July 1, 2023 – Bonjour, Lather Games!

• Brush: Century Pure Bristle #ANCIENT #RUNT #SMOLL
• Razor: Rolls Imperial No. 2 #SELFSHARPENING
• Lather: Storybook Soapworks – Hallward’s Dream
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Barbershop
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Seville

It wouldn’t be a Lather Games if, at some point, someone didn’t utter the phrase, “God dammit, SpongeBob!” so I’ll go first and start the games off right?

Six weeks ago, I thought, “what a novel idea? Shave with something I’ve never shaved with before! Six weeks later I wish I had that layer of skin I just took off. I am an organ donor, but please don’t take my skin with a Rolls Razor. Wait. You can’t. I already did it.

On to happier thoughts.

I did bust the cherry of a 70-year old brush today and something didn’t seem quite right about that either. I mean here is a pristine den queen brush that should go in a museum. So let’s use if for an Internet shaving competition for hashtags! And while we’re at it, let’s lather it up with some fabled soap that we’ll never see again.

Points matter: Though Hallward’s Dream was more like a nightmare this morning, it is a nice barbershop scent similar to, but not like the others. Thanks to u/Engineered_Shave for sharing this sample with me.

Keeping the fragrant theme going, I finished off with Stirling Barbershop and a spritz of B+M Seville.

So, it’s the 2023 Lather Games! Run along, people! There’s nothing more to see here but Internet randos shaving like idiots.

July 2, 2023 – LG23 Day 2: Don’t Have a Cow, Man! But how can I make butter for my toast?

• Brush: Maggard Midnight Blue G5 26mm #PREMIUMPLASTIC #FAUXFUR
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1)
• Preshave: Golden Irish – Spreadable Butter
• Preshave: Turano – Pane Turano
• Lather: Zingari – The Traditionalist
• Post Shave: Proraso – Sandalwood
• Fragrance: Guerlain – Santal Royale

I think I was having a cow. In the dream I had Friday night. Right before the Games. We were anxiously awaiting the start of the Maggard Meetup. The opening event was some rando motivational speaker that I had no idea about why he was there. It was motivational, alright. I couldn’t actually see what was going on, but we all were hyped up. By the buzz in the next room, things were getting exciting and that is where I needed to be. But why?? Inside the cavernous, empty room were presumably Brad Maggard and hippyish, black-plastic-spectacled person named Andrew, who spoke with an accent and half-way resembled a supervisor I had at a job 30 years ago. What the…!?! I paid good money for this?!? I got pretty bent out of shape about it. Right away Brad changes his tone going into sales pitch mode. As if to reassure me, he says to, “follow the maze,” whatever the hell that means. Passageways open in the walls and the already grayish room goes dark and that’s probably when the dog kicked me in the back as she was hogging the covers. Again.

So much for waking up in the middle of the night to check the opening of the Games.

What a difference a day makes. This morning was night and day over the plucky skin donation from day one. Like a stout team of oxen pulling a sharp plow through an unturned field, so did the u/EldrormR Industries MM24 cut through the plot of whiskers on my face. And that field, when planted, did produce the bountiful acres of flowing ryegrass upon which the herds of Kerry cattle did happily graze. And the milk those happy cows produced was churned into sweet, creamy goodness that melteth in the crannies of the toast upon which it was spread this joyful morn before my shave.

This morning is almost entirely a PIF shave: Soap from Maggard Meetup, Splash from the Ohio Meetup, Fragrance from the u/scarpux traveling box of samples (which will travel again!) The sandalwood journey from start to finish was exquisite and I particularly enjoyed the opening notes of the Guerlain Santal Royale which I found to be reminiscent of the benzenous sweetness of gasoline as it gave way to a green woody essence.

Here’s to a happy shave and perusing last year’s posts by u/RedMosquitoMM to pay an appropriate tribute tomorrow!

EDIT: forgot my damn hashtags…again. #photocontest

Listed butter as a preshave, exciting all who noticed. It turns out he just had bread and butter.

Nice story comparing the whiskers on his face to a field of grass which was eaten by cows who made cream which was turned into butter.

July 3, 2023 – LG23 Day 3: Almonday

• Brush: Omega 11047 #MISTURA
• Razor: Gillette Travel Tech #JETSETTER
• Blade: Gillette Winner (1)
• Post Shave: Captain’s Choice – Italia
• Fragrance: Widian – Rose Arabia Almond

In tribute to Lather Games ’22 winner u/RedMosquitoMM I start up this post in Verbose mode.

It’s been a rainy night leading into day three of Lather Games 2023. While the day should clear up, it is too early to tell if the weather will hamper our July 4 festivities of parade, cookout, and fireworks. The fireworks will be a bit more bougie this year since the vast majority of the public viewing space in our largest city park is under reconstruction and the primo Party in the Park seating at $350 a table is always sold out. The city and the Civic Association make it look like there is still plenty of free viewing space on their map, but most people today have no semblance of map reading skill, so there will be much disappointment, methinks. That is if the rain holds off.

Here we are, three days into Lather Games and I’m already fearing the reservation I had about it being in July. June is a totally free month for only having to worry about shaving. July gets busy with my summer work schedule and holidays, and such. One holiday we won’t be taking any time soon is to Italy, so let’s bring a little Italy to the Games today!

I was always on the fence when it comes to almond scents, probably because, to me, I’m not smelling the toasty nuts that I like to eat, preferably dusted with artificial smoke flavoring, but rather maraschino cherries. Now I like a good maraschino cherry, especially on a banana split. So why not call it Maraschino Day? But we don’t.

When I gathered everything together for the shave, I couldn’t help but notice everything was small. Why let a good thing go to waste? I grabbed the Travel Tech and the Omega travel brush that I was saving for the two days I’m traveling next week and went to work on my sample of Captain’s Choice Italia that I picked up at the Maggard Meetup. I’ve only lathered samples from the Captain, so no different today. I did notice the softness of texture and wondered if I was using a cream though the label indicated otherwise. My lather was a bit airy and I don’t think I ever got it dialed in but it was certainly usable. The scent doesn’t carry, but the slickness and post-shave were right where I’ve come to expect with Captain’s Choice. I’ll blame the not-spot-on quality on the brush today.

It was only a bit awkward manipulating the Travel Tech around my face., though I must say I envy Cary Grant in North by Northwest. He seemed to have no problems, but the Tech head is full-sized on an undersized handle. The Gillette Winner Special Platinum is a good blade for me and suitable for most of my razors. My two passes left me with a consistent result on each side of my face.

The Italia aftershave was soothing for an otherwise irritation-free shave. The fragrance was light and did not carry long after the shave. In all, it was an average shave that I hoped I could stretch into extra bases with the fragrance follow-up of Widian Rose Arabia Almond, a sample of which I procured from Scent Split.

The Rose Arabia collection is rose-based with three different scents that feature its namesake scent. My nose definitely picked up rose throughout the dry down. The Almond comes through as a sweet desserty fragrance that blends nicely with the rose and the fruity notes of Mandarin, Raspberry, Plum, Coconut, Peach, and Orange Blossom. The scent was enjoyable while it lasted, but with only a 1mL sample to work with, I can’t give it a full assessment of its longevity. I’m not certain I would acquire a larger bottle, but I do think I would enjoy cuddling up to Mrs_Donut if she were to wear this fragrance regularly, as it is marketed to men and women.

RedMosquitoMM, I hope I have done justice in my writeup and it is a fitting tribute to a fine writer of posts. If so, tell the judges!

July 4, 2023 – LG23 Day 4: April Showers Bring May Flowers …and Science-y stuff

• Brush: West Coast Shaving Clear Smoke Burlwood 26 mm #COMPOSITE
• Razor: Wet Shaving Club ‘Merica (Yates) #CNC
• Blade: Gillette Wilkinson Sword (1)
• Lather: The Goodfellas’ Smile – Tallow N. 1
• Post Shave: Mickey Lee Soapworks – Colonia di Agrumi
• Fragrance: English Laundry – Riviera

Daily Challenge: Science the shit out of it.

God dammit SpongeBob! It’s Independence Day in the US of A and you are causing me all kinds of grief. Miraculously I have managed to get in a shave and a couple of shits for this parade.

I was never good at writing chem lab reports. And it’s been too damn long so I had to look one up.

Title: The effect of water on lathering shave soap.

Question: How much water can a shaving soap take and still be useful for shaving?

Hypothesis: I think the soap will take a one-part to 25-part soap to water ratio and still be usable.

Method: Scoop and measure a known quantity of soap.

Fuck it. Just watch the video and see how this went off the rails.

Tying it all together
Cedar/Cedarwood is the common scent in all three aspects of today’s shave. The floral notes of cassis, ylang, and jasmine weave their way through and between the cedar stem. And lavender, bergamot, and patchouli work their way back through for a sweet floral goodness reminiscent of Easter morning.

Nice science video

July 5, 2023 – LG23 Day 5: Canned Shave Goop

• Razor: Gillette 195 Adjustable E-1 “Mal” #DIAL #BRASSING
• Blade: Gillette Winner (2)
• Lather: Perio, Inc – Barbasol Original
• Post Shave: Mennen – Skin Bracer
• Fragrance: Azzaro – Pour Homme – EdT

Today’s shave is all about the love, people!

Daily Challenge: If I were to (re-)create a perfect, original shaving scent, I would first have to go on a long journey to find that perfect, original shaving scent. Something that exudes the heart and soul of my boyhood barbershop. Something that would flat-out leave my perfuming competitors in my sillage. I would have to say my nose loves the scents of Talc, Rose, Bergamot, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Coumarin, and Musk. If they all come together in a super-nice fragrant package, I am 100 percent, prime-time in love with myself…BOOM! With any luck I’ll get a [Cease and Desist] letter from Douglas telling me how much he loves what I do to him.

Tying it all together: If, indeed, the scent of Barbasol contains the aforementioned notes, it pairs nicely with the powdery, green, musky, and sweet notes of Skin Bracer Original. Azzaro Pour Homme is a natural choice particularly its notes of Bergamot, Vetiver, Oakmoss, and Musk. Eat your heart out, Douglas, you can only dream of creating something this good. In fact you can only dream of creating anything that you didn’t steal first, which is NOTHING! Suck it, Smythe!!

User makes kinky love to barbasol. In slow motion.

User makes kinky love to barbasol. In slow motion.

July 6, 2023 – LG23 Day 6: D̶i̶c̶k̶h̶o̶l̶e̶ Olfactory Overload Day

• Brush: AKA Brushworx “Mr. Green J33p” Oumo ACE 26mm
• Razor: Timeless Titanium Slim
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Titanium (5)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Arkadia
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Arkadia – Splash
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Arkadia – Balm
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Arkadia – Beard Balm
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Arkadia

If only I had a Stirling brush and razor for D̶i̶c̶k̶h̶o̶l̶e̶ Olfactory Overload Day…

For LG21, I went all in on Stirling Arkadia and after playing a game of “just the tip” with Mrs_Donut, I made an epic horizontal stack for that same daily challenge. I can’t remember last year, but the stack is back in ‘23 and I’ve managed to take a little green pill and got it up not once, not twice, but thrice in one day! 😅

Arkadia is one of my favorite orangey scents and I’m surprised I didn’t join the weirdos at r/showerorange today, but my family can only take so much. Hell, you people can only take so much, but I’ll give you some time off.

Happy Day 6!

EDIT: Links added for your viewing pleasure.

July 7, 2023 – LG23 Day 7: Fremen Friday

• Brush: r/wetshaving Zentih MOAR BOAR 31mm #CHONK #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Gillette Tech – War Era #REGUS
• Blade: Gillette Winner (3)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Trade Winds
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Reserve Spice
• Fragrance: Viktor & Rolf – Spicebomb

In an alt_wetshaving Lather Games, today would be u/cowzilla3 Day for his unswerving devotion to all things Old Spice. However, his licentious and gratuitous invocation of the Air Bud rule puts him on some people’s naughty list. So it is the day of the Fremen and the all-important spice.

Discussing in detail the two renditions of Old Spice used today is better left to the master. His brilliant work far better describes the nuances than I can. I shall comment that the Chiseled Face Trade Winds was not an unpleasant scent by any means. Having been on the fence about crossing into the realm of Old Spice, I could be happy with this version since It wouldn’t be close enough to smell like Mrs_Donut’s late father, who was an Old Spice man. The Barrister and Mann Reserve Spice is, for now, the line I will refrain from crossing. It definitely is close to what I remember as Old Spice. While I have yet to test it on Mrs_Donut’s nose, she did not have any open and immediate comment on how I smelled this morning. That could be the triple spice cocktail that was topped off by Spice Bomb. Definitely spicy, but with a mineral characteristic—I think of graphite and wood. It overpowers the nautical spiciness for its own take, that being a heart of red pepper and cinnamon.

Daily Challenge Let’s get down to brass tacks and say my other “hobby” might as well be called Dabbling. It seems to be what I do. As a kid, the first thing I became interested in was model building. I mostly had an affinity for armor and aircraft and I built several tanks and planes over the course of a few years. I was never serious enough to get into full-blown dioramas, mostly because I liked to play with what I built. Now I did become interested in model railroads later on. My grandfather helped his best friend design a layout that I got to run at least once. I don’t know to what degree of seriousness they would have gotten to, but some of the model railroad clubs get together and totally geek out. Not just running trains, but immersing themselves in entire railroad empires, shunting cars, delivering goods to industries—all in their make believe worlds. I could totally get into that. In fact I had aspirations to turn our basement into a model railroad empire and still have several pieces of rolling stock that I built from kits, customized, and weathered to a realistic look all just sitting in a storage tub. So, I dabble. I don’t think it’s because I necessarily lose interest, but sometimes there is an impractical time and financial commitment that has to stand aside for common sense to take over. Now, I haven’t given up on everything. I’ve managed to stay with music and photography to this day and those are two of the least weird and most time-worthy hobbies that I can think of.

July 8, 2023 – LG23 Day 8: Maggard Razors Day

• Brush: Maggard Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard – V3M MRP Purple Handle #RAINBOW
• Blade: Gillette Winner (5)
• Lather: Maggard Razors – London Barbershop
• Post Shave: Maggard Razors – London Barbershop
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – D-503 – EdT

Happy Maggard Razors Day! It wasn’t too long after I took up wetshaving that I found Maggard’s. In fact it was only 8 months. My first order was on October 16, 2019–a pair of razor heads to test out my conspiracy theory that the 89-style head was not an exclusive design. By the following month, I had already planned a trip there for Mrs_Donut’s and my 25th wedding anniversary. Soon everyone in the family was an attempted convert to wet shaving and that also makes today donor day. I’ve borrowed my soap and splash from Jr_Donut and the purple razor/brush combo from Li’l_Donette, both of whom were beneficiaries of that Maggard visit.

I’ll give a bonus nod to Stirling, my first artisan, for the fragrant finish today. London Barbershop is unique, so far, in that there don’t seem to be many fragrances that have the same blend of scents. However, I took a sniff of D-503 from the u/scarpux traveling box of samples and knew immediately that I could make it work. My nose detected the complimentary citrus and oakmoss notes that would tie the shave into a nice decorative bow.

Daily Challenge I find the DQT amusing in and of itself. Occasionally I come up with a question. Or an answer. But sometimes it’s fun to lob a lowball and see who hits.

EDIT: Bonus Question

Happy day 8!

July 9, 2023 – LG23 Day 8: DEATH ☠️ before DECAF

• Brush: Wild West Brushworks Hallows Maggard SHD 26mm #SHD
• Razor: Gillette Fat Handle Gold Tech Post-war
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (1)
• Lather: Hendrix Classics & Co – Roasted
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Leviathan
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Leviathan

Daily Challenge
The only kitchen I have is my own.

Coffee and I have a long-standing love-hate relationship. I was a tea drinker until I got to college and started hitting the hard stuff. At first with lots of powdered Coffee-Mate and sugar. The Java got me through countless all-nighters, some of which were the studying kind. Then it became the Saturday morning connection when visiting the in-laws. There was always a pot at the ready. It wasn’t until later that I would be taken to the dark side and back. I was working at a start-up venture of Highlights for Children and it was a back alley garage operation. Six people trying to build a nation-wide operation on a shoe-string budget. The nice thing was the coffee station. At my lowest point, I was sucking down three pots a day, and we worked 10-hour days. It was inevitable that I ended up thinking I was having a heart attack one Saturday evening. A friend of mine had just finished his med school cardiac rotation and he took me to the hospital. Thankfully it wasn’t a heart attack, but I spent a week wired to a Holter monitor and a directive to lay off the coffee. I got myself back under control, but now my problem is just gastric. Too much acidity and I’m a wreck. But grab the bull by the horns, if we must. Cheers!

Tying it all together
I had put the Leviathan out of rotation for awhile and today reminded me why I love it. And it is a fitting finish for the creamy, caramel sweetness of Roasted. It makes me look forward to cooler months.

PHOTOCONTEST Drinks

July 10, 2023 – LG23 Day 10: Musical Monday

• Brush: AP Shave Co. – Rose Gold Flake – 28mm Cashmere
• Razor: Gillette – Atra
• Blade: Personna Twin Pivot (10)
• Lather: Dr. Jon’s – Runaway
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon’s – Runaway
• Fragrance: Banana Republic – Dark Cherry & Amber

A musical instrument is not hard to find in the Donut114 household. Off the top of my head, there are at least 2 dozen, including one of Junior_Donut’s guitars, which made the perfect accoutrement for today’s photo.

As a kid, I was always a sucker for the bad girls. Anyone remember The Facts of Life which ran on NBC from 1979-1988? All those private school girls and who did I have the hots for? Motorcycle riding Jo Polniaczek. Before Jo it was Leather Tuscadero on Happy Days. And of course I rocked out to Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Here’s where I become the butt of Billy Crystal’s bit he made from real-life question, “Daddy, is it true that Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings?”

Before I knew anything about the debaucherous lives of rock stars (or in this case their pervy producer) Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Sandy West, and Micki Steele (later of The Bangles) formed first teen-girl punk band, The Runaways. Debauchery aside, the cherry, carnation, clover, leather, and musk of Dr. Jon’s Runaway really captures the essence of rock and roll. It’s a shame it is now Unobtanium.

Any 70’s rock star shave has to be done with a Gillette Atra, so out from the shower mine came. I’m kind enough to let Mrs_Donut use it as her daily driver. Damn, if it wasn’t worse than shaving with the Rolls. Well, maybe not, but I could have changed the cartridge.

Tying it all together
Banana Republic Dark Cherry & Amber is a warm, sweet, gourmand scent that perfectly augments the notes of Runaway. Though it is marketed for men and women, it is another of the test fragrances I acquired that I find to be too feminine. Maybe in the right circumstance, like a Lita Ford concert, it would work.

Daily Challenge
One thing I was never, and that is an illustrator. Yet I seem to have enough creativity to make due once in awhile. Enjoy this pencil drawing of Runaway.

EDIT: #photocontest music

July 11, 2023 – LG23 Day 11: Sunny Days

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 26mm Omega Boar #TOLL
• Razor: Schick Eversharp Eagle TTO #UNICORN
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (2)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Cannonball!
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Cannonball!
• Fragrance: Paris Hilton For Men – EdT

Before Ron Burgundy made an ass of himself and spoofed his own inclination of reading inappropriate things on the teleprompter before jumping into a swimming pool, Hamilton “Ham” Porter–the Great Hambino–exclaimed the titular summertime dive…”Cannonball!”

The Sandlot tops the list of my greatest baseball films, and there is stiff competition for number one, because it’s a movie the whole Donut family loves to watch together. Though the baseball rescue becomes the focus, the swimming pool sequence is, by far, the best diversion in the storyline. When Cannonball! came out, I knew I had to have it, if only to have a fresh and tangible way of relating to that classic moment. Just because Ham and Michael “Squints” Palledorous exuded the confidence I wish I had as a kid. Then I might’ve had my own Wendy Peffercorn moment….

Today, Paris Hilton will have to stand in for Wendy. Well, Paris Hilton for Men, anyway. Its mango, tart grapefruit, and lemon notes pair well with the citrusy accords of Cannonball! and help keep the pool party going throughout the day.

I had a great shave with the Schick Eversharp Eagle, a great eBay find that fits the #UNICORN criteria that the Krona actually does not–made before 1971. This one likely in 1969 as the handle tip features the Schick branding.

Special Challenge: Color Coordinated

July 12, 2023 – LG23 Day 12: It’s So Fluffy I’m Gonna Die

• Brush: West Coast Shaving Clear Smoke Burlwood 26 mm #COMPOSITE
• Razor: Razorock German 37 Slant
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (3)
• Lather: Taconic Shave – Urban Woods
• Post Shave: Pinaud – Whiskey Woods
• Fragrance: Dior – Dior Homme – EdT

If this were any other day…

The Taconic Shave Urban Woods features coconut oil as its first ingredient, so I was very hopeful going in to today’s shave. I picked up the German 37 Slant for kicks. I always get a good shave with it, provided I have a good lather. So let’s throw caution to the wind, eh?

Daily Challenge
I now usually go back and forth between bowl and face, à la GUTL so I feel like I need to shake things up a bit. Here’s where I’m jealous of the real wetshaving wives. Had I one, I would wetshaving wife lather. But I got none, so I have to use my hand. Just go watch.

Tying it all together
Urban Woods is very woody, which is quite nice. Something else that’s urban these days are distilleries, so Whiskey Woods is a nice tie-in and very simple. Dior Homme touts Atlas Cedar “chiseled in-house at Dior” as the key heart note. This is definitely a frag I could wear frequently.

ImpressiveUser fashions scary lather skull

ImpressiveUser fashions scary lather skull

July 13, 2023 – LG23 Day 13: Hippy Dippy Baloney

• Brush: Dogwood Independent T2 26mm
• Razor: Schick Injector
• Blade: Ted Pella Single Edge Injector (15)
• Lather: Tallow + Steel – Shag
• Post Shave: Myrsol – Blue
• Fragrance: Gucci – Guilty Pour Homme – EdT

Daily Challenge
For everything that could be said to be wrong with the hippie counterculture one thing that isn’t is the scores and scores of music that emanated from it. Pick a song and it is somehow meaningful, either poignant tunes and melodies of happiness, or scathing protest against the man. Since the hippies wanted to be happy, I’m going with “The 59th Street Bridge Song”. How can you not want to take some time and enjoy your shave with Feelin’ Groovy bouncing in your head?

Apparently, I need to heed Paul Simon’s (and my own) advice and commune more with my shave, as the past few mornings have been rushed.

Slow down, you [shave] too fast
You got to make the [lather] last

I just need to get back into my early routine to

Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.

No baloney
I got to try Tallow & Steel for the first time today thanks to u/tsrbike’s smoosh of Shag. Dirty, smokey, and green is definitely descriptive of the scent, but it was surprisingly not offensive to me. I guess the groovy 60’s VW bus got aired out as the scent profile did not seem overwhelmingly powerful but I definitely detected the earthy vibe of a hippie, perhaps after monthly bath day–that basal scent of pheromones and flowers. As for Myrsol Blue, nobody seems to know what’s in it, but it smells pleasant and happy—reminiscent of cotton, they say—and that is what hippies longed to be. Why did they all seem so angry, though? Something about a land war in Asia, or something? If the hippies didn’t want to fall victim to the most famous blunder, a Gucci Guilty man might with his intense masculinity. Even with hippie patchouli as a base note, which Gucci touts as being a “modern expression of sensuality, mystery, and intrigue.” I think the hippies should be aghast that their beloved fragrance has been mobilized in such a way.

Mrs_Donut and I are traveling for the next few days and I am looking forward to posting during our “few days away.”

Shave on and shave groovy!

July 14, 2023 – LG23 Day 14: Frigid Friday

• Brush: Shave Forge Celestial Blue G5C 24mm
• Razor: Gillette Travel Tech K-4
• Blade: Gillette Super Stainless (1)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Co. – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Co. – Sea Ice Lime
• Fragrance: Juliette Has a Gun – Moscow Mule – EdT

Day one on the road coming to you from lovely southeastern Ohio and putting the Travel Tech to official use. I can’t say I’d enjoy it every day, but in a pinch it works. That said, having to shave ATG right off the bat for the Daily Challenge was not all that nice. Keep in mind, I have never used, nor researched the vintage Super Stainless blades. I found the one that came with the razor to be a bit harsh. I’m glad today was Frigid Friday and I opted for ice water to accentuate the theme of the day. The numbing effect of the synthetic menthol and ice water probably saved me from more severe razor burn.

I test shot a few SOTD photos as possible scavenger hunt contenders, one being for #photocontest r/Wicked_Edge. Had I skipped the ice water…. Before my shave though, I spied a pair of Whitetail fawns and a doe coming out of the woods for #photocontest wild animals. So I did what any self respecting shaver would do… ran and grabbed my stuff to take a not-quite-properly-framed photo with the subject matter of the contest so defocused in the background that no judge in their right mind would believe what I was submitting. The image remaining in my mind is way better, and by the way, I’ll be relaxing by that pool soon enough.

The fragrant finish
Sea Ice Lime and it’s warmer cousin are quite possibly my favorite rendition of lime, hands down. I had a few leftover limey samples from the past two years and I wasn’t really thrilled about pairing them up. That said, I set out to find something new and Moscow Mule from Juliette Has a Gun is very delicious and delightful, just as it’s namesake drink. Now, mind you, I thought I was getting a men’s fragrance, but I think it turns out not to be. It does have enough lime to carry like it is a fitting partner for SIL. I only have a small spray sampler, so no great loss. If you and your significant other like to go twinsies on fragrances, this would be a fitting choice.

EDIT: Formatting and photo links

It’s those who follow in the pioneers’ footsteps who are the innovators!

July 15, 2023 – LG23 Day 15: Sheep-ruh

• Brush: Omega 11047 Mixed 22mm
• Razor: Gillette Travel Tech K-4
• Blade: Gillette Super Stainless (2)
• Lather: West Coast Shaving – Chypre
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Le Grand Chypre
• Fragrance: Banana Republic – Black Platinum – EdT

Daily Challenge
Shaving in the countryside on the deck overlooking the pool at Mrs_Donut’s cousin’s house. Find out why my videos are better than u/VisceralWatch’s and watch me stumble through the awkward monologue, though I edited most of it out. Who needs another WetTuber? No one, except for today.

The shave today was actually quite nice. Maybe something about sitting peacefully in nature and communing with my shave. It’s enough to make you overlook the abnormalities like too small of a razor or brush, or plow through a video in spite of stumbling over what to say and how to say it. Or, it’s just the Lather Games.

Sheep…bruh
I think this is my first time actually using any Chypre scented anything. I’m not sure it is my favorite, but I could use it more often. Even within the Chypre family, as with any other, it is interesting to see how each artisan chooses to work within the palate. Black Platinum by Banana Republic is an affordable option to try a Chypre fragrance and it is marketed for men and women, so, twinsies again!

We’re halfway through, peeps! Time to buckle down and pull out your best stuff. I guarantee at least one more epic video in the second half.

What a pleasant, calming video.

July 16, 2023 – LG23 Day 16: Shave and a Haircut – Two Bits

• Brush: DS Cosmetic Barberpole Silvertip Badger 24mm
• Razor: Parker Shavette
• Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium
• Lather: Noble Otter – Barrbarr
• Post Shave: DentonMajik – Pink Floyd
• Fragrance: Jovan – Musk for Men

I think I’m happy about having fewer hardware constraints, as I freely chose a shavette—which I probably would have anyway—to keep the barber theme consistent. Surprisingly, I got a great, quick shave for not having used it, or any straight razor for that matter, in quite awhile. Noble Otter Barrbarr is a great take on the barbershop scent and I got a pretty slick lather for the shavette, though my brand new air conditioner keeps the house pretty arid. A spray mister might be a good tool to add. Again, another scent I could add, but maybe some day. A fantastic set I did add was DentonMajik Pink Floyd, a riff on Pinaud Clubman Musk, which is the scent of Wycoff’s Barbershop where I went as a kid. I carried the musk theme further into Jovan Musk for Men EdT to finish things off.

Daily Challenge : Meme Day

I’ve typically been an enjoyer of memes rather than a creator so I tried to step up my game a bit this year.

For soon-to-be federal inmate u/OnionMiasma and his victims, of whom I suspect I will soon be. I offer this ripe-for-the-picking selection.

It wouldn’t be meme day if we didn’t take some shots at our favorite Pathetic Artisan in Arizona. Douglas’s paradise is Facebook, but into Douglas’ life, a little rain must fall. With u/OnionMiasma’s recent ban from The Wet Shaving Society, I will have to pick up the hose.

In honor of those of us who went for #SELFSHARPENING points in the hardware scavenger hunt and found ourselves the recipient of new hashtag #SKINDONOR. Let us curl up in a corner and lament our choice together.

Finally, some self-depreciation. For the 77 viewers of A Barbasol Love Affair, I offer this olive branch.

PS. Thanks to the mods for apparently fixing whatever infinite loop hell I was apparently in yesterday.

Happy shaving!

EDIT: punctuation

July 17, 2023 – LG23 Day 17: Happy Together

• Brush: Yaqi Sagrada Familia 24mm AP 2BED (re-knot)
• Razor: Mühle R89 #TWINS
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (3)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Gratiot League Square
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – Gratiot League Square
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Rose Santal

Happy together is just the way it turned out. I have a few DG/CL options with an assist from Junior_Donut and he was gracious to lend me one. I really like the historic St. Louis themes in Shawn Maher’s fragrant collaborations with Scott Stewart and I chose my Gratiot League Square set. The leathery warmth is probably better suited to cooler weather, but still nice when it heats up outside. My fragrant finish was courtesy of Junior_D and his bottle of Chatillon Lux Rose Santal; his door prize from the Maggard Meetup. The combination of GLS and RS is truly a happy one. The rose and sandalwood notes in the EdP bring a pleasant sweetness to the leathery spicy notes of the aftershave.

Today’s razor, the Mühle R89 I picked up for a steal at TJ Maxx, is half of twin days and is the first “official” 89-style razor I owned after trying half a dozen Chinese clones. With an Astra Green, I got a no-nonsense shave. I’ll expect another one tomorrow with twin EJ DE89.

Daily Challenge

I used some RazoRock alum today. It helped keep the razor handle from slipping in my fingers. I so wish it was Osma Alum, though. So much so, I wrote a song.

“O Osma Day” (To the tune “O Christmas Tree” or “O Tannenbaum” for my Deutschsprachige)

O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
How lovely are your crystals!
O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
How lovely are your crystals!
Your quality is recognized,
Your purity not compromised.
O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
How lovely are your crystals!

O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
Of all the alum most lovely;
O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
Of all the alum most lovely.
You even come in pencil form,
Your styptic qualities perform.
O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
Of all the alum most lovely.

O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
Rough shave relief is right away;
O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
Rough shave relief is right away.
That skin is smooth and sure refreshed;
Your properties will soothe the flesh.
O Osma Day, O Osma Day,
Rough shave relief is right away.

This may be the luckiest draw of a judge ever. O Osma Day is right up my alley.

This may be the luckiest draw of a judge ever. O Osma Day is right up my alley.

July 18, 2023 – LG23 Day 18: Spooky Season

• Brush: Dogwood Independent T2 26mm
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 #TWINS
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (5)
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts – Autumn Ash
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts – Autumn Ash
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts – Autumn Ash

It’s day two of #TWINS with the EJ DE89 courtesy of Junior_Donut. It was late into planning my calendar that I realized his score from the Maggard Meetup PIF table would net me another hashtag. Yay me! The razor gave as good of a shave as the Mühle and any difference was imperceptible. I tried to pay close attention after u/OnionMiasma commented yesterday that he notices a difference between the two. I can not complain about either shave.

Keeping the theme alive It’s an Autumn Ash dickhole day. How easy is that? Yeah, but I seriously need to get some wax melts and scent up the whole house. I picked up a sample of AA for the 2021 Lather Games and soon found myself the recipient of a trifecta during Christmas in July. In speaking with the lovely Courtney at the Maggard Meetup, I learned this was the first scent they created and it has stood the test of time.

Daily Challenge

Why do we do certain things? Like participating in contests that have the potential to put a person in a socially awkward situation. Like having a troglodyte neck beard at a family funeral. Thankfully that didn’t happen for me, but it very well could have had my aunt’s service been a day earlier. So I did make it an adventure and packed my Atlas gear for the trip. That was for the Atlas Shaves of 2022 and, if anything, I learned the true power that lies within the GEM OCMM/MMOC. That peculiar power to effortlessly mow down seven days of growth. It almost felt like cheating, like bringing to a gunfight a gun with a caliber that begins with the number 4. Train to win, fight to win.

So, why do we do certain things? Like participating in a silly contest you are guaranteed to win if you can finish (And why wouldn’t you set yourself up to finish?) even though everyone that finishes wins, for a second year in a row. Apparently it was for a few extra days of Stank^TM as I chose the legendary Tabac for my heavy lifting this year, though I swapped the MMOC for the MM24.

So, why do we participate in worthless, trivial games like Atlas Shaves? I have no idea, if nothing more than we are just simpletons helping to provide fodder for other shaving games. Oh, and because a bunch of Internet randos want to photograph their cut whiskers in the bottom of their bathroom sinks. Let’s just go with that and I will be sitting out Atlas Shaves this year…unless I can fashion a Kamisori from a Dorito chip.

July 19, 2023 – LG23 Day 19: CREAM Day

• Brush: Sock – Sock
• Razor: Razorock Game Changer .84
• Blade: Gillette Winner (3)
• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles – Lancaster Leather
• Post Shave: D.R. Harris – Windsor
• Fragrance: Dana – English Leather – EdC

What a day to toss ̶o̶f̶f̶ out all your plans, or at least some of them. I was going to use my horse’s ass Cremo brush for CREAM day, but no. Now I’ve got to go sticking my ̶g̶l̶a̶n̶d̶ hand in a sock and make it get creamy for the Daily Challenge.

At least Catie’s Bubbles is up to the task and Lancaster Leather is a nice olfactory combination of leathery and sweet. It combines nicely with the leather notes in D.R. Harris Windsor and perfectly with the English Leather Cologne Splash for the fragrant finish. I’m always partial to English Leather as it was my grandfather’s signature fragrance. It’s one of the few tangible memories I have of him after 46 years.

Hope you all enjoyed your CREAM! And your sock!

July 20, 2023 – LG23 Day20: Dupelgänger Day

• Brush: Zenith B33 #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Razorock German 37 Slant
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (6)
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. (Formerly Oleo Soapworks) – Empire
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. (Formerly Oleo Soapworks) – Empire
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Scarn

Daily Challenge

Some days the djudges do make it easy. Let’s spackle up and try to enjoy a shave.

Dupelgängers

I love it when sponsor days and theme days coincide. Today it’s Chicago Grooming Empire day and dupe day for Sauvage. Apparently the Captain Jack Sparrow version and not the original from years ago. It is my only Chicago Grooming soap, so it has been my logical choice for the third year running. I really need to add a few more artisans to my lineup at the risk of getting more stuff.

The RazoRock German 37 Slant is a dupe of the Merkur 37C and is a dependable razor. Why not use it to scrape some spackle off of my face today? Maybe it will be stout enough to tackle some whiskers at the same time.

The dupelfinish of Sauvage is Scarn from Stirling Soap Co. I find it interesting the way names are created for products. I really can’t make fragrance associations to people all that well unless it’s something they’re known for, e.g. Carey Grant and Green Irish Tweed. But kudos to Stirling for The Office reference and Michael Scarn. He’s a Sauvage guy, for sure.

We’re coming to the home stretch. Keep on keeping on!!

July 21, 2023 – LG23 Day 21: Fougère Friday

• Brush: Cremo Vie-Long Horsehair 22mm #HORSESASS
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (3)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw – Fougere Mania
• Post Shave: Castle Forbes – 1445
• Fragrance: Parfums Prestige – Brut – EdT

Today is the day
The beloved day in which
We count syllables

Twenty five verses
An exercise in Haiku
Versatility

Fougère Mania
The soap of the day some say
Smells like dirty feet

Bittersweet orange
Is the note of Neroli
Citrusy, light, green

The more I smell it
The more I appreciate
The note they call foul

My third time choosing
Sometimes it takes persistence
Third time lucky, eh?

The Cremo Vie Long
Horse’s ass for a hashtag
Favorite it is not

Not a bad brush though
Pleasingly floppy it is
Contrasty to boar

Like any good horse
A performer it will be
Just treat it with care

Suitable lather
All it needs is some coaxing
Delivers reward

Master EldrormR
Created the scimitar
I shave with today

Ever Ready head
Two classics in harmony
Handle of a GEM

Buttering the toast
Has never been so easy
Wielding this sword

Fourteen forty-five
A commemoration of
The first Lord called Forbes

Fresh ferns and grasses
A light and timeless fragrance
Distinctly British

Aristocratic
Enduring throughout the day
Smelling freshly bathed

A sticky deceit
Initially not a fan
But patiently wait

The finish is smooth
The ingredients absorb
Skin feels nourished

Classic or cloying?
Brut Parfums Prestige for men
Underrated gem

Fabergé Paris
A cologne most popular
Launched in ‘64

Sentimental scent
Powerful and long-lasting
The essence of men

Cheap smelling to some
Lacking versatility
Not your cup of tea

Alas we conclude
This poetry of Japan
Epic masterpiece

Fear not shaving friends
In the making of this verse
No poets were harmed

Too long did not read
All my products were Fougère
Give me all the points

Twenty-five stanza haiku, twenty-two of which even have the right number of syllables

July 22, 2023 – LG23 Day 22: Strange Times for Berry Club

• Brush: AP Shave Co. Rose Flake Cashmere 28mm
• Razor: Gillette – Lady Gillette Blue Starburst
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (1)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Nordost
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Nordost
• Fragrance: Terre d’Hermes – EdT

Never Skip Leg Day

A ̶S̶c̶r̶e̶e̶n̶p̶l̶a̶y̶ Lather Games Special Challenge

By Impressive_Donut114

and

LatherGames Productions

---

[Impressive_Donut114 quietly saunters into the bedroom early on a Saturday morning.]

Mrs_D: “What are you up so early for; showering and shaving?”

Impressive_Donut: [trying to look as if he hasn’t been up for nearly two hours trying to shave his legs for the first time ever and recording it on video.] “It’s Saturday. You know.”

[Mrs_D gives a side-eyed, suspicious look]

I_D: [sheepishly, but setting up the punchline] “You don’t want to know. [offers his freshly shaven leg to Mrs_D’s hand]

Mrs_D: [Exasperated because her husband wastes too much time with unimportant shaving things for a whole month when they are supposed to be starting to prep the house to sell it next year.]

“Oh, no! You didn’t!

Two hours earlier

---

Keepin’ the theme alive
It’s all oranges today, peeps. The best smoked orange. Ever. Nordost. And the best earthy orange. Ever. Terre d’Hermes. Period.

---

Mrs_D uses her Lady Gillette less frequently than I, so we’re pressing it into service today to mow down what little hair I have on my calves.

If you have ever done any minor tree pruning you’ll know how my leg shave turned out. It’s only a few tree limbs, but somehow you end up with a whole pile of leaves to stuff into three yard waste containers and a leftover lawn bag from last fall.

But my gams are gorgeously smooth.

July 23, 2023 – LG23 Day 23: What IS that enchanting aroma?

• Brush: r/wetshaving Zentih MOAR BOAR 31mm #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Gillette Bakelite Handle Tech X-2
• Blade: Gillette Winner (7)
• Lather: Mäurer & Wirtz – Tabac
• Post Shave: Mäurer & Wirtz – Tabac
• Fragrance: Mäurer & Wirtz – Tabac – EdC

“Violinists can’t help but snap up the limelight in a symphony orchestra: they’re sat right at the front, and there are a heck of a lot of them.“ — Maddy Shaw Roberts

So writes the author in Classic fm. She even (correctly) references the volume of sound produced by the trumpet players, of which I am one. Sit in front of a violin player and a trumpet player and one of them wishes they had the fortitude to damage your hearing. Yes we’re loud when called to be. And speaking of called, it wasn’t seven violinists that announced the Apocalypse envisioned by John of Patmos, it was trumpeters, by God.

The God-given ego of the trumpet player is no match for any other, tête-à-tête. Ergo all those violinists. By orchestral numbers, it takes 5 violinist egos to match the ego of a single trumpet player. We know we are enchanted. And that is why Tabac IS that enchanting aroma.

Dazzling, rejuvenating, scintillating. Words that describe the music of the trumpet are, not coincidentally I’m sure, the same that the geniuses at Mäurer & Wirtz chose to ascribe to the Great Tabac. Trumpet players know what they want and they give it to their audiences in free abound. And those audiences should want Tabac. It’s top notes of Aldehydes, Lavender, Neroli, Lemon and Bergamot dazzle with energy. The middle notes of Carnation, Sandalwood, Pine Tree Needles, Rose, Jasmine and Orris Root rejuvenate the soul. The base notes of Tobacco, Musk, Oakmoss, Amber, Tonka Bean and Vanilla scintillate for the long nights of music. Together, like the seven trumpets of the apocalypse, they shake you into awareness and rock you to the core as you await your olfactory judgement.

In homage to one of the great trumpet players and his band, and in paying tribute to one of the greatest album covers, I submit to you my Lather Audit.

Amazing Tabac tribute and album cover

Amazing Tabac tribute and album cover

July 24, 2023 – LG23 Day 24: Christmas in July’s Eve

• Brush: Yaqi Purple Haze Mew Brown 24mm
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (4)
• Lather: Hub City Soap Company – Pages
• Post Shave: Hub City Soap Company – Aegyptus
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Ramblin’ Man – EdT

PIFfy things

This community is wonderfully blessed with the most important thing one can give and that is kindness. We have our moments, but It is hard for me to think of times where things have run afoul. Most of the things in my shave are the result of the willingness to give toward making the community better.

Brush The Yaqi Purple Haze I received from a u/USS-SpongeBob PIF. He is very knowledgeable on knots and we had a brief, but helpful exchange on finding a knot I would enjoy. He may be Canadian, but he is a brother to us all and his acerbic wit is a gift to the shaving community.

Razor The GEM Micromatic (The Open Comb) I received from u/EldrormR as my foray into GEMs of Wisdom. His passion for these under-appreciated gems is infectious and helped me to feel more connected to my late grandmother, of all people, who used a Micromatic Open Comb back in the glory days.

Lather Hub City Pages I received from u/Engineered_Shave. I first read his work in the Sharpologist newsletter and met him IRL at the first Ohio meetup. He’s the most easygoing guy and Jr_Donut and I met up with him for dinner before he and I went to a concert near where he lives. He was gracious enough to give me several samples and a full tub of Boonana. How awesome is that! Engineered_Shave also has an eclectic collection of razors he has modded and he brought a few to show. He is a fountain of hardware knowledge and I’m looking forward to our next get together.

Lather Bowl Timeless is a great family operation and I was happy to meet up with them at Maggard’s. The were a huge part of the success of the inaugural Ohio meetup. Jr_D was a lucky participant in the Shaving Games at that event and the winner of this Timeless bowl. Seeing that he already had one, he was gracious to give it to his old man. He is more sensible than any of us in his cautious enjoyment of our hobby.

Fragrance Ramblin’ Man came from the u/scarpux Traveling Box of Samples PIF. Another great guy, scarpux, who packed up a gargantuan box to send around the community via PIF. I received it from u/OnionMiasma who I thought should have finished higher in last year’s standings, but is a true pioneer in transcribing the figurative into literal with his epic Train shave. He has kicked things up this year in the true spirit of the games.

Daily Challenge I’ve said nice things about each person who contributed to my SOTD. Thank you kind brothers.

Keeping the Theme Alive Pages, Aegyptus, and Ramblin’ Man have common notes of sandalwood and musk across the three.

July 25, 2023 – LG23 Day 25: Sapo’s Christmas in Djuly Revenge

• Brush: AKA Brushworx “Mr. Green J33p” Oumo ACE 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Contract Tech
• Blade: Astra SP (Green) (4)
• Lather: House of Mammoth – Santa Noir
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Santa Noir
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Santa Noir

My friend Sapo was a bit unnerved that he was not mentioned in the Week 3 Lather Games Podcast. He makes his return to ̶e̶n̶a̶c̶t̶ ̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶r̶e̶v̶e̶n̶g̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶D̶j̶u̶d̶g̶e̶s̶ help me with the Daily Challenge

Merry Christmas in Djuly! Christmas is always bittersweet for me. It harkens back to 1977. In December that year I lost my grandfather. My shaving buddy, if you will. Whenever we visited I got to watch him shave with his Remington Electric and I was always the recipient of a splash of English Leather. That included when he visited us, as he brought it in his travel kit. Fast forward to 2007 and it was in December that I lost my grandmother. Thankfully I still have memories, fleeting as they may be.

Today’s shave is a fantastic trio from u/mammothben and came out at Christmas time last year. A well done tribute to pine, if you ask me, and a great shave despite the vengeful outcome from Sapo.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s annual visit to Djonut’s Djelicatessen!

Edit: #PHOTOCONTEST LIGHT

Sock puppet returns from Day 19 to help Donut with his Leftorium challenge - Sapo angy he no get podcast mention! Sapo AAAAAAANGYYYYYYY!

July 26, 2023 – LG23 Day 26: Impressive Djonut’s Delicatessen Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: Chef John’s – Kümmelweck
• Razor: Impressive Donut Creations – Chopstick Kamisori v.2 #ALLNATURAL #YTHO #KAMISORI
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Chef John’s – Beef Jus
• Post Shave: Walnut Creek – Prepared Horseradish
• Fragrance: Priano – Balsamic Vinegar

In what may have become a Lather Games tradition, today came about after some friendly banter with u/djundjila about Reuben sandwiches and incorporating a homemade Reuben in my shave last year. DJ, the offer still stands. When you come to Ohio, we’ll go to Katzinger’s Deli for Reubens. Or maybe you’ll change your mind? On second thought when I answer the rhetorical question I posed to you awhile ago in your Desert Wecktiver shave you may just want to stick to Reubens.

For those of you who want to really see a guy rub a weck all over his face: Welcome to Djonut’s Delicatessen!

Keeping the Theme Alive Lather notes: Beef Post shave notes: Horseradish Fragrance: Balsamic Vinegar All are recipe ingredients.

Today’s shave:

Freshly baked in the Djonut kitchen Kümmelweck (caraway rolls)

Buffalo New York’s signature Beef on Weck

The debut of the Chopstick Kamisori v.2. (All you really need to see.)

Today I took what good sense I had left this month and flushed it down the crapper, then immediately regretted my horrible decision and dove into the crapper in a lame attempt to get it back. To no avail.

What’s to be said about rubbing a piece of bread soaked in gravy all over your face? I can say beef jus sure tasty with a Beef on Weck, but it absolutely makes a piss poor lather.

The Chopstick Kamisori v.2 features a new and improved bamboo handle and thread whipping to secure the GEM blade in place. The inaugural shave with it the was the worst shave. Ever. At least I drew no blood like last year. I can’t think of using anything worse, but maybe a rusty garden hoe.

For post shave toning everything beats a nice dollop of prepared horseradish. Tasty on beef, but it stung like a MFer. I suppose it has some astringent qualities and may actually benefit my skin in the end.

The magical ingredient, Balsamic Vinegar, in the jus turns out to be just as magical as a fragrance. I have the sweet tart aroma of a salad dressing lingering in my space and it is quite delightful. Hmmmm… I foresee another group soap buy coming soon from whatever ̶s̶u̶c̶k̶e̶r̶ soap artisan wants to take this on as a project.

What? The Daily Challenge is not to record yourself shaving with a deli sandwich and a janky Kamisori? We’re supposed to give a shave den tour? Surely the Djudges have better sense? Well, whatever. Here it is.

Reuben shave.

July 27, 2023 – LG23 Day 27: Lavender Day Huge Outdoor Shaving Announcement

• Brush: Opus 12-ball Mother Lode 28mm
• Razor: Timeless AL45
• Blade: Gillette Winner (6)
• Lather: Ach. Brito – Lavanda
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Bergamot Lavender
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Lavender Interrupted – EdT

Daily Challenge Shaving outside in two familiar locations and one brand new one!

Today was one of those moments of Lather Games fueled lucidity and possibly some of my most important work to date.

u/VisceralWatch take notice!

Carrying the Lavender theme through three different flavors.

Have a great day!

Dude shaved outside the future Ohio meetup spot

July 28, 2023 – LG23 Day 28: Frugal Torture Friday

• Brush: Perfecto Pure Badger 20mm #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: Assured for Men Safety Razor
• Blade: Voskhod (1)
• Lather: Williams – Mug Soap
• Post Shave: Assured for Men – Original Formula
• Fragrance: EaD – ED Uni – EdT

It’s like déja vu all over again, but not really. Drugstores are not just places to find cheap canned shaving goo. In the US, there is a proliferation of ̶p̶r̶e̶c̶i̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶i̶n̶s̶t̶r̶u̶m̶e̶n̶t̶s̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶o̶r̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ frugally priced shaving wares at any Dollar(25) Tree store suitable for today’s S̶a̶d̶i̶s̶t̶i̶c̶ Special Challenge where I perform daring feats of masochism not for the faint of heart.

The cost (USD) of today’s shave: * Brush: Perfecto “Thousand Needle” $0.34/g * “Where’s the” Lather: $0.03/g * “Skin Graft Slicer: $0.05/g * Eau de Floor Cleaner: $0.01/mL * Wannabe One: $0.07/mL

Total Unit Cost: $0.50

Fifty cents a shave. Now that is a value, people! We can get more people into our hobby if we flood the market with Dollar Tree products! Next up, Dollar Tree December. Who needs Austere August when you can devote a whole month to the frugality of a Dollar Tree shave?!? For just pennies a day you can join our illustrious ranks! Pennies a day and a small skin donation and you will be the envy of your once-called friends and the laughingstock of anyone else who has pity enough to gaze upon your disfigured face. Warning: This shave may cause cancer in California.

Spelling it out for the djudges Lather, post, and fragrance are cheap and pathetic.

Contestant thoroughly embraces the spirit of the challenge with a variety of Dollar-Store-quality products, including pure badger brush, Williams soap, pathetic razor, etc. for a really awful cheap shave.

July 29, 2023 – LG23 Day 29: Sandalwood Saturday

• Brush: DG B13 Butterscotch 28mm
• Razor: Eversharp Eagle TTO #UNICORN
• Blade: Voskhod (2)
• Lather: Nõberu of Sweden – Sandalwood
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Adumbrare
• Fragrance: Burberry – London for Men

Today’s shave I decided to forgo my typical shave and went right for the head today and found another razor I could be comfortable with using in the shower. The Eversharp Eagle sometimes misknown as the Krona, is quite similar to the Lady Gillette, which I have also tried on occasion. I’ve blind shaved for so many years, I guess it was natural to finally be able to use a safety razor over a cartridge.

The Nõbertu Sandalwood soap was quite slick and made, from what I couldn’t see, a decently creamy lather. The scent is on the very light side and I might be detecting some leathery notes with the sandalwood. Nice enough that I’d be interested I further exploring the brand, but it seems they might me more mainstream focused than artisan wetshaving.

Thanks to the sandalwood note in Adumbrare, I can pull some more happiness into this shave from the lack of fragrance in the so. When I learned about this one it was late in the game. I was happy to have found this sealed bottle at the Maggard Meetup PIF table.

Finishing off with Burberry London whose notes do not actually include sandalwood. It’s tobacco notes play in common with Adumbrare. The citrusy and woody notes are a natural matchup to boost the warm woody notes of sandalwood.

Fragrant Theme Overall the scents of the soap, aftershave , and fragrance combine into what could be made into its own delightful fragrance.

Daily Challenge I was never good at cheating on tests. Not that I tried it a lot, I was always more worried about the consequences of being caught than those of just being an underachiever. But I would also argue that the results of being compared to my over achieving younger brother and sister have been a cloud that has seemed to loom behind me.

Let’s give the Djudges some crib notes anyway.

Best Shave by a Sock Puppet, ̶h̶a̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶f̶e̶e̶t̶ foot down goes to Sapo on Leftorium Challenge day. He didn’t want to bother with the hassle of creating a Reddit account, so forward your accolades and Maggard credits to me.

Best Lather by a Sock Puppet also goes to Sapo for the Lather With a Sock daily challenge.

Best Triple-Team Attempt at Masochistic Frugality (though I will graciously donate my share of the reward, should I win, to Dollar Tree Dan), though only two participants used the same instrument, goes to Team Dollar Tree: u/OnionMiasma, u/Priusaurus, and me.

Most Consistently Organized (ROTY) posts as judged from a random sampling of posts goes to u/curbside_champ. User has a standardized setup with easy-to-read formatting. Had I been a djudge and been required to actually read them, these are just the posts I want to read when scoring against a rubric.

Most Exciting New Bulgarian Shaver (ROTY) goes to u/djanovshaving. He flexed his shave muscles right away, posting from the set of The Voice of Bulgaria. He also shaved while slinging some serious 7.62×39 lead down range, and in the mountains of his motherland and educated us on Bulgarian culture along the way. Simply amazing.

Best ROTY Overall goes to u/tsrblke who slugged it out every day like he was mad at being mistaken for a two-wheeler. He brought his family as seemingly willing spectators in his farcical antics and genuinely participated in the best spirit of the games.

Best Use of The Bean award goes to none other than u/OnionMiasma. Not only does he succeed in his purpose, but encourages a fellow citizen to join our ranks. The only logical reason someone would laugh and run away from a strange man shaving in front of the Bean, is that they are hurrying to catch the next AP Shave Co. brush drop and maybe get in on some cheese soap and Mtn Dew aftershave.

Photo Contest As I was a photojournalist by trade for several years, I know what I like. The Djudges have their own ideas. Good luck to them in picking a winner and good luck to all entrants.

Feet of Fragrance award undoubtedly goes to u/hairykopite for his nimble-footed leg shave.

Feats of Fragrance award goes to… the award is a tie between the equally illustrious and eloquatious u/RedMosquitoMM and u/chronnosseur420 for their fragrantically fantastic olfactory expositions.

As for the overall winner, it would be a disservice to try and come up with a winner with such fantastic SOTDs and a high level of hijinks. You have an u enviable job this year, Djudges. I’ll look forward to the final results!

July 30, 2023 – LG23 Day 30: Bon Voyage Lather Games

• Brush: AP Shave Co Black Gold Flake 24mm Synbad (CA)
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 (GB)
• Blade: Gillette Winner (IN) (1)
• Lather: Master Soap Creations – Pole Position (SA)
• Post Shave: Sir Irisch Moos – Sir Irisch Moos (DE)
• Fragrance: Ermenegildo Zegna – Uomo (CH)

What a month! I’m struggling to believe it is actually going to be August and not July. Hopefully we can be back on track for June next year. I have to say I knew nothing of anything that lead to the departure of u/Phteven from the judging team but I am super thankful for the brain power that has given us the djudging portal this year.

I appreciated the flexibility of the new scavenger hunt challenges, in that I wasn’t locked in to 30 razors and 30 brushes. I called a few audibles and even noticed a potentially missed sponsor point when, thanks to the portal, I discovered that Dogwood and Dogwood Handcrafts are apparently not one in the same to the harvesting bots.

I really enjoyed creating the content for the Games and I hope it was appreciated. I was more heavy-handed in the cutting room this year and I think it lead to better results.

Thank you all and bon voyage, Lather Games. It’s been fun.

Today’s Shave and Special Challenge

My country of citizenship and residence: US

When I first acquired the Rolls, I thought, Wow! I’m can start and finish the Lather Games with the same razor fitting two themes. I’m done with donating skin for a day or so we’ll stick with a good old Brit, Edwin Jagger DE89. Loading it with a blade from a former colony, the India. Gillette Winner is a winner. The razor was a good call because it color matches with today’s brush from AP Shave Co. another loaner from Junior_Donut. Likely a multinational product, we’ll call it Canadian since that is where it was when it was shipped to me following purchase. Lathering up, we have the South African challenger to Stirling, Master Soap Creations. This is a fabulously good base at a great value with a wide range of scents available. It’s well worth trying. Jetting back to the northern hemisphere, we head to Germany for some Irisch Moos. Being of Deutsche heritage myself, I expect a certain degree of engineering precision in my Irish moss, so kudos to the Germans in engineering this scent. Taking a quick climb over the Alps into neutral territory, we finish off with the fine Suisse fragrance Ermenegildo Zegna Uomo. It’s quite nice and reminds me of Bleu de Chanel, which I already have in the version of Stirling Deep Blue Sea and is a favorite in the Donut household.

Keeping the Theme Alive

In what might be my most Non-Dickhole, Non-Complimentary shave since flex day last year or the year before, todays olfactory assault follows the special theme criteria of being from different countries other than the one in which I reside.