July 26, 2023

• Brush: Priusauruswood Botcrafts – B.O. Inspired Synthetic Brush 24mm
• Razor: Priusauruswood Botcrafts – ErgoRazor V1
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: KY – Warming Jelly
• Post Shave: Apex Alchemy – Alchemical Romance Splash
• Fragrance: Jovan – Sex Appeal
• Music: Marvin Gaye – Let’s Get It On

It’s the wildest night and day in r/wetshaving! Everyone scrambling to use something unique and some lunatics staying up until 2AM to make sure they are the first to post whatever the hell they shave with. Fortunately, I don’t think ANYONE is going to shave with this set up, but I’m taking no chances and decided to have a nice little midnight shave for myself, by candlelight. First off, I wanted to be safe, but also because I was in the mood… Here’s the video

Since my brush and my razor are unique, one-of-a-kind prototypes, I’ve pixelated them in the SOTD picture so no potentially competing company sees what I made and copies it - looking at you, Mojo Handcrafts! u/Phteven_j warned me about you assholes!! I’ll talk more about the custom hardware today down below before my interview.

When I was thinking of what to shave with for Wildcard Wednesday, I didn’t want the stress of picking out a soap that no one else was using. I did that last year, and it was stressful! So, I wanted to think outside the box this year. I knew I wanted something super slick, so I googled the best lubricants. After taking a deep dive down some weird internet rabbit holes, I read glowing reviews of the performance of the K.Y. Brand. None of the reviews mentioned shaving (that I could tell), but I’m willing to take the chance. Then I had to decide which K.Y. lubricant to pick, and since I like to treat myself with a scuttle sometimes, the Warming Jelly seemed like a natural fit. Glad I did, because this warms up within like 4 seconds of brushing it on your face and it is LUXURIOUS! Glad I sprung for the warming version.

The scent is non-existent, which allowed me to fly free with my post-shave routine. I selected Apex Alchemy – Alchemical Romance because the logo seemed appropriate for tonight for some reason. The scent is absolutely delightful – chocolate AND vanilla with a hint of butter. YUM! And because I like to feel sexy after late night shave, I went with a fragrance so sexy, I’m not sure if they even make it anymore: Jovan – Sex Appeal. The scent description is: This provocative and stimulating blend of rare spices and herbs was created by man with the only purpose of attracting women. Ummmm… Don’t tell MrsPriusaurus bought this! The scent is actually not bad. It doesn’t blend nicely with Alchemical Romance at all, but the theming is spot on for tonight, so I’ll take the #FOF loss.

I kinda have a lot of other stuff going on right now, but there’s always time for a den tour challenge! But… Ummmm… Why do I think this is a clever ploy for u/J33pGuy13 to get more feet pictures? Whatever, I need the points. This time last year, I could fit all my shave gear in one toolbox. I’ve since expanded to a couple different toolboxes for the miscellaneous soaps and aftershaves, then for the soap & splash sets, I have them in these organizers in my home office. Generally, they’re sorted by artisan, except I have a tote and a half dedicated to gourmands. I have a separate tote for balms, one of full size frags, and then a nylon bag with the oh-so-important sample frags. I also have an little bins for sample soaps, sample splashes, and straights. I have these two razor holders and my brushes mostly organized in one box. When I’m not Lather Gaming, I regularly rotate in razors 3, at a time into on my bathroom stand. When it’s time to change the blade, I put that razor to the back of the line, and rotate in another one. Lather Games has REALLY thrown off my system, but it’s #worthit.

For #photocontest, I have literature. When I was in the library, I thought the title was Fifty SHAVES of Grey and it was a book that would improve my shaving technique. I haven’t got to any of the shave parts yet, but I have improved other worthwhile techniques since picking up this book.

Now, for today’s interview, I have MYSELF. Since I designed and manufactured hardware I used today, it seemed appropriate. A little background about what I made for today’s shave: The brush shape is inspired by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Rocket. I 3D printed this prototype brush and I’m really happy with how it came out. I picked an all-white brush to simulate the rocket breaking through the earth’s atmosphere. The brush feels natural and comfortable in my hand and I enjoy rubbing it on my face. The ErgoRazor V1 Prototype is a unique shape, designed to comfortably fit in the user’s hand and takes advantage of a GEM Lather Catcher design. I also allowed for interchangeable razor heads to potentially swap for more mild or aggressive heads in the future.

For today’s questions, I have some journalistic integrity, and very little actual integrity, I’m fully aware it would be wildly inappropriate to write my own questions and answer them. Therefore, I turned to Artificial Intelligence. I gave ChatGPT the prompt: “What are 10 Questions to ask a Lather Games participant?” and below is what it came up with. Without further ado, I present to you:

10 Questions with… Priusauruswood Botcrafts

1) What initially inspired you to participate in the Lather Games, and how did you prepare for the event?

My first Games were last year, and I had so much fun doing it. Initially, I did it because it seemed like a good way to participate in the r/wetshaving community and “get off the sidelines”, so to speak. And boy, was I correct!

2) Could you share a particularly memorable or exciting moment you experienced during the Lather Games?

This year, there are so many to pick from! Getting asked to leave a restaurant for shaving on their patio is unforgettable, my 30 lb ice bath shave was something, but my Spite Shave was the best. It really kicked off the feud with MrTangerinesky. Of course, getting Remote Learning to be made a reality on Meme Day will be truly unforgettable.

3) What challenges did you face during the competition, and how did you overcome them?

The worst challenge so far was sock lathering. I did it on the beach, between work meetings, and in my haste to get everything I’d need, I forgot to bring extra socks. Big oof. As much as I’d like to say I went the rest of the day without socks, the truth is I stopped at Marshall’s and bought new socks on my way back to work.

4) The Lather Games can be quite intense. How did you manage stress and stay focused during your matches?

It all starts with preparation. I had most of the interviews lined up ahead of time to coincide with the soap or brush I was going to use on a given day. Going in with a plan, and executing on that plan was my strategy this year. Of course, things can change and I had to remain flexible to accommodate the different things that came up.

(INTERVIEW CONTINUED IN THE REPLY)

July 26, 2023 - let's get wild

• Prep: Icecold shower
• Brush: Mühle Silvertip badger with fine resin handle
• Razor: Custom designed Böker 6/8 with bog oak scale and French head
• Lather: Ariana & Evans - Vanille de Tabac
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans - Vanille de Tabac
• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Tobacco Vanille

#FOF What would lather games be, without my favorite scent? I know, I know. A&E is one of the wetshaving villains and still, almost everyone has a soap from him and praises at least one of his scents or the base.

I bought the soap, because I wanted some vanilla for me sweet tooth, but did not know or care that it was a dupe. It opened me up to a whole new price range of fragrances and this soap haunted me like Marylin by B&M does today, with the difference that I have Tobacco vanille, while Marylin is unobtainium here. But I am drifting off.

This is my "lonely island" setup. The brush and razor were a present from my gf and have emotional value. The soap scent is just perfect for me. Sweet, but not too sweet thanks to the tabac. Such a simple composition, yet so effective. Yes, I know that the combination was copied to oblivion and abolsute boredom, but it has a special place in my heart.
With a setup like this, I could only get a phenomenal shave. I enjoyed every pass, every stroke. A&E aftershave is also pretty good and makes my skin glow. Lovely.

Matching it with a fragrance was easy mode. Tom Fords Tobacco vanille put tears into my eyes the first time I got my hands on it. Such a well done composition.

Daily Challenge:
I am so thankfull to have a girlfriend who understands or supports me with this weird hobby. In conclusion, my shave gear is stored in a cupboard in the living room. Currently it it shares its space on the right side with our liquer collectioon or bar goodies.
Lets get into detail:
Stag statue, samples and aftershave
Around the mighty statue of the Stag, I collect my labeled samples, aftershaves, SE razor and two straight razors that are below 5/8.
Soaps, Fragrances, honing gear and blades
I like the soap labels and put them on display here. Unfortunately I have to stack them.
Hardware
Top right shelf has all my brushes and straight razors as well as my Tequilla and Mezcal with matching bar loot. The cupboards lower right has no shave gear (yet). I do not want to expand, my gf does not want me to expand my gear there, but she expects that it will happen soon. Till october, I want to get rid of two soaps and generate more space. Lets see.

LG23-26: 🐺 Wildcard Wolf Wednesday 🐺

• Brush: Wolf Whiskers 26mm Maggard Razors SHD
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR2-DC 0.95 SB / 1.25 OC
• Blade: Voskhod (17)
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory - Where the Wild Things Were - Shave Soap
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - RAWR - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Cognoscenti - Wild Child
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia. Cauca. - v: Castillo - p: Anaerobic
• Music: Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild
• LG Tags: #FOF

I know y'all want to see folks slathering on pre-shave avocado oil, shaving with acrylic paint, splashing on some mouthwash post shave, and dousing themselves in Eau de Vlasic afterwards, but I'll leave those shenanigans for more natural shitposters than myself. Y'all know I play it straight most of the time. Boring? Perhaps. Effective? Arguably, but up for debate.

If I'm going to shave with shave soap on this day of troubling, foul-smelling, disgusting, and possibly-hazardous shaves, I'm still going to take the theme to heart. It's a perfect time to bring out a favorite of mine—Talent Soap Factory's Where the Wild Things Were.

But before I get to that, let's do a quick den tour. Not much has changed from last year. However, I have lots of improvements in mind. My current aftershave cache is particularly difficult to access, so I need to thin out my wardrobe and build some space for bottle-organization there. I also want to build some wall-mounted bookshelves in my basement so there's one dedicated place for all this stuff. In the meantime, the soaps continue to live on a shoe stand I found on the curb in our neighborhood. My most-used stuff lives up in the bathroom, including a rotation of soaps, my razors, and some goes-with-everything aftershaves. As you can see, all these spots need to be reorganized. On the list for August.

In case you missed the reference, my Talent Soap Factory soap is named after Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book, Where the Wild Things Are. Today's aftershave and fragrance build on that theme. In the the story, young Max dresses in a wolf suit, irks his parents enough to be sent to his room, and then visits the Wild Things on their island, learning a lesson along the way. His wolf suit reminds me of the dinosaur-suited otter on the front of RAWR, playing out in the yard, and Cognoscenti's Wild Child describes Max perfectly.

Getting back to Where the Wild Things Were (WTWTW), this is probably my favorite Talent Soap Factory soap, featuring a scent unlike anything else out there. The most distinctive and obvious notes are a medley of coconut and green olives. Instead of suggesting savory Italian food or a salty cocktail, they read as magical island mist, warm and tropical and a little weird. Herbal notes lend WTWTW additional complexity and allow the coconut and olive notes to blend. My brain never knows what to make of this stuff, but it does bring me back for repeated sniffs off the tub.

RAWR is probably an easier sell for most wet shavers, and it's jubilant mix of just-peeled sweet oranges, dandelions grown tall in the yard, and comforting vanilla are a bottled smile. My only complaint about RAWR is the same one I have about many neroli-based scents; even with sharp cedar and musk, it still wears overly sweet on my skin. Fortunately, that makes it layer exceptionally well with fragrances that can take advantage of some extra sugar, like Dannielle Sergent's bracing study of tarragon and lavender. Wild Child smells of earthy black licorice, seen through a vibrant green filter of cedar, vetiver, patchouli, and moss. RAWR's dandelion note brightens Wild Child's green to a vibrant shade and sticky orange highlights the sweet qualities of the tarragon. Together they're crisp, energizing, and whimsical—a fit pairing for the muggiest days of summer. You know, where the wild things love to be.

July 26, 2023 – Wildcard Wednesday, Baby

• Razor: Gillette Travel Tech #jetsetter
• Blade: 7 O’Clock – Sharpedge (Yellow) (4)
• Lather: Johnson’s – Baby Oil
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Marilyn
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Marilyn

Let’s get down to it. This is a baby shave. Even the razor is baby sized. I mean look at the travel tech! So tiny! Another loaner from u/Chronnoisseur420 to help with the tags.

The internet says mineral oil (the main component of baby oil) can be used as a shaving solution. So we’re gonna do it. Baby Oil, baby post shave, and a baby frag. “Wait what?” you’re thinking. Well let my #fof post explain. I get a very heavy powder note off Marilyn. Not to say I don’t like it, I like it enough to own a trifecta. But it reminds me a bit of baby powder, (I’m old enough to remember using that for my siblings.) So here we are, a shave that’s not quite BBS but smelling like a baby’s butt. Even my #photocontest entry is babyfied. It’s an entry for “food” and what food did I choose? A pouch of baby food puree. (alas the only way our kids will eat vegetables.)

For challenge, I give you a video tour of my den led by my daughter. It’s only a minute and 20 seconds so take a look around with us.

OK #ROTY folks. 5 let’s go.

Lastly, since this is Wildcard Wednesday, Wildcards are cards that than mimic or beat another card’s value. I’m gonna assume that applies to LG bits today too. Sorry u/Priusaurus, gonna make use of your interview bit your use with a not at all made up interview with ~~our friends~~ the assholes at PAA.

1. So you’ve gone by a few names, who exactly am I talking to now?

I suppose that depends on who gets me the most clicks.

2. Ok.. Uhh how did you get into shaving supplies.

I was on on a trip to the exotic land of…

Ok I’m gonna stop you there. Don’t really need one of your rambling bullshit product descriptions. Is there a real answer?

I saw some marks to leverage.

3. You mean markets?

No.

4. Sigh. Ok. You’ve been accused of ripping off… Well a lot. including recently the Hawaiian Punch logo Care to talk about this?

You’re blatantly ripping off this bit, do you have a leg to stand on?

5. I’m shit posting. But I did walk into that, so let’s move on. Is there anything that makes PAA different?

A legion of bought YouTube influencers, SEO, and a ton of r/w_e shills posting affiliate links? What do you got?

My integrity. And enough sense to end this.

Edited to fix some formatting

Edited 2, forgot the travel tech pic.

July 26, 2023 – Wildcard Wednesday!!!

• Brush: Stirling Synthetic Li’l Brudder
• Razor: Gillette Gold Ball-End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Rubie (3)
• Lather: Beak & Snout – Bard’s Barbershop
• Post Shave: RazoRock – Italian Barber Amici
• Fragrance: Creed – Erolfa

Yes, I used soap today. Even though Enndeegee is going to call be a scrub anyway, I hope you hear me out. Sincere post incoming. I know this isn’t what people want on WW, but it’s what you’re gonna get.

My best friend, Ben, has been getting into soap and lotion bar making for a little while now (a little less than a year, I think). It’s a hobby he so clearly loves, and he makes some quality bar soap, and our hobbies intersect enough that we’re able to talk for an obnoxious amount of time about soaps, vegan vs. animal products in soap, how to effectively market, why getting into perfumery is so hard and expensive, etc. I figured the Lather Games would be the perfect reason to ~~beg~~ ask Ben to try his hand at shaving soap. All the soap he’s made so far has been given away to friends, as is the case for this shaving soap, so the stakes were pretty low. Despite this, as usual, Ben put in his best effort and made a quality shaving soap that is, at least to me, impressive for someone’s first go at it. The base is similar to Catie’s Bubbles in that it’s on the softer, fluffier side, and is vegan. The scent is Crafter’s Choice™ Barber Shoppe – EO & FO Blend 123, so it smells like Maggard London Barbershop (among others). It’s enough fragrance to enjoy while shaving, and it lingers a little, but is not overpowering (and certainly doesn’t give any frag burn, as Ben is careful to comply with IFRA Standards). I followed this up with Amici due to its citrus blending nicely with any standard barbershop scent, and finished with Creed Erolfa (a sample recently gifted by Ben), which is a delightful chypre, and a reminder that I want to check out that fragrance family a lot more. Overall, blends of citrus all around this morning, which is perfect for the summer. #FOF

I appreciate Ben so much for putting in the time and effort to learn how to make the best shaving soap possible for his first ever attempt, even though it was for one person to shave during a ~~silly~~ incredibly meaningful shaving competition. He plans to sell his soaps under the brand Beak & Snout, inspired by one of his DnD characters. As such, since he declined to name his inaugural shaving soap, I named it Bard’s Barbershop. Ben may not want to actually have his soaps be DnD themed, but in the absence of Ben choosing a name himself, I am claiming full autonomy over soap naming decisions. We chatted the other day about sourcing tallow from nearby slaughterhouses. He's working on another shaving soap right now, I'm pretty sure. I’m so glad that I have ~~conned~~ helped Ben to go down this rabbit hole, and I hope that I have many more Beak & Snout soaps to shave with in the future.

Den Tour: Since last year’s games, I’ve bought a house. It very conveniently had built-ins in the bathroom that work quite well for my shaving supplies. I need to build a couple more shelves as I have to do a lot of rummaging to actually find what I need, but it all (somehow) fits, so that’s what really matters. Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

Day 26 - Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: Royal London -
• Razor: Gillette - Fatboy E-4
• Blade: Astra - Green
• Lather: House Of Mammoth - Shire
• Post Shave: House Of Mammoth - Shire
• Fragrance: Alexandria Fragrances - Blue Memoire

Today, I went with Shire. Why? Because I just got it, and no one has used it yet. And really, who is crazy enough to do motor oil or something. K.I.S.S.

For the fragrance, I went with Blue Memoire. I have some meetings for work today, and this is one of my go toos. I know that is not Wild but I need the job more than the Lather win.

ROTY #FOF

2023-07-26 Nondescript Slime Day

• Blush: Ikea - Tillagd Fork
• Raser: The Goodfellas' Smile - Kamisori Shavette #KAMISORI
• Leather: Viet Huong Three Crabs Fish Sauce + Red Drago Tapioca Starch
• Post-Share: Viet Huong Three Crabs Fish Sauce
• Flagrant: Viet Huong Three Crabs Fish Sauce

Wildcard Wednesday:
I'm a fan of cooking. One of my favorite things to cook is stir fry, and my approach thereto has evolved quite a lot. In times past, I'd just throw some meat and vegetables around in a wok, but now I like to make a sauce to throw them around in. The sauce is a little different every time, but an invariant ingredient is: Fish Sauce.

Also critical for the sauce is some kind of thickening agent, which helps it stick to the noodles and solid components of the stir fry. Today, it will also help the fish sauce stick to my face. Corns starch is commonly used for this, but I like to use tapioca starch. Nice, that'll stick real nice.

On second thought, you know what? Fuck that noise.

2023-07-26 No one has used this yet

#photocontest
Photo: Trenches/Holes. It's this photo, guys. Not the first one. That's a trench that's sided by concrete, but it's a trench in the ground all the same.

• Brush: Yaqi Metal Timberwolf
• Razor: The Goodfellas' Smile - Kamisori Shavette #KAMISORI
• Lather: Gentleman's Nod - Musashi
• Post Shave: Gentleman's Nod - Musashi
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Tsuka

Relevant Post-Shave and Fragrance: Japanese-inspired.
Musashi (lather and post-shave) are obvious, but Tsuka is a dupe of the original scent by Japanese designer Hanae Mori.
In the spirit of the theme, the kamisori shavette returns again. I quite surprised myself with how I've come to command the thing, at least on the WTG pass. Practice, I guess.

#FOF
I think this is the third time I've had some vaguely Japanese theme to my shave, which was not planned. In fact, I just got Musashi yesterday. I saw that the scent purports to be built around jasmine tea, and I said, "Oh, fuck yeah." I even made a cup of jasmine tea for comparison to accompany my shave.

The yuzu on top is exactly that: on top. It's backed by what the description calls an "earthy and woodsy" mix, the earthy part of which directs one's attention to the core: is it jasmine? Well, no; jasmine isn't earthy or woodsy. In truth, I don't get much jasmine out of this, but what I do get is green tea.

Enter Tsuka, which kind of makes me question whether the jasmine is as absent from Musashi as I thought; it transitions from the soap seamlessly. Tsuka is nothing if not floral, and I'm quite certain is categorically a women's fragrance, but one that I've never been bothered to don.

Challenge Accepted:
Here's my shaving space. I love that cabinet and I will miss it when I leave where I live now for cooler climates, so I bought another one; it actually just arrived yesterday, and will just stay in the box for the foreseeable future.
The weather here is like living inside of an oven (you sadistic bastards just had to wait until the end of the month for Outside Day), but I've also been saying for the past year and a half that I'm going to move for the PNW. Trouble is, the job I started last April is amazing. So I'm hanging out until I can line up something new either in that area or fully remote. But I digress.

• Brush: ZENRC Golden Bamboo Matcha Whisk #HOLLOW

• Razor: Razorline Razor Master Kamisori Shavette Straight Razor for Barbers #KAMISORI

• Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum

• Lather: Ujido - Matcha Green Tea Powder

• Post Shave: B_Lab - Matcha Hydrating Facial Toner

• Fragrance: Le Labo - Thé Matcha

Today's Theme: Wildcard Wednesday - I think I went a little too hard on this theme. First, I decided to make my own whipped-cream based Matcha tea lather. So land o lakes heavy whipping cream and a whisk it is!.

I knew it was going to be a process to get my homemade whipped cream together, so that I worked on last night. It took me several tries of refrigerating, whisking, refrigerating, whisking, and more refrigerating and whisking before it left frothy cream consistency and started to resemble something close to whipped cream. When my fiancee got home she questioned my logic for the first time all month. The thing that finally didn't make sense to her? "Why aren't you using a hand mixer?" Well I don't have one, and didn't realize I should have one. So that's why I used a normal whisk.

Eventually it turned into proper stiff-ish peaks whipped cream, so I popped it into the freezer to save for this morning's shave. Well, apparently homemade whipped cream freezes way more than cool whip does. So while that thawed, I got to work on my matcha base. The matcha whisk I got worked great for the matcha powder and some water.

Once enough of the whipped cream had thawed, it was time to fold it into the matcha. It folded in easily enough and got to a nicely hydrated matcha whipped cream mixture that I was hopeful would shave decently.

Well I found that a matcha whisk makes a poor brush for applying the matcha cream to my face, so I resorted to applying it with my hand which gave me big evangelion vibes. Eventually I got my face covered with the matcha cream and it was time to have one of the worst shaves of my life.

So fun fact, I've never used a kamisori shavette before. Or an Asco half DE blade. But they showed up together from ebay, so here we are. Sliced my right cheek a little, but the styptic pencil took care of that. Otherwise an awful, rough shave.

Today's Challenge: Den tour day! - I have cleverly arranged my main soap drawer to hide the majority of my shame. Then under the sink I have space set aside for only the highest quality stuff like APR, Fine (new base), and Van Yulay. Overflow space above my soap drawer for a couple extras that don't fit anywhere. I keep the current and upcoming razors just by my sink. And lastly, samples, frags, some overflow software, brushes/razors that I don't plan to use, and blades all go in the medicine cabinet.

My theme for today's shave: Matcha

I'm a big tea guy in general, it's one of my other rabbit holes of a hobby that I enjoy. I happened to have a bag of matcha from 2018, and when /u/j33pguy13 sent me a link to a matcha whisk as a joke, I knew I had to take the joke way too far and have a literal matcha shave, with matcha aftershave and matcha fragrance. Well, I did it. Your artisan soap bases have nothing on my 35% superfatted matcha whipped cream emulsion. Suck it /u/bostonphototourist.

Real talk though, this was a miserable shave. All the grease and none of the slickness. 2/10 would not shave, elbows too pointy. #photocontest #FOF #ROTY

July 26, 2023

• Brush: Boti – Totem Pineapple Swirls with Green Tuxedo 25mm Synthetic Knot
• Razor: Star – Silver Star
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Stoney Acres Goat Milk Shave Soap – Barber Shoppe
• Post Shave: Clubman – Citrus Musk
• Fragrance: BVLGARI - Man Rain Essence

I was pretty confident I’d be the only one using this soap because (1) it’s from a local goat farm and (2) the performance is absolutely abysmal. Honestly, I’d rather use canned goo than this. It suck, suck, sucks, sucks, sucks. I had such positive feelings when I bought it. I had bought several artisan-type shave soaps and then I was this at a Farmers’ Market. I love buying locally made anything and finding someone local to me that made shave soaps seemed too good to be true. It was. This bubbles up quickly and seems to get a kinda sorta almost decent lather going, but then it’s a race against time to shave with it because the lather literally disappears off my just as quickly as I can put it on. It does leave behind a slickness that I’d qualify as “good enough”, but without much actual lather to protect my skin. I’ve used this twice before today and I’m glad I didn’t have the heart to get rid of it, because it came in handy for a day like this!

The scent is eerily similar to Maggard’s London Barbershop. And by eerily similar, I mean they use the same preblend. Nothing special at all and too powdery for my liking. For the splash, I have Clubman Citrus Musk, which is also a less than stellar performer. I understand this stuff had its place, but I don’t understand how Clubman is still in business. I’ve tried 3 samples of their stuff, and it’s all garbage.

The fragrance I used today, was nice. I picked Man Rain Essence because, like the soap and splash, it has citrus notes and musk to link them all together. The cologne also has green tea and is a little woodsy, which I thought did a good job of picking up where the splash failed. #FOF

CHALLENGE

After scrolling through the dens of you guys, I feel very inadequate. Every soap and splash I own can fit into this white bucket. Samples and smushes from the community are what is getting me through these games. It’s wild to me to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

July 26, 2023 – Avocado Spray

• Brush: Hand
• Razor: Merkur 34C
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Spray
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux – Admiral

My intent was not to shave with anything weird today, I was going to use the sample of CB La Terre Verte I got, but, well, that’s not in the spirit of the games. We’re staying at my cousin’s house for this week and a half away from home and she is what my wife would call “crunchy.” Everything is natural, organic, essential oil cleaners, etc. Their home is also very decluttered and simple – I’m amazed at how little they have when they have adolescent boys. It’s been a bit inspiring, actually, and we’re going to make some changes at home. Not to be fully crunchy, but, simplify some stuff, declutter some stuff, etc. I digress.

She has a lot of different oils in the house and spray avocado oil seemed like a decent bet for a slick shave.

It was not. For an oil that lubricates pans, it did not lubricate my face. So tuggy. Not smooth. Not an unpleasant feel on the face or post shave, but, very unpleasant with a razor dragging across it. Full 3 passes, couple nicks. Hand lathered because, well, there was no use trying to lather this stuff – it was more like spreading a very wet cream.

As for the Den Tour, here it is. This is more shaving wares than your average person will own in a lifetime, but, it’s just what I stashed with on this long trip. When I realized that I did not take pictures or record my den before we left on the trip (last Tuesday, woof) I had hoped that by some chance this day would be one of the final 2 days when we are back home. Alas, here we are, so you – like me – get the putneycj travel den on this tour. Some samples, some smushes, some frags, 3 razors, and 2 brushes. It’s not much, but it’s an honest travel kit.

FOF Haiku of the Day

Avocado Spray
Guacamole it is not
Unscented is best

Edit: haiku formatting

July 26, 2023 - Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: High temp silicone pastry brush
• Razor: Fatip Classic Grande Nickel Open Comb
• Blade: Gillette Minora Stainless
• Lather: Momofuko Milkbar - Lemon Curd (homemade)
• Post Shave: Harney & Sons - Earl Grey Supreme tea
• Tea Cup: Calamityware - Things Could Be Worse (20 oz. Mug)
• Fragrance: Danncy - Pure Vanilla Extract

#FOF

Today’s Theme:

After reading many posts looking to avoid what has already been used, I decided to make my own lather from scratch. A couple weeks ago, I made lemon curd for the first time using Christina Tosi’s recipe from the “momofuku milk bar” cookbook. It was pretty easy to make and quite delicious. I didn’t have any leftover, so I went ahead and made some after dinner. For a splash, I decided to add in some Earl Grey tea, and as long as everything was coming from the kitchen, some vanilla extract my in-laws brought us from Mexico. Since lemon curd is about half emulsified butter, it acted a lot like a cream or lotion. Shave was surprisingly average. The curd was very drippy, especially after rinsing the razor and getting a bit of water onto things. The tea was cold by the time I used it as a splash.

Today’s Challenge:

I took the opportunity of a den tour to straighten things up. So all the loose stuff onto the bed for pictures. The first picture is everything that was in my home office. The second pic in the group is the hardware, fragrances, and loose odds and ends from my bedroom. While the third is the bulkier storage bins of soaps and splashes. Putting everything out like this really drives home how much stuff I have. Not pictured are some samples that will be finding a new home next month.

Today’s Fragrances:

There are not a lot of ingredients in the lemon curd. Lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, butter, eggs, and some gelatin. The fragrance is pure lemon. Not getting a lot from the butter and eggs. I thought what better than some Earl Grey tea. Strong hit of bergamot, followed by the earthy black tea. It is from one of my favorite tea companies. What could complete this evening tea? How about transforming the lemon curd scent into cookies? This vanilla my in-laws gave us is very strong. When we use it in recipes, we usually cut it in half. Just a drop was enough to fill the bathroom with a bright, floral, vanilla. I now smell like a nice little dessert after dinner.

Today’s Haiku:

Vanilla, Lemon,
Having some tea and cookies,
For my shave tonight.

July 26, 2023 – Wild card Wednesay

• Brush: Century Travel Brush #ANCIENT #RUNT #SMOLL
• Razor: RazoRock Lupo SS .72
• Blade: Wizamet (15)
• Lather: Archaic Alchemy – Agave
• Post Shave: Lucky Tiger – Lucky Tiger
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Macaque

Challenge: Den tour. I moved most of my shave stuff to this bookcase. Moving all these boxes and seeing how much shelf space is taken up puts things into perspective. There’s a few things in the bathroom, but this is most of it. Every box is full, so there’s loose software where space could be found. One of the shoe boxes contains frag samples. The other has soap samples, two packages of Nacets, assorted boxes, cases, and odds and ends. The tea tin is full of blades.

—

Meet Mr. Monkey. Today I’m going to teach Mr. Monkey how to shave. First things first, I have a brush and razor that are just the right size for Mr. Monkey. Now to select a brush for myself… What’s that Mr. Monkey? We both have to use your brush? I don’t think your brush is big enough… No! Stop that! Don’t throw that! Bad monkey! Don’t make me spank you! Fine, fine! We’ll both use your brush.

Let’s load our brush with soap. Alright Mr. Monkey, put that into your shave mug. I’m going to face lather. Now, watch how I do it. Okay, your turn. Let’s get you lathered up, and shave.

Good job! Time to clean up. Let’s rinse your mug.

—

Hopefully someone found that amusing. Full album

I found this vintage NOS brush on ebay. The seller’s description says these are from the 80’s. The knot diameter is 12 mm; loft is 33 mm. There were other brushes that could’ve met the requirements for these tags, but this one made me laugh, so I bought it. The knot was springy. I had to pinch the knot above the handle to pick up any soap. It took a little effort to get it to splay. It says “pure badger” on the bottom of the handle. It was scritchy and uncomfortable to face lather with. Going into this, I was worried it would fall apart. It made it through with about 3 hairs falling out. However, it felt fragile. It’s so tiny that it’s totally impracticable, but good for a gag.

Agave is true to it’s name. I’ve never smelled the plant itself. But, I find it to be accurate to agave sweetener, or mezcal.

Lucky Tiger is a post shave product I like to use when I don’t have a matching splash. The face feels are good. It smells like orange oil. Sometimes it’s nice to have something simple.

In honor of Mr. Monkey, today’s fragrance is Macaque from Zoologist Perfumes. Macaque is strongly animalic fight off the bat. It’s a dirty fecal note, like visiting elephants at the zoo. There’s some aromatic leafy green notes.

After some time to dry down, it’s greener, there’s a hint of zesty citrus. I’m getting a note that smells like patchouli.

Overall, it’s heavy and there’s no brightness to lighten things up.

#FOF

DAY 26 LATHER GAMES!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: DS Cosmetics 30mm Tuxedo Knot
• Razor: Eldrorm Industries MM24 #BRASSING
• Blade: GEM PTFE(?)
• Lather: Ingram - Cool Lather Shave Cream
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Tres Matres splash
• Fragrance: Versace - Eros

​

PIC OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN

​

My whole day went to shit, when I woke up and saw that u/OnionMiasma stole my idea to shave with motor oil... And before you say "Of course you'd say that". I have a video that proves that I've done it almost a year ago!

So yeah, I was stumped... I went through the whole day thinking "What should I use?!?!?", it rained a bit so I gathered some rain water, but then thought, that's boring... I thought cleaning agents, dust, dirt, rosin.... All were boring. So I scrubbed it up the best I can and used an Egyptian cream no one's ever heard of!

On top of it all Onion took a stab at me, for no reason.... At least u/Priusaurus was honest, I thought Onion was a companion in battle, but we now see his true colours.... This is for you Onion!!!

​

DAILY CHALLENGE

Video

Now since I constantly move from my home town to the capital I don't really have a shave den on something to that extent. But I do have a travelling shave den in a gorgeous leather bag which I keep all my most precious things! You can see in the video, hopefully it's not too boring like this SOTD, probably my worst since the start....

#FOF

Honestly I'm so pissed I just threw some stuff together as best I could, my grand plan was foiled... Eros goes kind of well with Tres Matres, but I can't say it's a great match the vanilla kind of collides with the rosewood. Could be better, but it's ok.

• Daily Lather Themes: 26/30
• Daily Challenges: 26/30
• Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 19/20
• Hardware Vendor Points: 2/2
• Software Vendor Points: 12/13
• Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1
• 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 26/30
• 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 26/30
• 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 26/30
• 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 26/30

July 26, 2023 – LG 26: Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Coprolite B15
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE 89 #TWINS
• Blade: Personna Stainless (2)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Remote Learning
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Remote Learning
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Smash

Video first

Soooo… over the years I’ve seen WD40, numerous personal lubricants, melted anal suppositories, and PB/Banana “lathers” among many others. My first year I’d only heard of the famed jizz shave. I’ve dabbled in some weird stuff for this day, but today I thought I’d go with the greatest meme soap wetshaving has ever seen – Remote Learning. As it stands, this is one of 2 in existence, until u/priusaurus managed to get u/rocketk455 to make a batch if at just 10 people were in. Well… looks like r/wetshaving is getting its wish. If you missed the preorder, or just want one of the OG April Fools edition sets because it’s true UnOBTaNIuM, comment your favorite Doritos flavor below, and we’ll let LatherCat decide who the lucky winner is. Additionally, for each entrant I will donate $5 to East Bay Children’s Book Project. up to $150. I really benefitted from this org as a young teacher bolstering up a class library.

Now, when I won this in a PIF, ~~just the other day~~ many months ago, it hit close to home. I was a teacher through distance learning, and to put it lightly it was tough. I work at a school (I joined the dark side of admin… boo) that is traditionally underserved and 100% BIPOC, and the pandemic only exacerbated the inequities and issues faced, and is still clearly impacting students and outcomes. Stepping off my soap box now, I knew I had to wait and save this soap for lather games, with the clear intention of passing it on (see above PIF guidelines). I sat on it like Smaug, basking in its glory, sniffing it every so often, just to finally shave with it today.

I’ll keep the #FOF short. It smells like cheesy tortilla chips, the corn quite prominent. The AS is actually decently spot on for The Dew. Smash kept the theme ~~food oriented~~ gourmand, and I was no stranger to a cocktail post remote learning days. It’s peachy, it’s boozy, it’s delicious.

Our #PHOTOCONTEST is technology, as zoom was clearly the winner of distance learning. Dumbass Skype had years of advantage at hand and fumbled that opportunity.

Den tour in picture form, which is most comprehensive. To expand on it a bit, main den vid, brush vid, and sample more in depth vid. Edit to add: custom shelf I made. Sadly it was custom fit for an old bathroom and isn’t getting use now, but hopefully soon.

Lastly, obligatory thanks u/onionmiasma for the razor loan.

soap brands 26/30, post shave 26/30, frag 26/30, post/frag linked 26/30, software sponsors 13/13, hardware sponsors 2/2, razor hashtags 10/15, brush hashtags 10/15, photo contest 26/30, daily challenges 23/25, special challenges 3/5