• Brush: Chisel & Hound Kuai Taper w/ V18 Fanchurian 26mm

• Razor: Clix E-Z-Flo Razor #UNICORN

• Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Rebelle

• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw - Rebelle

• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive - Treachery

Today's Theme: Musical Monday - WK's Rebelle is tangentially related to David Bowie's song Rebel Rebel, though I can't elaborate further because WK never did either.

Today's Challenge: Draw a soap label - I drew Rebelle, but better

My theme for today's shave: Fight the powah

I'll do my writeup in a little bit, gotta finish my morning coffee #photocontest #FOF #ROTY

Edit: OK I'm at work now so let's do this. So for today's musical challenge, I went through my rolodex of soap scents and realized one could probably do 30 days of Barrister and Mann soaps for all of the lather games themes, but I settled on Wholly Kaw's Rebelle which features David Bowie's starman getup on the label and is ostensibly inspired by his song Rebel Rebel which is a banger of a tune.

So when thinking about what fragrance to pair with it, I thought hey rebels, treachery, thematically it's about fighting the current established order. Fragrance-wise the two couldn't be farther apart. Rebelle is easy on the nose, enough so that I kept wondering if it was a dupe of a mainstream fragrance. Treachery on the other hand is challenging. The pipe tobacco scent comes on thick. It doesn't smell like a cigar shop, it smells like you stuck your nose directly into the pouch of some fresh stanky pipe tobacco.

Music-wise, I picked Stratovarius' self-titled album. This album came out after a particularly tumultuous and drama-filled era for the band, and each song is basically the band doing their self-healing in public. It's about feeling crazy because of external pressures, fighting to stay true to oneself, the feeling of alienation, and the power of group unity.

July 10, 2023 – CH-ch-Ch-eery Bomb

• Brush: AP Shave Co. 22mm Faux Horse w/ Ruby Ripple Handle
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Sharpedge (Yellow) (2)
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Runaway
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon’s – Runaway
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive – Tempo Rubato

Today I went with Dr. Jon’s (RIP) Runaway. A tribute to Joan Jett, this song lives up to the bands well known hit and is a cherry bomb. For #fof, well I was a bit confused actually because when putting my calendar together I noticed Chatillon Lux has no musical themed scents. For being a place several musicians have called home (Chuck Berry most noteably played the Duck Room regularly until just before his death) I was sorta stunned Shawn hadn’t taken this idea and gone with it on that line. But the Maher Olfactive line does have Tempo Rubato. Theme here shifts from rock to jazz. Based on the notes of apricot, plum and orange essence I had expected more fruit forward scant than what this is. I’m kinda glad it’s not. I wouldn’t want to smell like a fruit stand all day after the cherry bomb. So the end result works. Just like how a good playlist will seamlessly move between genres, so so my scent does. (of note, wife was a fan of Runaway, not of Tempo. Say a prayer for her, this is a hard month a guy going from a spray of adventus cologne every 4 or 5 days to 30 days of niche frags.)

For the #photocontest, I’m entering the picture linked in the date line under what else? Music! This is separate from my picture for today’s challenge. Regarding the challenge, I suck at drawing. But I tried to use the beta photoshop AI to produce a rock star and the output was the stuff of nightmares. Distorted faces, extra arms. For some odd reason I thought adding “Rockstar shaving” would be better but it was even more cursed. The faces we’re lathered from top to bottom and the dipping lather was rendered as dripping face. “fine,” I said, “we’ll do a Rockstar from behind looking at the crowd.” and it produced views from behind of several people with inverted knees (curiously no crowd.) I considered rolling with this, but they were so horrifying I wish I could unsee them (especially dripping face dudes who looked like they peeled their faces off with a straight.) It want from shit post into “negative points” so I deleted them and tried hard to forget. So instead here’s my interpretation of runaway. Since Jett was not my crush like it was the soap Maker’s I opted for a object only label. And added a cherry bomb to tie in the scent notes.

Hey fellow #ROTY 30% done!

2023-07-10 Meedley meedley meedley waaaAAH

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps - Custom
• Razor: Gilette Milord (1947-1950) #REGUS
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Rebelle
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Oud Sigma
• Fragrance: Colornoise - Rock N Roll
• Blade: - Personna Super (5)

Challenge Accepted: Alright, draw a soap label...
Draw a soap label?
Draw [on] a soap label!
*sigh* Draw a soap label. I really do better with geometric/minimal; shapes are easy. Forms are not. Faces? Fuhgedaboudit.

Relevant Post-shave and Fragrance: Music and oud tie these together. The relevance of the "Rock N Roll" fragrance is obvious (I hope), but it also shares the oud note of the lather and post-shave. Oud Sigma is even relevant to the music theme, as well. If you're not familiar with the Ood from Doctor Who, they're a telepathically-linked species that was enslaved; after being freed they were free to sing. I think it's also worth mentioning that there is a musical intrument, the oud, named for and made of the wood, making the unifying scent note all the more appropriate.

Razor: I'm not a fan of this razor, but it doesn't have a date code and I only just got why the hashtag is "regus".

Brush: This beautiful brush is the creation of u/rocketk455, who bestowed it upon me after a month of scentless shaves last August. This would be my daily brush, because I love it, but it's not, because I don't want to wear it out. I'm also telling myself because the "rock" in u/rocketk455 is a tenuous link to music.

#FOF

Lather: Off the puck, sandalwood hits my nose prominently, and nothing else. Maybe oud comes through more than I think but gets mixed in with the sandalwood, but what I think oud is has only been informed by a couple of other scents.
During the shave, a dry, smoky scent reminiscent of Chiseled Face's Sherlock starts to come through. It is not a leafy tobacco, but a smoky, maybe even ashy one.

Post Shave: Oud takes ove with Oud Sigma, a product that I got very excited about when announced by Stirling, my being a fan of (much of) Doctor Who. It was a bit ofh a risk for me to jump on it so readily, especially considering that I'm not a fan of the only other oud scent I know: Razorock Tuscan Oud (boo Razorock). Oud Sigma is much softer, I feel, perhaps lightened by the pink pepper.

Fragrance: This brand, Colornoise, has a general synesthesia theme, and this fragrance boasts notes of smoldering incense, spicy oud, white woods, guitar riffs, and heart-thumping bass. Now, I don't know what anything after "oud" means, but I get ~~mostly~~ only incense out of this. Scent-wise, it's frankly more appropriate for hippy dippy, but it would have been ridiculous to not use it today. I think I also sprayed way too much of it on myself. I'm nose-blind to it now, but hopefully it's not overbearing.

#photocontest

Photo: Music
Okay, again, super surprising for today, I know. Now, I feel like Bowie alone would fit the theme, but just in case I also included my old iPod, a 5th-generation that I think I bought in 2006. It's a relic of a different time, isn't it?

July 10, 2023

• Brush: Yaqi – Barbershop Boar 24mm #SMOLL #TEXASPIGSTINKMASSACRE
• Razor: Schick – Krona #UNICORN
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Boat Drinks Soap
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon’s – Tangerine Dream Splash
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Electric Mayhem
• Music: Jimmy Buffet – Boat Drinks

Growing up, my mom would always say that “Music is food for the soul”. Well today, my soul is HUNGRY! Three different music related products, all with scent notes that go well together, with a poorly drawn label, and killer interview coming up today. But first, I’d like 6 sentences to touch on the importance of music, before we move onto shaving things. Music connects people and brings a sense of community, which is so, so, so important to everyone. As human beings, we NEED connection to other people (which is why r/wetshaving is awesome). If you’ve ever gone to a concert where everyone is singing along and living in the moment, and you can feel the music inside you, then you know what I mean. It’s absolute magic and can bring a sense of euphoria that is unlike anything else. When I’m at a great concert, that dopamine rush is better than any other substance known to man. If you haven’t gone to a concert of a band or artist you love in a while (or ever), do yourself a favor and treat yourself to a night out - you won’t be sorry. Now, back to our regularly scheduled shaving:

I love sweet scents, but even for me the Jimmy Buffet inspired Boat Drinks scents is kind of pushing the envelope. If this scent was actually a drink, one would be enough for me. During the shave, I felt like a Parrothead at one of his concerts, so Stirling nailed the vibe of the scent. But I’m gladly in for a two-pass shave today. I’m #ridingwithitchy every day and not matching a scent all games, so I chose Tangerine Dream for the splash because (1) it’s musical and (2) the tangerine actually makes for a pretty good digestif after the Boat Drinks sweetness. And for the people, I chose Electric Mayhem because (1) it’s named after one of the greatest musical acts of all timel and (2) the yuzu and plum played well off the tangerine & vanilla in the splash for a really spectacular #FOF. I’m smelling great and ready to party like it’s 1999.

Why, oh, why is today the drawing challenge? I suck at drawing and I was lucky enough to choose one of Stirling’s more complex labels today. But goddammit, I’m tried my best. And that’s what matters! I “took my turn” with my daughter’s crayons. My twins are almost 3 and they can be very possessive, so I had to give these back the second I was done using them.

DISCLAIMER: I didn’t pay for this bottle of Electric Mayhem. I won it as part of last year’s Lather Games Prize, but that did not influence my opinion of the awesomeness that is Electric Mayhem.

#photocontest – Technology. The fact these two tiny devices wirelessly connect to my phone and deliver awesome quality music into my ears is a modern marvel, as far as I’m concerned.

​

For today’s interview, Rod Lovan from Stirling Soap Company was kind enough to take part in my Lather Games games. Rod doesn’t need any introduction. I’m going to guess every single person reading this has used and is familiar with Stirling Soap. One of the best soaps out there. Period. And one of the best people out there. Without him, the sub’s exclusive, MOAR BOAR brush would’ve just been a dream, but with his help, it became a reality. So, thank you u/stirlingsoap – for everything you do and for answering all my questions! I’m happy to present to you:

​

10 Questions with… Stirling Soap Co.

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1) Of all the different scents you offer, which is your favorite?

It changes all the time. I work with so many scents that olfactory fatigue is a major issue, and no matter how much I may like a scent, I'll need something new all the time. Right now, it's the West Indies Lime scent.

2) How much of your business is shaving products (soaps/splashes/balms) vs. everything else (the lotions/body butters/bath soaps/edts/coffee/etc)?

We sell more bath soaps than anything else, but the shaving stuff is still driving the train. We wouldn't be as well known if it weren't for shaving.

3) Unsurprisingly, the coffee you roast is also very good. What is your preferred method of brewing coffee?

Thank you! It's world class coffee, and I'm not just saying that because Mandy is the roaster. I typically do a pour over

4) Of the different coffee roasts you offer, which is your favorite?

If you made me choose just one from our current offerings, I would probably choose the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.

5) Are you a black-coffee sort of guy or do you take it with cream and sugar or flavoring of any kind?

Black coffee, or a latte with nothing but steamed whole milk. I hate sugar in coffee, and flavored coffee gives me a headache.

6) If you could sit down and get a coffee with any person in the world, who would it be?

My wife, Mandy. I'm pretty easy like that.

7) If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

For relaxation, anywhere with a beach. I love the Caribbean, but would love to visit the South Pacific one day.

8) Where do you see the wetshaving industry trending over the next few years?

I'm hoping and praying that it grows, and breaks out of the plateau it's been stuck on the last few years. I'm going to be putting all of my efforts into reaching people who don't know wetshaving is a viable option. The industry can't continue to rely on selling shaving software to people who already have enough to last a lifetime.

9) I read that last year, you started to offer health/dental/vision insurance, on top of other benefits, such as a 401k plan and above average wages to your employees. How has that impacted your business? Are you currently feeling the pain of the labor shortage that we so often hear about? We're adjusting. Adding the benefits helps us to keep good employees longer, and it's the right thing to do given how much we've grown in the last 11 years. We wouldn't be where we are at without the help of our employees, so I want to make sure they are able to meet their financial obligations and take care of themselves and their families. We're not feeling any pain at the moment, but we were. We've become extremely selective in who we bring on, and it someone is not pulling their weight or making things harder for their co-workers, they typically move on quickly.

10) How does Stirling Soap Company differentiate itself from other shaving soap companies out there?

Our pricing structure. I keep things priced at what I'd be comfortable paying. I'm not cheap, but I also appreciate the feeling the comes from getting good value for my money.

LG23-10: Musical Monday

• Brush: CaYuen Workshop 24mm 2BED #TOLL
• Razor: Blackland Sabre
• Blade: GEM (3)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Lather Bros. - Flamingo Trance - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Black Rabbit Perfumery - Banshee Ambré
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Ethiopia. Guji, Werka - v: Ethiopia Landraces - p: Natural. Dried on raised beds.
• Music: Joy Divison - Unknown Pleasures
• LG Tags: #FOF

I found Musical Monday to be a surprisingly challenging theme, but a compelling one. Even pulling from the strategic samples reserve, I scrounged up just four viable options in my den: Runaway, American Vintage, Fern Concerto Menthol (on deck for Fougère Friday), and my colored-pencil rendered House of Mammoth selection. I like the more esoteric themes added to the calendar this year. They encourage creativity and—combined with sponsor points and 30 unique soapers—help narrow down my selections for the days that have countless on-theme options.

Getting back to my musical shave, I covered three different genres. The combination is…jarring.

First up, everybody’s favorite meme genre, jazz. “Mood Indigo” is one of those songs that’s almost always great, including that lurching cut from Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus and the Duke’s classic take. Lately I’ve enjoyed Frank Morgan’s reserved approach to a standard. I don’t pull out this soap often since I burned out on it during my first Austere August, but I love Ben’s calming, nocturnal tribute to the song. The soap is more vetiver and rum forward, while the fragrance reveals more lively pepper nuances, but the distinctive blueberry note is always there in various degrees of strength. The fragrance is what I reach for when going out on a fall or winter evening; it’s seen me through restaurant dinners, an opera, and multiple rock concerts. I once wrote a piece for my college newspaper about listening to Kind of Blue walking through campus at night in the midwest snow. Using this HoM scent reminds me of that particular beautiful, lonely, formative evening:

Indigo smells like you've left that blues club late at night, tired but feeling good, a little less alone. You take a look up at the night sky and breathe a bit, and sort of unconsciously hum the tune.

Which brings me to my aftershave and genre number two. Flamingo Trance is one of my favorite bay rums, spiking the expected notes with a generous dose of tropical fruit. While the name technically refers to putting people in a trance with your dope smellz, the neon label and name suggests kaleidoscopic electronica concerts—bass thumping along at “a tempo generally lying between 135–150 beats per minute” (thanks Wikipedia!). Does it smell like Trance music? I assume an indoor ‘90s rave smells like Ecstasy sweat, body spray, and spilled beer. If that’s an accurate description, then no, tropical-fruited bay rum doesn’t match the vibe. But then again, Flamingo Trance would be the smell of an outdoor festival in Miami; now we’re on theme.

And finally, moving from pulsing nightclubs to seedy smoke-filled bars, I sprayed on Banshee Ambré. Black Rabbit Perfumery is an Etsy perfumer whose “conceptual perfumes” have a distinct Pacific Northwest flavor (for example, Fire Walk With Me). Banshee Ambré and Banshee Noir are dark fragrances inspired by post-punk and dancing at goth bars. This heavy combination of earthy notes, black leather, and billowing clouds of both incense and clove cigarette smoke captures “Temple of Love” blasting from the stage, lights flashing above and bodies crammed together in front of beat up amps. It reminds me of Christophe Laudamiel’s Club Design / Scent Tattoo, but less bondage-sexy and more Bang Bang Bar grime. I haven’t tried Banshee Noir, but I can’t imagine Banshee Ambré without its sweet amber accord, which has got to be the difference between “ugh, go take a shower” and “go take a shower right now”.

July 10, 2023 A song about a soap

• Brush: r/wetshaving Zentih MOAR BOAR 31mm #OLDWORLD #CHONK
• Razor: Razorock – Eco
• Blade: Permasharp (1)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Boat Drinks
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Waves
• Fragrance: Jill Sander – Sun men

Ohh, Boat drinks,
r/wetshaving ordered boat drinks,
scent scores on the summer scale,
Everything seems to be right.

#FOF
Did you know the song is about a soap? Ahem, the soap is about a song? Stirlings writes: “Our goal was to capture the essence of this intoxicating tune and we think we’ve done just that.” I thought by tune they meant the imagination of a carribean summer cruise they want to evoke with it. Turns out there is a real tune to the soap. And its label got a parrot, because Fans of Jimmy Buffet are called Parrotheads. Well, i am too young to know much about Jimmy Buffet. I guess I heard his name in sitcoms where they make comparisons to him, for example in ‘married with children’.
Boat drinks is about beeing homesick. Buffets songs are about island escapism and alcohol, so I got told.
What do we find in the soap? Months ago I would have said cherry, but now I think its lots of banana with frangipani and rum. Maybe this is not my type of drink, but as a soap I enjoy it. I was a bit out of practice with the brush, but had a good lather. With a fresh blade I am getting good shaves again with the Eco.
My sub-theme today is more derived from the names. Sun, waves, boat drinks. A wonderfull holiday combination. Unfortunately, its all broken by the aftershave. Its scent does not match the rest of my setup. Too much lavender brings this composition in a herbalous and dark direction.
The fragrance of Jill sander is fitting well to the soap. In a creamy composition we smell a warm combination of bergamot, cedarwood and again frangipani. I guess the later is responsible for the creamy scent.

My setup, besides the orange fragrance is a warm up to tomorrows challenge.

Daily Challenge:

I used Dalle2 with the prompt: “A parrot drinking a cocktail on a surfboard”. Then I started to draw it with a pen and put my own ideas to it. It’s my alternative label for “Boat drinks”.
To be honest, I think on the current label the parrot makes the phteven meme face.

July 10, 2023

• Brush: Semogue Owners Club #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Valet Autostrop #SELFSHARPENING
• Blade: FHS-10
• Lather: Hoffman’s Shaving Company – Phantom 309 Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Beloved Splash
• Fragrance: Boucheron – Pour Homme

I was all ready to go for today’s shave with a great set-up, and then I saw the challenge posted yesterday. Tough day to be a dude with a free sample without a label. I thought about changing soaps to accommodate a better picture, but that would involve a chain reaction to my carefully crafted calendar, so I decided to continue to use Phantom 309. Luckily, the internet exists and I was able to look up what the label is supposed to look like. Then I recreated a MSPaint version of Phantom 309’s actual label. Boom! See if you can guess which one is the actual label and which is my creation.

Phantom 309 is a song by Red Sovine from 1967, that I had originally (mistakenly) thought was going to be 409 by the Beach Boys. Boy, was I in for a surprise when I listened to Phantom 309 on youtube and I got the dollar-store version of Johnny Cash and not the upbeat tunes of Brian Wilson. Live and learn. Phantom 309 tells the story of a hitchhiker that gets picked up by truck driver and come to find out, (SPOILER ALERT) the truck driver ends up being a ghost. 👻 Weird song, but I wasn’t around in 1967, so I’m not sure what was considered “normal” then. At any rate, it’s music and taste in music is subjective. Hell, even Nickelback sold like a billion records.

Phantom 309 (the soap, not song) has Bergamot, Leather, Lavender, Geranium, Cypress, Sandalwood, Suede, Spiced Musk, and Tobacco. It’s actually quite nice. Phantom 309 (the song, not soap) has a hitchhiker, a cup of coffee, and a ghost who drives a big rig. Beloved (the splash) shares Bergamot and Lavender with the soap and is similar, but much lighter and brighter than Phantom 309. And closed it out with Boucheron Pour Homme (the fragrence) shares the same Bergamot and Lavender connection. All-in-all, good shave. #FOF

Day 10 - Musical Monday

• Brush: 28mm Synthetic Badger Bulb Knot homemade handle
• Razor: Vikings Blade - The Chieftain JR
• Blade: Astra - Green
• Lather: Barrister And Mann - Paganini's Violin
• Post Shave: Barrister And Mann - Paganini's Violin
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Beaudelaire EdT

For Musical Monday, I picked B&M Paganini's Violin. This was the only real option in my collection, but I am always happy with a B&M shave. I didn't draw anything for today's challenge, but I wanted to argue for cool bottles. I recently saw a vintage Avon bottle collection. It contained lots of funky bottles like a snowmobile, firetruck, and steamboat. The firetruck made me think of NO Firefighter Splash. Anyway, I found this cool violin bottle

For the fragrance, I went with Beaudelaire. I am always a fan of wearing something Fougere. The Mousse de Saxe paired nicely with the smell of Paganini's Violin.

ROTY #FOF

DAY 10 LATHER GAMES! BA DUM TSS!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: DS Cosmetics 30mm Tuxedo Knot
• Razor: Blackland Razors - Vector
• Blade: Chinese blade(2)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Fake Yellow Light soap
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Fake Yellow Light splash
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Fake Yellow Light EdP

PIC OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN

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INTRO:

Oh I was so happy for today's shave, cause I got my Vector back and I used one of my favourite scents EVER!. I finished listening to the podcast and I am trying to make my posts shorter, but at the same time I'm trying to fill them with content.

RAZOR:

This. Is. MY FAVOURITE RAZOR EVER!!!! I almost feel dumb I didn't choose it last year from the LG reward pool, but then I wouldn't have had a titanium razor, bla bla... Honestly nothing(we don't count straights) shaves me as good as this razor. And Shane has one of the best customer support I've ever seen! No other razor has been able to shave me to an ULTRA BBS(20-22 hours) 3 days in a row without destroying my skin! I will probably use the Vector for most of my shaves till the rest of the LG, just of how good and convenient it is! These are my stantings on razors:

STRAIGHTS>AC>GEM=INJECTOR>DE

Some people might not agree, most people actually probably won't, but hey, it's how I LIKE IT!

DAILY CHALLENGE:

While I am an artist, I AIN'T NO PICASSO! Last year I did a hand drawing with a pencil and it was.. OK... This year I tried with MS PAINT(out of all the things to choose from) and I did give it quite some effort, still looks awful... Look for yourself

BUT, what I did put effort into, was THIS masterpiece! Now... Some of you may see a squished up image.... I am tagging u/InfernalInternal cause he said he'd help with the task of the djudjes being able to see it how it should be seen. But if you truly want to see PURE GOLD!! When on PC, choose the option "Open Image in new tab", you'll thank me lather!

#FOF

Now I had problems with DG in the past, in particular, lathering it, making a great lather. Thankfully u/FMKJuli's posts at the end of July last year, helped me a lot with learning how to make a great lather(the secret it patience). So when learning it quickly became my favourite soap as such tied together with HoM. Now the only thing was to find a fragrance I liked, cause I had smelled a few of their soaps and none so far gave me that exhilarating thrill that you get when you know you've hit a banger(scent wise).

So during the Black Friday I just made an almost blind purchase, u/sgrdddy helped with a suggestion, and got my trifecta of Fake Yellow Light. I was so nervous if I would like it... I shouldn't have been....

It's just wow, I don't think I've ever experienced such a warm and embracing fragrance. Oh the chestnut, oh the walnut, oh the vanilla baby, oh the leather, oh the tobacco... They blend so well, it's like going into the Sistine chapel, I was just speechless of how much I liked it. It's kind of like warm rain pouring over you on a hot steamy day... Whoever says it has almonds, they lied, no almonds!(at I don't get that scent, thank God) I'm trying to put it into words cause it's such a complex fragrance. Probably cause on their own site, they don't give instructions, they say the scents listed are in no particular order...(I just really suck at descriptions, but if you could take a look at my face, you'd see how happy this fragrance makes me) Initially I would say it opens up with a strong vanilla which after some time gives way to the earthy-ness of the chestnut+walnut combo and it ends with the leather and cognac!

Although it probably is an autumn fragrance, I wear this stuff all year round!!! If it smells good, it smells good! Fuck the seasons!

EDIT: Here's the song FYL was inspired from!

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• Daily Lather Themes: 10/30
• Daily Challenges: 10/30
• Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 10/20
• Hardware Vendor Points: 1/2
• Software Vendor Points: 5/13
• Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1
• 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 10/30
• 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 10/30
• 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 10/30
• 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 10/30

July 10, 2023 – LG Day 10 – Musical Monday

• Brush: Stirling Synthetic Li’l Brudder
• Razor: Karve CB SB-B
• Blade: Lord Classic (2)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Electric Mayhem
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face – Trade Winds
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Squid
• Song: Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem – Can You Picture That?

I’ve been impressed today looking at everyone’s posts today, seeing the variety of lathers used. I anticipated more Electric Mayhem, and definitely more Pagination’s Violin. I even have a couple in my den that I hadn’t even considered using, despite their clear connection to the theme. I went with Electric Mayhem, though, because of my partner’s love of the Muppets. I can get down with electroswing, don’t get me wrong, but we’re really enjoying The Muppets Mayhem (on Disney+). It’s worth a watch, and one of those shows that is effectively built to be entertaining to adults who are seeking some nostalgia (in this case, the Muppets). Mrs. Hugbckt started playing “Can You Picture That?” out of the blue yesterday, and I was struck by how it connected both with my soap and the challenge today. We were asked to “picture” our soap label, right?? Okay, I know it’s a stretch.

For my #FOF, I haven’t used this soap in quite a while, and I had forgotten how much I love the plum and sour/tart fruit notes. I’m surprised at how much I like these notes, considering I recently tried a rhubarb-centric frag which had sour notes that I immediately perceived as vomit. Regardless, it’s a really cool and unique scent. I wish I had a splash, because I would have dickholed today. Instead, I tried to playing on the aquatic-y nature of Mayhem, on account of the ozone. Squid was a good frag to use. Trade Winds was not a good choice. It’s a wonderful scent that I really love, but it’s too different from the lather today. The spicy base notes totally overpowered all of the tart fruit and the other cool things in EM that I can’t quite describe. Squid’s musky, inky, tangy, saltiness immediately hit as something that would have paired with Mayhem perfectly…if only I could still smell it at that point.

I may not have “drawn” my label today, per se, but I did learn how to layer PNGs to make the label art better.

July 10, 2023 - Musical Monday

• Brush: Yaqi ROCKS 28mm Synthetic
• Razor: CJB GR-100B Kamisori Shavette #KAMISORI
• Blade: Dorco BB-20 Barber Shavette
• Lather: Dr. Jons - Runaway
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Electric Mayhem Splash
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Electri Mayhem EdT
• Pencil: Brass Kaweco Sketchup 5.6 mm lead holder
• Lead: Koh-I-Noor Hardmuth 5.6mm 2B
• Ink: Pelikan Edelstein - Star Ruby #FOF

Today’s Theme:

Runaway by Dr. Jons is a tribute to Joan Jett. The main fragrances are a play on songs performed by Joan Jett either solo, with the Blackhearts, or The Runaways. Cherry and clover are tied to “Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways and “Crimson and Clover” covered by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. I was wracking my brain for something to tie into the soap, looking for cherry, clover, carnation, leather, or musk and having a hard time. Then I looked over and saw my EdT of Barrister and Mann’s Electric Mayhem. How did this not just leap into my mind. I had thought about it for music or trickhole day when planning this month. Once I realized I wanted to use Runaway, it just slipped my mind. (Dr. Teeth and the) Electric Mayhem is not only a musical themed splash and spray, but one of the listed scents is rosewood fretboard. That matches the wood used on the Les Paul fretboard in the label art for Runaway. That convinced me to combine these three today.

Today’s Shave:

I got this kamisori shavette on a whim when it was on sale at Maggard Razors. Not being to sure about the whole shavette thing, I cheaped out and got the Dorco blades that were also on sale. Then I left them on my desk for a few months, and then put them in the tin that houses my blades and some razors. Honestly, open blade razors intimidate me. I feel pretty awkward using my left hand, but I did shave for over a month left handed earlier this year, and about once a week try to be ambidextrous in my shaving. It thought that would help me when I finally tried the shavette. Nope, awkward as f*** today. Pretty sure the shavette is a clone of the Feather Kamisori, and I tried a very shallow angle to start wtg on my cheeks. Very crunchy feedback, and the razor didn’t glide well. I have a very slick lather, but added a touch more water. I found an angle that seemed to work ok. Finished my cheeks, then started on the neck. Yikes, I had a hard time finding the angle on my neck, but made it through the pass ok. The xtg pass after, I messed up my neck. A big weeper/almost a nick on my Adam’s Apple, and not blood somehow on the right side, but really managed to give it a strong burn. The xtg pass on the cheeks was ok. Two passes was it for me tonight. I feel like I can get a decent shave with most safety razors, but the shavettes I have tried now were such a different process. Probably going to stick to safety razors.

Today’s Challenge:

I got out my journal/sketchbook and gave the Runaway label a try. Not the usual pictures I draw, but made for an interesting challenge. I never had a natural talent for drawing, but a few years ago I gave a camera obscura app a try. I figure if it was good for the old masters, I could see how it helped. It was crazy how fast I got used to it for finding my proportions and making things line up. Drawing withoutit, I have improved, but with it, I usually get good results. Unless there are lots of straight lines. I don’t use a straightedge or ruler, so straight lines get a bit wobbly. I picked up this brass Kaweco Sketchup a couple years ago. I really like the weight and feel of it. Even though it is a huge lead, you can still get a decent amount of detail in the drawings. My ultimate goal is to try to sketch out a drawing on canvas, then paint a picture from that.

Sponsor Spotlight:

Barrister and Mann is one of my favorite artisans. They had the first blind trickhole I bought - 42 soap/splash/EdT (plus a towel). They were awesome and threw in the matching soap. I’ve since blind bought Electric Mayhem and Marilyn. No regrets on the results with those. If you bought the Marilyn set before Valentines Day this year, you got a wonderful presentation when you opened the box. Everything was packed and wrapped with a Marilyn/Valentine theme, and some chocolates with cherry filling to top it off. I really like it when the packaging is so well thought out. Sure, I want everything padded and safe, but if you can do it with some flare you get a lot of points from me. When I mentioned that before, u/BostonPhotoTourist told me his mother did the packaging. Pretty cool that the family works together. I don’t think I would last a month working with my folks or my in-laws.

Today’s Fragrance:

These scents are working great together. Both have a fruity, floral, and a bit of musk and funk. The leather and musk of Runaway play well with the woody musk in Electric Mayhem. The florals and fruit notes are sweet together, but not cloying. I worried about pairing the Runaway soap with its upfront hit of cherry. Once lathered the cherry was out there, but really mellowed and allowed the leather and musk to come out. I think I could pick up the carnation, but those are the fragrances I picked up. If I didn’t know it was carnation, my nose would have just said flowers, but my mind is taking the hint and I can recall what a carnation smells like, and it is mildly present in the soap. Only at day 10 of this increased use of fragrances, but I feel like my nose is starting to develop a little. The Electric Mayhem for me is plum up front, then the wood and musk come later. I think this trio harmonizes pretty well.

Haiku 10:

Electroswing and some,

Joan Jett- Queen of Rock and Roll,

Ch ch cherry bomb!

July 10, 2023 – Musical Monday

• Brush: That Darn Rob White w/ Blue Ferule w/ Fanchurian
• Razor: Razorock Game Changer .84
• Blade: Wizamet (6)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw – Rebelle
• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw – Rebelle
• Fragrance: Berceuse Parfum – Allegretto 7.2

Challenge: Do you think I can get a job drawing labels?

This set of Rebelle was a prize from a previous Lather Games. Rebelle is a fantastic fragrance. It’s a leathery oud fragrance. Or is it an oudy leather? I smell notes of sandalwood and vetiver which give the fragrance a raw, natural feeling. Everything blends really well. The fragrance feels rich, luxurious, and masculine.

Allegretto has a smokey oud characteristic. I get notes of lavender and vetiver. It’s woody. After some time to dry down it smells a bit aromatic. I still get a smokey/musky feel and smell a dry woody note. There’s something sweet coming through now as well. The note is difficult to place. Maybe a light floral? This is more of a cold weather fragrance to me.

#FOF

July 10, 2023 – LG 10: Musical Monday

• Brush: Prometheus Handcrafts Liquid Rainbow 26mm Fanchurian #SHD
• Razor: Rockwell 6S
• Blade: Voskhod (6)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Electric Mayhem
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Paganini’s Violin
• Fragrance: Berceuse Parfum – Allegretto 7.2

Electric Mayhem – rock and roll muppet band Paganini violin – Italian violinist and composer Berceuse – lullaby or a soothing refrain Allegretto – played at a brisk tempo

I mean, music all around today brought on by todays spotlight sponsor barrister and mann (and of course the fabulous nose of Mr Maher for our soap). I don’t normally listen to music while shaving, but today it seemed fitting: I went with The Crown by Alligator Spacewalk. Went to HS/in jazz band with this dude who DJs and plays various instruments, most notably trumpet. This tune seemed fitting for today’s inspiration.

Electric mayhem is a solid plummy citrus scent. The plum, yuzu, and tamarind give it a deep, jammy richness, unlike a lot of bright citrus accords you often find in wetshaving. It has an ozonic quality, which really helps capture the picture Will and Shawn were trying to paint by bringing the roaring 20s into modern light with electro swing beats (here’s the playlist Will sent Shawn). It’s hard to capture this one in words, but its awesome. Paganini is perhaps the lightest scent I own, with just the smallest hints of dried fruit tea. Some days it seems unscented if you’ve smelled a lot beforehand, but it has an unmistakably clean, fresh scent. Allegretto 7.2 was composed by Antonio Gardoni for Will’s perfume house berceuse. I actually applied it well before shaving today so I could get a better idea of how it smells and develops. I got a lot of sharp mint in the initial spray, quickly leading into other herbaceous garden notes and lavender. A bit woody at times during the day. Then it manages to get itself to vanilla and smoke. How from such a green opening is beyond me, but this scent changes IMO more than most things I’ve worn. Truly unique and an array of smells throughout- crescendos and decrescendos if you will. #FOF #PHOTOCONTEST (music, duh…)

Todays art challenge: drew all the software. Actually decently impressed with the scale of the dancers and use of negative space. Top notch stuff from a 12 pack of target brand colored pencils.

I def Rockwell n’ rolled through todays shave (I’ll see myself out now).

soap brands 10/30, post shave 10/30, frag 10/30, post/frag linked 10/30, software sponsors 5/15, hardware sponsors 2/2, razor hashtags 5/15, brush hashtags 8/15, photo contest 10/30, daily challenges 9/25, special challenges 1/5