LGSOTD 14-July

• Brush: Highlander - M7 Style #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Karve - CB G  
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium   
• Lather: Stirling Soap Company – Margaritas in the Arctic   
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Company – Margaritas in the Arctic AS
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Company - Margaritas in the Arctic Balm

My collection of mentholated soaps is limited. I've tried B&M Terror, and after an unfortunate incident that involved accidental cross contamination (some tears and a speedy entry to the shower), I swiftly moved it on. I've found that Margaritas is more my speed as I've mentioned before, a nice hint that doesn't last too long and so far no accidents. Though I am looking forward to other entries for today's theme, very interested to see what's out there and potentially expand my horizons. Though to be fair, price to performance, Stirling is hard to beat! 

Today's challenge was to go straight ATG, now I know the instructions were for at least half the face but I decided to do the lot. Trying to be a little sensible I thought I'd go for a relatively high gap in an effort to up the efficiency, hence employing the G plate which seemed logical to me, this was a last minute switch up before the shave but I was confident. Main face was no drama, I tend to do WTG straight to ATG, so it was a hop but not a massive leap. But as implied by the instructions the neck can be a tender area. Luckily it wasn't too bad, but there was a bit of feedback from the splash but really not much. It didn't feel like there was going to be irritation but just in case I brought in the balm (not pictured) to use after the splash just to make sure things stayed calm. 

Decent shave, but I won't be dropping the first WTG pass anytime soon, perhaps if I'm in a massive rush but otherwise I prefer the time. 

Hope everyone has a cracking day. 

Cheers

Marc

ROTY

PhotoContest

Fri Jul 14 2023

• Prep: Coffee, Face wash soap/warm water
• Razor: Merkur - 34C HD
• Blade: BiC Chrome Platinum
• Brush: Chisel & Hound V13 Slant Silent Knight
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Spearmint
• Post Shave: Pinaud - Clubman AS Lotion

The glacial spearmint soap was very cooling. Awesome soap for a summer shave. I was a feather guy for a while now, But got some razor samples and really digging this Bic. Great cup of black rifle coffee!

ROTY

7/14/23

• Brush: Farvour Turn Crafts w/ C&H v12 Fanchurian
• Razor: Filarmonica 14 Doble Temple 8/8, Extra Hollow Square Point
• Lather: Moon Soaps - Union
• Post Shave: Moon Soaps - Union Aftershave Splash
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Z Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: 345 Soap Co - Fresh Cut Fade EdP

A nice chilly start to the day with one of my favorite genre of scents, barbershop.

I really like Moon Soaps, from my limited experience with them. Union has a classic barbershop scent while still being able to stand apart from others. The soap and splash have a light menthol feel to them, which came in clutch with todays challenge. I haven't done an ATG pass in almost 2 years now. My muscle memory took little bit to kick in. The lather on my first pass was a little under hydrated. My atg pass on my neck was fine, but I definitely felt that lack of slickness on my cheeks. The cooling came in clutch between passes. My second pass was XTG and hydration and slickness were a lot better. The end result was a very close shave. The Union splash felt great, but I opted to top it off with Z, for an even chillier effect. My face feels good.

This was also my first time trying the FCF edp. Up until now, I've only whiffed it off the bottle. The combination of Union and Fresh Cut Fade was nice.

#ROTY

July 14, 2023 – Cool Summer

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Badger
• Razor: Gillette Tech #Regus
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Sharpedge (Yellow) (6)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Rope Swing
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Prom King
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive – Sun Soaked

Picture for Regus hash. https://i.imgur.com/l1gXDMY.jpeg

Totally by coincidence I had to remove the tech from my Spearhead Shaving khaki kit. So I’m also involving today’s sponsor. It’s a great kit of you have a 3 piece and travel at all. Also helps me store my tech when it’s not in use.

Summer is an excellent time to use my 1 cooling soap. It’s not as hell here (already feels like 85F at 7:30) and it’s nice to cool my face. Rope swing is supposed to smell like jumping into a river. I prefer it it cannon ball, probably because I spent more time in rivers and creeks as a kid than at pools. Might as well do stuff out of order and finish my #fof here. I went with Prom King Next. Obviously, they’re both SBS products, but they both have cedar undertones and the grassy notes of Prom King compliment the aquatic notes of Rope Swing very well. Like the shore of the river. Lastly, Sun Soaked. This describes the summers of my youth. It also has a cedar undertone. I pick up pine perhaps too? When I put it on I was immediately transported to rolling up to the campsite and getting ready to have a weekend by the river. (the citrus notes are coming through to me as bug spray, but not in a bad way, in a “memories are better in black and white” way.)

Today’s challenge was rough. What to say about it. Well, for starters, when I started wetshaving I got horrible burn on my lower neck. Took me weeks to figure out my hair changed direction in the last 2-3 inches of my neck and grew up. So I had been unintentionally shaving ATG there causing problems. So I start each shave going up on that part of my neck. Starting with the aggressive Parker 96R, ATG was just a nonstarter. I tried it with the tech and SuperSpeed and frankly, the irritation wasn’t worth the minor increase in smoothness. But for lather games everything is worth it. The rules say half the face, I chose the left, sinister, half in honor of this challenge. Used the tech to minimize the harm. I’m also still using GUTL, which I just now realized rhymes with scuttle. Appropriate. Leaving proto lather on my face while I built my bowl lather meant I was pretty num from the coolant, and so I didn’t feel horrible during the shave. So score one more for GUTL and another selling point for u/merikus. I felt a lot of tugging, no nicks. But since I don’t go ATG normally, I couldn’t get the angles right and the shave was not good. Not even socially acceptable. I did my right pass normally, confirmed the suckiness by comparison, then basically started over with my normal routine. But the pass was completed, so rules followed with no loopholes (sorry u/airbudruler.) I have some irritation, but less than expected.

For #photocontest, entering in sources of light. My bathroom has a 4×3 window in it (yes feet not inches) that faces west. Making it easy to get this picture with back light the evening before.

Getting closer fellow #ROTY

Edited: added Regus hashtag. I already have the ones for the C&H so it's fine to let those go. Fixed tag

Lather Games Day 14

• Prep: Warm water
• Brush: APSaveCo - 28MM G5A SHD
• Razor: Razorock - Lupo 95 SS #CNC
• Blade: Voskhod
• Lather: House of mammoth - KRYPTONITE
• Post Shave: House of mammoth - KRYPTONITE
• Post Shave: The Bluebeards Revenge - Alum block

Two passes against the grain! Awesome performance to Lupo! BBS!!! Soap absolutely fulfilled his name! Kryptonite is weak spot not only for Supermen but for me to. In one of my orders I order it for a club member. From the moment I sniff it I can't have peace till I have it!!! When arrived all evening I was buried my nose in the jar! Citrus, greens, cedarwood was my first impression. This combination is always sweet spot for me. Great base and awesome scent prolonging strong in lather and WS-23 gives this pleasant chill for hot summer shave. There are people who have irrigations from menthol or other cooling agents but thanks God I'm not one of them. This few days are very hot in Bulgaria and I am so happy for this series of soaps Terror and Kryptonite. Two hot days with two fresh shaves. The only reason to not buy the balm is because the scent is tho weak in it. And like everyone of my shave friends know me like " need more scent " and make jokes all the time with me. Thank God this is not the cases with aftershave. I love it!!! This time I used Bluebeards Revenge alum block because in one podcast I heard that gives +10 points if you don't use Osma hahahaha

ROTY

July 14, 2023

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• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Zenith 507U XSE
• Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy Aluminum
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Orbit
• Fragrance: Davidoff - Cool Water

Noble Otter's Orbit is wonderful. The synthetic coolant, which sounds like something you'd put in your car, gives a delightful tingly sensation, especially in this muggy weather. The closest sensation I can compare it to is putting pop-rocks in your mouth, but on your face. Finished up with the Orbit splash, and then some COOL Water. I'm unofficially starting Raw Hoggin' month early, cleared out my brush collection, and I'm not sure if the 2 new brushes I'm after will be here before LG ends, so it's the unbleached Zenith from here on out.

For today's challenge, I decided to go against the grain on my entire face, and since I've been shaving daily for LG, the stubble is short enough that it felt similar to just doing a normal 3rd pass against the grain. Second pass XTG got everything else. Zero irritation. Honestly, this might be a good move for when you need a shave in a rush. Until tomorrow!

#ROTY

• Brush: Van Der Hagen Boar Brush
• Razor: Parker Clip-Type Shavette Dark Sheesham Wood Handle
• Blade: Feather Hi-Stainless
• Lather: West Coast Shaving - Pear Brrrr

ROTY

July. 14, 2023 - SOTD 

• Prep: Splash of warm water
• Brush: Oumo O4 Venus SHD Badger Brush 26MM
• Razor: West Coast Shaving Multi Titanium Collection Razor
• Blade: King C Gillette
• Lather: Zingari Man - The Socialite

ROTY

July 14, 2023 – Orbit Day?

• Brush: Chisel and Hound “Acer Pearl” w/ V20 Fanchurian
• Razor: Schick Injector Type I1
• Blade: Personna Injector
• Lather: Noble Otter – Orbit
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Dammusi

I’m hitting a wall mid lather games and am phoning it in for this middle week. But a quick not on the shave. Orbit was the first soap that really wowed me after getting a bunch of samples from maggards. The scent was more muted than I remembered but great performance. Dammusi finished the shave nicely with a crisp and briny splash to the face with again more menthol. These both have just enough and don’t think I could handle much more.

For the challenge I was worried about absolutely murdering my face ATG but lol went pretty well, I think I’m in that sweet spot with my Personna injector blade, 4? And I shaved late last night. Smooth work on the face and I even went xtg on the neck for my first pass.

I’m going to enjoy the last hour now before I head back into work after a beautiful vacation and start a night shift stretch.

Cheers! 🤙

ROTY

July 14, 2023

https://imgur.com/gallery/UgKwmF2

Prep: Proraso - Refrescante Preshave Cream

Brush: Antiga Barbearia de Bairro - Principe Real Green Boar Brush

Razor: Rockwell - 6S R6 plate

Blade: Gillette - Treet - Platinum (2)

Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit soap

Post Shave: Noble Otter - Orbit aftershave balm

I loves me some NO Orbit. This is the only soap with a cooling agent that I own, and I really dig it.The scent is great, and the NO base performs well every time.

Challenge: My neck on the right side is prone to bumps and ingrowns, so I did the first pass on my left side against the grain. Can't say I noticed a real difference, but I "took one for the team" per se.

#ROTY

Day 14 -Frigid Friday * Brush: Maggard Razors - Black Resin Handle Synthetic Shaving Brush
Razor: Karve - CB * Blade: Astra - Green
Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit * Post Shave: Noble Otter - Orbit * Fragrance: Seaforth - Heather

It is a nice day for a frozen shave, we are feeling the heat outside. The shave was slower, with a LOT smaller strokes going against the grain. I will probably change out the blade today.

For the fragrance, I went with the sponsor spotlight, Spearhead. I went with Heather. I was concerned by the description because I love oakmoss. But it is definitely still there. I think it paired well with the Orbit.

ROTY #FOF

July 14, 2023 – Frigid Friday * Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti * Blade: Astra SP (1)
Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit * Post Shave: Noble Otter – Orbit spalsh * Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Midnight Swim solid cologne

Glad it’s Friday and I'm ready for the weekend.

The Soap/Lather: Orbit smells fantastic and lathers up just as great. No issues getting a slick and cushioning lather.

The Shave: The shave scared me a little bit as ATG for a first pass is definitely not the way. I was reminded why today as I felt the blade grab in during the first pass across my face. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this as a daily shaving process. After doing my first face pass ATG I decided to complete my neck and subsequent face passes as I normally would. Thankfully the cooling element of Orbit helped to comfort the skin a little during the shave.

Post Shave: Followed up the shave with the matching splash for continued cooling and a little Midnight Swim to give me the cold late night swim feel.

Theme: Noble Otter’s Orbit contains the published synthetic agent Koolada-23. Midnight swim fits in with one of the scent notes being cold water and thus making todays mix a Frigid Friday swim.

Challenge: My first face pass was against the grain, and I did not enjoy it.

#ROTY

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Mammoth coin Rumble brush
• Razor: Karve Shaving Christopher Bradley
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Terror
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Company - Iced Pineapple Glacial
• Fragrance: Catie's Bubbles - blugere

ROTY

My first time using Terror and I loved it. Like ice cubes on my face during my shave. It's hot today too. I have been afraid of the glacial splash but for today I decided to go for it. It was frigid cold but had no irritation on my face or anything and I was complemented on the scent. It's a keeper for summer shaves on hot days!

For the challenge I went against the grain for the first half and just continued on for the whole shave. Maybe a testament to the Christopher Bradley. It really is a fantastic piece of kit. I have gotten better at using it during the lather games too.

July 14, 2023

• Brush: DG Troll Toll B14
• Razor: Leaf Elite
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (3)
• Lather: Stirling – Glacial Electric Sheep
• Post Shave: Stirling – Glacial Electric Sheep
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Limon Eau de Cologne

Stirling mutton tallow is a winner. I love the smell of Electric Sheep, and the lemony menthol of B&M Limon is very nice as well.

As a head shaver, I typically go against the grain on the top/back of my head already, quite handy for this challenge. I have to be a little more careful around the neck/sides of my head as they are more prone to irritation.

#ROTY

JULY 14, 2023

• Brush: Stirling Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC #BRASSING
• Lather: The Holy Black New York - Coconut Creeper
• Post Shave: Stirling - Margaritas in the Artic

Frigid, frigid, freaking frigid. My face has frozen over and it’s awesome. Thanks goodness so I don’t feel all the cuts I did to myself more on that in a bit. This soap tricks you!! It’s all coconutty at first and smells great then the cooling effect creeps (hence the name) all up on yo face and then I can’t feel your face. Pretty frigidily cool in my opinion.

TODAY’s CHALLENGE was not fun!! BUT I DID IT!!! Lol …. I shaved the whole left side of my face ATG. Since I have started this addiction of wetshaving I have nick myself very seldom (complements of having a large fat face). But this morning shave I nick and sliced myself more than I have ever done! Weepers everywhere and lots tissue paper to manage the bloody spots. Needless to say I will stay WTG from now on. Learned my lesson. Ya’ll have a good one.

ROTY

July 14, 2023

• Brush: AP Shave Co. 30mm SynBad
• Razor: Blackland Vector
• Blade: Kai Captain Titan Mild (AC) (10)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Arctique
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Arctique

Late night 2 pass head shave, ATG – ATG. Fantastic shave.

So far the best thing about Lather Games is that I’m learning which soaps should be bowl lathered and which should be face (or in this case head) lathered. Turns out that creating a flying mess of nuclear cold lather by using your head as a mixing tray is a bad idea. I currently have menthol in places I definitely shouldn’t. My one complaint with these uber-mentholated soaps is that I can never tell if I’m getting a great shave because my head is numb, so I can’t feel anything going wrong, or if I actually had a good lather. I think this time I actually had a good lather. Arctique hasn’t missed on a shave yet, glad I bought a whole tub.

I went ATG for both passes today. Honestly, the second pass was touchup. I was 90% to BBS after the first ATG pass. It’s been almost a week since my last head shave, too. I don't think I'm going to keep doing first pass ATG, unless I start daily headshaves, but I'm glad to know it works. I think I can finally say that I’ve got the Vector technique fully dialed in for head shaves.

Healthy Activity of the day: had to take another rest day today. This is the first day I’ve woken up still sore from the day before. I also have plans to meet with a friend and try an extra long ride tomorrow. After that I’ll probably take a couple more days off. I really like this feeling though of wanting to get back out there. In the past, taking a day off of exercise was an excuse to stop completely, and I really don’t feel that way this time. LG Mileage: 35 miles

Tags: #ROTY

July 14, 2023 – Month of Lather Day 14

• Brush: Yaqi 30mm Tuxedo Synthetic #CHONK
• Razor: Rex Supply Co. Ambassador XL Adjustable
• Blade: Gillette Minora Stainless (2)
• Preshave: Stirling Soap Co. – Unscented
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Cryogen
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Varen Balm
• Music: Cream - Strange Brew

Daily Theme: CF Cryogen lists Menthol as the fifth ingredient, and its web page states "We put a ridiculous amount of menthol in here". Should I be concerned?

The Challenge/Shave: Strange. That describes today's shave. It started normal: precision load the Chonk, bowl-build lather until shiny, shift to face lathering. And then weirdness set in. When Chonk touched my face tears started flowing. Waterfall level tears. So many tears that I didn't add more water as I face-built the lather. My tears provided the perfect level of hydration, and the lather was awesome. Because of the tears I didn't notice my face had become numb. The last time my face felt like this was when I way flying in Antartica (it's a long story and to avoid djudge's I'll save it for another day). Shave time. First time ATG on first pass so I dialed the Ambassador to Tech-level mildness and started. Surprising effective on my neck and cheeks. On my chin the razor started playing hopscotch, but I powered through without incident. I rinsed my face, re-lathered, experienced more waterfall tears, dialed the razor to Adjustable @4-level, and did a WTG pass. Checked my face and wow, pretty smooth. Minor cleanup around the chin and bingo! DFS. I finished up with Stirling's Varen balm. Why Varen? Why not? Everything else was strange, so why do normal for the post shave. #ROTY

• Brush: Naked Armor Mahogany Wood Shaving Brush

• Razor: Gillette Travel Tech

• Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum

• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Co. - Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime

• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Co. - Seaforth Sea Spice Lime

• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Falling Into the Sea

Today's Theme: Sea ice Lime has a nice cooling agent

My theme for today's shave: Aquatic Citrus, overall a good fragrance progression. #photocontest #FOF #ROTY