LGSOTD 17-July

• Brush: Highlander - Matte Chubby #PREMIUMPLASTIC #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Charcoal Goods - Gen 1 Level 3
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium 
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus   
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Cerberus   
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Cerberus  

Might be pushing my luck here, but surely 3 is better than 2.  Alternatively if the soap base was by DG, the Splash by NO and the Fragrance by HOM so was the fragrance by HOM used in the Soap and the Splash, meaning 2 collaborators on the Soap and 2 on the splash? Bugger it, it’s all I’ve been able to find in the den that meets any form of collaboration, or at least all I was able to recognise where they are also on the label!  This one is decent but much prefer the fougere release. I can use that one daily whereas this one is probably a bit much with me being at home in a room by myself typing away on a keyboard and talking on Teams, ah well. 

Threw in the Osma at the back end to meet the daily challenge. To be fair, completely forgot I even had that in the box of mystery. I very rarely use alum in any form, I just didn't feel any benefit using it routinely other than punishing me if I've been a tad over zealous. But if any razor is going to need it, then the CG Level 3 is one of them. The Gen 1 is fairly blade forward and it lets you know, very efficient though, but overall a grand shave. Tomorrow's challenge outcome should be seriously underwhelming after today's efficiency. 

Hope everyone has a good kick off to the week. 

Cheers

Marc

ROTY

PhotoContest

nice shot.

July 17, 2023

• Brush: Semogue SOC Taj Resin Premium Boar
• Razor: Karve Overlander SS
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts/Shawn Maher - Gravefruit II
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts/Shawn Maher - Gravefruit II - Toner
• Non-Osma Alum: ALLUME DI ROCCA ~~NATURALE~~ POMPELMO ALUM 120G STICK

Cold, gray and rainy day today. Work sucks. I’m out of memes. And on top of that, I’m really bummed out for not being one of the cool guys in the Osma Owners Club. Stuck with this thing from deep down in my drawers. Naturale? Ugh, so boring. So I head down to the supermarket to look for some scent infusion. Banana?? Hmmmm… Ah, grapefruit!! Yes! Genius! On theme.

Back at home, filtering grapefruit juice in my Hario V60. Then onto the infusion process. I keep it simple!. And there you go! Allume Di Rocca ~~Naturale~~ Pompelmo! This thing is fantastic! How was your boring unscented Osma, Osma-weirdos?

Music:
“Cold Wind” - Ruby Goon Spotify / YouTube

edited spelling errors + #photocontest

July 17, 2023 – Lather games day 17 – AKA Osma bin Alum

• Brush: Summer Break Badger B11
• Razor: Wolfman WR2 – 1.25 DC WRH7
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (7)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Elephant
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face – Santa Paula
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Elephant

Elephant is one of my favorite scents in wet shaving. Something about it just does it for me. I spent some time and too much $ finding this tub, but very glad that it’s part of my den. Once my EdP sample is done I just might have to bite the bullet and get a full bottle of the frag. I am so happy that Chiseled Face collaborated with Zoologist to make this happen. It was before my discovery of this community, but oh so glad I could track one down.

I do not use alum. I have tried it but really see no point. I’ve figured out how to shave properly so do not need a block of salt to gauge where I might have shaved too close, or knicked myself and so on. Alum spelled backwards is mula, as in dineros, as in why waste you money on a block of face salt when you can just buy more soap and hoard it like I do?

#PhotoContest #SoapHoarder

2023-07-17 The Beast with Three ~~Backs~~ Heads

• Brush: Yaqi - Metal Timberwolf
• Razor: Qshave Adjustable
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus
• Post Shave: Cloe - Alum block
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Agua Fresca
• Blade: Astra Platinum (1)
• Razor: Rockwell 6S
• Razor: Weishi Butterfly

Relevant Post-shave and Fragrance:
Agua Fresca: Not only is this scent part of a Declaration collaboration, but it features the stone-fruit apricot, while Cerberus highlights stone-fruit.
Alum because I, too, am a team player!

Challenge Accepted: To find out the brand of this alum, I had to look up my order from... phew, 25 months ago. Here's the thing, though: the brand doesn't matter. It's the same stuff.

What? I mean, uh—Oh, man, how I wish I had paid 30-40% more for a block of something that is entirely indistinguishable from what I have! Everyone knows that if the package says OSMA then it automatically improves the quality of the otherwise chemically-identical block of potassium alum inside! Oh, why did I not think to pay more for nothing?! Oh, great despair!

In other news, I have found that storing one's alum block standing up on its end instead of laying it on its side helps to keep it from melting away as quickly as it might otherwise, and also helps to keep its surface smooth. Maybe this is obvious and well known, and it's likely (and encouraged) that someone will chime in with a better alternative.

#FOF
I don't tend to hold back when praising Ben; he's created some of my favorite scents (I don't think I've mentioned in a while how amazing Tobacconist is). I'm no sycophant, though, and I must be honest: my nose doesn't care for this. I think it's the fruit. The scent is almost viscous in a way that I find unpleasant. I now realize that it's been a recurring thing for me during this year's Games that I don't care for fruity scents, and it seems to me that the stone fruit is what Cerberus is all about. Agua Fresca, too: all about the fruit, albeit lighter (is it the melon?), without viscosity. Obviously (I hope), this is only a matter of my opinion and olfactory preferences. I'm sure they're both lovely for those who like fruit. Yuck.

#photocontest
Photo: Vehicles
Might as well knock this theme out, especially since the little Cerberus guy looks like it could be a bobblehead. That's set up on the dashboard of my car, in case it weren't obvious. I am, might I add, very pleased with how the colors turned out working together here.

It is pure coincidence that this is my fourth SOTD that relates to Greek mythology; I did not plan it, and I don't otherwise have a particular affinity (or aversion) thereto, but here we are. Side note: it was only the other day that I learned that our triple-noggin'd canine friend was the offspring of two snake/serpent monster things, because that makes sense.
Three heads? Three razor heads? Three razors!
I made 3 passes for today's shave, eache one with a different razor: First the Qshave Futur knockoff, because it's kind of clumsy and is definitely represented by the goofy third head. The Rockwell followed, and then the Weishi.

Now, I'm pretty sure I'm not channeling u/cowzilla3 here, but I'm pretty sure there ain't no rule says I can't use multiple razors in a single shave, especially since doing so is not in the spirit of some exploitative advantage (as would be the case for, say, mixed lathers, frankenrazors, or multiple hashtags).

July 17, 2023

• Brush: Oumo Pandora – 28mm Badger
• Razor: Valet Autostrop – VC2 #SELFSHARPENING
• Blade: Feather FHS-10
• Lather: Storybook Soapworks & APR - Carnivale
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Bay Rum Splash
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Sni Mato
• Music: Spice Girls – 2 Become 1

Personally, I love the collaborations in this hobby. In many industries, someone that sells the same product as you would be seen as a competitor, but collaborations remind us that there is a mutual respect among artisans. There are many, many, many times where together they can develop something that is better than either one would produce on their own. Business-Buzzword-Bingo calls this “synergy”, but I call it awesome. It’s great to see our favorite artisans work together to develop the things we love. Everyone wins.

Today, I’m using Carnivale by Storybooks Soapworks & APR. Sadly, Dan from APR has passed away. And Storybook Soapworks is out of business. So, I really appreciate u/worbx sending me a smoosh. Because once it’s all used up, it’ll be just like u/MrTangerinesky’s chances of winning Lather Games: Nonexistent. To tie that theme together, for my #photocontest, I’m including an extinct animal: my fossil of a Phacops Trilobite from the Devonian Period. This little guy was crawling on the bottom of the ocean floor 400 MILLION YEARS AGO! Coincidentally, that’s approximately the last time u/MrTangerinesky had a worthwhile Lather Games Post….

The scent of Carnivale is interesting. It’s warm and kinda spicy and a little fruity. Smells like a fall fragrance to me. Almost reminds me of the craft fairs my mom used to take me to as a kid. To take those spicy notes to another level for my splash, I used the best Bay Rum on the market: Barrister and Mann’s. Actually, worked nicely together. Then, I was feeling kinda crazy and sprayed a little Sni Mato from Chatillon Lux on. I don’t think Sni Mato and Bay Rum have any scent notes in common, but from a #FOF perspective, they worked okay together. Sni Mato is floral, yet earthy, and on a base of cocoa and Bay Rum is obviously spicy. Anyone that’s ever consumed Cinnamon-Chocolate knows that’s a great combination, so it’s not THAT crazy these two scents would play well with each other. Floral-Earthy-Spicy is a great combo, IMO.

DISCLAIMER: I got this splash for free from last year’s lather games prize.

And as far as the challenge goes, I will do anything for Lather Games, but I won’t do that. I don’t own alum and have never used it. Never much saw the point or value from it. I’m trying to keep my face from drying out, so putting a salt block on it never made sense to me. If I was to ever, ever, ever, use alum, I would 100% buy Osma, the only luxury alum. Buuuutttt…. That’s not going to happen today.

And for my interview today, I have a dude who knows all about collaborations. Shawn Maher has worked with so, so many wetshaving artisans out there, as well as being the guy behind Chatillon Lux and The Maher Olfactive. I’d bet everyone reading this has used and loved the scent of several products scented by Shawn. I was so excited that Shawn agreed to take part in this series and play along with my questions. So, thank you so much, u/hawns! And Shawn – You likely missed the post, but I haven’t seen you sign up for our group buy for Doritos Soap and Mountain Dew Splash yet! For a guy who’s developed some of the most amazing scents in our hobby, you really missed the boat on this idea! ;-)

10 Questions with… Shawn Maher

1) I read that you got started in perfumery by blending essential oils to create a fragrance for a face balm you made for yourself. Most people would simply go to the store and buy whatever they have there, but you built something for yourself. Have you always been a do-it-yourself go-getter, like that?

Yeah, I've always kind of been like that. I used to be in a band where I wrote all the songs, booked all the shows, was in charge of scheduling practices and paying rent at the practice space and also was the one who had the van. Now, my main job (associate creative director of copywriting at an ad agency) requires me to learn new stuff all the time, including how retina and corneal surgery works, how welding and plasma cutting works, the scientific process for optimizing industrial janitorial services, and how shoes are manufactured, just to name a few. Plus, I was always the kind of student who got As and worked ahead when I found it interesting but got Cs and never did my homework when I didn't. But when something interests me, I go in whole-ass, never half-ass.

2) It’s actually stunning how many fragrances you’ve created within this wetshaving hobby of ours. Do you have one you are most proud of?

I would say the scents I'm most proud of usually aren't scents in shaving products since all the small nuances kind of get destroyed by the base. It's like trying to watch a movie on a screen covered in vaseline or watch something through a rusty screen, dirty windows and seven bushes. However, I would say La Petite Prairie would be the scent I'm most proud of that was made to be in a wetshaving product.

3) Spearhead Shaving’s Spiced (which you created) is one of my favorite scents. Who is your favorite Spice Girl?

I was in high school when the Spice Girls came out, and in band my trombone section thought it was really funny to annoy people by playing the instrumental hook for Wannabe. I always wondered if there was a reason why Scary Spice was scary other than because she's Black?

4) Do you have a tally of how many scents you’ve created since starting Chatillon Lux & Maher Olfactive?

I never remember them all, especially due to one-offs. It's probably been at least three dozen. Probably more, I would say, considering there are almost two dozen active scents in both lineups. Memory and organization have never been my strong suits. I like to think that's because I am always moving forward and never in the past...but probably just because I'm scatterbrained.

5) Do you have any scent notes that you don’t like working with or refuse to work with?

I'll work with anything, but I don't have the slightest interest in making scents that smell like what's already out there. So many people were pissed because they saw a coffee note in 1904 and just assumed it would smell like the generic sweet latte scent that so many people have done already. My brother in Christ, if you want that scent, then go with one of the ten million options that already exist. I don't know if there's a single note out there that I wouldn't work with. I think everything has its place if used correctly.

​

(INTERVIEW CONTINUES IN THE REPLY)

July 17, 2023 – Team Work Makes the Dream Work

• Brush: Zenith r/wetshaving Exclusive Moar Boar 31mm #chonk
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Sharpedge (Yellow) (8)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Weinstrasse
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Smash
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Weinstrasse

Collaborations. Where would this hobby be without them. Almost everything used today was either a collaboration or a part of one (the frag being the base scent for the soap collaboration.) Even Moar Boar was a collaboration of several members of this sub. By the by, moar boar is not a GUTL brush. As soon as I tried to put the proto lather on my face of started to lather. This brush was made for faces and faces only.

On to #fof. So let’s talk about this scent. Wientresse. Ah the Wientrasse. If GLS was the stomping grounds of my teenage years, then the wientrasse was my mid to late 20s. A lovely spot down MO-94 with wineries every few miles. So many memories. My wife told me we were having our second kid at one of these wineries. I connected the soap and frag with another booze themed collaboration, Smash from HoM and B&M. It worked very well. The cherry and peach of smash played off the reisling scented soap. So what’s wrong? The wientrasse doesn’t smell like reisling. Sure the wineries make some reisling but the speciality is Norton, which is a native grape, and earthy and dry. Not sweet like reisling. And Norton is one of my favorite wines. (Sometimes it’s called Cynthiana). And whether you knew it or not, norton root stock is basically the main stock behind European grapes too. Now you’re asking “why is is so adamant about this? He said reisling is great too.” It is, and frankly I love this scent. So why? Simply because reisling is more associated with Hermann, which is not really on the wientrasse. But Augusta is, and Augusta was the first place in the nation to get appellation. (Certification as a recognized growing area). Take that Napa valley. So my concern here is 2 fold. First pride for the area and second u/hawns, could you make a norton inspired scent? EdT may be a bit much but maybe something for a splash?

Rant over, #photocontest. This is for history. But it’s also a collaboration! Written by a Russell and Burch, this book forms the basis for all modern animal research ethics and regulations, including the 1984 animal welfare act. My dissertation is an updating if this work. Russell was a zoologist and Burch was, an expert in the humanities, making this some interesting reading as they weave science with, I shit you not, a citation from Alice in Wonderland. It’s amazingly well done for being from the 50s, and my updates are to correct die developments in underlying ethical theory (the rise of principlsim). They weave Darwin and other stuff through the work. When I found a 1st edition for $30 I had to pick it up. It also meant I had the only first edition in the department meaning my mentor had to check my cites with my book.

OK still doing #ROTY but vacation has started (I’m at the amtrak station now waiting for a late train. So risk is high but gonna succeed. All my shaves are planned, SOTD pics pretaken. Let’s gooooooo.

Edited oh right the challenge. I think so little about alum I forgot. I know it's the source of flame wars here. I don't use it except for my stypic pencil. So I rubbed that on my neck where I have problems. It stung. It did nothing else.

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

• Razor: Muhle Rocca R94

• Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum

• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus

• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Cerberus

• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Memoirs of A Tresspasser

Today's Theme: Happy Together - I chose Cerberus for today's collab theme for all the reasons several others chose this soap. Unlike those people though, I used the aftershave liniment which carries the scent exceptionally well for a pseudo-balm.

Today's Challenge: Osma Day - I have Osma, but it is not the Osma that everyone else gets. /u/j33pguy13 harangued me for buying "lame unscented soap that dries your skin" but who's laughing now. I rubbed this puck of alum shaving soap on my skin in the usual portion of a shave routine where others would rub alum stones on their skin. It was ok. I did not lather it, so DQ police can buzz off. I simply rubbed Osma alum crystals on my face.

My theme for today's shave: Guard Dog

So in the myth of Cerberus, the three headed dog guards the entrance to Hades. Though it's generally supposed to be a big, scary guard dog, pretty much every time cerberus shows up in media it's actually quite a good boy. Cerberus in pop culture reminds me of my own dog, who's 75 pounds of pure muscle with a big ol' head. He can be a bit intimidating to people who aren't familiar with big dogs, but he's a total meatball and very sweet. I do feel better leaving my fiancee for a weekend when I know she's going to be with our big meatball of a dog. Maybe Hades just felt safer with a big dog around too.

Memoirs of a Tresspasser felt like it'd be a fun nod to the guard dog motif and it's a nice scent that kind of reminds me of Gratiot League Square. For a "collaboration" themed album I picked an old compilation album that has a bunch of songs from random small time bands. #photocontest #FOF #ROTY

July 17, 2023

• Brush: Brad Sears Arley 26mm Super Badger
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR2/WRH2
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (2)
• Lather: House of Mammoth/Barrister and Mann - Smash - Soap
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Peach & Cognac - Aftershave
• Post Shave: West Coast Shaving - Alum

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

---

Smash is a wonderful collaboration. When I've used it before, I've thought of doing an evening shave with an actual Bourbon Smash cocktail along side. But I'm a morning shaver, and as one of those people who can only do one thing at a time, I just focus on shaving. The photo, which I made last night, has an actual Bourbon Smash in it. More specifically, it is a Bourbon Peach Smash since the first note in the soap is peach. I don't drink a lot of mixed cocktails and bourbon is more of a winter sipping drink for me (along with scotch), but I must say that the Bourbon Peach Smash was an amazingly refreshing summer drink. I have peaches, bourbon, mint, honey (for simple syrup), ice, and a muddle on hand. I see myself making more of these.

It is very hard to fault a shave done with a razor that was custom made to your own specifications. The precision and quality of workmanship for my Wolfman razor is exceptional and, not surprisingly, gives me excellent shaves. I have a WR4 on order and am looking forward to its arrival sometime this fall.

Alum. I bought my block of alum from West Coast Shaving when I transitioned from justshaving to wetshaving in 2021. After 50+ years of shaving I figured out how to shave without irritation or much blood long ago so my first uses of alum were kind of ho-hum. I did not get much "report" back on the quality of my shave, and I could not see much benefit to my skin. I transitioned to using Thayers Toner which, for me, is nicer than rubbing a block of salt on my face. So, Osma? Probably not going to happen.

My photo contest theme for today is "Drinks". #photocontest

Jul. 17, 2023 - 3 is better than 2!

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Omega 10049 Boar

• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24

• Blade: GEM PTFE (17)

• Lather: House of Mammoth/Declaration Grooming - Cerberus

• Post Shave: Osma - Alum

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sandalorian

Cerberus was one of the biggest hyped collaborations that has happened in the relatively short time that I’ve been wetshaving. Three of the biggest brands coming together each working on a piece of this project. I love how they split up the different parts of the trifecta so everyone had a part to play. Unfortunately I only have the soap but I get to enjoy House of Mammoths incredible scent in the great Milksteak base from Declaration Grooming! I used Sandalorian which was the pre-cursor to Cerberus and a super short run fragrance. This was the last spray in my decant and I just recently missed a whole bottle of it by about 15 minutes. Thankfully I was able to work out another decant of this which I should have soon! Sandalorian is a bit more stone fruit forward and a little “too weird” for a general release and eventually became Cerberus.

It’s an awesome coincidence that today is House of Mammoth’s sponsor spotlight as I had this set out a long time ago for today! House of Mammoth is my overall favorite artesian for a lot of reasons. To begin with, Ben does incredible stuff with scents! The way he captures an idea and puts it into fragrance is amazing! But beyond that, the way he centers his whole brand around supporting causes that he believes in is something that I want to throw my entire support behind! I about cried this week when he announced Everett and that will be pre-ordered the instant he opens that up!

I don’t typically use alum, but I do have a bar of Osma LuXuRy alum that I used today. TBH I’ve never used anything else so I have nothing to compare it to. Very little feedback from it today which was nice! The MM24 is another instance of something “Happy Together” as great papa Eld married two razors together to create the best GEM razor that I own!

Todays #photocontest jumps on board with the “happy together” theme with #pets.

July 17, 2023 – LG 17: Happy Together

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Coprolite B15
• Razor: Tatara Nodachi Handle/Top Cap Masamune OC, Plated by London Razors
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (11)
• Lather: Zingari – Mousse Illuminée
• Post Shave: Noble Otter – Cerberus Fougere
• Fragrance: Rogue Perfumery – Mousse Illuminée

Not only was my soap and AS a collab. But my brush is a Dogwood and DG collab and my razor Tatara and London Razors collab, just saying. The frag, which I actually had before the soap, of course then became a collab between rogue and zingari for the soap.

Per the podcast, I’ll spell out the connection today, since perhaps not as clear: mossy, resinous, green. #FOF. In soap form, mousse illuminee is very stunted compared to the frag. I would say it’s a fairly easy going and a “safe” soap, whereas the fragrance packs a bit too much of a punch on application. Super resinous, mossy, and I’d venture to call it medicinal- but like questionable ancient medieval medicine. It’s sharp and bitter. Dried down not my favorite, but a safer warm woods, like walking into a sun baked forest or meadow. The Cerberus fougere, although dark compared to man fougeres, has a bright apricot note upon application. Then it delves into the mossy undergrowth, spice (I get anise), and the sappy resins. A bit balsamic and herbaceous.

As for the challenge, never used alum, never will. Why rub salt all over your face? In my video I went for an even stupider alternative.

I’ll be honest, I was really struggling for a #PHOTOCONTEST for today. So I revisited the list to see what I had left that I hadn’t already slated for a day. I was at a loss, as I idly waited, hoping a bird would land nearby, or a squirrel for that wild animals shot. After what felt like 30min of no luck despite hearing chirps, my lightbulb went off. I started rewatching Suits as some background noise while the GF was away this weekend, good background noise show as I can’t watch “our” shows while she’s away. In Suits, we have non other than The Duchess of Sussex herself (aka Meghan Markle for you plebs out there). I just clicked on an episode, waited for a scene, and bam, ROYALS.

soap brands 17/30, post shave 17/30, frag 17/30, post/frag linked 17/30, software sponsors 9/13, hardware sponsors 2/2, razor hashtags 9/15, brush hashtags 8/15, photo contest 17/30, daily challenges 15/25, special challenges 2/5