June 1, 2024

• Brush: 2023 Lather Games Champion Trophy with AP Shave Co 26mm SilkSmoke Synthetic Knot #FRANKENBRUSH #COMPOSITE #TOLL
• Razor: Rolls Razor #FOREVERSAFETY #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Rolls
• Lather: AA Shaving – Wapiti Soap
• Post Shave: WSP - Mahogany Splash
• Fragrance: Jovan - Sex Appeal

What’s the best way to kick off my quest to become the first ever back-to-back Lather Games Champion? I need to set the tone from day one. Let every last one of you know that I am not taking it easy this year. If you want to take this trophy from me, you’re gonna have to pry it from my slippery, lathered hands. I will not lay down and I certainly will not back down. No, I won’t back down! You could stand me up at the Gates of Hell… But… I won’t back down.

What’s the best way to set the tone and let your opponents know that you mean business? As I oft do, I look to history to help guide me, since we all know history has a way of repeating itself. I think back to an event that set the tone for something great. Something at set the tone for a lot of our ancestors. Something that set the tone for the foundation of my country. An event that made us THE United Fucking States of America!!! The place where WE first let u/enndeegee’s Great-Great-Great-Great Grandparents know that we aren’t gonna take their bullshit anymore! The British think they can tax our tea?? Get out of here with that nonsense! Good luck collecting taxes from the bottom of the fucking Boston Harbor! That’s right. Priusaurus’ Lather Games 2024 Shave Numero Uno took place at the site of the Boston Tea Party. The place that set the stage for the American Revolution is the same place setting the stage for Lather Games X: Priusaurus’ Revenge: Part Deux: ~~Electric Boogaloo~~ Defending the Crown™.

What was once called “Griffin’s Wharf” is now (appropriately) called “Independence Wharf” and there’s a marker that memorializes the night a group of colonists banded together and tossed 342 chests full of tea into the Boston Harbor, giving a figurative middle figure to King George, u/enndeegee’s family, and taxation without representation. And that’s the same energy I’m working with today! And to really drive the point home, I nicely packed up a special brush to use today. It’s a little big, but I was proud to unwrap this badboy as my brush today. I’m not going to lie to you. As far as brushes go, this isn’t the most comfortable one in my den, but the goal today is intimidation, not comfort. I can have good, comfortable shaves starting in July, as I gaze at my Championship Trophy for another year. Now, it’s time to get to work.

I find a spot on a bench, overlooking a replica of the ship that the badasses threw tea off (called The Beaver), and lathered up my smoosh of Wapiti, that was so generously sent by u/OnionMiasma. And I’m just gonna throw this out there to start. This brush is NOT ideal for making a lather in a travel bowl. It’s my first-time using AA Shaving and I have them fighting with one arm tied behind their back before lather ever hits my face because the brush is unwieldy. Next, the homeless guy sleeping on the bench next to me started making noise, so I was rushing more than I would have liked. And finally, never used a Rolls Razor before and likely never will again. I honed it on my own stones to the best of my ability (which admittedly isn’t that great) but there’s a reason why they stopped making these things. Tough draw for AA Shaving. Might as well tie the other arm behind their back, and maybe a leg too. The first time I use them and it’s also the maiden voyage with these two contraptions for brush and razor. And it’s outside, trying to use the selfie mode on my camera as a mirror. But… That’s the way Lather Games be sometimes. Unsurprisingly, as I shaved, I got a few looks from people passing by, but once again: That’s the way Lather Games be sometimes. Got a somewhat serviceable shave and managed not to slice myself open. Gonna be an awesome month!

Oh yeah, and a friendly little reminder for my fellow competitors this year: You come at the King, you best not miss. Priusaurus’ Revenge: Part Deux: Defending the Crown™ starts today.

#FOF: Against my better judgement, I’m tossing my hat into the ring for FOF again this year, despite having no idea what I’m doing. Sorry u/wallygator88! Not the best start, if I’m being honest. When I lathered it, Wapiti smelled mostly aquatic to me, and I was expecting a bit more woodiness based on the scent notes. I brought WSP Mahogony as a splash, expecting the woody-spicy splash to complement the wood notes in the soap, but it just didn’t jive like I hoped. The fragrance, Sex Appeal, was used mostly for the double-entendre, but also does have a sandalwood note and actually it doesn’t smell too bad. The spiciness of it actually pairs pretty good with the splash and it almost has an Old-Spice-esque vibe to it. The splash and frag really made this a woodtastic shave!

Special Challenge: Never used a Rolls before. And back in the drawer it goes. #neveragain #unlessitsforachallenge

Soap theme justification: Never used AA Shaving before

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: All scents have an over-abundance of wood 👀

June 2, 2024

• Brush: Galepromot Brown Badger #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Wizamet (3)
• Lather: Henri et Victoria – Navigateur
• Post Shave: Areffa Soap – Discoverer
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Admiral

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Daily Theme: Ahoy, Lather Games!

Theme justification: Henri et Victoria Navigateur is nautically themed. The scent description talks about the Caribbean seas and a fabled beast that sailors fear is enhanced by the fragrance’s freshness. Plus, it has a sailor on the lid.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Navigater. Discoverer. Admiral. These are all titles that can (and have been) bestowed on seafaring individuals. One, though, stands out. Christopher Columbus. While he’s a little controversial today, there is no doubting his historical significance. He “was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa …” who was given the rank of “Admiral of the Ocean Seas” by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. He is, rightfully or not, also often considered the discoverer of the New World.

So this shave is a Christopher Columbus themed shave. No genocide is endorsed or was caused by this shave

Fun fact, I tried to bring up the topic of changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day when I was an intern. The person I told this to (who has since left) told me, “Why? Everyone has skeletons in their closet.” I dropped the idea. I should bring it back up.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: The Gillette Slim is an adjustable razor.

Brush facts: The brush was purchased on Amazon. Per the listing, it is badger brush. For $5, it has to be the lowest quality badger available.

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Daily/Special Challenge: Paleontology Day

/u/Priusaurus is a good dude. He’s sent me a couple smushes over the past year, and has always been willing to answer questions. Was his win last year legitimate, or did was the win stolen from /u/OnionMiasma? The world may never know. The record books, however, have /u/Priusaurus as the rightful ruler. Plus, as he showed yesterday, he has the hardware to prove his victory.

So, to honor him I shaved with his beloved Worcester IceCats goal horn playing on repeat. In addition, /u/Priusaurus, I’ll send you the cash to cover the price and shipping if you win this auction for $5 #NotABribe

Also, since he is the one that is responsible for the Remote Learning Group Buy, I incorporated Doritos into my shave today. I didn’t have any Nacho Cheese Doritos, but I did have a new bag of Spicy Sweet Chili. I crushed them up and added them to my nearly complete lather. Here it is all mixed together, and here it is on my face. Please don’t judge my lather. I was using a very terrible brush and then I added Doritos to it. The shave actually wasn’t too bad. HeV is a good, slick base, but the nice smell of Navigateur was overpowered by the Doritos. 2/10. Do not recommend adding Doritos to your lather.

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Frag description

Chatillon Lux Admiral

Look, right now the only thing I can smell is Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos. Admiral, though, is one of my favorite CL frags (again, it would be a lot better if the lemongrass and riverboat smoke wasn’t accompanied by Doritos). In a normal wear, it does transport you to the Mississippi River. Might just be me, and local STL people can chime in, but it takes me back to walking near the Arch right by the river.

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Okay, so let’s talk about today’s shave. This was my first (or second; cannot fully recall) using HeV. It’s quite nice. Between them and MacDuff’s, I’m starting to think Canadians know what their doing with shave soap.

The brush, though, I’m 99% confident is actually a boar brush. It’s listed as badger on both the Amazon page and the packaging, so that’s what I’m going with for my hardware points. I’m just glad I will never have to use this one again. It went straight into the trash after the shave, which is where it would’ve ended up before too long regardless. It lost, seemingly, 20% of its hairs during the shave.

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Totals:

Razor Hashtags: 2/10
Brush Hashtags: 3/10
Hardware Sponsor Points: x/2
Software Sponsor Points: 1/16
Number of Lather Brands: 2/30
Number of Lather Scents: 2/30
Number of Post Shaves: 2/30
Number of Frags: 2/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 3, 2024

• Brush: Zenith B16 #OLDWORLD #HOLLOW
• Razor: Ever Ready – 1912 #TWINS #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Razor: Gem - 1912
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Daveli Farms - Cranberry, Pomegranate, Vanilla Sheep Fat Shave Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Pinky Swear Splash
• Alum: Exotic Blend of Salts from around the World
• Fragrance: Clinique – Cocoa & Cashmere EdP

🎵Mary had a little lamb🎵
🎵Little lamb🎵
🎵Little lamb🎵
🎵Mary had a little lamb🎵
🎵Whose fleece was white as snow… And whose lamb had sweet, sweet talloooooow🎵

Did you know the classic children’s nursery rhyme was about a real-life girl named Mary Sawyer? And you’ll never guess who followed her to school one day, school one day, school one day… It was a little lamb! No one actually documented the name of the lamb, so for the sake of this post, we’ll call the lamb: Porkchop. You can read the whole story here, but poor, little Porkchop was abandoned and Mary rescued him. And Porkchop pretty much became her shadow, following her around everywhere. The consensus is that one of Mary’s classmates wrote much of the nursery rhyme we know and love based on his eyewitness account. Now, there are some controversies about who actually wrote the diddy, but the story itself is believed to be 100% factual. Henry Ford, yes the car guy, even stepped in and purchased the actual Old School House that Porkchop followed Mary to and moved it 20 miles away from its original location to preserve the building. No word on what happened to little Porkchop or if they made shaving soap out of its tallow. But they should have. Because I’ve tried a few different soaps made from Sheep Fat and I haven’t been disappointed yet.

This Daveli Farms shaving soap performs quick well, especially for the price-point – I think it was like $8 for the tub. It’s definitely a no-frills soap. No fancy art, or layers of complex scent profiles here. Hell, it came in plastic wrap and I had to put it in my own tub. But at the end of the day, it smells nice enough and gives me a good, slick shave. I don’t know what it is about sheep tallow, but I really enjoy shaving with sheep fat soaps. To some noses, the funk of sheep can be a bit too much, but for me, the performance positives outweigh any slight sheep funk.

"Everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go." And indeed, everywhere my razor went, this soap provided the perfect cushion and glide. No nicks or cuts – just a smooth, close shave that left my skin feeling as pampered as little Porkchop The Lamb. The sheep fat tallow works its magic, creating a rich, slick lather white as snow that feels super smooth on my skin. It was a shave experience that will leave me with a DFS that’s bound to follow me to work all day, work all day, work all day. The DFS will last all day, because it’s was a good shave!

#FOF: The sweet, tangy notes of cranberry and pomegranate mingle with the warm, sweet aroma of vanilla in the soap. I quite enjoy it this scent, and building off the sweetness from the vanilla and finishing the shave off with Pinky Swear, which is comprised of Caramelized Sugar, Nutmeg, Cocoa, Cedar, White Musk, Tonka, & Vanilla sparks joy in my life. To triple the sweetness, I used Clinique’s Cocoa & Cashmere, which is almost like a simpler version of the Pinky Swear Splash, sharing Cocoa, Vanilla, and Musk notes. No surprise, a stellar gourmand day in the books! Together, this trio created a symphony of scents that harmonized pretty perfectly. The bright, fruity notes of cranberry and pomegranate, the creamy vanilla, the immediate sweetness of Pinky Swear, and the rich, warm embrace of Cocoa & Cashmere all blended into a magnificent fragrance journey from start to finish.

Challenge: Osma. No thanks. Never touch the stuff and probably never will. I’d rather grind it down into a powder and snort it before rubbing a dirty old block of salt on my face. And you shouldn’t either... HOWEVER, in the spirit of the Lather Games, I decided to try something today…

It's come to my attention that I can come across as a "Coastal Elite", or perhaps a bit "smug" or even "arrogant". Whatever. Just because I enjoy the finer things in life, doesn't mean I can't slum it with you commoners in r/wetshaving. So, imagine my surprise when I found out there are people who will take a basic block of salt and rub it on their face after shaving. Unbelievable! What will you poors think of next? But I digress... Priusaurus doesn't do anything basic and I'm not about to start today. I gathered a smattering of my artisanal salts, and mixed them together in a one-time-use crystal bowl. If you all do a basic block of salt, I'll do a blend of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt, Black Icelandic Lava Salt, Icelandic Flaky Sea Salt, and Smoked Salt Flakes from the coast of Maldon, Great Britain... Because, it's truly the only civilized way. I rubbed this concoction all over my face and despite using higher quality materials, I don't see the appeal and have come to the conclusion that I am simply too high brow to understand this Osma thing. This will be the last time I rub salt on my face after shaving. My face feels like a freshly brined piece of Wagyu that I'm about to Sous Vide and serve with a glass of Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard 'Mundus Bacillus Terrae' Malbec. Ugh... I'll never live this stunt down with my friends at The Country Club.

Soap theme justification: The soap is made from Sheep Fat.

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Everything tasty and sweet.

June 4, 2024 – LG Day 4 – K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Omega Model 10048 Pro 48 Chrome Handle Boar #HOLLOW #TOLL
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #FLIPTOP #MODERNGEM
• Blade: AccuTec Pro Premium
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Almond Creme
• Post Shave: Cella – Lozione Dopobarba
• Fragrance: Bon Parfumeur – 901: Nutmeg, Almond & Patchouli

Marizpan. One note.

Marzipan is primarily made from almonds, hence the name: Almond Creme. (It’s worth noting that marzipan is neither a creme/cream, nor does it contain cream, so the latter half of the name is rather silly.) If you were to take a good huff of a fresh tub of this soap, you might say out loud to the customer’s at Maggard Razors, “Say! This doesn’t smell like almonds at all! Brad Maggard is a fraud, and so is Rod Stirling! Lock them up, I tell you!” However, there was no fraud committed, nor was there a mistake at the Stirling factory/compound/roaster/household. Almond Creme owes its cherry-like aroma to benzaldehyde, a chemical compound naturally found in almonds. Interestingly, this same compound is also present in cherry pits. So, in a backwards sort of way, if you were to bake a clafoutis, you would be equally as surprised to find the flavor more almond-like than cherry. None of this is particularly relevant, but I seem to have niched myself into a corner of providing fun facts as part of my SOTDs.

Now, if you dive further into my shave, you’ll notice that I don’t keep it simple (stupid) in my post or frag. This is primarily because I don’t own a one-note frag (does one even exist?), nor do I own a one-note aftershave. There was a clear thread going on when I planned this, however. Cella, the grandpappy of almond soaps, created a lozione dopobarba (aftershave) with a bafflingly different and not particularly complementary scent. This isn’t like when Will of BaM made different scented products that were meant to pair beautifully, and then got ran out of town. Quite the opposite. Cella is still beloved, at least among the boomer markets, and the soap and post shave seem to have each been created with complete disregard of the other. So, almond soap, “relevant” post shave, at least per the folks at Cella. Now is where the screw up occurred. On paper/in theory, my frag is relevant, and I believe should be considered as much for the purposes of djudging. However, “901: Nutmeg, Almond & Patchouli” is not the pairing I would recommend. Firstly, my sample of Almond Creme seems to have magically given up all its cherry delights and has absorbed the scents of the other Stirling samples I haphazardly threw in with it. Secondly, as noted, Cella aftershave does not smell like almond (or even cherry). It’s a masculine, barbershop-like, rather stereotypical and inoffensive cologne smell. Which is fine. I like it. But it’s weird to use after an almond soap. Lastly, this frag also does not smell like almond. It smells like the version of patchouli that you smell when entering a hippy-dippy shop that immediately gives you a headache, and then someone threw some warming spices into your face as they leave through the same doors you just walked through. TL;DR: soap that doesn’t smell like almond followed by barbershop splash followed by aggressive hippies. #FOF

I’m too new to the hobby to have fond memories of bases past. I could be like some of the folks at the Ranch and wax poetic about the days of Reserve and complain about how Omnibus funk is an affront to nature, but I don’t actually feel that way. I accept that the Base Race will go on, even though it is a neverending race to the bottom. My favorite base is Highlander because it’s so easy to use, to the point of being foolproof. But 20.1 was also great. I don’t know if either Doug or whatever SBS’s base is called have ever changed. Tusk is rad, as is Darkwing. Stirling sheep base is fantastic, but I’ve never had a bad shave with their standard base that couldn’t be chalked up to user error. All artisan bases are good. We are ultimately slowly destroying ourselves. The end is nigh.

Day 4
Brush: DS Cosmetic – 24mm Boar/Badger #MISTURA * Razor: Gem G-Bar #FLIPTOP * Blade: GEM PTFE * Lather: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon Soap * Post Shave: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon Splash * Fragrance:* House of Mammoth – Sonder EdP

Is there anything sadder than a single scent note? Especially as it gets older and sees other scent notes around it pairing off and starting their own complex fragrance structures. And there, Eleven’s Sicilian Lemon is still single. Sure, it was probably fun for Sicilian Lemon for a while – not tied down to anything and can live its own life. Lemon probably tells himself he’s happier being free to be himself. His life isn’t predictable like a lot of the other wetshaving scents out there. He can go ride with anyone at any time! Then he starts to hear it from family, “When are you going to settle down and find a nice scent for yourself?” and “You know, I saw Seville down at the store the other day! He appears to be doing well – found himself bergamot, lavender, oakmoss, patchouli, AND rosemary – don’t you know… It’d be nice if you give me scent notes like that!”

Sicilian Lemon just rolls his eyes and bites his tongue, just barely muttering out, “I’m trying mom, but it’s not easy. Pairing with fragrances is a lot harder than you and dad came together and made Arko… I’m trying.”

And at that point, I thought to myself, to be truly happy, shouldn’t Sicilian Lemon find a life partner? Mustn’t it be sad to be a single scent note in a world of complex fragrances? So that’s what I set out to do! I arranged a series of dates to take Sicilian Lemon out on, hoping he could find someone to pair with.

First I put him with a lime, but the lime was a little too… similar. Kinda like dating your cousin.

Then I tried a red pepper, but while claiming to be sweet, the pepper was a bit too… Bland.

Since that didn’t work, I though Red Pepper Flakes could be hot, but it ended up being too… Spicy.

I tried pairing Sicilian Lemon with an Onion, but it just cried and cried and cried.

Then, I thought, maybe a little lemon on lemon action would be nice… But, as it turns out, Sicilian Lemon doesn’t swing that way.

It was around this point, I started to think that this might be hopeless after all. And then it hit me: Maybe this Sicilian Lemon is perfectly happy being single. Deep down, everyone wants to love and be loved in return, but that doesn’t mean Sicilian Lemon isn’t loved – it just means Sicilian Lemon isn’t gonna settle for just anything! And if Sicilian Lemon just stays Sicilian Lemon, that’s okay. And Sicilian Lemon can live a happy, fulfilled, loving life while remaining single. And that’s okay. We don’t need to harp on it or put Sicilian Lemon down or pressure him. Just let Sicilian Lemon live his life!

The lemony scent of the soap and splash is actually deliciously simple and very good. So that’s why I decided to finish my #FOF journey off with a more complex lemon scent – Sonder. The final flourish to this lemon day is here to elevate my base of lemon to new heights. Sonder is a complex, intriguing scent – it starts with a fresh, slightly sweet opening, then evolves into something deeper. There’s a hint of warmth, a touch of spice, and an underlying sophistication that makes it truly unforgettable. It’s like walking through a vibrant marketplace filled with citrus fruits and spices, all while being perfectly elegant.

Challenge I heard some of those old B&M bases were 🔥, but I never tried them. I think I miss the scents of companies like APR, MLS, and Dr. Jon’s more than I miss their bases. My favorite bases are probably Darkwing by Chicago Grooming Co or Catie’s Bubbles Premium Base.

The #photocontest category is: Time

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “K.I.S.S.” The Top 5 Worst Kisses of all time:

5) Eurotrip – A couple siblings drinking on Absinthe make out in Germany. The Empire Strikes Back walked so Eurotrip could run.

4) Spiderman’s upside kiss – Ever tried to kiss someone upside down, while the blood is rushing to your head and rain is pouring into your nose? Me neither, but it can’t be enjoyable!

3) Snow White– Prince stumbles upon an unconscious princess laying in the woods and his first reaction is to stick his tongue down her throat? WTF dude???

2) The V-J Day Kiss – Did she even consent? HELL NO SHE DIDN’T!! But… It was a different time, so no one really cared to ask.

And the number 1, worst kiss of all time is:

1) Lady and the Tramp – Munching down pasta and making out only works in cartoons. Trust me on this.

scruba games day 5

Well that was fucking stupid wasn't it.

I'm not playing to win because you know I don't have the requisite number of soaps, razors, brushes, vendors, or indeed the required amount of shit that needs to be given to win.

But when last years winner u/priusaurus is doing a lame pretend last minute shave, newly minted judge u/onionmiasma is replaying his greatest hits and at least half the shavers are 'using this that I bought for last time' then you know that I gotta do something.

Fucking scrubs all of them.

I don't have pharmacist soap because I'm not a scrub.

I am not going to buy it because I'm not a scrub

I am not going to lame out and use a DQable soap because I'm not a scrub.

I am going to take the daily challenge possible because I am not a scrub.

• Razor: no scrub x zenith MOAR BOAR #REVENANT #rainbow
• Brush: ruby adjustable #composite

*Lather: dermol 200 emollient shower cream

Yes I cellotaped a blade to the bottom of the brush. Yes I used the razor to spread shower cream on my face. Yes it cut at least one hair before the whole thing collapsed.

(And then yes I was a scrub and finished off with softheart sandalwood to take me back to a happy place)

Boring judge bit: on theme because I got this shower stuff from a pharmacist for my boy and because product doesn't specify shaving product. Tags work because I restored this brush into a razor fixing what was clearly a mistake and also because the new razor is green and white And the new brush is mixed material of plastic and metal.

05JUN2024 Canned Shave Goop

• Brush: None
• Razor: GEM Pushbutton
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [7]
• Lather: Barbasol with Aloe Vera
• Post Shave: AA Shaving - Moonlight

I want to start with this. I hate you all. First of all, Barbados. Absolutely not. Second of all, feet. Fuck no. I have really nothing more to say about my shave today. -1000/10. Fuck this theme and challenge.

Edit: I didn't realize I needed to use a brush. I hate myself and I'm not redoing it.

ROTY

Jun. 6, 2024 - Old Spice is... sigh... a beverage

• Prep: Shower, Baxter Shave Tonic
• Brush: Paragon Plisson Type
• Razor: Heritage Collection Gibbs 15
• Blade: Personna Platinum (2)
• Lather: Stone Field Shaving Company - No. 37
• Post Shave: Old Spice Classic (US)

No. I am not going to drink Old Spice. Aftershave does, in fact, have multiple carcinogens in it that should not be consumed and aftershave poisoning is a real medical thing. Sadly, alcoholics who lose access to alcohol have been known to drink aftershave in order to get their fix and it can cause extreme health issues. Given that, and the general rules about not doing stupid stuff for fake Internet shaving points, I am not going to drink Old Spice aftershave to prove to everyone that Old Spice is a beverage.

However, I do have some old spice. As in spice that has been sitting at the back of my spice cabinet for years, going through multiple moves. It is, in a literal sense, an old spice. People put spices in all sorts of beverages. In fact, many beverages are simply water flavored with spices of some sort or another. Thus if I put this old spice into water I would have an Old Spice Beverage. By logic then, Old Spice soap could be inspired by this Old Spice Beverage.

"Wait," you and the judges (always right they are) say, "In order for a beverage to be a beverage someone has to drink it." To which I say, "Hold my beverage."

On a more personal note, you may have noticed I didn't post yesterday. This is not because I didn't have some Old Spice canned goup I picked up at Walmart (they sell a head shave Old Spice cream) but because of u/onionmiasma. You see, he and I were kind of playing a fun thing on here pretending we were arguing with each other over a smush I forgot to send him - trading barbs back and forth in a light-hearted way. However, Tuesday, he kind of took it too far, claiming I was some sort of convicted criminal and sex offender because he found one on the Internet who wore Old Spice. There's jokes and there's insulting someone. It, honestly, wasn't cool at all and not in the spirit of what we were doing. I'm not one to air laundry out so I won't go into too much detail but suffice to say I was genuinely not feeling like putting on Old Spice or participating yesterday thanks to his post. Anyway, Onion is kind of an actual jerk so... yea.

Edit: I'm supposed to say something nice about u/visceralwatch but when I met him all I got was a stupid sticker.

Jun. 6, 2024 - Saint Henri
Brush: Zenith MOAR BOAR B35 #OLDWORLD #SUBBROOSH * Razor: GEM Clog Pruf #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY * Blade: Gem PTFE [18]
Lather: Stirling - Iced Coffee - Soap
Post Shave:* Stirling - Iced Coffee - Aftershave

It’s a cold thirsty Thursday in my bathroom with Stirling iced coffee. Love the menthol in this one and it complements the scent so nicely. But today’s post is about a poor attempt at honouring the best wet-tuber out there the one and only u/VisceralWatch

He was my original gem-nabler and the Clog Prüf that I bought from him quickly became a favorite SE that seems to get shinier with each use.

Photo is for the “Birds” (theme. Duh!)

#photocontest

June 7, 2024

V FOR VETIVER

(theme: Vetiver You Want)

• Brush: Black & Yellow Merit 99-5 by Heritage Collection Shaving / AP Shave Faux Boar Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: Muhle - Hexagon DE89
• Blade: Treet - Carbon Steel #STAINLESSLESS
• Lather: Cyril L. Salter - French Vetiver Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - 322 After Shave
• Fragrance: Heeley - Vetiver Veritas

WHY I LOVE IT

Just like Haitian spirits (rhum agricole and Clairin, a "no-filter" distillate full of rough edges), Vetiver walks the the fine line between smooth and wild, bright and dark, the tension between being a boasting crowd pleaser and an idiosyncratic loner with a truthful story to tell.

TODAY'S SPECIAL CHALLENGE: A GRASSROOTS SHAVE

ATG as first and only pass. Just as I did when I was an impatient teen in high school. Today's throwback shave with a DE was also my first time using a Carbon Steel blade. It went all fine, with the exception of the Danger Zone on the right side of my neck, where I couldn't get as clean as I wished. But well, there's always tomorrow.

AS TRUE AND AUTHENTIC AS IT GETS

On day 7, I feel it's time to open up and share some real truth.
In this fake digital world, we all struggle for a spark of authenticity.
To me, Vetiver is the olfactory equivalent of that spark.
The following two little chapters are like my bottles of Vetiver essential oil: just pure truth, distilled.

MY QUEST FOR TRUE VETIVER

My quest for True Vetiver started in the world of fragrances.

From the respected French classics (Guerlain, Givenchy, Dior) to the British reinterpretations, I was trying out anything that claimed to be the definitive answer to The Question About Vetiver.

Then I turned to Essential Oils: as I wanted to better understand Haitian Vetiver, during a trip to Paris I thought: "well, France made Vetiver a hero of male perfumery, and Haiti is a former French colony; as I have no chances to physically visit Haiti, let's see what the French can teach me about Vetiver". I went to stores specialized in herbalist products, and purchased a couple of essential oils made with the actual plant.

Their smell felt so great, that my perspective on Vetiver fragrances shifted drastically: as the real thing smelled so great, the biggest challenge for perfumers is, in my opinion, to find a way to elevate the ingredient without betraying it, the way that the best chefs can make a refined meal with even the most humble ingredient.

TODAY'S FEATS OF FRAGRANCE WITH VETIVER

I decided to start with Salter's French Vetiver, one the most "truthful" vetiver soap I could find here in the Old World (more authentic, to me, than MdC or LPL). It does remind of the root notes of the essential oils I tried, but without the fresh aromatic complexity I expected. From this honest but underwhelming base, I leapt into the understated complexity of CB's 322: if you smell it on its own, you could even be tempted to say that it's a simple scent that just smells like, well, good vetiver. But the comparison with French Vetiver reveals that 322 is actually a well blended accord, where the smooth yet fragrant (not overripe) black currant note acts like a prism to multiply the facets of this beauty.
Heeley's Vetiver Veritas takes me back to the canonic accord with a citrus and a green element, but with an inversion that makes it way more enjoyable than heavy-handed alternatives like Malle's Vetiver Extraordinaire (whose drydown for me is just bad).

FOF

THE QUEST IS OVER, AT LAST!

As an uncanny coincidence, today I went to the market and found a new stand with exotic fruits and vegetables. Next to the cash register, some green stems put there for decoration looked somewhat familiar. Hesitantly, I asked: "Is that...".

"C'est du Vetiver!" replied the vendor, a lean guy with Afro-Caribbean traits.

Filled with joy, I thanked him and bought some of it to bring it home, and add it to my SOTD pic.

THE TRUTH LIES IN THE BIGGER PICTURE

"Do you hear amidst the vetiver the loud cry of sweat?"

This quote from Afro-Caribbean poet Aimé Cesaire helps me shift the perspective and reveal some less-appealing truths beyond the comfort of the carefully selected frame.

While I did respect my promise for two little chapters of truth, I then embellished it with the inauthentic anecdote about the market vendor. A cheap trick to remind us all to remain vigilant and pay attention to the bigger picture.

Seduced by the stories of sophistication woven by perfume brands, we could easily forget that most of the world's Vetiver is harvested thanks to the hard labor of Haitian workers, on an island that has faced countless crises since it became the first Caribbean independent state, and the first Black republic. Foreign powers (mostly France and the US) kept trying to exploit it for decades. Today, the "Pearl of the Caribbean" is one of the poorest countries in the world, torn by a political and humanitarian emergency.

My little onion trick intends to be a reminder - first of all to myself - to not take out of the picture the hard sweat-smelling truths that make possible our daily comforts.

photocontest

ROTY

June 8, 2024 - Small Business Saturday - Maggard's Day

A FIRE IN THE SKY?

photocontest - Fire

• Brush: Alpha Brush & Shaving Co. - T-400 Blue Shaving Brush with 24mm Synthetic Knot #RESURRECTIONBRUSH
• Razor: Henson - AL-13 Medium Blue
• Blade: Gillette - Silver Blue [3]
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Fougère Angelique
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Fougère Angelique AS splash
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Fougère Angelique EdP

YET ANOTHER MUSICAL HOMAGE

PROOF READING

Okay, let's double check if I in my homage I mentioned all the notes:
Citrusness = Lime, Lemon, Neroli - check
Lavender, Geranium, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean - check
Cedar, Balsam Fir = woods - check
Oakmoss - check

Wait a minute... WAIT A MINUTE!
"Smoldering Flame"? Where does this come from? Let's check what the official website says... Uhm, a "gleamingly citrusy, approachable fougère touched by the cleansing flames of the heavens".

What?!

Aren't flames supposed to be in Hell, and wasn't being flame-less kind of one of the key selling points about going to Heaven?

We knew that u/BostonPhotoTourist had a penchant for violent suffering (proof), but he is also a very knowledgeable and well-read guy... Am I missing out here?
A google search on heavenly flames took me down a rabbit hole at whose bottom was... An Epic Symphonic Power Metal album by an obscure musician? WTF? After an extensive and expensive rehab cycle to detox my brain from derivative hard rock music, with painful relapses and unwanted flashbacks of a 1986 hit, I finally regained some glimpses of sanity.

Still looking for illumination, I turned to books, and finally I did find an illustration from a 15th Century Islamic manuscript from Central Asia: I shouldn't have doubted Will the Wise, he was right, there is a tradition of flames being a feature of the Seventh Heaven, and I was just too rooted in my received knowledge to know about it. I repent! Please don't exclude me from the Angelic spheres!

THE NEED FOR FAITH

No, not the religious one. The one in people who are fair and correct. One of the great things about both Brad Maggard and Will Carius is that I know I can blindly trust them with my business. Plus, they always answered any questions I could have, replying quickly, throughly and with courtesy. Maybe good deeds don't bring us to a celestial heaven, but I am content of this earthy world where karma made it so that B+M is by far the most represented artisan in my den (especially if you count the samples, mainly purchased from Maggard's!), and that Maggard's is the first US store where I have already placed more than ten orders over my first year of wetshaving shopping from the Americas.

MY MAD BRAGGARD DAY WAS MY CHEAPEST ONE

In November 2023, in a fit of FOMO I decided I needed I could no longer wait to try the newly released samples of the B+M (coincidence?) Winter seasonals: four mini-tubs, $3.80 each, for a total of $15,20. Even after I added three more samples, in the end I still managed to spend more for shipping and import costs than for the actual products.
It would've been wiser add more products to my cart, and to wait to make a bigger order, but the bug of impatience had bit me. I can't thank enough Maggard's team for fulfilling such a tiny order with the same care and professionalism that they devoted to more substantial ones.

FEATS OF FRAGRANCE

You may call it dickholing, but a heavenly fragrance requires to be experienced as a trinity.
Also, I don't think I ever tried these three products in the same shave.
To me, the lather mostly evokes a mossy, creamy rich citrus accord, bright but also soft, almost sweet. It has a somewhat "spherical" quality to it, like a heavenly hallucination of a ball of an intoxicating citrusy-mossy ice cream.
Nothing is spherical in the AS splash, which on the contrary provides a more vertical experience: the various notes are now in a succession of accords, like steps on the Stairway to Heaven (not the song, but the visionary MOTD!). During the drydown, you start to experience a slight metallic, gunpowdery note. Could it be...?
Well, the EdP brings this note of scorching metal more forward.
Is it the fire of an Archangel sword?
Only Will can tell us his flaming intentions, but in the meantime... Wait! Is it peppery? Or maybe, more accurately, pyrazinic, like that herbaceous note in many Cabernet wines?
Uhm, hot metal + u/BostonPhotoTourist equals to... Here's the epiphany! We may have previously rejected it within the context of human belligerence, but here, it actually adds an intriguing facet to the fragrance. I don't know if I'll still love it on the lung run. But for today, I am glad I went for the trifecta, being encouraged to pay attention so to continue with my daily #FOF

ROTY

June 9, 2024 - Shave and a Haircut

• Brush: Rubberset 49-3 #TOLL
• Razor: Graeger GR100B AC #KAMISORI
• Blade: Dorco AC
• Lather: Zingari Man - The Master
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - Barrbarr
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Seville EdC

FOF

Shave and a Haircut:

I looked at my selection and asked myself which Barbershop should I use? My response: All of them! Ok didn’t fit 100% of them but hit the big three and gave myself a bonus spritz after I used my selections. Justification for hitting the soap theme: ZM - The Master is blatantly a barbershop and even has a picture of a barber’s chair. For the post shave, once again hitting the theme in the name itself- Noble Otter - Barrbarr. Plus the label art is a riff on a barner’s pole and has an Otter getting a shave like at an old fashioned barbershop. Last Barrister and Mann - Seville is marketed as a barbershop, but the name is a play on “The ~~Rabbit~~ Barber of Seville”. I’ll be giving myself a haircut with a Wahl trimmer and #3 guard later today.

Today’s Challenge:

I am an idiot. I should have known that the djudges would throw u/cowzilla3 a bone and only pick Old Spice as the correct answer. I got a paltry 8.

Fragrantica:

This is a theme that just gives me the warm fuzzies. I never really went to an old school barbershop, so no clue what they should smell like. As a kid, my dad traded services with my mom’s favorite hair stylist. She’d come to our house and cut our hair, or we’d go to the salon where she worked. So a barbershop to me smells like fruity-floral shampoo, hairspray, styling mousse, and permanent chemicals. That is not what these are thank goodness. This was my first use of The Master. I’ve had the sample for a while. When I opened it, I thought it smelled similar to Seville. Citrusy, spicy/herbaceous (but not cinnamon/clove), a bit earthy and woody. Lathered it lost a lot of the scent. Maybe that’s because it is at least two years old. Noble Otter - Barrbarr was one of the first scents I got from them. Every time I use it, I think I could just use this everyday. It is clean with the lemon, but woody and earthy from the sandalwood and patchouli which complements The base notes of The Master. Finishing off this trio with Seville is a no brainer. How can you do a barbershop without “God’s Barbershop”. I first tried Seville in the Reserve base with a smoosh from u/OnionMiasma. It immediately went on my buy ASAP list, except in Omnibus. When Will introduced his EdC’s in Seville, Limon, and Nordost, I got the first two, but waited too long on Nordost. It is a funny thing, but the scent notes to Seville and Barrbarr are almost the same, but they are distinctly different in execution. All three scents worked well to build a harmonious trio. Wait a second, barber’s don’t do trios, needs to be a quartet. I gave myself a bonus spritz of Summer Break Soap - Picture Day EdT. It is a more powdery and clean barbershop scent, but still has enough in common with the trio to achieve

Today’s Sponsor:

What more can be said about the mad genius Kyle u/rocketk455? He somehow got a group of us to commit to a Dorito and Mtn Dew trifecta. It must be part of some sinister plan to take on big soap. Doritos and Mtn Dew are pretty popular products, and if that can be harnessed in the wetshaving world, first takeover the hobbyists, then use that momentum to get in every grocery store, Target, and Walmart. I think some people will claim someone else from these very games convinced Kyle to remake that scent, but why would he make his house stink of stale nacho cheese if it wasn’t part of a bigger plan?

June 6, 2024 – Taking My Stand

• Brush: Ap Shave Co Synbad 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Tech Fat Handle
• Blade: Personna Platinum Chrome (1)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – ROTY 2023
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – Contemplation

ROTY 2023 was inspired by both bourbon and hops to keep on theme for the day. But I’m going to keep this short and let the video speak for itself.

This is the link for my wettube declaration.

What’s done is done. Shoutout to u/airbudruler and definitely not u/cowzilla3 for helping me see the light, man.

June 9, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co - Black/Gold Flakes - 30mm Oumo Boar #TOLL
• Razor: Diane Hair Shaper #WECKONISTA
• Blade: Fromm
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Picture Day Soap
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Picture Day Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Hygge EdP

Smoke fills the room, as a meeting of shave artisans from around the globe gather for their monthly meeting. They're all tired. They meet regularly in the dimly lit streets of r/wetshaving where shadows danced with secrets and whispers echoed off cobblestone walls. They were are the darlings of the craft, their creations adored by connoisseurs who sought the exquisite aromas they concocted with passion and precision. But now, they were prisoners of their own success, shackled to the demand for barbershop scents that stifled their creativity and gnawed at their souls.

An artisan named Will took a long, drawn out drag on a cigarette. From the lit end, a long, cylindrical column of ash extended, seemingly defying gravity as it clung precariously to the cigarette. "I just don't know how much longer I can do this," he sighed. "I'm one of the best perfumers in this hobby and they want me to create another Barbershop scent..." He sounded beyond defeated.

A deafening silence filled the room. They all know the reality of the situation. The hive mind had asked for yet another barbershop scent and there's only so much one artisan can take.

Another artisan took a sip of whiskey from the dark corner and breaks the silence, "I'm telling you guys. Give up the barbershop scents. You'll feel better when you do." His voice was soft and gravely, yet his words projected across the room. Everyone stopped. You could cut the tension with a Weck. Kyle emerged from the darkness.

Some sneered, while others just shook their heads. Everyone was silent. That would be impossible! For their operations relied on the barbershop scents to stay afloat. They've created this monster and now they have to deal with the Frankenstein they birthed.

Kyle stood tall in the workshop, surrounded by shelves laden with exotic oils and dried herbs, his hands stained with the orange of Dorito dust. "You'll drive yourself insane if you keep doing Barbershops," he declared. Everyone knew he was right. His words carried the weight of years of frustration. "We're artisans, damn it, not puppets dancing to the tune of the masses. Set yourselves free and create something special! Something unique!"

His words hung heavy in the air. The others exchanged uneasy glances, their faces etched with doubt and fear. But Kyle's resolve was unwavering. He had made up his mind long ago, and he would not be swayed.

The other artisans knew there was truth in Kyle's words. But, they couldn't do it. While they would love to be done with Barbershop scents. They just couldn't. They had to bow to the whims of the masses, sacrificing their artistry for the sake of profit. While only Kyle would reclaim his craft, one tub of soap at a time, the rest would continue to grow weary, praying for a chance of artistic redemption, and just hoping to break free from their Crafters Choice prison.

But the path to Kyle's liberation was not without its obstacles. The public clamored for a re-release of Picture Day. Their voices were a cacophony of demands that threatened to drown out his voice of defiance.

But he would not be deterred. With steely determination and a heart as unyielding as a titanium razor, he would not back down. Kyle was armed with nothing but passion and unwavering belief in the power of his creativity. And a lot of lavender. As he stood in his quest for freedom, he knew that no matter the outcome, he had already won the greatest victory of all: the right to create on his own terms. And the sweet scent of defiance that lingered in the air would promise of a far brighter tomorrow than any Barbershop scent ever could. Maybe one day the other artisans would follow him, but today was not that day. For he was ahead of his time.

Fin.

My #FOF: Finishing up the shave with HoM Hygge is the most no brainer of every #FOF no-brainer there could possibly be. They’re both barbershop styles and share some of the same characteristics, but Hygge has a subtle citrus sweetness to it that really gives it an extra je-nais-se-quois where it is so much more than a barbershop fragrance. It’s clean, wearable, and there’s a musk that gives it an absolutely delightful warmth. These two scents share a lot of similar characteristics, but are wonderful on their own and amazing when layering the Hygge on top of the Picture Day Splash.

Challenge: I got a 15/32. I’m kinda pissed I missed Rawr.

Soap Theme Justification: From SBS: “This is my interpretation of a barbershop style scent, which was developed with my barbershop in mind”

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Barbershops everywhere!

June 11, 2024 – LG 11: Spring Showers Bring May Flowers

• Brush: Maggard Razors Purple Swirl Resin 24mm 2 Band Fan
• Razor: English Gillette Tech
• Blade: Treet Carbon Steel #STAINLESSLESS (4)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Lavender
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – Champs de Lavande
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Lavender

I want that purple stuff Reserve Lavender was the culprit to really lead me down the artisan wetshaving rabbit hole, and BM remains one of my favorite brands to this day. Lavender is also a flower, check mate theme.

Today, not only was #PHOTOCONTEST (hobbies) a purple explosion, I opted to take it several steps further. Sound on, Here’s me contemplating today’s choices. I opted to add some ube extract to make purple lather. Photos don’t do the color justice. Hopefully, these showcase better, insofar as staining the brush a neon purple/pink. As for my face, legit a bit willy Wonka. Good thing I don’t give a speech at work for graduation in a couple days…

For our #FOF BM lavender is a crisp, clean, and a smooth take on lavender. Its a recreation of Caldey Island Lavender, which I haven’t tried but is an AS hailing from Wales (where I will be in a couple weeks!). It is safe and sophisticated, classy and suave. It is not really spicy. It smells strikingly similar to the actual plant. As for Champs, its is way darker, grittier, and potent. Herbaceous and medicinal. there is an herbal eucalyptus quality too it that might turn some off, but I enjoy. Its peppery and spicy, but grounded in earthiness as it mellows.

As for today’s sponsor Yates, I had the pleasure of winning a custom razor from them last LG, and it is a favorite in my rotation. Custom LG engraving on the bottom, top cap. I was intending to use it today, but the bead blast titanium didn’t match the silver of the BM frag bottle as well as the Gillette, cest la vie.

soap brands 11/30, post shave 11/30, frag 11/30, post/frag linked 11/30, software sponsors 8/16, hardware sponsors 6/2, razor hashtags 8/15, brush hashtags 9/15, photo contest 11/30, daily challenges 9/26, special challenges 2/4

June 11, 2024

• Brush: Oumo - Pandora SHD - 28mm Badger #SHD
• Razor: Gillette - Aristocrat Adjustable
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: House of Mammoth – Alive Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Alive Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Alive EdP

"The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,
…
They thought, 'If only Casey could but get a whack at that—
We'd put up even money now, with Casey at the bat.'"

Ahhh… Spring. Despite all the pollen and having seasonal allergies, it’s my favorite time of year. The days get longer, the weather gets warmer, and the true sign of spring arrives: Baseball. There’s nothing like it. I get that the popularity of the sport is steadily decreasing and some people say it’s boring. But, to me, it’s perfect. There’s nothing like it. It's the same game that's been played for over 150 years. There's something special about it's relaxing pace, stellar atmosphere, and the fact that even the best players will fail 7 out of 10 times. Anything can happen in baseball. And in 1888, Ernest L. Thayer wrote the quintessential baseball poem “Casey at the Bat” in Worcester, Massachusetts. Telling the story of the Mudville baseball team, and their star player, Casey, as he comes up to the plate with the game on the line. I won’t ruin the ending for you, but give it a read or let James Earl Jones read it to you. It’s a wonderful piece of American literature and one of my twins toddlers’ favorite bedtime stories.

And since it was written in Worcester, Massachusetts, the AAA baseball team in Worcester – The Worcester Red Sox - have a statue of Casey at their ballpark to commemorate the poem being written there.

And I’ll give you one guess as to why I’m telling you this story....

If you didn’t guess that I’m shaving with Casey, then you haven’t been paying attention to how I operate. So yes, I packed up my mobile shave den and headed to Polar Park, home to the Worcester Red Sox, and went to Centerfield, where the statue of Casey sits.

Fortunately for me, there is a bench right next to the oversized Casey statue. Unfortunately for me, they are doing construction directly across the street from the statue, so there is a construction crew with a boom lift truck doing work 20 ft away from MY shaving space. The nerve… Usually shaving is my time to be at peace with myself, but with these guys hammering, loudly talking, and staring at me, it gets a little uncomfortable. As I started to load from the tub, one of the workers came over and told me he was the “site’s safety officer” and that I could sit here, but he was gonna stand here to ensure the crew was aware of me sitting on the bench. Ummmm… Sure thing bro-ski. If you wanna watch a guy shave, say the word and I’ll send a whole WetTuber SOTD thread to you. The whole interaction was weird and honestly a little tense. He clearly didn’t want me there, but also couldn’t really ask me to leave, since I was on the opposite side of the street from him and his crew.

A lesser Lather Games contestant would have packed it in at that point, but I had already put quarters in the meter, so I wasn’t about to let that $1.50 go to waste. With the added pressure of a “safety officer” looming over me, I rushed to build a bad looking, yet effective, slurry lather like u/sgrdddy taught us. I never want to be a bother to anyone when shaving in public, and this guy was not excited about my presence, so I didn’t take the time to build a spectacular lather. (Sidenote - I’m starting to think that maybe bowl lathering is the way to go for these mobile shaves. Especially when speed is of the essence. But I digress….)

I shaved without issue with Alive, splash on Alive, then sprayed on Alive, packed up my stuff, and said goodbye to my new safety officer friend as he pretended to not pay attention to me.

What a day to be Alive! Happy Spring to all!

Challenge: Color coordinated. Such green niceness! Looking at a lot of the pics today, I missed the memo about using grass as a background.

For #FOF, Alive is one of my favorite fragrances in this hobby and it screams Spring to me, so using an Alive trifecta was a no-brainer today. The green apple right on top of the fragrance gives it a fresh brightness, and then basil and bergamot add a little spice to it. Mix in some florals, then it sits on a deliciously woody and musky base that lasts for the rest of the day. This is the perfect scent for a shave at the ballpark!

Soap Theme Justification: Did you know Alive is a Spring Chypre in its original conception? I found that out thanks to u/USS-SpongeBob.

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Trickhole. It’s all relevant.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

• Brush: Declaration Grooming - Thaw Jeffington - 28mm B16
• Razor: Karve Shaving Co. - Overlander (Matte Black Aluminum)
• Blade: Personna Med Prep
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Florentine Fern - Luxury Cream Soap
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - Florentine Fern - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Catie's Bubbles - Florentine Fern - Parfum

June 12, 2024 – LG Day 12 – Mmm…Creamy

• Brush: Chisel & Hound v23 Fanchurian
• Razor: Karve CB SB-C
• Blade: Treet Classic (2)
• Lather: Derby – Lemon
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Glacial, Lemon Chill
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Sonder

Artisan shaving cream: for when you don’t have 30 extra seconds to make lather from soap. This is incredible. A marvel. Why are we using soap? Saving those extra 30 seconds was honestly life-changing. I got just as good as a shave with a fraction of the work! I’m actually so excited about this that I went back in time eighty years to make a radio ad, which you can listen to here!

The fragrance theme of the day is (obviously) lemon. Because of the use of lemon oil in ubiquitous cleaning products, using Derby Lemon brings that unfortunate association to the front of mind. It’s a big “lemon fresh” vibe, which wasn’t helped by glacial lemon, which is…also just lemon oil. Neither Derby nor Stirling were trying to do anything fancy, tricky, or convoluted here. Just bright, fresh, clean lemon. Sonder, on the other hand, is something special. I’m brought back in time to my childhood, taking my first bite of a lemon Oreo (or some other sandwich cookie brand; my memory's not great). Swirls of fragrant vanilla, sweet lemon, and pure childhood bliss. Sonder exudes comfort and summertime joy. #FOF

Den tour time! Album link for those who want just a quick look.

Photo 1: Razors live on a test tube rack in front of all my splashes (and a few balms), and above them on a shelf made with scrap wood live my brush collection, which is starting to get too big.

Photo 2: A disorganized mass of shaving soaps and a dopp bag containing a plethora of blades, many which have fallen out of their tucks and into a dangerous grab-bag layer on the bottom, as well as smushes and some other random items. On the right is where all my samples are, once organized, but now a chaotic mess.

Photo 3: My full bottles and travel sprays of fragrances. I wish this collection was bigger, but…money. I would like to figure out how to display these better.

Photo 4 and Photo 5: My fragrance samples, the only organized thing in this den. This system has made my daily SOTD pairings a whole lot easier, since I choose based largely on vibes when it’s not June, and when they’re all in a messy box, some (many) get forgotten about.

LG Day 12- Cream

• Brush: Leavitt & Pierce 22mm Silvertip
• Razor: Merkur 37C
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux (5)
• Lather: Musgo Real Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Proraso - Menthol & Eucalyptus splash
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Unscented AS balm

Woke up this morning and took a look at the calendar reminder on my phone that said today is Cream Day. Immediately, the musical jukebox in my head fired up and pingponged from here to here to here. Once I settled on a song, it was time for a shave. I've got a few cream options in the den, but Musgo won out. Throw in the 37C and a badger brush and it's 2008 for me all over again. Musgo is now wildly overpriced, but it's in the den for nostalgia purposes. For me, it still works like a charm. And while I think they reformulated the scent in the last several years, it still smells great to my nose.

Want to see my shave of the day and want to see what else I have stuffed into my house shaving-wise? Well, here's your opportunity to get a glimpse behind the curtain of loudmusicboy's shaving life via a den tour.

Try to enjoy your day and remember to be kind to one another.

DAY 12 LATHER GAMES! CREAMY CREAM CREMMITY CREME!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Simpson - Trafalgar T3
• Razor: Razorock - Game Changer 1.05
• Blade: Nacet
• Lather: Speick cream
• Post Shave: Brut - Oceana
• Fragrance: Krizia - Krizia Uomo

So I have a video for you today, BUT, before you watch it, I advise you read the text first, because the video will come naturally after the needed forplay is given.

Right, cream day, I already creamed myself seeing u/Priusaurus swallow that load on video, but I had still not shaven.

Many thoughts came through my mind, what should be MY theme of the day, and how can I spice things up? After some many hours of struggling my two brain cells to produce something I figured it out!

What is the thing that keeps mankind to fall behind on it's true potential as a species? You guessed it, McDonald's! Not just McDonald's itself, but the ice CREAM machine. Yes, that dreadful apparatus that never works, failing to bring joy to people. So I thought, fuck McDonald's I'm gonna go there, to the 31(24/7) McDonald's on the highway, have my damn cheesburger and shave in the bathroom, so that the establishment may know what is a good CREAMY lather. And maybe then it might get inspiration to fix the damn machines...

Low and behold my dismay and upset, that even though I've been there before and it was possible to dine in, now it was only a drive-through. I cursed the heavens, and Priusaurus(cause it's fun and a running joke). There wasn't anything left to do, I tried asking the beautiful cashier if I could enter, my reasoning, and heavily implied how much this will change humanity for the better and speed up the colonisation of Mars! She didn't have none of it. Barely seeing the road, from the eyes that were filled with bitter tears of disappointment, I parked in the parking and decided that I don't take shit from anyone. I said I would shave at McDonald's and that's what I will do, the parking of McDonalds is still considered part of McDonald's.

When you really think about how many people pee and go №2 outside, the world is one giant toilet, so in the end I did in fact, shave at the toilets of McDonald's!

Now you can go and watch the short video!(BONUS: There's a cat in there)

DAILY CHALLENGE:

Here's another VIDEO.

This one should actually be funny and amusing. My travel den is still the case, but I give a small tour of the house and how FUCKED it is at the moment, due to LG. Not much else to share to be honest, if you didn't watch the first one, you shouldn't miss out on this one.

Daily Lather Themes: 12/30

• Daily Challenges: 11/30
• Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 9/20
• Hardware Vendor Points: 2/2
• Software Vendor Points: 6/16
• Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1
• 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 12/30
• 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 12/30
• 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 12/30
• 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 12/30

no scrub detective agency case files day 13: the baffling brother-in-law of Batman Brady: the search for Los Dupe

• Razor: ruby adjustable

• Brush: MOAR

• Lather: Chicago grooming co. - AG1889

It was a cold and wet June morning. The rain spat like u/semaj3000 at Donny based Wednesday fans and out on the street the bin lorry was reversing. I'd forgotten to put the grey bin out again. It was this case. It'd been 13 days and I was still no closer to cracking the case than u/cowzilla3 was finishing the great spice off.

I stared at my reflection, skin pallid, eyelids droopy, lather dripping. I looked like u/j33pguy13 but handsome. If I didn't work it out soon I'd never find out the truth, and without the truth I'd be nothing but a scrub.

As I shaved I went over the facts.

I’d uncovered the so called batman Brady, the mountain man to Los Dupe’s Aventus, the prom king to his Le Male, but the man himself remained tantalisingly out of reach.

And what's worse was batman Brady was clearly worried about being sent to the great copyright infringement office in the sky and so after one single comment had said less than alg82’s points tally.

I had almost nothing. The well was drier than u/jeffm54321’s face after Osma, but I couldn't give up. The days theme relied on it.

I replayed the conversation in my head. over and over.

Time to lay out the facts.

• Last year's games - that rules out all ROTYs
• Brother in law - that rules out u/newtothethis
• Prize - that rules out last year's judges and alg82, artisans and u/enndeegee
• No mention of winner - could rule out u/priusaurus
• Has lots of brushes but won't share - could rule in Prius and his lather games trophy brush
• American spelling and phrasing - rules out the euro gang (except the expats)
• No mention of distance to brother in-law: rules out the expats
• No old spice dupes, that rules out u/cowzilla3

My mind twisted and turned, like one of u/bunnynator1001’s handles. There just wasn't enough info. Should I jump to assumptions, make an informed guess? I nearly nicked myself such was the distraction.

• No mention of burning desert heat. Did that rule out u/ginopono?
• No mention of sister being involved. That rules out u/ktturtlesue and u/onionmiasma
• I can't spell chrono so that rules him out.

I thought again as I rinsed my brush and razor under the hot tap and then as I looked up at my reflection on the steamed up mirror, the answer was there in front of me.

Los Dupe had already won

2024-06-13 - Ozymandias

• Lather: Phoenix and Beau - Right-handed Giant
• Post Shave: Fabergé - Brut
• Fragrance: Murphy and McNeil - Green Man
• Razor: Bambaw Sea Green
• Brush: Yaqui Metal Timberwolf

Dupelgänger: Right-handed Giant is a dupe of Brut

Unifying Theme: Fougères, if you're boring.
Otherwise, a tale of a fallen, green, brutish giant.

Draw a Soap Label:
In past years (definitely last year, at least), there's been a complaint that players have only reproduced the existing label design for their soap. The intent, reportedly, was for players to create a new design instead.

However, because the wording of the challenge is unchanged, the only reasonable conclusion is that the intent of today's challenge reflects the prevailing interpretation, i.e. to draw the soap label as it exists rather than to design something new.
You have yourselves to blame for that, djudges.

I defy that decision! I have chosen to defy the intent of this challenge, and instead put my own twist on the design of Right-Handed Giant!

I don't know who or what the giant in question is supposed to be, but my brain is insistent—perhaps wrongly—that it's based on some mythological entity. I know that Green Man is supposed to be. I've taken the apparent despair from the original label, and tried to depict what I imagine him to be. Why the despair? Why right-handed? Here, once great, our fallen hero struggles to keep from rescinding into nothingness, the desperate fist of his right hand straining with what remains of his once-brutish strength as he slips away.

But I digress.

#FOF
Brut is nothing to write home about. Right-handed Giant, on the other hand, I think is an improvement over its predecessor. It has a layer of light top-notes hovering over a smooth, somewhat muted mossiness. What came to my mind is if you took Stirling's Varen and turned down the saturation dial. I like it quite a lot.
Brut is, again, nothing exceptional, and I felt unfortunate that it followed the more-pleasing Giant.
The green of Green Man leans more toward the lighter notes than the grassy core, but only slightly. Even so, the departure makes me think that this shave progressed backwards, getting further away from the part of the fougères that I appreciate most.

#photocontest Eyes
Even the giant is kind of horrified at the others.

Jun. 14, 2024 - Brrrrrrrrrr

• Prep: CeraVe - Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Zenith 506U XSE unbleached boar

• Razor: Stirling Soap Co, Stainless

• Blade: Astra Green (1)

• Lather: Chiseled Face - Cryogen

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder Balm

• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Every Storm a Serenade

Another year, another frozen face! After freezing my lather earlier this month I thought about making an ice bowl and now that Im looking at this thread and see u/Priusaurus failed I'm glad i didnt. I thought I had a diabolical and unique thought but it seems that u/bmac92 has beaten me to the punch. Thankfully today is not wildcard wednesday and i wont buy a DQ for it. I just wish there was a consolation prize, like maybe the ability to feel my face at some point today...that would be great!

But anyway, onto my (apparent) copycat shave:

Cryogen, probably only second to Terror in the amount of menthol in the soap out of all the frozen soaps out there. Stirlings Glacial line is just a cool breeze in comparison to this, but even that is not enough for Frigid Friday! As I pulled my stuff out for today I realized that I havent used nearly enough of my Stirling Frost drops, despite using it as my splash last year. So for today I figured, "it's liquid, why do I need any water for my lather?"

And so, I loaded up my brush, then started adding liquid, then of course added more and since I like a drippy lather, added more!

Global warming? never heard of it! I'm pretty sure this shave has brought a new ice age upon my face! Im worried that Im going to have to watch out for a Mammoth! I feel like i might have a deadly encounter with one of those soon so better get ready!

Daily Challenge: My stack its not the best work, but I also was dodging two boys who wanted to "help" this morning.

Daily theme justification: yep, its all cold

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Winter-->Spring-->summer. Cryogen is the depths of winter cold-->Sonder is the hope of warmer weather in spring with the random chilly day from the WS-23 -->Every Storm a Serenade is the summer afternoon thunderstorm that frequents Mississippi

June 14, 2024 – LG Day 14 – She’s as Cold as Ice

• ~~Brush:~~ ~~AP Shave Co. Synbad~~
• Pre-Shave: AP Shave Co. Synbad, Frozen
• Brush: Omega 11047 Mixed Badger/Boar
• Razor: Gem MMOC, Frozen
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Co. – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Co. – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime – Splash
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime

TL;DR: Don't freeze your hardware. Most photos are mildly NSFW, but nothing too exposing. To make up for it, I'm adding to the cat photos that so many others have graced us with so far this month.

Frigid Friday. What to do? I'm not buying $50 of ice at the gas station just to repeat what others have already done last year. My partner suggested shaving in a beer cave (maybe next year), but I knew I wouldn't have time this morning before work. The ice kamisori, though...that was good inspiration.

Frozen Brush: This worked about as well as anyone could have anticipated. Turns out freezing the knot in a chunk of ice doesn't make for good lathering.

I tried tub loading anyway, which did a whole lot of nothing. I also tried using another brush to put lather on the ice brush and then paint it on. That also didn't really work. Ultimately, I used the ice as a pre-shave and as my water source for building an ultimately shitty lather that looks like it should have been saved for tomorrow's daily challenge. Definitely colder more because of the WS-23 than because of the ice though...it's almost like synthetic cooling agents are made to feel cool.

Frozen Razor: This was both successful and also a total failure. Successes: I could hold it in my hand (with the help of one of those rubber jar opener things). The blade/head was exposed enough to get the right angle. It was cold. Failures: Blood. Lots. Of. Blood. Full album here for your pleasure and for a couple of bonus pics.

Why I chose an MMOC for this is truly a mystery. The first cut I got is a gash that won't heal for days, but the rest are small nicks at least.

Was any of this worth it? You be the judge.

Daily Challenge: Stack seen in the SOTD photo, with close-ups also available here.

Sea Ice Lime, just like the non-cooling SSL, is perfectly pleasant. It's a crowd pleaser and an easy grab, but that doesn't mean it's not special. It begins its aromatic voyage with an invigorating burst of fresh lime and the sharp zest of pink pepper, set against the expansive backdrop of salty sea air. The heart of cedar with nuances of coriander and bay, all in perfect balance, accentuate the lime and salty nature, giving a clean, invigorating, masculine finish. In the words of a former coworker, "you smell like a MAN." As an owner of SSL soap and toner, SIL soap and splash, and SSL EdT, this is a scent I'm not ashamed to trickhole. #FOF

2024-06-14 LG SOTD

• Brush: Dogwood Milkglass (24x54mm Synth)
• Razor: Schick Injector L1 (1967-1972)
• Blade: Schick Injector
• Lather: Proraso - Menthol and Eucalyptus
• Post Shave: Mennen - Skin Bracer
• Fragrance: BRUT Special Reserve

All green (except for the razor), mostly fougères for Friday, and all of them have menthol - even the Brut. It's the only perfume I know that actually lists menthol in its ingredients on the label.

June 14, 2024 – 2024.06.14 SOTD: Lather Games Day 14 – Frigid Friday

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Black Synthetic 25mm in AP Shave Co. Blue & Clear handle
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet (2)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Glacial Satsuma
• Fragrance: Simone Andreoli – Silver Marble

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Daily Theme: Frigid Friday

Theme justification: Spearhead Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime contains a synthetic cooling agent.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Today's unifying theme is COLD. The aftershave is Stirling Glacial Satsuma, which is loaded with menthol.The frag is Simone Andreoli Silver Marble, which is described as:

Drawing inspiration from the northern Kingdom of Niflheim, Silver Marble is an icy and crystalline composition of frozen citrus and aromatic juniper, snow-draped evergreens and frosted woods. A potent and invigorating scent, with glacial freshness, woody depth and cool elegance.

From Simone Andreoli:

An exquisite union of crisp, frozen citruses and juniper berry notes that shine like icicles in the sun. A medley of spruce and cypress needles meld with the freshness of arctic air, evoking the vast expanses of an icy tundra. Base notes of frozen woods and molecules envelope the senses like an unforgettable olfactory journey to the icy North, bringing to mind vast landscapes of snow-capped mountains and frosted fir trees.

This is about as cold as a fragrance can get.

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

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Daily/Special Challenge: Stacking Day

Behold! My masterpiece v2. It's not the best tower out there, but I think it is commendable.

Sadly, this challenge took a toll. In my first attempt, it fell. As a result, I (slightly) damaged one of my favorite razors.

Thankfully it wasn't worse.

---

Fragrance description

Sea Ice Lime and Stirling Satsuma are some of my favorite scents. SIL is the only tub I've killed. They fit well together, too. The citrus stands out even more over the salty ocean scent from SIL.

As for the frag, the description is pretty spot on. It smells like one of those winter mornings where you wake up, go outside, and take a deep breath of frozen air. It's nice.

---

Now onto the shave!

Well, this shave had prep that started last night. I took my fresh tub of SIL, and scooped some into my old lather bowl. I then decanted some Glacial Satsuma into a travel vial.

I then took the entire kit and placed it into the freezer

I took it all out this morning after my shower to shave. Everything was nice and frosted from its cold slumber.

Well, that's when I realized something. We need to make this a little colder, thankfully I have HoM Permafrost & Stirling Frost Drop. Let's add some of that instead of water. Well, not entirely, unfortunately. I did have to add a smidge of water, as the WS-23 & menthol just weren't producing a lather. The end result wasn't the best, but it was usable.

Spearhead's Highland base is great and produces a fantastic lather, so even with this sub-optimal lathering it was still slick. The worst part of this shave, though, was the frozen razor. Holding it was more challenging than dealing with the icicle that was on my face. I don't know if you guys know this, but stainless steel can get cold. Almost wish I had worn some mittens.

After I shaved, I used the cooled Glacial Satsuma splash. The added freezer time didn't really seem to have an impact on the splash. The added cooling agents to the soap, though, made the menthol in the splash less potent.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 10/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 14/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 14/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 14/30
• Number of Frags: 14/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

DAY 17 LATHER GAMES! NO MOO!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Razorock 400 #RESURRECTIONBRUSH
• Razor: Parker Adjustable Injector
• Blade: Schick P20
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Tres Matres
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Tres Matres splash
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Tres Matres EdP

Vegan day! Now I know that a lot of people will use Catie's Bubbles cause that's their whole thing, "I'm gonna do fucking vegan soaps and prove they can be as good as tallow soaps", that he did, he even overdid it. His premius base is just TOO good! Buuuuut, the manufacterer that debunked the Tallow vs Vegan myth was Souther Witchcrafts. That's why I use it on vegan day. This is the third yeard in a row I think I'm using SW Tres Matres on vegan day. It will probably die this year, cause the ring of death is almost upon it. Bought this soap 3 or 4 years ago, so it's had quite the impressive journey!

Even though I don't think I'll ever be a vegan, in today's spirit I tried to do as many vegan things as I could, just so I could get in the mood of the whole ordeal. I went for lunch to a very nice vegan indian restaurant near work, where I had some Lobia Masala and Dhal Tarka, both are quite interesting and a refreshing change of "scenery" for me. Afterwards while going around doing tasks I stopped and had a coffee with some soy milk. Now that wasn't my thing, but hey, one should try something new at least once. And I'm finishing the day off with a nice glass of an Old Fashioned cocktail, which is also vegan!

Other than destroying the tallow vs vegan myth, Southern Witchcrafts, while not my top tier base(believe me it's not a slouch, easily an S tier) somehow it always makes my shave special. I recently made a video on my channel that is called "If I HAD to chose one setup". Guess which soap I chose, yup, it was SW. Really can't explain it, shaving with this artisan is magical!

Daily Challenge

Here's a video of what I did, before you read what I wrote.

Knee lathering.... All this foot stuff, really makes you wonder how much of a foot fetish the judges have, even though I don't judge for such things. I find the whole feet obsession a bit, disturbing, question mark? I mean I'd much prefer penis/vagina lathering or butt lathering. Those would be helluva good challenge photos!

So, I had a great idea today, but time didn't allow it. What I envisioned was going to a friend that has a FWD car. Strapping the brush to the cented of the hub cap, lifting the car on two jacks and let that mf'er ref them tires while I put my knee there so I could get lather.

Alas it did not happen, what I ended up doing and FAILING(in some sense) miserably was putting my own car on a car jack and spinning the wheel by hand while I placed my knee in front of the brush. It was a very lenghty process but in the end there was lather of some sorts. I put the car down got back home and shaved, wasn't the best, buuuut hey it worked, somehow.

Daily Lather Themes: 17/30 * Daily Challenges: 15/30 * Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 20/20 * Hardware Vendor Points: 2/2 * Software Vendor Points: 9/16 * Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1 * 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 17/30 * 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 17/30 * 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 17/30 * 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 17/30

June 17, 2024 - Don't Have a Cow, Man!

• Brush: Rubberset 400 w/ Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Yates Precision Manufacturing - 921-M
• Blade: Gillette - Platinum
• Lather: Proraso - Eucalyptus Oil & Menthol Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Mennen - Skin Bracer

Today's Theme: According to Proraso's website, Proraso Green is "cruelty-free and no ingredients of animal origin", so I am taking their word for it. Used a synthetic brush instead of my Omega today to let the judges know I mean business on vegan day.

Today's Challenge: As a lot of our loved ones know, we can be a quirky bunch. Obsessing over new soaps, razors, buying the latest scents, and all the fun that come with traditional wet shaving. My girlfriend has been totally cool with it up until today. Normally, when I shave in front of her, I will just whip up a quick lather on my face and call it a day. However, today was different.

As I was scrolling r/wetshaving this morning, she asked about the subreddit and asked why I look at other people shaving and read about it. Nothing I could say would make any logical sense to her, so I did not even try. I told her I have been doing daily challenges to win fake internet points and then asked "Are you feeling okay?" I brushed it off and then told her today was a knee lather challenge instead of face lathering. She then became very concerned for me and I saw her pick up the phone. I knew this would not be good.

Without hesitation I ran into my bathroom, locked the door, and busted out my shaving gear. As soon as I started my knee lather, I heard BANG BANG BANG and the sirens going off. My girlfriend doesn't realize how important these fake points are to me. Cops were yelling, banging on the door, and crying for me to stop, but I continued the lather. I'm still locked in my bathroom and do not plan on coming out anytime soon.

ROTY

June 18, 2024 – Place a rose on the grave

• Brush: Chisel and Hound Bangalore V20
• Razor: Wolfman WR1
• Blade: Feather (DE) (1)
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Rose of Phrygia
• Post Shave: D.R. Harris – Pink Aftershave
• Fragrance: Noble Otter – Two Kings

It always sucks when a brand we love dies. I actually arrived on the scene right as Dr. Jon’s was closing shop. Everyone was upset, so I decided to grab some things from Maggard’s clearance and understand why people were sad to see it go. Rose of Phrygia is an incredible rose scent. He nailed the realism. This doesn’t smell like grandma’s purse with her rose perfume spilled, synthetic and too strong. It smells like walking through a rose garden.

For #fof I’m going to continue that theme, laying a rose on the grave of this brand so to speak. DR Harris Rose aftershave, and Noble Otter Two kings (which is Rose and Oud, but heavy on the rose to my nose.) It’s a bit of a rose bomb, yes. And I’ve probably passed over the “unisex” line here, but ultimately it smells good. And it is thematic for the day.

Since we’re talking about death (in a sense). Let’s use time for #photocontest today. After all we’re all subject to it’s unyielding march. Included in this picture is a pocket watch given to me as a groomsman present at my friend’s wedding. I love that you can see the mechanics of it as it runs. I need to carry it more.

For the challenge. You want a W_E post? I’ll give you a W_E post. My very first, W_E post, so it has to be my best. A post in the style of our current sub exile u/pridetwo over at r/wicked_edge. Go see it for yourself (Assuming u/impressive_donut114 doesn’t pull it down to stop my point spree!)

June 18, 2024 - RIP IN PIECES

• Brush: Stirling - Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: Schick - Krona 1960s TTO DE
• Blade: Personna - Platinum
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve - Carnivale
• Post Shave: 345 Soap Co. - Aces over 8s Splash
• Fragrance Demeter - Funeral Home Fragrance Oil Roll On.

SOAP - It’s sad that these guys are not around anymore. What a great soap. There are notes of brandy, wood, dried fruits, some spices… overall very nice. Lathers up really well.

RAZOR - Trusty Shick which I am using until the blade gets dull. It’s a personna so it will be a while.

TODAY I matched my set with all things DEAD. Carnival died a while back. Aces over eights splash is about “Wild Bill” Hickock who was shot in the back of the head during a legendary 5-card stud game. In his hand forever known as the “Deadman’s Hand” with two Aces, two 8s, and a mystery fifth card. He was known as a great lawman so 345 made a soap about it (I’m using the splash). And to close out the set I got a special fragrance to wrap the whole thing. Funeral Home is one is those scents that either makes you wonder why certain things smell familiar or it brings horrible flashbacks because it sure does smell like the name. After I rolled it on my neck I myself had a flashback of standing in front of an open gasket starring at my uncle’s dead body and I wonder back then what that leathery, slightly sweet and moldy smell was coming from. Sooo yeah…. probably the last time I put that on!!! Chills!!!

THE THEME - To be completely honest I have a fat watermelon of a chin! There are no sharp angles. Things just slide off my face so in all honesty I have NOT cut myself THAT hard as to have blood dripping down my neck! HERE is my proof!! In essence I have not taken a pic of any cuts I have had because they were small tiny knicks. I did cut my finger handling a blade when I first started wetshaving which I applied super glue to cover it up but end up getting infected and then a trip to urgent care for them to drain yeah it was MESSY!!

June 20th, 2024

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Zenith 506U N
• Razor: Gillette RFB
• Blade: Tiger Platinum
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Sweet Lemon
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - Saturday Morning
• Fragrance: None

Shout out to u/EldrormR for today's soap. Dec's Sweet Lemon, described as "an accord that is citrusy and creamy", it definitely gives off summer vibes, especially with the notes of coconut, which I associate with a pina colada on a hot summer day. Trying to match the scent as close as I can with some Catie's Bubbles Saturday Morning which has citrusy notes from the lemon and lime froot loops (despite apparently all froot loops being the same flavor) Thanks to u/Environmental-Gap380 for this info.

I missed out on Day 1's daily challenge due to a technicality, so I am making sure to follow today's stipulations TO A T. Webster's dictionary, defines "nearby" as "close at hand". Making sure to follow these rules as stated "Being outside for this challenge is defined as having no more than 1 nearby wall". To honor u/Old_Hiker I shaved outside by making sure that no more than one wall was in arm's reach, or close AT HAND. It was impossible for me to touch 3/4 of the walls without moving, making it not close at hand. It was almost an indoor shave, but per the rules, this is an outdoor shave. The weather was much nicer than I expected, and I thank you for forcing me outside of my comfort zone for today's shave and god bless :)

** 20.06.2024 **

• Brush: AP Shave Co 28MM G5A SHD
• Razor: Henson Shaving razors AL13 - Aggressive Gray +++
• Blade: Treet carbon steel
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. - Montrose Beach
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. - Montrose Beach

This is close I can get like beach and hiking. Mountain river beach and waterfall.

• June 21
• Brush: Chisel and Hound – 26mm AP Shave Co Synbad
• Razor: Aylsworth Razors - Drakkant
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum
• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - Blugere
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Prom King
• Fragrance: Jean Paul Gaultier – Le Male

Thanks to u/iamhonestlylying for the smush.
You’ve helped my Lather Games so much.
You sent quite a few.
Many scents you could do.
Could you be Los Dupe? Let’s discuss.

Today's shave was quite the affair,
With fougeres that filled up the air.
Start with Blugere so fine,
Blueberries and fougere combine,
A refreshing blend that's beyond compare.

Next came Prom King Splash, so bold,
From Summer Break Soaps, I'm sold!
Its citrusy zest, Put my skin to the test,
Leaving me feeling dapper and bold.

Finished with Le Male EdT,
From Jean Paul Gaultier, you see.
A classic, it's true,
With a scent that just knew,
Today's shave was meant to be free!

Now, I'm shaved and smelling divine,
Thanks to these scents - they're so fine.
Blugere, Prom King, Le Male,
They're all fougeres good to inhale,
Demonstrating the best fragrance design.

June 21, 2024 – Where the Red Fern Grows

• Brush: AP Shave Co. 22mm Faux Horse w/ Ruby Ripple Handle
• Razor: Gillette Tech
• Blade: Feather (DE) (4)
• Lather: Zingari – Mousse Illuminée
• Post Shave: Zingari – Unscented
• Fragrance: Zingari – The Highlander Extrait

There once was a shaver named Priusaurus
Who’s face hiding was really sus.
While his bits got old
The judges were sold
And they chose to ignore all of us.

Fougère, the smell of ferns if ferns had a smell. Or more specifically the outdoors. Now I want to get the elephant in the room out of the way. There was some discussion on whether this was a fougère but as noted it is specifically called one on the soaper’s site. The label has ferns all over it. We can debate endlessly what it really is, but for the sake of the rules it fits as noted in the above linked post. (Though I am skeptical Rogue lets that out the door without some input so maybe it is a Fougère) But what to do with the smell of outside? Well, the first thing we do is take a day off work. Second is to curse that u/oldhiker day was yesterday. But my work schedule is what it is because “Work Sucks.” You got the backyard shave yesterday, but the full circus today. Third thing we do is realize my daughter also has a day off camp and I’m watching her today. That means, fourth thing is tell her “Get in the car we’re going shaving.” (Addendum, son’s camp was canceled this morning due to a water main break. So, both kids got dragged into this).
See, the judges seem to really want public shaves. They just collect legendary points. It’s true u/priusaurus has basically patented the outdoors/in public shave. But I would contend doing it in the urban jungle is just wrong and perhaps a bit played out. In fact, it’s the antithesis of shaving. Now while u/airbudruler’s relationship with the verb “shave” is of some debate, the one thing he absolutely gets right is that shaving is a selfcare mentality. A relaxing bit of our day. This doesn’t preclude hijinks. New challenges (like leg shaving or figuring out how to balance your gear for a picture) can add a feeling of accomplishment to the shave. That feeling you get when you conquer a new battle or learn a new skill. But shaving on a street corner? That’s just stressful, you can’t enjoy it. You gotta rush, worry about being shooed away, etc. Shaving while mowing the lawn? That’s just a chore. Shaving while being sprayed in the face by a water toy? Not bad, but I did that last year.
No, if you want to get in touch with shaving as relaxation you have to go “touch grass,” as the zoomers might say. Get into nature as it were. u/onionmiasma came so close with is beach shave last year probably because it was my idea! But in the end, he landed at The Bean shaving in the urban jungle with his underwear on the ground. So sad! So, I’m going to execute the relaxing outdoor shave this year to show everyone how it should be. I’m going to go back to my hoosier (no not Indiana, the local definition) roots here, and take y’all on a hike. While I’m heartend by the number of people who did this yesterday, unlike everyone who packed it up and went home, we’re gonna enjoy the great outdoors for a day, in solitude (uhh well trio-tude, remember I got the kids today.)
First up, local conservation area. Missouri has a strange conservation system. Almost 10% of our land is some sort of park. Lots of open land even before you get to the farms. This particular conservation area is of the “untamed wilderness” variety. Which means a poorly marked trail and otherwise left to grow on its own. Thick with trees. We’re gonna hike down into the forest, where ferns grow, and shave. But first, we need our lather plate. Then settle, lather, and shave
Having shaved, a quick stop by the post office to send u/priusaurus a little gift, then off to a giant nuclear waste pile. Yes, you read that right. See, Missouri refined a lot of uranium and plutonium for the atomic bomb program. Like all things in the 1950s this was done poorly and contaminated a huge area. The cleanup resulted in a 75-foot-tall, 41 acre, pile of rocks covering the container with the most contaminated soil. It’s a [DOE “Interpretative Site”] (https://www.energy.gov/lm/weldon-spring-site-interpretive-center) now. You can take a set of stairs up the pile. It’s the tallest non-building point in the metro area. My daughter and I are going to see how far we can throw a line-of-sight ham signal from here. u/absenth did some math for me and came up with possibly as far as Kansas City. Now, I say this to make a broader point. Maybe we can bury the toxic sludge of this urban shave obsession that has polluted lather games 75ft under a pile of rocks, in a lead lined container, like this radioactive waste, and use the resulting pile to reach new distances! (It’s over 100 degrees up here BTW, so not enough time to shave before heat exhaustion sets in. Giant limestone pile, the sun, physics.)
Finally, my kids and I are going to go to yet another conservation area, right next to the waste pile. This one is “ponds, ponds, and lakes” (and old military bunkers, see uranium processing above). We’re going fishing. Why? We like fishing. It’s relaxing. It’s selfcare. A fitting end to a day of fern smells and outdoors play. Y’all can keep your urban jungle. If I’m gonna shave outside, in public, I’m gonna do it somewhere relaxing.
For #photocontest: Air. My lather plate was a plant! They make Air. For #fof, these are all Zingari products, but the soap and frag both compliment this outdoor day. Whether it’s a fougère or not Moose Illumani smells like the outdoors. And The Highlander is “olfactory journey through the majestic Scottish Highlands.” Another not quite fougère but conjuring the great outdoors. I bridged them with unscented because I had nothing else that made sense. Kids also got a highlander spray so we can all enjoy the great outdoors smelling great together. They were happy.

Day 22

• Brush: SmilezforMilez – 22mm Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Executive Fatboy
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: 345 Soap Co. – Rhumpkin Soap
• Post Shave: 345 Soap Co. – Rhumpkin Splash
• Fragrance: Yves Saint Laurent – Y EdP

If there was an autumn scent that no one asked for it’s this: Pumpkin & Bay Rum, with a little bit of apple added in for good measure. In the soap description, 345 said, ”Embrace the welcome of fall with this warm and balanced scent.” Do you know how to balance the scent of Pumpkin and Bay Rum? If you do, please reach out to 345 Soap Company, because I think they missed the mark with this one.

This scent is… interesting…. The listed scent notes are pumpkin, apple, and bay rum, it’s basically a pumpkin spice bay rum. For the basic bitch pirate, I suppose. I picked this up because it was on clearance and I can see why. It’s a combination that no one asked for, or needed - kinda like those pick-up truck cars in the 1970s. But I’m glad I did, because it is perfect for Spooky Season and to use to get the funk out of new brushes. I don’t reach for this set often, but it’s a must for a day to celebrate all scents that are spooky and spicy!

I matched this set with Y by Yves Saint Laurent because it’s kind of fruity with some spice, just like the soap and splash. Y has prominent Apple, Grapefruit, and Ginger notes, on top of more spicy base. It actually saved the day with its crisp, modern vibe. It's like a breath of fresh air after being trapped in a dungeon run by Pumpkin Spice Pirates. Cheers to Yves Saint Laurent for keeping my dignity intact... somewhat. #FOF

Sidecontest: #photocontest – PIRATES! Went to a place called “Pirates Cove”, so it stands to reason that anyone at Pirates Cove has to be a Pirate, right? So many real-life pirates in this picture! Balancing the shave gear on the was kind of a pain in the ass, so I’m holding onto the splash. Also got a few weird looks from the Pirates ordering food at Pirates Cove. It was almost like they had never seen guy taking pictures of his shave gear to get a Pirate sign in the background before.

Challenge: I carved a Scary Blueberry! He was so scary that no other fruits would go near him. So, I decided he needed a friend. So, I carved a Scary Grape! And they became Scary Best Friends. All is right in their scary world now. 🥰🥰

iamhonestlylying’s Daily Top 5:

In honor of “Spooky Season”… The Top 5 Most Underrated Candies to Get Trick-or-Treating

5.) Rolos – The caramel to chocolate ratio is absolutely perfect.

4.) Sugar Babies – Sure, they may rip out any fillings you have, but they are so good!

3.) Reese’s Take 5 – An under the radar, 5-tool candy. It has it all. Sweet, Caramelly, Crunchy, Peanut Buttery, Pretzel. I know it hasn’t been around as long as Snickers have, but they are so good and criminally underrated.

2.) Mike and Ikes – For when you want a break from chocolate.

1.) Reese’s Pieces – E.T. knew what’s up. I’ll take Reese’s Pieces over M&Ms every day of the week!

(Editors Note: Those fruit flavored Tootsie Rolls. Specifically, the Vanilla Ones would have been included, however, my mom wouldn’t ever let us eat anything like that we got from Trick or Treating because they weren’t hermetically sealed and she was convinced someone would put a razor blade in them. So, I'm not including them on a Halloween candy list but they are 🔥🔥🔥🔥)

DAY 22 LATHER GAMES! SPOOKY AUTUMN!

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Stirling Synthetic 2-Band Brush
• Razor: Filarmonica 14 Sub Cero 8/8 #STR8SNOB
• Blade: Filarmonica 14 Sub Cero 8/8
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Ozark
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Ozark splash
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - A city on fire

Now first things, first. Ozark by definition from Stirling is an Autumn scent, so it fits the theme.

Short horror story

Chunks of food were muddling his reflection while he continued to hurl his lunch over the railing, he knew he shouldn't have trusted that sea platter at the docks earlier.

• We're almost there Mr. Tangerine!! - exclaimed the captain

"Thank the Gods" he thought, his place was not on a boat, and why would it, no Tangerine should suffer the cruelty of the sea. Lifting up his head, in the distance he saw clearly the silhouette of an island. His sea sickness was quickly replaced by excitement of the awaiting expedition. Years of research had led him to this island, the mythical island of Tangashaknoquinoa. There resided a tribe of Tangerine people, deemed to be extinct.

• What do you think waits for us there? - Tangerine asked the captain.

The captain himself, an old and burly coconut, dark as bronze due to years of exposition to the sun scoffed and remarked:

• I couldn't care less sir, my job is to get you there and wait for you on this ship.

Mr. Tangerine man just shook his head and sighed, for he knew that the intricacies of his expedition were completely lost on the captain. Soon they had docked and set foon on the sandy beaches of the island.

• Are you going to come explore with me captain? - Tangerine asked
• Naaaah gonna stay here and bask in the glory of the sun!
• Suit yourself....

"Idiot" he thought to himself, knowing that this was a once in a lifetime chance. Tangerine started walkign towards the jungle to explore but remembered one more thing he wanted to ask the captain.

• Captain?
• Yeah?
• What should I do in case....

His sentence was interrupted by an arrow that whistled by him and landed straight between the Captain's eyes, dropping him dead on the spot. Shock filled Mr. Tangerine's body and as he turned to the direction of the arrow he saw what could only be described as horribly disfigured and tattooed tangerines, the native tribe of this island. Before he could utter a word they charged at Mr. Tangerine, his attempts at escaping, futile. He was quickly captured and incapacitated. Given the dire situation, Mr. Tangerine's profession did take over as he started to study with his eyes the people in front of him. They spoke a harsh language he had never heard of before. The tribe people looked so primitive, like ancestors of Mr. Tangerine.

• Hey, what will you do with me? - he interupted their conversation.

The leader of the pack kneeled down to Mr. Tangerine sky, looked him for a second and gave him a big whack on the head with his stick. "Shit" Mr. Tangerine thought, "this ain't going well" as the light faded and he lost conciousness.

Several hours later Mr. Tangerine awoke to a cacophony of sounds that consisted of incoherent yelling and loud tribal music. His head hurting and pulsating from the hit he took, he fixated his gaze on the scenery to see what was happening . It was clearly some kind of ritual ceremony, but for what, he did not know. In one of the corners he saw the captain, or what was left of him, they had took the top part of his head off and took every organ out, he was just a shell of what he used to be. Tangerine felt like puking again, but what shocked him and totaly made him freeze was the big poles in the ground next to the captain. On each poll there was the empty husk of a Tangerine, some looked like Mr.Tangerine, some looked like the tribe members. It dawned onto him, these Tangerines, they were Tangiballists, they ate their own kind, and that was the fate that awaited Mr. Tangerine. He started yelling and squirming, but to no avail, all he did was made the locals laugh. As soon as he made it know that he was a wake, the chief of the tribe walked over and grinned, with what teeth he had left. Bloodlust in his eyes and saliva dripping from his mouth, the tribal chief took out a dagger and started stabbing Mr. Tangerine. "No, this can't be it, it can't end like this, it must be a nighma...." his thoughts started fading, body going limp, in his last concious moments Mr. Tangerine heard the chief laugh and say one word, that filled his dying body with dread, he recognised that word....

"Scrub"

Daily Challenge

Now the daily challenge was exactly what I have written in the story. Since there were no pumpkins I decided to go with tangerines and be a cannibal/tangibal. It was way trickier to carve them out cause of how soft the skin was, but I managed, using a spoon, but for the faces I used a Feather(Valet) FHS-10 blade to make the eyes and mouths. Three is the lucky number so here is what I ended up with:

Side to side

And of course it would not be a LG post if there wasn't a STACKING photo. Have you ever seen a Tangerine o lanterns stacked on each other? No! You're welcome!

Daily Lather Themes: 22/30

• Daily Challenges: 20/30
• Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 20/20
• Hardware Vendor Points: 2/2
• Software Vendor Points: 13/16
• Software Vendor Bonus Point: 0/1
• 30 Different Soap Brands Point: 22/30
• 30 Different Soaps On Theme Bonus Point: 22/30
• 30 Different Post-Shaves Bonus Point: 22/30
• 30 Different Fragrances Bonus Point: 22/30

LG SOTD Jun 22 2024 - Courgette O' Lantern wakes up in the woods and goes Bananas as the Fog Cowers on Hallows

#photocontest

Theme: Wood

• Brush: Black & Yellow Merit 99-5 by Heritage Collection Shaving / AP Shave Faux Boar Synthetic 24mm
• Razor: Henson AL13 - Medium #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY #CNC #RAINBOW
• Blade: Treet - Carbon Steel [1]
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Boonana
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Hallows - Aftershave Splash
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive - The Fog Cowers (sample)

LET'S START TO TALK ABOUT FOOD

Pumpkins (or "Zucche", in Italian) are mostly an Autumn sight.

During the Summer, they are harvested while they are still young babies: not a full-blown Zucca, but a small Zucchina, also known internationally as Courgette.
The freshest ones are sold together with their flower, which you can use for many recipes.

Then, there are also the round courgettes, harvested while they are still young, just like the long ones. These are sold without flower, so that no protruding element will distract from their promising roundness.
Because of their soft skin, they are destined to be carved, stuffed with other ingredients, and then baked in the oven. A google search will reward you with plenty of options.

THE STORY OF COURGETTE O' LANTERN

Born under the Summer sun, a round courgette was harvested together with her sisters and cousins, all looking the same, all looking forward to the same baked destiny.
The following morning, they were all in a box on the shelf of a greengrocer in the big city.

Throughout the day, all her companions got progressively Picked Up and went away with their new human partners. By the time the greengrocer closed shop, our round courgette found herself left over, all by herself in the big empty box. Suddenly, a deep soothing voice with a sexy foreign accent resounded in the darkness of the closed shop: "What are you doing up here all alone?"

"It's just a matter of time, my partner should be picking me up any minute now..."

The courgette's skin was suddenly reached by a sensuous smell. At first, the sweet scents of flowers and vanilla made her nostalgic for her past life under the sun. Then, a darker accord started to creep in, with notes of tobacco and something boozy, something forbidden...

In the darkness, young courgette barely saw the shape of the tall yellow stranger leaning on to her, then felt a sharp cut on her soft skin, and lost conscience.

She woke up light headed and surrounded by the warm embrace of a variety of woods - some smooth, some rugged. A faint smell of lemon was lingering in the air. "Am I finally meeting my destiny, am I on a chef's chopping table ready to be transformed into a human meal?".

"Your transformation is a thing of the past" - the voice was coming from the branch of Fir that was almost surrounding her with its soft yet spiky embrace - "Can't you feel this smell in the air?".

All around her, beyond the faint lemony resin of the Fir, another sweet yet dark scent was lingering around her soft skin. If the tall yellow stranger at the greengrocer's had seduced her with intoxicating notes of vanilla and booze, this time there were notes of cocoa, and then aromatic green/woody notes of vetiver and cedar.

While trying to smell all this, Courgette felt something different on her skin.

"You have been touched by the Magic of the Rotting Blade", explained Fir. "You are now one of us. Not living, yet not dead".

Courgette's desperate scream was muffled by a thick Fog that was starting to Cower in the woods. The air was filled with more moss and musks, as well as heady flowers from somewhere Beyond.

"Today is All Hallows, the day of the Unliving" said a familiar voice. Round Courgette suddenly noticed that a whole pack of bananas where surrounding her, all lit by an unnatural light.

One of the strangers was still yellow, untouched by decay. She immediately realized it was the same yellow tall stranger who had approached her at the empty green grocer, on that lonely night. The other bananas, however, showed the black streaks of having trespassed the threshold of ripeness.

"Embrace your destiny, you little zucchina" - said Tall Yellow Stranger. The Magic Rotting Blade gave you a new purpose. Your undead name will be Courgette O' Lantern. From now on, your immortal duty is to forever glow in the darkness, luring other fruits to this unholy ground, where they will join us for the rest of eternity"

"But what is this place?" - asked Courgette, with her last glimpse of sanity.

"Just shut up and shine, my dear, you must learn to shine and wait"

"Wait for what?"

"The only thing worth it. The Next Coming of the Once and Future King!"

"Who?"

"They call him the Grave Fruit. That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die"

#FOF

#ROTY

June 23, 2024

• Brush: Priusauruswood Botcrafts – LatherMaster3001
• Razor: Chiseled Face - Legacy
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory – Cakehole Soap
• Post Shave: Talent Soap Factory – Cakehole Splash
• Fragrance: Le Monde Gourmand - Crème Vanille EdP

Finally! It’s shave in a kitchen day. Some people may remember last year, I duct taped a shaving brush to the dough hook of my Kitchen Aid mixer and a Legendary Lather ensued. This year, I went back to the drawing board. If this was Version 1.0, I knew there were many improvements that needed be made.

For the sake of brevity, I won’t take you through ALL the steps. But the long and short of it is: I learned how to create 3D models in Autodesk Fusion 360, figured out how to copy the exact measurements of the base of the dough hook to fit on my mixer, added some design elements, and literally 19 iterations later: This model of a Kitchen-Aid Shave Brush Attachment was born. Yes, there were 18 versions before finalizing on the design of this one. I created everything about it from scratch. No downloading other people’s models. This was 100% designed and created be me. Some changes between iterations were small details, like rounding where the mixer pin sits in the handle and other changes included the overall height, or the depth of the ferrule, or the depth of the lettering. The overall look and feel was modeled after the Amazon Blue Origin Rocket and I picked a silver filament and a black knot to compliment the Kitchen-Aid Mixer. Finally, it was time to print and each time I printed a test one, it took approximately 8 hours to print. And I printed quite a few before landing on this one. I’ve had this final prototype – The Priusauruswood Botcrafts LatherMaster3001 - ready since late May, and it has yet to make a lather. I was waiting for today: Shave in a kitchen day.

Now that I’ve done all the preparation I could. I took a scoop of soap, stuck it to the bottom of the bowl soaked the brush for a minute, attached it to the mixer, verified that we’re go for launch.

And…

It worked way better than I could have ever imagined! The handle and knot stayed secure, the mixer did its job, and The LatherMaster3001 is now ready for preorders!

With last year’s Version 1.0, I couldn’t set the mixer above Setting 4 before the duct-taped handle would come loose and the brush would fly off. With this bad boy, I could push that bitch to the limit! At the end, I had it on 10 and wished the mixer could go up to 11. I got a beautiful slick and shiny lather and was ready to shave!

I obviously used the lather right then and there and proceeded to shave in the kitchen. Would have been a pain the ass to lug that mixing bowl to the upstairs bathroom anyway.

Oh, and my wife’s sister is staying with us, so she witnessed this entire production as well as yesterday’s watermelon carving/shave. There’s no coming back from this, boys and girls.

Onto the #FOF:

What can I say about a soap and splash that smells exactly like a rich, buttery cake that’s fresh out of the oven and getting frosted? This experience was smelled delicious from beginning to end. When making the lather in the mixer, the delicious scent of cake immediately wafted up into my nose, and then immediately slathering that lather all over my face and shaving in the kitchen was perfect. If I didn’t know any better, I would have guessed my wife was baking a cake as I shaved. Now, I knew that was impossible because the mixer was otherwise occupied, but that’s how spot on this scent is. I honestly don’t love the splash, to me the scent of the alcohol overwhelms the sweet scent of cake. Once the alcohol dissipates, it does smell delicious though. And my daughter took a big whiff of my face and said, “Daddy, you smell YUMMY!!!!” I’ll take that every day of the week. I absolutely understand that this set is not gonna be for everyone, but it’s perfect for a fun shave or for a day dedicated to gourmands. The Crème Vanille fragrance was honestly a little disappointing. For some reason, the perfumer put notes of Jasmine in the fragrance, probably to “balance” the fragrance or something. Whatever. I was expecting a straight up vanilla onslaught, and this wasn’t it. On the dry-down, it became a lot more of what I was hoping for – a warm sweet amber fragrance. In hindsight, I wish I used a different fragrance today because the goal was to solely have a scent-notes for diabetes. But that’s on me. I didn’t read the scent notes since I set up my calendar a month ago so the jasmine caught me off guard today. I guess this is why we buy samples and try new things!

Challenge: See above. Short answer: Yes.

Soap Theme Justification: Dare you question The Gourmand King on Gourmand Day?

Relevant Post Shave & Fragrance: Sweet and Vanilla for everything!

June 23, 2024 – LG Day 23 – Sugar, Spice, & Everything Nice

• Brush: Stirling Synthetic Li’l Brudder
• Razor: Hitohira – Futana – Super Blue – Kurouchi Nashiji – 170mm Santoku – Cherry Wood Handle #KAMISORI #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY #STR8SNOB
• Razor: 十八子作 Chinese Cleaver #KAMISORI #STR8SNOB
• Razor: Karve CB SB-C
• Blade: Treet Classic (3)
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory – Cakehole
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Co. – Seaforth! 3 Scots
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – A Whiff of Wafflecone

Are you ready for some nonsense?

How about a face reveal?!?

The KitchenAid lather has been perfected; I believed this even before Prius posted his SOTD today, and as it turns out, the bar of “perfection” can raise when 3D printing gets involved. As such, I didn’t breakout the mixer today. Instead, we went low-fi with my immersion blender whisk attachment. To try to save myself a step, I first checked to see if I could do this without tape. Alas, that wasn’t going to work. However, a single layer of duct tape was all it needed to stay put. I then lathered the traditional way – on high speed, with a mug of water nearby for reinforcement. This took a couple tries, and ultimately was easier without holding my phone for video, but the final result turned out a-okay.

Even though we have some good lather in this bowl (better than I often have the patience to do by hand), I’m a ~~face~~ head latherer at heart. This immediately made a mess, all over my shirt as you can see, and also on nearly every surface of my kitchen. As to not give myself a massive cleaning chore, I resorted to painting the lather on, which was somewhat difficult with the blender attachment still taped on. Then the real work began – seeing if the sharpest knives in my kitchen are razor-sharp. First came the Hitohira Santoku, which is apparently not as sharp as when I bought it last year. I don’t think it took off any hair. So I tried what I’m confident is the sharpest non-serrated blade in my kitchen, my Chinese cleaver. Alas, again, no hair shaven, as you can see from my look of disappointment at the end. With some forethought, I could have had them sharpened at my local shop, but even then I’m not sure how good of a shave I would have gotten. So I lathered up again and had to grab a real razor. I was bummed that this was necessary, so I made sure to at least choose one with a patina to match the carbon steel of my first knife choice. I also realized that my videos don’t show the whole shaving-in-the-kitchen thing as much as I would have liked, so here’s one more shot.

---

Cakehole is advertised as a “perfect blend of moist white cake and hurt-your-teeth sweet butter cream vanilla frosting.” I don’t get this as much as I was hoping; to my nose, this is cake batter. Straight up box mix, add a couple pantry staples and, like magic, you’re an hour away from a cake-smelling cake batter. It certainly hits the theme, but is not the most exciting gourmand when it comes to fragrance-land. So, I decided to follow up with 3 Scots. Now, this is not advertised as a gourmand, but I think it’s highly relevant to today’s theme. Something about Shawn’s blend of warming spices and citrus smells positively delectable to me. It doesn’t literally taste good enough to eat – but rather, smells like the feeling of digging into a spice cake with an orange-scented cream cheese frosting. It’s joyful and comforting all at the same time. Finally, IA’s wildly simple vanilla/maple fragrance. It’s not trying to be subtle. In their effort to remind me of fond college memories going to the Ben & Jerry’s on Church Street, I instead get punched in the face my maple syrup spiked with vanilla. It’s unapologetic while also not quite harnessing its intended inspiration. #FOF

LG SOTD Jun 23 2024 - A Rainy Dairy Day

photocontest

Theme: Soccer - SOTD was done in front of Stadio Artemio Franchi, home of ACF Fiorentina

• Brush: Muhle Travel Brush - Synthetic #HOLLOW
• Razor: Bic - Single Blade Disposable
• Blade: Bic - Single Blade Disposable (1)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning - smush by u/Onionmiasma
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Le Grand Chypre - Aftershave Splash
• Fragrance: Jovoy - Remember Me - sample

STILL TALKING ABOUT FOOD, AND THE PROBLEMS YOU HAVE WHEN YOU SMELL LIKE IT

"If you want to go ahead and do it, you're out of this house!"

"But it's just a tiny smush of a NachoCheeseDorito-scented soap!"

"This is no longer a game. You have changed, I don't recognize you anymore."

"You don't understand, Americans have a different approach to fragrances, they need them to smell like food"

"Why don't they just try to cook some?"

"You know, they lack our inter-generational homecooking traditions..."

"They are just food illiterates! It's not as if they didn't have a choice! Of all the food scents and flavors in the world, why Nacho Cheese Dorito?"

"It started off as an April Fool, then u/Priusaurus made it serious..."

"Who's that?"

"Last year's champion, the guy who always shaves outside!"

"You're about to follow the same path!"

"Don't worry! You know I don't do that I want to shave quietly, in private, as a meditative moment just for myself..."

"It's not a worry. It's a statement: if you want to shave with THAT SCENT, you're out of this house! Maybe it'll teach you what it means to be as desperate as that poor online guy who feels the need to assimilate to an extinguished species!"

"But he is the Champion!"

"GET. OUT. OF. THIS HOUSE."

"But it's raining outside!"

CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR, OR: LIVING LIKE A LATHER GAMES CHAMP

Regardless of the fate I ended up facing, I wish to thank u/Onionmiasma for providing me the smush of the unobtanium Remote Learning. If only I knew, when I innocently asked for it, about the ordeal it was going to cost me...

Now I am wandering the streets around the soccer stadium.
The national soccer championship is over, and today is a city holiday, so the area is semi-deserted.
It's a different kind of champion that I am living like. Now I see it. Oh, u/Priusaurus, how little I understood your tragedy! You didn't deserve my shitposts!

To prove that I am indeed on a rainy street in Italy, I found a stereotypical vintage Vespa that immediately became my dream shaving station: the top box is good put my gear on, plus there's a nice round mirror! Modern scooters have those aerodynamically-shaped rearview mirrors that are almost useless for an outdoor shave. Long live the round mirrors!

I left the plastic bowl on the top box to slowly fill with rainwater.
Meanwhile, I tried to call all my friends to seek for a shelter.
No luck: everyone's away for the long vacation weekend.

A bunch of minutes and phone calls later, I had gathered an amount of water that felt like a little too much, but I didn't want to waste any water, and then have to wait under the rain for more drops.

I documented the first stages, then I had to rush because of a sudden increase of the downpour. Thunders approaching. Lighting striking in the distance.

Obviously, the Ancient Gods of the Mediterranean were punishing me: our ancestors offered them sacrifices of beef grease and bones. I had contaminated my offering with the blasphemous promise of Nacho Cheese Dorito.

TRAGEDY OF A RIDICULOUS MAN...

... is the title of a film by Italian film auteur Bernardo Bertolucci. Like some fellow genius filmmakers from the US, he tried to warn us about the deceitful nature of the dairy business.

My own tragedy was all for nothing: I could smell ZERO cheese in my SBS smush.

Did u/Onionmiasma try to save me by sending me a divorceproof soap replacement?

Have I been blessed by the Ancient Gods with anosmia against American Abominations?

I have now experienced the tragedy of living like u/Priusaurus, and I know I that's not how I want to end up.

The Gods gave me a Second Chance. I'll make it matter.

FROM NONSCENT TO NONSENSE

After the mystery of the Cheese Who Wasn't There, I still had to complete my SOTD routine.

As I was missing the complementary SBS Mountain Dew scented aftershave, or even actual Mountain Dew (unavailable here), I went with the best approximation.

My Special Santa, u/Onionmiasma, is on record claiming that Le Grand Chypre smells like fancy Sprite.To show him my allegiance, my SOTD rain gear (see pic in the title) included a bottle of LGC and a can of Sprite.
I smelled them back to back: in comparison, LGC smells broodier, less easygoing, more mature.
Sprite smells more "natural" than I remembered, almost as if it contained a blend of actual citrus EOs.

The convergence of the food and perfume aroma industries has Big Soda offering almost wearable scents in their beverages, and respectful artisans making soaps that smell like junk food, and potentially are made with the same aromachemicals. Food for thought.

Then, the Final Fragrance: I wanted something that could reconcile the alleged industrial dairy-ness of Remote Learning with the supposedly gourmand citrus of ~~Sprite~~ LGC.

Jovoy's REMEMBER ME felt like a signal from karma.

The name revealed my purpose: I was here to be a Martyr, a sacrificial Exemplary Witness of a Cautionary Tale that needed to be remembered for centuries to come.

The Remember Me official scent notes asked me: "How many times have you secretly wished to be that anonymous stranger who captivates merely by virtue of a perfume?"

I had sprayed it on myself, and now I was smelling just like that anonymous stranger: not the real-life u/Priusaurus, obsessed with smelling like cheese nachos and bothering homeless people with his obscene public shaves; no, the wannabe American Gourmand, smelling like a fantasy rendition of a dairy product from France.

Tragedy was striking again: I could not appreciate all the nuances mentioned by Jovoy's official marketing.

All I could smell was this.

FOF

TODAY'S CHALLENGE

Could SBS help me lift my curse, and make me return home with a sub-esclusive scent to be proud of?

ROTY

June 25, 2024 – LG Day 25 – Merry Christmas, One and All

• Brush: Zenith r/wetshaving Exclusive MOAR Boar 31mm
• Razor: Razorock Mamba 70
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Wet the Face – It’s a Wonderful Shave
• Post Shave: Wet the Face – It’s a Wonderful Shave
• Fragrance: Kerosene – Winter of 99

A Lather Games Carol

Stave 1: Onion’s Ghost

Ebenezer Prius was a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner, as solitary as an oyster. His sole partner, Jacob Onion, had died seven years prior on Lather Games Eve, a fact Prius dismissed with grim indifference. On this frigid Lather Games Eve, Prius begrudgingly allowed his clerk, Hug Bucket, a day off with pay, though he considered it a poor excuse to pick a man’s pocket every June. As Prius settled into his melancholy abode, he was visited by Onion’s ghost, bound in ponderous chains, forged from his life of avarice and inhumanity. Onion’s ghost, with a face marked by eternal torment, warned Prius that he would share the same dreadful fate unless he amended his ways. Onion foretold the visitation of three spirits, each bearing a crucial lesson for Prius’s salvation.

Stave 2: The First of the Three Spirits

When the bell tolled one, Prius was visited by the Ghost of Lather Games Past, a figure of light and shadow, emanating both youth and age. This spirit, who introduced himself as Red Mosquito and whose voice was gentle yet commanding, led Prius on a journey through his own yesteryears. Prius saw himself as a lonely boy, neglected by friends and left to solitary pursuits, yet consoled by the discovery of r/Wetshaving, which introduced him to the Lather Games. He visited these festive Games hosted by his role model, Mr. Djundjila, a jovial man who celebrated the Lather Games with mirth and generosity, his joy infectious to all who participated. Prius’s vision shifted to show his lost love, Pride Two, who sorrowfully ended their engagement due to Prius’s growing obsession with wealth. Prius watched, heartbroken, as Pride Two later married another, r/wicked_edge, and lived a life filled with love and family, a stark contrast to his own lonely existence. Each scene elicited increasingly deep regret and sorrow from Prius, highlighting the opportunities for happiness he had squandered.

Stave 3: The Second of the Three Spirits

As the clock struck two, the Ghost of Lather Games Present, a majestic giant robed in green and crowned with holly, appeared. This spirit, who called himself Merikus and embodying the very essence of Lather Games joy, whisked Prius to bustling city streets and humble homes filled with warmth and cheer. They arrived at the meager abode of Hug Bucket, where the family prepared a modest feast with what little they had. Despite their poverty, they were rich in love and happiness, their hearts aglow with the spirit of the Lather Games. Prius’s heart ached upon seeing Tiny Tsar, Hug’s frail son, whose cheerful spirit belied his grave illness. The spirit’s touch allowed Prius to see the Bucket family’s deep affection they held for one another. Merikus also revealed to Prius two emaciated children, Ignorance and Want, hidden beneath his robe, warning of the dire consequences they represented if left unchecked. The sight of these wretched beings filled Prius with dread and a burgeoning sense of responsibility.

Stave 4: The Last of the Spirits

The final apparition, the Ghost of Lather Games Yet to Come, appeared as the clock struck three, shrouded in a deep black garment that concealed its form. This silent specter, with a small nametag reading “Hello, my name is Velocipedic”, conveyed a chilling sense of dread as it led Prius to scenes of a future Lather Games. Prius witnessed the callousness of shavers discussing a death, indifferent to the deceased’s fate, showing neither sorrow nor respect. Prius found himself in a pawnshop, where various Redditors haggled over the possessions of the deceased, soaps and fragrances pilfered from his very deathbed. In a graveyard, the spirit pointed to a neglected tombstone bearing Prius’s own name. Prius recoiled in horror, realizing that the unloved and unmourned man was himself. Desperate and trembling, Prius begged for the chance to alter his fate and vowed to honor the Lather Games in his heart all year round, pledging to learn from the past, present, and future.

Stave 5: The End of It

Awakening on Lather Games morning, Prius was overjoyed to find himself alive and resolved to change his ways. He delighted in the sights and sounds of the Lather Games, laughing and crying in sheer exuberance. He flung open his window and called to a passing boy named Bmac, sending him to purchase the prize fragrance from the Mammoth shop to be delivered to the Bucket household. Prius dressed in his best clothes and stepped out into the bustling streets, greeting everyone with a hearty “Merry Lather Games!” He donated generously to charity, surprising two portly gentlemen who had failingly sought his contribution the day before. Prius visited his nephew Chronnoisseur’s home, embracing his festive gathering with newfound warmth and joy, accepting the invitation to join their merry celebrations. True to his word, Prius became a second father to Tiny Tsar, who did not die, and ensured the Bucket family wanted for nothing. Prius’s transformation was profound and lasting; he kept the spirit of the Lather Games alive in his heart always, becoming known far and wide as a man who exemplified the true meaning of the season by dropping out of the Games and committing to only winning once, a testament to the redemptive power of kindness and goodwill.

---

I stand in a Christmas tree lot, surrounded by firs and pines, adorned by lilies and amaryllis, the smell powerful and also powerfully nostalgic. Maybe it’s just the Christmas season, but it almost seems like the scent of warming spices is in the air. I arrive home and find freshly baked molasses cookies cooling on the counter, nutmeg and vanilla wafting through the air. Comfortable and safe, this shave puts me in a magical place. #FOF

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I find it interesting that the day after I showed my face for the first time on the sub, the judges post a challenge stating “if you are a head shaver, wear a mask”. Very, very interesting. Did you know that many masks have straps that get in the way of shaving one’s head? Not something one thinks about when purchasing a respirator. Well, I did the best I could with the one mask I had readily available. Merry Lather Games, all.

2024-06-25 - Noble Amassment of Hats

• Lather: Noble Otter - Northern Elixir
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Santa Noir
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Santa Noir
• Razor: Wolfman Razors - Guerrilla
• Bru​sh: Yaqi Metal Timbewolf
• Brush: Yaqi Metal Timberwolf

Unifying Theme: Xmas in June
There were multiple occasions that I almost moved Santa Noir off of this day, but I think I'da been pretty screwed, so I didn't.

Xmas in June:
Do you guys remember when it used to get even a little bit cold during the months associated with winter? Man, some of you might even be too young to remember. That's a bummer of a thought.

Bring back that cool winter air!
— Noble Otter, Northern Elixir

Hat Day: HELL YES
I have never been more excited about an LG challenge than this!

A couple Games ago, Hat Day was reportedly just a placeholder challenge that was never intended to be used because—get this—it was deemed too ridiculous. Go ahead and read that again: Too ridiculous for the Lather Games

Clearly, though, this is the best challenge ever devised, and I'm not just saying that because I have way too fucking many hats. In fact, I procured almost all of my hats in the time since LG2023. In fact in fact, 6 of those hats arrived at my house from Poland only yesterday! It's even more bonkers when you consider that nearly all of them are completely unsuitable for warm weather! The weather is always warm!

For today's challenge, I obviously had to wear one of these hats, but I knew that wouldn't cut it.

So I shaved with ~~19~~ 16 hats... simultaneously.

#FOF
My focus today was on hats, but I'll say that the mintiness of Northern Elixir isn't a bad lead-in to Santa Noir.

#photocontest DIY
Yesterday, I put up the last of some wall-mounted shelves and stuff for Artemis, so I figured why not use one of those shelves.

June 26, 2024 – LG24 Day 26 - Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: BukoPuro Organic Coconut Husk
• Bowl: BukoPuro Organic Coconut Shell
• Razor: Merkur 23C
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium (2)
• Lather: BukoPuro - Organic Coconut Cream
• Post Shaver: BukoPuro - Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
• Fragranc: BukoPuro - Organic Coconut Juice

Daily Theme & Shave: My approach to last year's WCW was admittedly low effort - I used Aloe Vera Skin Care Lotion. I still regret that I didn't do something more adventurous (I don't mean adventurous as in shaving with anal lube, I mean adventurous as in doing something that's both fun and a a bit outside the box). Pre-games, u/tsrblke indicated that he was considering a locally themed "bonkers food shave". I was very intrigued but was having difficulty with how to present a Philippine-themed bonkers shave without looking like I was just copying Tsar, so I took things in a different direction. Today I'm shaving with a coconut. Well, that's not quite right. Today my software, bowl and brush will all be parts of coconuts I arranged to have harvested for use today.

You see, one of Mrs Worried's friends (we'll call her Mary) has a side-hustle farming coconuts and selling coconut meat at a local market. A few days ago, Mary harvested some coconuts for me. Here you see her son (we'll call him John) using a long pole to yank ripe coconuts from trees on their farm. John then "shucks" the husk to expose the nut. The nut is then split open, the coconut juice drained, and then the coconuts are mechanically scraped to remove the coconut meat.

John delivered the coconut raw materials shortly after we returned from Bali yesterday. The last pic shows the meat to be processed into cream and oil, plus the juice, husk and bowl set aside for the shave.

The second part of the coconut transformation is Master Chef'd by Mrs Worried. Before you can make coconut cream and oil, you need to extract the coconut milk from the meat. You add hot water to help release the milk from the meat, and you squeeze the meat until it's dry. This is a very low-tech process, thus even I'm qualified to do the squeezing. Any floating bits are strained out, and what you have left is coconut milk.

The milk is then heated, which causes the milk to break down and the coconut cream separates from the coconut oil. If you continue to heat the cream/oil, all moisture will cook out of the cream, and leaving behind a powdery, sweet treat used as flavor enhancer on desserts such as sticky rice. FYI - Mrs Worried made the stick rice concurrent with our cream/oil production since they share many of the base ingredients.

I let the cream/oil cool down, and then it was shave time. Keeping with the coconut theme, I used one of the coconut shells and some of the coconut husk left over from the meat extraction process as my bowl and brush. I used the husk to mix up the coconut cream in the shell and to apply the cream to my face. One thing I discovered during the shave is that coconut cream is not very creamy (at least in the raw state we produced). The cream was incredibly slick, and I got a great shave as a result, but to be honest, it looked more like vomit than cream when I applied it. Coconut oil is a natural beauty product and it worked well today as my post. Coconut juice is naturally fragrant and was a natural choice for my frag.

Relevant Post/Frag: Lather, Post and Frag were all made from the coconuts harvested at Mary's farm. Post was made by Mrs Worried with the same coconut meat used to make the lather, and the frag was extracted by John from the coconuts when they were being prepared for mechanical scraping. All in all, today was a family/friends affair.

Product Branding: If I were to get into the coconut product business, I would name my company BukoPuro. Buko is Tagalog for coconut and Puro is Spanish for pure. I used a company name creator AI for name development assistance and in logo design.

Daily Challenge: I have two levels of brush cleaning: daily and special. Shaving soap is naturally antibacterial, so daily cleaning is almost always what I do. Post-shave, I first extract as much soap as I can from the brush (I use the lather to clean soap scum from the sink with an old brush I repurposed for this task). I rinse the brush under the tap until there is no visible soap, and then I dunk/splay the brush in my shave bowl (refreshing water as necessary) until the water is clear. I then hang to dry.

I only perform special cleaning when a brush is brand new (it's part of my brush break in process) or if a brush gets contaminated (such as falling into the toilet). I use a dedicated brush cleaning soap from a vendor on the DNB list and thus shall not be named (I bought this pre-r/wetshaving and if I ever need to replenish my brush cleaning soap, I will procure Zingari's version next time). After soaking the brush (at least 15 minutes for natural haired brushes and at least a couple of minutes for synthetics) I load the brush doing figure eight swirls (both clockwise and counterclockwise) for 30 seconds with the cleaning soap. I then use a pocket comb to slowly comb the brush from glue plug to tip. If I encounter tangles, I slowly work that area until bristles are untangled. This combing process works the soap throughout the knot and lather starts building as a byproduct. I continue to comb the brush for another minute or so, and then I rinse the brush using my daily cleaning process.

June 26, 2024 – Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: Left Hand
• Razor: About Body – Bikini Shavers
• Blade: See razor
• Lather: Slippery Stuff – Personal Lubricant Gel
• Post Shave: Happy Nuts – Comfort Cream
• Fragrance: Summer’s Eve – Island Splash Douche

Last year for Wildcard Wednesday I missed the memo and used a soap. The scrub shame from u/Enndeegee was great, but I vowed to do better. I decided to keep things within the boundaries of for human use as my wife is already asking me when this thing ends, and a hospital trip might end in divorce. That limited me a little bit, but I put together a plan to attempt to redeem myself. Now u/Priusaurus used KY last year in his classy romantic coitus shave, but what about us average people. You know the kind that have to look up what those words even mean. Well allow me to introduce to a different kind of shave, a shave that includes what goes on behind the scenes.

• The Lather: For today’s shave I went straight to business with a little bit of Slippery Stuff Personal Lubricant Shaving Gel. Bowl lathering this stuff was pretty much impossible so I had to scrap that idea. With any chance of a brush foreplay over I moved straight to a quick spread by hand. Now when I bought this “personal lubricant” I had the idea that maybe it would be a slick gel, but it’s a lot more slimy than slick.
• The Shave: Shaving my face with a women’s pube razor, not my finest moment. As if that doesn’t sum up the shave, the lube acting very similar to how it felt rubbing it on my face. This was a zero cushion shave with near constant clogging with lube. It doesn’t help that this razor is tiny so it took forever. Thankfully the Slippery Stuff is long lasting so it didn’t dry up. Eventually I got through some semblance of a shave and with minimal cutting. Here is a quick shot of some of the action.
• Aftershave/Frag: So now that I’ve done the ~~dirty~~ shave its time for a little self care because lets face it, this isn’t a classy shave and sometimes it doesn’t end well. I started with a search for a suitable lotion for the job. When I was talking with u/2SaintsDude about needing a product he was more than happy to help me out and give me his to use. Yes, the Happy Nuts Comfort Cream is used. Against my better judgment and with the encouragement of 2SaintsDude I rubbed the lotion on my skin. Thankfully he wasn’t here to watch me or it might have gotten awkward. Now that I had a proper aftershave lotion to powder I needed a suitable fragrance. In the interest of equality I wanted to represent both sexes here and well we all know what fragranced self care the other sex might use to smell a little better down there. That’s right I went straight to the douche. The fragrance on this stuff was quite strong and I immediately regretted this decision to pour it in my hand and put it on my face, but I cant stop now, Enndeegee is always watching.
• Theme: Pretty sure no one else subjected themselves to an unforgettable genital themed shave. I used a gel to shave, a lotion for aftershave, and a fragranced product as my frag. Did I do it right this time Enndeegee?
• Challenge: Brush cleaning is really the least of my concerns right now as I sit here smelling like a literal douche, but I know my brush is going to need a thorough scrubbing after today. So how do I do it. If it wasn’t already clear I’m a simple man. I hand lather some dish soap with the brush, rinsing and repeating a few times. I then leave it to dry for a few days to ensure it’s both clean and ready for the next shave.

DAY 26 LATHER GAMES! WILDCARD INDEED

• Prep: Water
• Brush: Kapo(Karo) 22mm synth
• Razor: Goodfellas smile Impero OC razor
• Blade: Nacet
• Lather: Playing Cards - No. 976 grounded to dust and bits
• Post Shave: Ethos - Success skin food lotion
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - O, Unknown!

I had such a laugh today. Why? Well cause of the time difference. When I wake up and the new post of the day starts it's around 9 AM, and there(the States) it's midnight. Usually when I check, there are 1-2 posts at that time and that's all. This morning I opened and I was like, WTF, probably like 20 posts. Then I remembered why there was such a rush of posts on this day. Everyone is a scrub and isn't sure in themselves that someone else won't copy them.

After last year's upset for, where u/Onionmiasma, copied my idea(not on purpose, he didn't know what my idea was) of shaving with motor oil(which I did do on camera the previous year, unrelated to LG) and me being left in the dust, I said "fuck it" and left today's Wildcard Wednesday for the last moment. Yup, you read that right, I waited for inspiration THE DAY OF! And that was the right decision to take, because what was created today by me, is something that I KNOW nobody has done, neither today nor any previous LG years. I didn't even check what people used, that's how confident I am!

Here we gooooooo!

As I was walking back from work, admiring how wonderful the day was and realizing that the LG are almost over, something caught my eye on the sidepath. It was a deck of cards that had written on them "WILD CARDS". I thought "Wild Cards, what concidence, there must be a way to fit this in today's theme". I got back home and opened them, and there was an instructional card that read "WARNING CARDS CAN TALK". You can imagine how giddy with excitement I was for the fact I had stumbled upon magic cards. I quickly took one out and asked it what it could tell me. The card proclaimed in a monotnous voice "The earth is flat!"... I was shocked, very strange thing to say. I didn't like that so I crumpled it up and threw it away, took another one out it said "Incest is wincest!", I was floored, such a vile phrase. The third one just started saying something about Hitler, but I squished it in my hand before it could finish it's sentence, I didn't even want to know what it was. These truly were wild cards, but one thing was clear to me, they must be destroyed. So I took my blender and made them into dust particles.

Since this hobby carries the notion of eco friendliness and reducing plastic polution with cartriges I didn't want to just throw away the waste that was created from blending the cards. And since I do not have a compost, I said "You know what? Fuck it! I'm gonna shave with this!". That's right folks, I shaved with blended Wild Cards on Wildcard day!

Here is a VIDEO documentation of everything that happened today to get here!

VIDEO of me shaving with Wildcard lather on Wildcard day!

Daily Challenge

Now for brush maintenance I owe most of what I do or know to AnotherCutAbove. From the very beginning of my wetshaving journey, when I was watching wetshaving youtubers, he was probably the only guy I really liked and his lather inspired me to make mine better, cause he really did hydrate his lather.

I learned from him the trick that when you've washed your brush after shaving but are not sure if there is any soap in there, after shaking all the water out, just squeeze the bottom of the knot, and if you hear some scrunching sounds, that means that there is still lather in there. I use this trick to this day, I think I even used it yesterday. After I hear that the brush is scrunching I use hot water and rinse THOROUGLY until I am satisfied. After that I whip the ends of my brush on a towel, verticallly and horizontally, to get all that excess water out.

I've been using this method for more than 3 years and I have never had problems with any brush, no soap build-up, nothing. All my brushes are healthy!

Oh I do want to share something that I found out on my own. Have you seen synthethic brushes that when you look on top of the knot that there is a hole there in the middle? That happens from when you push too much on the knot, either on your face or in a bowl, though this is more common for bowl lathering. I found a way to fix it. You just take the brush, take a bowl, or a towel, or your hand in a cupped form, apply slight to medium pressure to the tips onto the chosen surface(important if should be a spherical surfacen, not flat) and do very small circular motions, about 100-200 rotations should do, check on your brush, the dent in the middle should have dissapered or be substantially reduced. Repeat this process until it is as good as new and in the future just be mindful of how much you press when lathering.

Daily Lather Themes: 26/30

• Daily Challenges: 24/30
• Hardware Scavenger Hunt: 20/20
• Hardware Vendor Points: 2/2
• Software Vendor Points: 14/16
• 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

June 26, 2024 – LG Day 26 – Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: Ateco Ultra Offset Spatula, 7.75in, Black Handle
• Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy Aluminum
• Blade: Gillette Nacet
• Lather: Hugbckt Homestead – Vanilla Buttercream
• Post Shave: PepsiCo – Starry
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Rumble – EdP

Have you ever watched Is It Cake? and thought to yourself, “boy oh boy, I wish I could be one of those cakes.”? Yes? Well, same here. So I made it a reality today.

First, I whipped up some buttercream frosting. It’s pretty easy to do, even if you’re not a baker! I mean, I personally am a home baker who has made wedding cakes in the past, but that’s an irrelevant brag I wanted to throw in here. In process, and final product. (Note: All photos from here on out are SFW-ish, as long as your work is okay with hairy shoulders and above-the-nipple-line-chest.)

Then, I grabbed my offset spatula and went to work. As it turns out, ones head is harder to frost than cake. Even with a day’s stubble, there wasn’t enough to grab onto – possibly a result of all those pesky naturally occurring oils in skin. With much more effort than I was anticipating, I managed to get it done. But you know, that didn’t seem like enough. I looked like an incomplete cupcake. And what I wanted to be was a complete cupcake. So I added some sprinkles. Still not enough. This is a cause worthy of celebration. This is my third Lather Games. Kind of like a third birthday, you know? And as such, I found a way to adequately celebrate this.

I have become Cupcake, destroyer of worlds. (Bonus points if you catch what I was going for with my drawing/markup that keeps this photo safe for work!)

After shaving, I splashed on everybody’s favorite children’s birthday party soda, ~~Sprite~~ Starry. Ahh. Satisfying.

Was too tired to take a proper video, so I took a video (not modest enough to share), took screenshots and cropped for SFW-ish, and made a lil photo album that I think adequately show my dismay and regret through the process.

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When making buttercream that isn’t destined for my head, I typically use organic powdered sugar as recommended by Stella Parks. Paying the premium is rough, but the flavor is more rounded, and far less sickly sweet. This batch is quite sweet. Scents of vanilla and white sugar, with slight lactic notes from the butter and splash of milk. Starry (the artist formerly known as Sierra Mist) is a classic lemon-lime scent, sticky sweet but not overly saccharine, ultimately refreshing, the perfect way to wash down birthday cake. Rumble joins us to represent chocolate ice cream (a flavor many people enjoy), covered in a special coffee-rum sauce only available to the grown-ups. A perfect finish to a joyous party. #FOF

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Brushes are scientifically proven to be dishwasher safe, microwave safe, washing machine safe, thermonuclear reactor safe, and sometimes they clean themselves like cats do. Any of those methods should work fine for ya.

In reality, when one of my boar brushes get gnarly, I lather it up on a bar of Dial antibacterial soap, as I do when I have a brush I’m selling, PIFing, passing on, etc. It seems to work alright, but I’m genuinely looking forward to learning what others do.

The Los Dupe files uncovered

• Lather: no scrub X red house farm - no scrub soap
• Brush: my hand #toll
• Razor: Wilkinson sword classic.

On theme because no scrub soap has no monetary value as it cannot be sold, my hand is free and the Wilko sword is a cheap 5 quid demon razor.

It was a horrible 1 pass shave after my run. But the run itself was interesting. I came across a weird usb stick and decided to bring it home to see what was in it.

There was one folder called DO NOT OPEN opened it, and there was a single word doc. It was called 197$ffpu*3.docx so I figured there was no virus.

Gentlesirs I hit the jackpot. I found out what Los Dupe has been up to these games and I have to apologize for seeking him out. If I had known he was on the side of the justife I never would've got involved.

The below is copied and pasted straight from the doc. Except the redactions are my own, to protect me and my loved ones.

IN THE LATHER GAMES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF R/WETSHAVING

LATHER GAMES

v.

REDACTED (defendant)

---

CRIMINAL NO. 9985/24/cg

VIOLATIONS:

Count 1: 24 L.G.C. §SC.28 (Frugal Friday)

INDICTMENT

• The Defendant, REDACTED was the 9th Champion of the Lather Games and a candidate for re-championment in 2024.

• In order to do this the defendant resorted to a plethora of different methods to retain advantage over the pack. This included using multiple brushes, soaps, razors in order to meet the criteria for the games.

• Despite having a range of brushes the defendant chose to use their hands on wildcard wednesday therefore bringing their hands into their shave den as brushes

• Established Lather Games case law has shown that hands cannot be procured and that ownership of a hand is not a requirement to shave. A hand brush is therefore intentionally and not inadvertently owned.

• Despite using his hands as a brush and his knowledge of the book of case law the defendant chose to use a brush, instead of his hands which he had already submitted as a ‘brush’ that he owns

• This was done to gain advantage in the 2024 Lather Games, by seeking to illegally procure points that he is not eligible for. This includes .5 special theme points, and between 1 and 5 bonus points depending on the severity of his crime

Los Dupe — Special counsel

Lather games department of Djustice

---

June 30, 2024

• Brush: Yaqi – Evil Zebra – 26mm Synthetic
• Razor: Karve – Christopher Bradley, Plate C
• Blade: Wilkinson Sword
• Lather: Abbate y La Mantia – Crumiro Soap
• Post Shave: Master Soap Creators – Apricot Pie Splash
• Fragrance: Thierry Mugler - Angel MenEdP

I live in the USA
Yaqi Brush is from China
Karve Razor is from Canada
Wilkinson Blade is from Germany
Abbate y La Mantia Lather is from Italy
Master Soap Creations Aftershave is from South Africa
Thierry Mugler Fragrance is from France

Legacy. Long after I’m gone, when all my shaving gear is inevitably inherited by my children, and eventually passed down to their children, one day, one of my grandchildren may stumble across my Lather Games Trophy and ask me about it. And I’ll wryly smile, and tell them I was one of the Greatest Lather Games Shavers of all time. Then they’ll ask me why I have so many soaps, when I can’t possibly use them all, and I’ll gently tell them to mind their business and shut their little mouths!

But… Back to Legacy. Let’s focus on that.

Here I am, trying to cement my Lather Game Legacy. Trying to become the first ever back-to-back Lather Games Champion. Anyone that has participated in Lathers Games will tell you that winning is hard. As former winner, CosmoBarber, came down from the Mountain to tell me just 3 days ago: “There are only a handful of Lather Games Champions on this planet, so honor that crown!” Winning the Lather Games twice has never been done. For good reason. Many would say it’s impossible. I’ve said that I wanted to be the Tom Brady of The Lather Games and cement my Lather Games Legacy and do it. For those who don’t know American Football and don’t know who Tom Brady is: (1) What is it like under the rock you’re living under? (2) He’s won more Championships than anyone else in the history of The National Football League. He is considered the undisputed Greatest Of All Time – The GOAT – in professional American Football. To quote T-Pain: All he does is win, win, win.

So today, on the last day of the 10th Annual Lather Games, and I’m going to where the Greatest American Football Player of All Time spent the vast majority of his career. A place that has a winning atmosphere. Where greatness lives and where mortals become legends. The place that Tom Brady won more than any other: Gillette Stadium. This stadium is for winners. It is home to the greatest football dynasty of all time. And today, it will be forever intertwined in my Lather Games dynasty.

I spot several benches outside the stadium, directly next to the Patriots Hall of Fame. Perfect. I can feel the energy of championship after championship upon me as I make me way down the stairs. I see the Patriots’ Super Bowl Banners donning the stadium. I, too, know what it is like to hoist a Championship Trophy. I want to feel that again. But for now, I can’t get too far ahead of myself. I still need to shave today and get the damn thing won this year. Winning one ain’t a dynasty. Gotta win at least two for that. I get to my perfect shaving spot, in the shadow of Gillette Stadium, where Tom Brady first became the superstar everyone knows today. And I’m right outside the Patriots Hall of Fame, where Tom Brady was inducted just 2 weeks ago, cementing HIS legacy in New England. And hopefully where I cement MY Lather Games Legacy. The pressure is on. Let’s shave.

The Stadium and Hall of Fame aren’t too busy this morning, but there is a steady stream of people walking by me as I prepared to shave. The final time I’ll be using my mobile shave den this year. As I lathered up Crumiro, it started to smell like a sweet Italian Bakery had moved into Gillette Stadium. The rich, buttery scent of freshly baked cookies with a hint of almond wrapped filled the air around me, to compliment this winning atmosphere. Ahhhh… It’s also fitting that I end the Lather Games with a Gourmand Shave. If only they served cappuccinos at the stadium, it would be a like shaving at a quaint café in Rome – The type of café that was the home to the greatest NFL dynasty of all-time… People are walking about, heading into the Patriots Hall of Fame or waiting their turn for a tour of the stadium, as I go about my business. Entirely focusing on the final shave of the Lather Games. I give myself a good final Lather Games shave, wipe my face with a towel, then splash on Master Soap Creators' Apricot Pie Splash to continue that the dessert theme. As I splashed it on, the juicy aroma of ripe apricots mingled with the comforting spices and buttery crust of a homemade pie. It was like taking a bite of a perfectly baked, golden-crusted pie, still warm from the oven. My skin felt refreshed, and I felt at ease, knowing I did everything I could this year and I’m about to put the final touches on my last shave of the Lather Games. To top it all off, Thierry Mugler’s Angel Men EdP sealed the deal. This powerhouse fragrance, with its complex blend of caramel, vanilla, and sweet spices added a wonderful, sophisticated layer to the sweetness of the shave. It’s like the final flourish of an extravagant dessert—rich, indulgent, and utterly unforgettable. The perfect finishing touch. A dessert shave that was a symphony of rich, decadent scents, each note harmonizing perfectly to create a deliciously satisfying experience for the final course of my LG2024 shaves. #FOF

Thank you to the organizers, judges, fellow participants, and the great sponsors that all make these crazy games happen. Even if I didn’t fulfill my desire to be the first ever back-to-back Champion, I’ll be ecstatic if I pull an Djundjila and go from 1st to 2nd, or even if I pull a Red and go from 1st to 5th, or do something entirely different. I could have messed up and finished 52nd. I don’t know. The fact of the matter is: I love these games, I love the competition, I love the writing, I love the shavanigans, and I love the community. This year had less Spite, more love, and was just as much fun for me. I tried my best to bring the heat with every single post and make people smile, roll their eyes, shake their heads, and maybe even chuckle to themselves. The goal was always to entertain. I took no days off and left it all out on the field. I’d be beyond honored to win again, but I’d also be happy to send the trophy along to its next destination. Lather Games 2024 has been a hell of a ride. And remember, the real meaning of the Lather Games is the friends we’ve shaved with along the way.

June 30, 2024 – LG Day 30 – The End

• Brush: Maggard Timberwolf Synthetic 24mm 🇨🇳
• Razor: Merkur 34C 🇩🇪
• Blade: Lord Super Stainless Chromium Coated 🇹🇷
• Lather: Henri et Victoria – Amande 🇨🇦
• Post Shave: RazoRock – Mudder Focker 🇮🇹
• Fragrance: Essential Parfums – Orange X Santal 🇫🇷

I know this is out of the ordinary, but I will not be writing a lengthy treatise today. Rather, in honor of all the players who played the Games “their way” this month, particularly Cowzilla3, enndeegee, and alg82, I’ve recorded a little song (which I’m amazed Crisp_Mango didn’t parody last year). Lyrics are below, for those who need them or prefer not to listen.

All products today are from different countries, and none from United States of America (where I live). They are each denoted by their according flag emoji, but to make sure it’s clear, in order of product listed: China, Germany, Turkey, Canada, Italy, France.

Now, for my final trick, I convince the djudges and wally that my shave has a thematic thread that ties it together, beyond meeting the challenge. Amande is a take on the classic almond shaving soap a la Cella, and presents as an almond biscotti which has been soaked in American bright red maraschino cherry juice. It’s a kick in the face, and hardly mellows upon lathering. Now, what to follow this up with? Well, thinking about what Cella believes you should pair with their soap, an aromatic aftershave seemed appropriate. With clear culinary and citrus top notes, Mudder Focker blends surprisingly well with the maraschino note, before it takes over entirely. Now, what’s weird about Mudder Focker is that it’s allegedly a dupe of Panama 1924 by Boellis. If that’s the case, it seems to be a…creative take. I haven’t smelled Panama 1924 before, but the internet tells me that there’s either an almond note or a tobacco flower note, neither of which show up in this splash. The former would have likely been more welcome than the latter, in this scenario. I maintain that the folks at Cella were out of their gourds when they decided to make such different and not-very-complementary scents. Though Orange x Santal might not be what I would typically spray on after such a sweet almond soap, it’s a perfect addition to today’s splash. The sandalwood is a clear connection here, along with the herbal notes which drift around in the background, while the bitter orange is a fun, bright, complex yet simple ending to this fragrance journey. #FOF

And with that, I bid you all adieu.

---

And now, the end is near

And so I face the final lather

My friend, I’ll make it clear

We had our fun, with all the blather

We shaved ourselves each day

No care for formatting the right way

And more, much more than this

We did it our way

Good laughs, we’ve had a few

Like when I skipped that challenge

We did what we wanted to

And skipped the points for hardware scavenge

No plan, no charted course

Each silly step, the game that I played

And more, much more than this

We did it our way

Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew

When we broke the rules, formatting skewed

But through it all, when there was doubt

We lathered up and shaved about

We faced it all, and stood up tall

And did it our way

We’ve loved, we’ve laughed and cried

We’ve had our fill, of memes and puns too

And now, as games subside

We find it all so damn amusing

To think we did all that

With no real goal, some others might say

We did what we felt like

We did it our way

For what is a shaver, what have they got?

If not their jokes, then they have naught

To spam the threads with shaving memes

And not just follow others’ schemes

The record shows we took some blows

And did it our way

June 30, 2024 - Addio Giochi di Sapone

• Brush: Semogue 1800 - Portugal
• Razor: Solingen Best Silver Steel - Germany
• Lather: Whispers From The Woods - Pomelo - Australia
• Post Shave: TFS - NASA Marte - Italy
• Fragrance: Guorgio Armani - Acqua Di Gio Absolu EdP - France
• Shave Bowl: IKEA - Blue Kids Bowl - Sweden but probably made in China
• Shaver: Environmental Gap 380- USA
• Consecutive Days with a Shave: 700

Today’s Theme and Challenge:

All products used today were from different countries and continents from where I live. The SOTD picture is more of a shave of the vacation set up, but shows everything used today.

I’m currently on vacation in a small town in Wyoming. A few weeks ago I did a count and if my math is correct, today marks 700 consecutive daily shaves. The streak started on August 1, 2022 with my first Austere August. With the 700th ending on the last day of the LG, I decided I needed a special shave for it. About a 30 minute drive from my folks’ place is a spectacular view. I got up in the pre-dawn hours and started getting ready. I ended up getting to Red Canyon Overlook just a little after the sun had crested the horizon and was in the golden hour. I paused a moment to learn about Wyoming wildlife. Yesterday when we drove up we almost hit three Pronghorn Antelope crossing the highway. After soaking in one of my favorite views on Earth, it was time to set up my rental shave den. Since visiting a state with frontier roots (Oregon Trail went very close to here) and a cowboy tradition, I had to be a shave like the cowboys would have done. It was time to shave. I should have wet the brush before heading out. Starting dry soaked up a lot of soap, and the high elevation and very low humidity had the lather drying out on my face. I ended up lathering each part of my face just before I shaved a section. The tinted back windows gave a pretty decent reflection. I finished two passes before packing up.

Feats of Fragrance:

The world traveler challenge really dictated what to bring. It also kept me from dickholing a set from MacDuffs. Other things restricting my choices were the brush and aftershave. I settled on the citrus scented Pomelo. It is an entirely citrus scent. The name should be a strong indicator of this. The scent is like a bowl full of lemon, orange, and just more citrus. It is a really nice blend that is similarto Dr. Jon’s - Hydra. I don’t have more than a few aftershaves from outside the US. Tabac, 1 MacDuffs, and this TFS from Italy. NASA Marte is a citrus forward aftershave. It comes of very fresh and a little sweet. The wind had picked up, so I spray my travel spritzer to my face inside the rental SUV. I brought along two fragrance samples I have that were both labeled Paris France: Acqua di Gio Absolu and Drakkar Noir Intense. The aquatic and woody Absolu was a fantastic match for the set. It starts with a burst of citrus in bergamot, grapefruit, and lemon. The woody patchouli, rosemary, and amberwood gave me a feel that I was in the nearby evergreen forests. Sometimes being constrained in your choices can be serendipitous. Having the limits today led to one of my favorite combinations this month. I sat back and watched the sunlight move down the canyon. I was in my happy place for sure. I had a peaceful morning meditation before driving back down to town, and got to my parents’s house. I passed my brother-in-law who was finishing up a morning run. The two of us were the only ones up in this really full house. I made a nice cup of Earl Grey (more citrus please), and sat on the veranda sipping my tea while having a nice chat before the madness starts when the kids wake up. #FOF

Final Thoughts:

This is my third time going on these LGs. I thought about just reading and not participating, but ultimately the lure of these shenanigans drew me back. I had an oh shit moment where I realized I totally goofed which derailed the full plan for Wildcard Wednesday, but 2/3 of it was done at least. I knew I was going to be away the last weekend and almost used that excuse to not play. I am very happy right now that I did. I would have missed seeing this small town at dawn. When I was a kid, the ranchers would drive their cattle down main street, bringing them down from their summer pasture in the mountains. I lived here for 10 years from age 5-15. We moved away before my sophomore year in high school. Over the years I’ve lived in 9 states, and a year in England. As soon as I see that view of Main Street, I feel like I’ve come home. About 20 years ago my dad semi-retired and moved back here.

So thank you all who set up the games, sent out smooshes, gave advice, shit posted, and made this a month of fun.