LG23-22: Strange Times for Berry Club
- Brush: 3D-Printed 26mm Synthetic
- Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
- Blade: GEM (1)
- Lather: Noble Otter - Thé Noir et Vanille - Shaving Soap
- Post Shave: Lather Bros. - Amoroso - Aftershave
- Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Cape Heartache
- Passes: WTG, XTG
- Coffee: Colombia. Cauca. - v: Castillo - p: Anaerobic
- Music: Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
- LG Tags:
#FOF
Today's shave was all about strawberries: strawberry-vanilla tea in Paris; strawberries and a bouquet of roses gifted for Valentine's Day; vanilla-leaf and strawberry growing in the old growth evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Noble Otter doesn't make a big deal of it in their scent description, but the tangy-sweet ripe strawberry note is the defining feature of Thé Noir et Vanille (TNEV). I'm not saying it's not a tea scent, or that there isn't a strong vanilla note, but the unmistakable strawberry is strong, sweet, and what ties those two together. Before lathering, the strawberry overwhelms; afterwards TNEV opens up, jasmine and bergamot perfuming the bistro patio where strawberry sweets are savored alongside a malty, steaming cuppa. Beautiful.
In a gesture of relationship equity, and hoping to maintain tenuous spousal buy-in to the Lather Games, I asked Mrs. Mosquito how she'd prefer I go about completing today's challenge. She laughed, shook her head, then grinned before excitedly choosing silky-smooth pits over shining legs. I then made the mistake of chatting about this challenge with u/USS-SpongeBob, who rightly gave me shit about my initial plan; legs present a bigger challenge with numerous awkward angles and lots of ground to cover. So I proposed shaving the top of my feet as well. That seemed like a good compromise and in the spirit of the challenge.
...but then I succumbed to peer pressure from u/USS-SpongeBob, u/tsrblke, and u/Priusaurus and shaved my legs anyway. Be warned: those gnarly hooves at the bottom end with hobbit toes. Risky clicks all around today.
- Before: https://i.imgur.com/bDqkaGl.jpg
- After: https://i.imgur.com/EDNmmmk.jpg
The shave went much better than expected. The front of my legs were easy, including my knees, which is the biggest surprise here. (I'm told knees are a danger zone.) The back of my knees were a trouble spot; I have the flexibility to reach them, but am not used to shaving blind, or using my non-dominant hand. I took it slow and avoided any significant carnage. That's not to say I got away without any blood. During the initial two passes I opened up a few weepers, but no cuts I could feel while shaving. (Rinsing off is another story. Ouch!) Doing a final look-over I noticed I'd missed the inside of my left ankle. I was feeling really confident, so I re-lathered and forgot u/Newtothethis's sage advice, promptly taking that skin off with barely a stutter of the razor. Lesson learned. I'm glad I don't need to do this tomorrow and shave over any existing nicks and weepers like my wife does regularly. I've got it easy.
Coincidentally, my wife had scheduled a day at the public pool today, but that was canceled as I was writing this post. Just know I would have showed up with these silky gams glistening in the hot sunshine. And then taken a photo to share here. Because Lather Games, that's why.
It took me a while to decide on an aftershave and fragrance to pair with TNEV. I'm trying to avoid re-using any scents from last year, but I have very few berry, tea, or vanilla-forward aftershaves on hand, so that arbitrary restriction wasn't feasible. I ultimately decided to continue with the strawberry theme, tagging Amoroso back in for another Lather Games. I find this aftershave remarkably easy to wear considering I avoid rose scents and strawberry can be awfully sweet. The vetiver and musk make Amoroso for me; they have the abundant warmth and rasp needed to balance the composition.
Which brings me to my fragrance. Cape Heartache is an easy pairing with today's soap and aftershave, repeating notes of both strawberry and vanilla. Those are supported by citrusy, dark-green layers of conifer. On paper, I love both the concept of Cape Heartache and the way Josh Meyer interpreted it with pine and strawberry, but I rarely reach for my sample. When I'm in the mood, that combination of ripe fruit and sticky pine resin seems inspired. When I'm not, it smells like a Christmas candle. Today I'm somewhere in the middle.