u/pilgrim32's SOTDs for challenge 'Lather Games 2023'

July 1, 2023 – Bonjour

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Hub City Soap Company – Morning Hike

Not a great day for day 1. Leaving vacation and headed home. No bowl or anything so lathered this in my hand, which i don’t normally do. But turned out pretty good. Thanks to u/Eructate for the samples.

July 2, 2023 – Vegan Day

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Clog Pruf
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1)
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Phrygian Rose

Finally home after a 14 hour drive. A really nice shave with this GEM. Only the second time I have used it so today’s challenge gave me the perfect excuse to break it out. A really smooth shave. And I always love Dr Jon’s soaps. I had every intention of using the Tobacco soap but couldn’t find it so this was a last minute addition. And I’m not normally a fan of floral but this one smells great

July 3, 2023 – Almond

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (3)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Almond Creme

This is one of the lightest scented soaps from Stirling I have used but maybe that is because of terrible allergy/sinus stuff or the apocalyptic Canadian smoke from a couple thousand miles away or just one of the dozen or so Covid infections in the last few years. Or the US Mail or some other valid reason I couldn’t smell. But I suppose it should still count even though I can’t actually smell the almond. I’m already at one pass shaves due to sunburn related irritation so maybe I’ll shave my legs or head or feet for a few days to give that a chance to heal

July 4, 2023 – Flowers in the Attic

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR14/V3A
• Blade: Voskhod (2)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Fleur de France
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Fern

I struggled with today. Thanks to those who humored me with suggestions-and a new addiction to ChatGPT-on the daily questions thread yesterday. Every year after LG, I purge and apparently I got rid of everything resembling spring or flowers or grass. And I don’t really like those things-with one notable exception that will come on dickhole day.

So, I went with this Spearhead Seaforth Fleur de whatever. I figured it had flower in the name and smells like a goddamn funeral home, so it must be okay. I’ve never had a soap that shaved so well and immediately made me want to shower. Well, maybe the Khalifia or whatever that was from A&E that I’ve used on “things that won’t get you laid day”. This lathers like a dream but it smells so bad. I also have very few aftershaves these days and only one fits the bill here, so i went with Barrister and Mann Reserve Fern to try to cover up the stank.

I’m not good with science. Not at all. In fact, that is why I pursued a career in psychology, which has traditionally been referred to as a “soft science”. So in the spirit of soft sciences and todays challenge, I will assume my hatred for floral scents and spring has something to do with my mother and some unconscious repressed memories is some horrific terror that happened in a forest or flower garden or funeral home. And sniffing this French abomination left me a sobbing blubbering mess and I’ll never know why. Unless someone skilled in bullshit detection has a couch for me to crawl onto.

July 5, 2023 – Canned Goo Day

• Razor: Gillette Mach 3 Turbo
• Lather: Barbasol

Canned Goo day is upon us. No trouble picking out what to use today. The father of all canned goo-Barbasol. Pair that with three hours of sleep after staying up too late watching people light money on fire, a quick shower and a Gillette Mach 3. If you are going for drug store variety, that is the combo to use. No aftershave today. I have some Aqua Velva somewhere but my wife was already complaining I was being too loud, so I gave up the search.

July 6, 2023 – Dickhole Day

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (3)
• Lather: London Razors – Mountain Laurel
• Post Shave: London Razors – Mountain Laurel
• Fragrance: London Razors - Mountain Laurel

I’m pretty sure I had this combo down for another day, so this may mess up my schedule later on, but the London Razors/Summer Break Mountain Laurel is one of my favorite scents. As always, the SBS base is awesome and this scent is just perfect. And I’m always happy to support a fellow Kentuckian who is producing some kick ass products. This is good stuff.

I tried stacking but I just can’t do it. I knocked a bunch of stuff off the bathroom sink and nearly cut off my foot with the razor. So I’ll pass on that 🙂

Edit: i went home at lunch and added the Mountain Laurel edt to the mix to complete the set

July 7, 2023 – A little spicy

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR14/V3A
• Blade: Voskhod (3)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Darkfall
• Post Shave: Proraso – Sandalwood

This is another one of those days that I had no idea what to use. And also one of those days where I used a soap I planned for later. The last half of the month should be fun since this is already the third time I have used something I planned for later. Darkfall-this particular shave with Icarus base-has always been one of my favorite scents. Woody, spicy, just all around fantastic. I did a head shave today and this Voskhod blade has about reached the end of life. I am not a huge fan of these but I have several so just trying to go through some stuff.

As far as hobbies, my hobbies are mostly just chasing after children at this point. Things I used to have more time for are playing guitar (not very well, but I don’t care) and I, for a time, collected bourbon. I do live in KY, after all. So it seems like a requirement. I put the brakes on that for a few years but feel like it may be time to get back at it.

July 8, 2023 – Maggard Day

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
• Lather: Maggard Razors – London Barbershop
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Cool

This is as close to my original shave as I can get (missing some astra blades and Nivea balm). Like many of you, I started with the Maggard Razors starter kit. The MR7/V3 with a synthetic brush and London Barbershop. I still use the brush nearly everyday and the razor is still in regular rotation. Back then I thought this was the best barbershop scent around and I’ve moved away from that and now find it a little too sweet. But still I have a fondness for this soap and all of these products. Reserve Cool was my first addition to my den, along with Stirling Executive Man soap. So I felt obliged to use it as my aftershave. This is always a fun day to remind me of how much I enjoy this hobby. Thanks to the Maggard team for continuing to be awesome. Even in the days of super shitty postal delivery, they still manage to get your products to your door almost as soon as you hit that submit button and always have the best customer service.

My contribution (or one of them) to the daily questions thread

July 9, 2023 – Coffee Day

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: West of Olympia – Tobacco & Coffee
• Post Shave: Epsilon – Blue Mediterranean

This is one of my favorite soaps of all time. I have liked all of the West of Olympia soaps but this one smells so good. A perfect combination that smells like chocolate to me but I definitely can smell the coffee. The scent has lost a little of its steam over the years but I only use it occasionally since I can’t get more. It looks like u/OlympiaWest isn’t active in here anymore so I doubt he will return to his soap making ways so I’ll just keep conserving. This was probably my best shave of the month. The long handle of the MR7 is very conducive to head shaves and this is the first time of the month I’ve used a different brush, but the one I have been using still smells like Darkfall

July 10, 2023 – Ziggy Stardust

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (3)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw – Rebelle
• Post Shave: Fine Accoutrements – American Blend

Today’s shave with music-inspired soap seemed like an obvious choice. For many reasons, one of which being this is the only option I had and the other being this is just an awesome choice. Wholly Kaw Rebelle features Ziggy Stardust himself, the enigmatic David Bowie. This also happens to smell pretty great.

July 11, 2023 – Summer Soap

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (4)
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. (Formerly Oleo Soapworks) – Montrose Beach
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Island Man

I’ve had this soap a while. It is still the old Olea label/name. It smells like everything I love about summer. Sand and salt. All of the great beachy smells. And it pairs well with Island Man, which is also a great summer scent.

July 12, 2023 – Fluffy Day

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (4)
• Lather: Cella – Milano Crema Da Barba
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Waves

Lack of planning ahead is really going to get me this year. I sat in the floor last night before I went to bed, reading glasses on and trying to read the labels of the soaps I had. I didn’t realize finding something for today would be such a challenge. I found a sample of Cella that I thought I had lost, so lucky day. Normally I use a loading bowl, a la the wetshaving guru, Michael Freedberg u/Cadinsor and then face lather. Today I turned that loading bowl into a lathering bowl and whipped up this fluffy madness and had enough lather that I could have shaved my entire body twice. I still prefer the face lathering but this was unusually productive. But then again, it is hard to mess up Cella.

July 13, 2023 – Patchouli

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (4)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli

I have exactly one soap with Patchouli and my wife says this is the only one of the soaps I use that she hates. I like it but can see why some people may not. Not a great shave today. I kind of mailed it in and didn’t spend a ton of time getting a good lather. Bad sleep and crawling to the weekend!

Here is the perfect song to capture the patchouli vibe: https://youtu.be/wQ9ijsMGJJ8

July 14, 2023 – Cool Shaving with Menthol

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (5)
• Lather: Godrej – Cool Cinthol Menthol Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Proraso – Menthol and Eucalyptus

This isn’t what I planned to use today. I actually use this cream-Godrej Cool Cinthol-a fair amount. In general, I have not been very fond of the cooling shaving products but this one is nice and I don’t find it as drying as some of the other products with menthol. I think this was a black friday deal and I only paid a couple of dollars for it and the regular price is around $5, so really quite a deal. Paired this with the Proraso Menthol and Eucalyptus aftershave.

For the daily challenge, I did a head shave today and the instructions said to go against the grain on your face, but I did it on my first pass on the head shave instead. So normally I do a two pass head shave but starting against the grain kind of made it more of a four pass shave. Against, with the grain, across and then back to against. So my head feels a little rough today. But for the sake of the games, I’ll take it.

July 15, 2023 – Coyote (thanks to autocorrect)

• Brush: Stirling Soap Co -Boar
• Razor: Gillette Aristocrat
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Le Grand Chypre
• Post Shave: Fine Accoutrements – Italian Citrus

Normally by this point I have shaved with Barrister and Mann a few times. But this is the first time this month. A rough shave. It has been ages since I have used the boar and it took a ton of soap and patience before I could get an okay lather. I’ll try again when I have a whole tub and am not working with samples. It smells great.

July 16, 2023 – Barbershop

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Gillette Aristocratic
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Ghost Town Barber
• Post Shave: Soap Commander – Honor

What a difference a brush makes? After the boar experience yesterday, I went back to a synthetic. And the GTB lathered up quite well and tons and tons of lather. I think we should probably recommend Chiseled Face products more for beginners since it is very affordable and very easy to use. The Honor aftershave balm from Soap Commander matches this perfectly.

July 17, 2023 – Collab Day

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Gillette Aristocratic
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Gratiot League Square
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux – Unconditional Surrender

I have several collaborations but this one is always one of my favorites. I went into it with my brush a little too wet so it took a lot of work. This is an old sample of GLS so I’m not even sure what base it is, but it is very soft. To fill out the day, I went with another Chatillon Lux favorite, Unconditional Surrender. This is the second sample I’ve used in the last week or so that I think I’m going to buy a full tub. This stuff just smells great.

EDIT: thanks u/tsrblke for the inspiration: My face is already as dry as Bea Arthur and my technique isn’t shit enough to need it. So it just seems like a waste of time and money. And I’m sure somehow, someway, it is bad for the environment and probably results in the murder of more than a thousand whales a day and takes money away from those starving children. So save the whales, feed the children and put down the alum

July 18, 2023 – A little spooky

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Gillette Aristocratic
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (3)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Hallows
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Spice

I am hoping Hallows covers the requirement for today. It says something about Halloween and certainly smells like it fits. This is way more pleasant than I remembered it being. Maybe it has mellowed over time but it was quite enjoyable. I paired it with some Barrister and Man Reserve Spice, which is criminally underrated

July 19, 2023 – What am I even doing with my life?

• Brush: Fruit of the Loom – Black Sock (with hole)
• Razor: Gillette Aristocratic
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (5)
• Lather: Cremo – Original
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Triumph

I’m standing there in the bathroom with a sock in my hand and some shitty Cremo shaving cream (because I already used the cream I planned to use today earlier in the month-for about the sixth time completely fucking up what small amount of planning I did for LG) and I caught a glimpse of myself in the steamy bathroom mirror. What the hell am I doing? I’m a grown man, wiping shaving cream on my face with a sock with a giant hole in it all over my face so I can please the reddit shaving judges. This is what my life has become. And really, I’m totally okay with it. Which somehow makes it worse. Not a great shave today and this cream gunks up the razors and my lather was super weird and thin from the sock. And even the Triumph aftershave, which I have always loved, smells a bit funky today. Not sure what that is about.

July 20, 2023 – Dupe Day

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (6)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Executive Man
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Executive Man

For Dupe Day, I went with one of my OG shaves. Stirling’s Executive Man was highly recommended back in the days when I was hanging around in Wicked Edge. I mentioned the other day that Hallows doesn’t seem as harsh to my nose as it once did and I found the same thing today with EM. Not that it was ever unpleasant, I just found it really strong. But maybe my sense of small never recovered from my half dozen bouts of COVID or maybe I have just gotten more accustomed to a variety of scents and it doesn’t seem as potent. But this was a really nice shave today.

For the Daily Challenge, I did change up my lather a bit. I am usually a sopping wet brush kind of guy and my lather tends to be really wet. Today I went with a damp brush with most of the water squeezed out. And only added drops of water once to my lather. Now we all know that Stirling requires at least 60 drops of water to get an acceptable lather. So mine today was pretty think and a little pasty. Still a good shave and much faster than my normal method. I still prefer the wetter lather but this was okay.

July 21, 2023 – Fougere

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: Gillette Aristocratic
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (6)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw – Fougere Mania
• Post Shave: Stubble Buster – Stygian

I had a tiny amount of this soap left from a sample I got for the last Lather Games, but it was enough for a single pass. I don’t generally care much for Fougere but this wasn’t terrible.

Haiku day today Writing shitty lines For reddit glory

July 22, 2023 – Berries

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
• Lather: Dapper Dragon – Cucumber Melon
• Post Shave: Dapper Dragon – Naranja

I guess I learned something today. I had no idea cucumber was a berry. I had no plans for today after my wife said a sample I thought was pear berry did not smell like anything berry related. I was getting ready to go to the drug store and look for some berry scented shaving goo. But I clicked on the wiki and saw cucumbers are botanical berries. Whatever that is. So I had an excuse to use Cucumber Melon from Dapper Dragon. I’m not sure if they are still in business or not but I love the scale polish.

I didn’t have time to shave my legs this morning but did have time to shave things I can’t take pics of unless this sub goes the route of many others and goes NSFW. So sorry, no pics.

July 23, 2023 – Smelling good

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Cool
• Post Shave: Chiseled Face – Ghost Town Barber

Reserve Cool is the one product that consistently gets compliments. I think i used the reverse of this (Ghost town soap and Cool aftershave) earlier this month and it is a good pair, so GTB aftershave.

And of course on a day when we take pics of lather I get the foamiest, drippiest lather. Not enough soap and too much water. At least it reminds me i need to order more of this soap. I’m still nursing an old square bottle of the Cool aftershave and this is my last little bit of the Reserve base soap. It has served me well

July 24, 2023 – Christmas Eve in July

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: Moon Soaps – Havana
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon’s – Black Label

Today’s soap is new to me and a sample from /u/Eructate–one of three he sent me for Lather Games. I really enjoy this one. The lather is great and it smells amazing. I’m a sucker for tobacco scents. I haven’t purchased any soaps for probably a year or more but I’m getting quite the list of things I want more of during the games this year and this definitely makes that list .

So I have two nice things to say today-unless that gets me disqualified. First is the aforementioned /u/Eructate. I appreciate his willingness to send me soaps when I’m last minute searching due to my lack of planning. It is people like that who make the games so much more enjoyable and foster that sense of community.

Secondly, /u/Enndeegee, who has reached an epic level of shitposting this year. Between the spice girl gifs, the haikus and other great additions that have made reading the daily threads pretty enjoyable, I can’t imagine anyone else taking home that award this year.

July 25, 2023 – Christmas in July

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (3)
• Lather: Noble Otter – Tis the Season
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Vespers

I got the Noble Otter ‘Tis the Season last year to replace my nearly empty tub of Christmas Eve, which has been my prior go-to for the holiday season. I enjoy this and NO is always great to use. Pairing with Vespers, which also gives off the Christmas vibe. These holiday shaves during the summer are always interesting. It seems so strange to go around all day smelling like pine trees and Santa while sweating balls in the sweltering summer heat. Someone should make a Christmas in July scent that smells like a combination of frankincense, myrrh and ball sweat.

For the daily challenge, this isn’t really much of a challenge for me. I shave a fair amount with my left hand already. I’m not ambidextrous, by any stretch, but I’m pretty functional with my left, so an easy day. I do find that when I shave with my left I hold the razor very near the head, as opposed to closer to the middle of the handle with my right.

July 26, 2023 – Wildcard

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (4)
• Lather: Nivea - Body Shaving Stick

I hope no one used this soap today. Not because I fear DQ but because it sucks. I have used it before and don’t remember it being so bad. It does say body shave but i really thought my face was part of my body. But maybe I am wrong. The brush didn’t add a lot. It was like swirling around Elmer’s glue. That would have probably been more satisfying.

July 27, 2023 – Lavender day

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors MR7/V3
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (5)
• Lather: Noble Otter – Monarch
• Post Shave: Noble Otter – Monarch

So I don’t like lavender scents, in general. But this one is freaking amazing. I got this as a christmas exchange gift a few years back. The soap burns my face a little but the aftershave (and the soap) smells so damned amazing that I will totally let that slide. And it lasts all day. As I am typing this, it has been over 8 hours since I shaved and I can still get a wiff here and there. Good stuff. Great stuff. There are a handful of products I never want to be without and the Monarch aftershave is one of those. I forgot to post this morning and now I don’t even remember what the challenge is for today, so I assume I didn’t do it.

July 28, 2023 – Cheap Shaves

• Brush: Maggard Razors Timberwolf
• Razor: No Name Generic Safety Razor
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux (1)
• Lather: LEA – Classic
• Post Shave: Humphrey’s- Witch Hazel

Well, a cheap shave but a solid shave, all things considered. The razor was a freebie that came with a stand that I bought. There was also a pure badger brush that was cracked down the middle of the handle. I still have the stand, though. So $0. The soap, LEA, was a Maggard Black Friday deal for $2.99, I think, as was the brush, which if memory serves me was around $7. The brush is absolutely one of my go-to brushes proving the cost doesn’t always equal quality. The aftershave is a witch hazel that came from Marshall’s for 3.99. I’ve had it for many years. The blade came free with something I bought on Shave Bazaar.

The razor has only been used once before and has rust all on the inside but I kept it for something like this. It is very bitey and not something I will use often, but passable.

Altogether, this shave came in around $13

July 29, 2023 – Sandalwood

• Razor: Gillette Superspeed
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: Proraso – Sandalwood

Probably from TJ Max. A weird sandalwood but i like it

July 30, 2023 – Bye bye LG

• Brush: Yaqi Badger
• Razor: Karve CB
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux (2)
• Lather: Abbate y La Mantia – Laureato
• Post Shave: Epsilon – Blue Mediterranean

This has been a good year for LG. Plenty of good shaves and some fun reading. Today was a really great shave. I don’t usually use Badger brushes for samples but the Yaqi (China) was the only foreign born brush I had. Although, in truth, most of the brushes I have were probably mostly made in china. The Karve razor is a great product from Canada that I don’t use often enough. The blades are from somewhere foreign. Maybe Russia. They have some writing I can’t understand in the blade, so that counts. And some Spanish aftershave. The Lauretto soap is fantastic and I would like more of it when i finish this sample. Great shaves every time.

Thanks to all of you for a great lather games. Especially the judges for sorting through the madness. After last years games I went away for a while and kind of lost my passion for this stuff but I have really enjoyed this year and may stick around a bit more. I kind of missed this sub and didn’t realize it. Happy shaves!