our last full day in Texas. Had to go with Lonestar and pulled out the hat for the shave.

Challenge: lather bowl fit perfectly in my cowboy hat

ROTY

Jun. 25, 2024 Christmas in July, but in June * Brush: Chisel & Hound Quartermoon
Razor: Everyday Shaving Stinger
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue * Lather: MacDuff’s Soap Company - Christmas Cabin
Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Vespers * Post Shave: Osma - Alum
Post Shave: Jack Black - Double-Duty Face Moisturizer

Shout out to u/bmac92 for hooking me up with the MacDuff’s Christmas Cabin smush and also TSF Fantasy Donut that I used for Sweet Sunday. These soaps really tied the room together. 🙏

Challenge: Gave it a shot with the Hulk mask but the strap was too much to deal with, pulled an audible and went with the Boston Scally Cap and face shave instead.

ROTY

June 25, 2024

• Brush: Commonwealth 'CW' Badger, purchased on Ebay
• Razor: Fatip Piccolo Slant Closed Comb
• Blade: Gillette - Nacet
• Lather: MacDuff’s - Santa’s Cheer
• Post Shave: Barrister & Mann - Spice
• Fragrance: Profumum Roma - Arso

MacDuff’s Santa’s Cheer is the second of two smushes kindly sent to me by u/Priusaurus! This was my first ever use of a MacDuff’s soap. The soap smells like an amazing gingerbread muffin. Good lather, and one of the most pleasant spicy scents I’ve tried. The choice of B&M Spice was to complement the warn, rich, spicy notes in the MacDuff’s soap—above all the nutmeg. In contrast, Arso by Profumum (or Profvmvm) Roma emphasizes the evergreen side of winter scents, with pronounced notes of pine and cedar.

Behold a painting of pine trees in mist, one of pair of folding screens, painted near the end of the sixteenth century by Hasegawa Tõhaku.

“That man hatless."

I misplaced my pimp hat & ensemble. Really I looked everywhere for it. Next time.

As penance, here’s a harrowing assessment of an anonymous hatless man.

Pick a man, any man. That man there. See him. That man hatless. You know his opinion of the world. You can read it in his face, in his stance. Yet his complaint that a man’s life is no bargain masks the actual case with him. Which is that men will not do as he wishes them to. Never have done, never will do. That’s the way of things with him and his life is so balked about by difficulty and become so altered of its intended architecture that he is little more than a walking hovel hardly fit to house the human spirit at all. Can he say, such a man, that there is no malign thing set against him? That there is no power and no force and no cause? What manner of heretic could doubt agency and claimant alike? Can he believe that the wreckage of his existence is unentailed? No liens, no creditors? That the gods of vengeance and of compassion alike lie sleeping in their crypt and whether our cries are for an accounting or for the destruction of the ledgers altogether they must evoke only the same silence and that it is this silence which will prevail? To whom is he talking, man? Cant you see him?

--Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian

#ROTY