July 14, 2023 – Freeze! I said freeze!
I knew this day would come. In anticipation of this challenge, I trained myself one year.
After last years frigid friday, it became clear to me that I have to go lower.
I started my work in home office before 7 in the morning so I could sneak outside at 8 when stores open. Not many people around at this time.
Here I was looking for something that would top my shave in comparison to last year.
Weeks before I scouted the fridges if they have it. Yes, they do.
When I am already in the store, lets get some breakfast, something for my 3pn coffee and cake and some sweet milk for my escalation gaming friday.
The crushed ice is in a box to keep it cool, while I walk home.
My girlfriend already made me a nice tub of cold water. Mmhhh, just the way I enjoy it. No better way to start into the day.
I take cold showers for a few years now(except my head). Since the start of the Ukraine war, I only use warm water to make tea.
soaking my brush
I lathered outside the tub. On my way to the store, I became a bit anxious, back at home I was hyped and was looking forward to freeze myself off.
4 kg of crushed ice in my bathtub
Mr. Ice bath Link giving me a judging look
“Why doesn’t he wear his hat?”, asked my girlfriend
“It will get wet” said Mr. ice bath Link
“But the ducks still have their hats?”
“They are ducks! The can swim with their head above the water”
After we cleared that up it was time to get to business!
Even 4 kg of ice cooled the water down by a good amount. Hurry up!
The following pictures show me in bath shorts!!! NSFW!!!
Lather into my face
Ohh, Marquis is really enjoying the scent of rope swing. He closed his eyes, so he can focus even more on that nice dandelion ozone. Hrm
Scent becomes more and more enjoyable
Starting with an ATG shave. I have never done it, but thought about it often. Why do we do the first 3 passes, although they never leave us clean? Thanks lather games to give me the opportunity to explore.
ATG as first pass picture proof You can see some 7 o clock shadow as beard.
Going ATG from the start is so enjoyable
First pass done. The legs are getting numb. At least they do not feel that cold anymore. Did it hurt to start ATG? I don't know. I feel like in the Major Pain movie and I cant feel my face
Well, if only I don’t have to get that lather out of my face.
Deep dive. I took my hands off later, but then had some ice water run into my nose.
To do the dive, I had to tug my legs , as I do not fit in this tub. Thanks mom
So the legs were exposed to fresh warmer air. When they got back into the water for the second pass, I felt the cold of my bath again.
I want to get out. But Lathergames rules are two passes (except for u/airbudruler). Speed lather for the second pass. It’s runny crap.
As a mirror I used the shower head like last year
My brain seemed to be freezing, as I did a WTG pass now. Out, out out!
How was the WS-23 in the soap with the cool water? I felt nothing. When everything is that cold, you barely feel the cooling agent.
After I got dry and applied the aftershave, I was able to feel the cool breeze from it. Got back to my desk and felt slightly nauseous. Thats what the r/coldshowers talked about. It might happen. After afew hours it was gone. The shave was not good. It looks clean enough, but does not meet my standards.
The aftershave was more heavy on the dandelion, and less on the woody parts in it.
Did I mention we have a LG tub kill?
FOF
Because of the theme I went with Davidoff Cool water waves. I heard there are a million successors to davidoff cool water. This one is my jam. Fruity and bitter grapefruit with maritime notes fade down to a over fresh evergreen notes to classic sandalwood and patchoulli.