u/RedMosquitoMM's SOTDs for challenge 'Lather Games 2024'

LG24-01: Bonjour, Lather Games 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts 26mm Declaration Grooming B9B #COMPOSITE #FRANKENBRUSH #SHD
• Razor: Blackland Razors Vector #CNC
• Blade: Schick Proline (24)
• Lather: Eleven - Organic Sweet Orange - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Pharaoh's Dreamsicle - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Clandestine Laboratories - Wendover - EdP
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Ethiopia Natural Process

We made it to another Lather Games! Looking forward to doing more reading than writing this time around. Case in point...

Shoutout to u/OnionMiasma for this sample of Eleven Organic Sweet Orange shaving soap. It's harder and harder to find stuff I haven't tried, but I've managed to miss Eleven up until now. The Julien base performed beautifully for me, I love their somewhat unique and stark packaging, and straight-up orange is always a great smell. Great shave to start the Games.

See you around.

LG24-02: Ahoy, Lather Games!

• Brush: Rubberset 400 26mm Soft Tuxedo #FRANKENBRUSH #HOLLOW
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Gen 2 "Peerless" Clog Pruf #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY #FLIPTOP
• Blade: GEM (27)
• Lather: Lather Bros. - Flamingo Trance - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Rooster's Nest Bourbon Bay Rum - Batch 002
• Fragrance: Clandestine Laboratories - BELEM
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia SO, medium roast
• Music: Dennis Wilson - Pacific Ocean Blue

I obviously had to go with a bay rum soap today, and Flamingo Trance stands out in my collection for it's weird Miami energy. The Lather Bros soap base is pretty long in the tooth—very slick, pretty drying, not particularly luxurious—but this lively scent makes up for it, mashing up bay rum and tropical fruit. I followed it up with the excellent Rooster's Nest splash, which is one of the best straightforward bay rum products I've tried. To finish, I sprayed on a not-quite bay rum. While it's missing the booze, Belem is a fresh-spicy citrus with some aquatic notes in the background, centered on a strong bay note (though probably not of the West Indian bay tree variety). Paired with the unusually-boozy bay rum aftershave, it really completes the bay rum trifecta.

For today's challenge, a nod to u/Priusaurus. I'm still laughing about the fact that he said he was going to up his game after 2022 and take me down in 2023, did so, and forgot about it until I commented on his old boast after he'd won. Like the scene in the action movie where our hero blows up the helicopter and never looks back.

LG23-03: Where's the Beef?

• Brush: Semogue Owner’s Club “Taj” 24mm Boar #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR2-DC 0.95 SB / 1.25 OC #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Voskhod (41)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming / Chatillon Lux - Vide Poche - Icarus Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: 345 Soap Company - White Buffalo - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes - Beaver
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Honduras. Cabañas. La Paz Dedertment. v: Lempira. Catuaí. Ihcafe 90. Pacas. p: Natural. r: 2024-03-14
• Music: Pink Floyd - Animals

Icarus is one of my favorite bases. This week I discovered it includes both bison and lamb tallows. Shaved off that lovely lather with my dual-gap aged bronze 2022 prize razor—gorgeous.

Regarding post shave, I have a neglected block of Osma, and used it today (rinse, apply alum, clean up brush, rinse off alum), but gave up on it ages ago. It doesn't improve my skin. If anything it just dries it out. Rinsing all the soap off thoroughly after the shave seems like a more important and beneficial skin-care step to me.

I followed up my shave with a splash of White Buffalo, to get more bison in the mix. For my fragrance, I looked at the Zoologist lineup and thought which of these animals (A) isn't endangered and (B) would be nice and fatty? Everyone's favorite oily dam-building rodents were at the front of the pack.

LG23-03: K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Muninn Woodworks "Red Amboyna Burl" 26mm Maggard Premium Boar
• Razor: Chiseled Face Titanium Legacy Razor #RAINBOW
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue Super (79)
• Lather: Tcheon Fung Sing - Italian Rhubarb - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Lemon Chill - Balm
• Fragrance: The Zoo - Rhubarb My Love
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Burundi. Kayanza. v: Bourbon p: Honey Process r: 2024-05-20
• Music: Bat for Lashes - The Dream for Delphi

I've barely put a dent in this Italian Rhubarb soap, so I took advantage of the K.I.S.S. theme to use it. The scent is rhubarb. That's it. Same with my fragrance, which better captures the simultaneous watery, tangy, vegetal, fruity, citric, and funky aspects of its namesake, but is still just one note. I didn't have a rhubarb balm on hand to bridge the gap, so I went with this one-note lemon balm I'm trying to kill as a logical alternative.

I shaved with my beloved heat-treated Legacy. Makes for a sexy SOTD photo and is my easy-mode razor. It just works for me.

And sticking to the K.I.S.S. theme, I'll talk about bases briefly. Excelsior is my favorite discontinued soap base; I appreciate that it's hard instead of Italian-soap soft and the performance is killer when fully hydrated. It's also the first top-tier base I used, so I'm really familiar with it—feels like coming home. My favorite current base is probably Kyle's used in the SBS and London Razors soaps. The price to performance ratio is unbeatable, it's easy to lather, and the texture of the finished lather is uniquely-wonderful. Big fan.

LG24-05: ~~Canned~~ Sticked Shave Goop featuring a Canadian pharmacy's intercom music playlist

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (32)
• Lather: Pacific Shaving Company - Spearmint - Ultra Slick Shave Stick
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Spearmint - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Hima Jomo - Summer in Paro
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Tanzania. Mbeya. v: Peaberry KENT. N39. p:24-36 Hr Fermentation. Sun-Dried On Raised Beds. r: 02/20/24
• Music: Heart - Heart

These Pacific Shave Co. products were purchased from my local grocery store and live in my dopp kit. Convenient for today's theme, since I'm traveling. Mobile judgments incoming! 🚘🧑‍⚖️

LG24-06: Thursday Thursday

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (33)
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory - FIZZ - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Spearmint - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Gallagher Fragrances - Rosé All Daé
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Hotel Swill
• Music: Sufjan Stevens - Illinois

Travel Shave #2.

Enjoyed a brisk cup of "nostalgic, sweet, carbonated fountain soda" for today's shave. 🥤 Love this root beer scent. This particular tub features Talent Soap Factory's earlier base; it always treats me well, though I think I have a Betti soap or two, and those are also good. Hope more folks try this little Etsy soaper now that TSF is a Lather Games sponsor.

The K.I.S.S. spearmint scent of this balm is good match for the minty aspects of FIZZ. The fragrance, on the other hand, had to be selected from my small-container-o'-samples in my dopp kit. Fortunately, a pour of sparkling rosé is on theme.

I'll admit that I don't watch much WetTube content anymore, with the exception u/VisceralWatch, so not real helpful for today's challenge.

LG24-07: Vetiver You Want

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (34)
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Pine Barrens - Luxury Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Spearmint - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Beach Geeza - Juniper Java
• Passes: ATG

Going straight for the ATG pass isn't particularly gnarly as long as I've been shaving at least two passes daily and face lather to really prep my stubble.

Pine Barrens was the only soap in my collection that was definitely on theme. It works as a woodsy scent, but the strong vetiver note is the secret sauce, planting the juniper and cypress in a larger image of long grass, sun-baked floor covered in pine needles, and rows of trees heading off in every direction. I expect this Catie's Bubbles scent to come up more often than it does.

Killed my sample of "barbershop that’s just tucked into the jungle " Juniper Java, which is an acceptable loss, since Mrs. Mosquito and I have a bottle at home. Tenacious vetiver with a bold natural juniper note. It was an easy match to Pine Barrens.

LG24-07: Small Business Saturday... but in June... while traveling

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (35)
• Lather: Maggard Razors - Mango Sage Tea - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Spearmint - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: For the Scent of It - Garden Grove
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Music: Crate Digger's Funk Playlist

I use this same Mango Sage Tea sample every year—smells like clean, fruity, hotel soap, in a good way. I should probably just kill it because we're getting to the end. Paired with an easy-going fragrance inspired by "the smell of luxurious soaps, often found in the finest of hotels". (Still rocking the only post shave in my dopp kit, but it's a light, one-note scent that works with anything.)

For today's challenge, I'll just call out my very first larger wet shaving products order, which was from West Coast Shaving (which I arrived at via search engine). I ordered a few tubs based on scent notes and wild speculation about what I thought I liked. Turns out buying whole tubs without sampling is usually stupid, even if they're at a reduced price. Always sample first. I found out the hard way I don't actually like what I thought I like; scent notes only tell you so much. (Also, my tastes changed as I got into perfumery. I generally prefer a simpler wet shaving scent and save complexity for my fragrance, which has time to dry down.) On top of that, one of the tubs had shockingly little scent, but I guess that's what happens sometimes when you buy from a clearance sale. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

LG24-09: Shave and a Haircut - Two Bits

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (36)
• Lather: MacDuff's Soap Co. - Old Strathcona - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Spearmint - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Rogue Perfumery - Fougere L'Aube
• Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG

Just a few more travel shaves. Don't want to wrap up the vacation yet, but will be at the point shortly where you want to skip the commute and be home already.

I like MacDuff's "fougère barbershop" Old Strathcona. The fougère structure is there, and it features an herbal opening and a mossy patchouli, tonka, and vetiver base, plus an unusual mushroom note for "a touch of earthy saltiness". And I like the previous generation of MacDuff's labels featuring snapshots of the great outdoors.

Took a pre-coffee attempt at the quiz and got 16/32 with 01:19 to spare. Kicking myself over missing a few of these.

LG24-10: Happy Together...in the car for many, many miles

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (37)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps / London Razors - But First...Coffee - Shave Soap
• Post Shave: London Razors / Summer Break Soaps - Coffee & Contemplation - Aftershave
• Fragrance: DSH - Cafe Noir - EdP
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Music: Coffee and Cigarettes OST

Today I learned that Kentucky has awful highways. I'm traveling home; one state down, but that was one of the wide ones, and I'm heading north. Trying to type anything while the entire car jerks every few seconds makes for liberal use of the Backspace key and auto-correct. I'll keep this post short.

For my collaboration soap, the super-fun Discord But First...Coffee soap. I paired that with the earlier London Razors / Summer Break Soaps coffee-scented collaboration. (Mountain Laurel is my GOAT though.)

Ellen Covey's leathery Cafe-V is my favorite coffee scent by a wide margin, mostly because I prefer the bitter, roasted, woody aspects of coffee to the sweet, lactonic chocolaty tones of creamy latte art on top of steaming mug. However, instead of risking damage to my traveler, I packed this sample of DSH's coffee-amber. Starting with the sweet stuff and moving to the more complex frag worked well.

For today's challenge, the Coffee and Cigarettes soundtrack is an obvious choice. However, the prompt specifies a song, not an entire album, so let's narrow it down to "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James & The Shondells. Not only do I adore this timeless slice of late-'60s psychedelica, covers of the song are usually pretty good too. I'm fond of the shaggy Built to Spill take, which is faithful to the original, and closed out a memorable encore at a local theater. I can still hear the swirling guitars and smell the billowing plumes of dank green. (This video was probably from the same tour.)

LG23-11: April Showers Bring May Flowers

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (38)
• Lather: Noble Otter - RAWR - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Sunny Lane - Aftershave
• Fragrance: DSH - Re-Assess
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia SO
• Music: Animal Collective - Feels

Catching up on a bunch of stuff, so keeping it simple today, and going with RAWR—one of the more obvious answers to today's theme. Sunny Lane has that wonderful clover note and an equally cheery disposition as RAWR, with less sweetness. DSH's "running through grass" fragrance completes the theme.

LG23-12: CREAM

• Brush: Wald Shaving 29mm A1 Fan
• Razor: Carbon Cx-Ti .68mm
• Blade: Astra SP (36)
• Lather: Proraso - Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin
• Post Shave: Proraso - After Shave Balm for Sensitive Skin
• Fragrance: DS & Durga - Debaser
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Burundi. Kayanza. v: Bourbon p: Honey Process r: 2024-05-20
• Music: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream & Other Delights

This Proraso cream features the "refreshing scent of lime and apple" so I paired it with another lightly-fruity fragrance. I still haven't found my preferred fig fragrance—ideally to pair with Barrister and Mann Clusterfig—but Debaser is getting closer. The scent of the leaves and stems are there without being overwhelmingly vegetal, it's not overly sweet, and the musk-tonka-coconut combination is a smooth platform for the fig. Still need to sample Dyptique Philosykos, but haven't looked for a vendor that stocks it yet.

LG24-0#: Dupelgänger

• Brush: Semogue Owner’s Club “Taj” 24mm Boar #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR2-DC 0.95 SB / 1.25 OC #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Voskhod (42)
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. - AG 1889 - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. - AG 1889 - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors - Telegrama
• Fragrance: Rogue Perfumery - Bon Monsieur
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia S.O.
• Music: Cut Copy - Zonoscope

I was a little apprehensive about AG 1889, based on Guerlain Jicky, since I haven't tried that classic. However, I love it's warm, ambery, vintage charms. Plus, the putty or clay-like Darkwing base is excellent.

My fragrance pairing presented a challenge. I don't think I have a vintage-styled perfume on hand that really captures the je ne sais quoi of Jicky, so I combined a spray of Telegrama and a few dabs of Bon Monsieur rollerball. The Telegrama gives me the warm vanilla and lavender while the Bon Monsieur paints in a bit of (herbal) green. Nice.

LG23-14: Frigid Friday

• Brush: Grizzly Bay 28mm 2BED
• Razor: Blackland Sabre Level 2
• Blade: GEM (23)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Fern Concerto Menthol - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Aqua Velva - Classic Ice Blue - Aftershave
• Fragrance: BLACKBIRD - Triton
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: v: 75% Colombia Huila washed / 25% Ethiopia Guji natural process. r: medium
• Music: NxWorries - Why Lawd?

I don't use this mentholated soap often, but I use it far more often then my other cooled soaps, since it's more reasonable in it's level of cooling. It's cool, not cold or get-it-off-that-burns plus wind chill. The debatably-fougère scent is good too.

Followed up my shave with Ice Blue (which is self explanatory 🧊) and Triton (themed around the cold, stark surface of Neptune's moon 🌑).

LG24-15: Near Death Experience

• Brush: Farvour Turn Craft 26mm v.6 Odin's Beard
• Razor: Charcoal Goods Level 2 (Gen.3) Torpedo Handle
• Blade: Astra SP (76)
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Fougère Nemeta - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Gentleman's Nod - Jackie - Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Cerberus Fougère
• Passes: WTG, XTG

Our Saturday became unexpectedly busy, so just getting to this now, and need to fit in a workout next.

I believe this tub of Fougère Nemeta was a split with a friend, so I got a big head start on it, and I've used it more than most of my other soaps. I think it's down to a little over a 1/4 of the tub, but no circle of death yet. It's a wonderful fougère.

LG23-16: Father's Day

• Brush: Rubberset 400 26mm Soft Tuxedo
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Gen 2 "Peerless" Clog Pruf
• Blade: GEM (28)
• Lather: Mäurer & Wirtz - Tabac Original - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Mennen - Skin Bracer - After Shave
• Fragrance: Clandestine Laboratories - Film Noir
• Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG
• Coffee: Colombia Washed + Ethiopia Natural Process Blend
• Music: Jane Birkin et Serge Gainsbourg

I haven't cracked this ceramic Tabac lid in ages, but today's theme narrowed my options to products from before the '80s, and I thought my stinky old friend might pair nicely with some vintage-styled fougères. It did.

More importantly, what a lather! I forgot how impressive the performance of the old tallow base is; the slickness and protection are at least as good as my favorite S-Tier artisan bases, even if Tabac is a bit more drying. Really excellent stuff.

LG23-17: Don’t Have a Cow

• Brush: Wald Shaving 29mm A1 Fan
• Razor: Carbon Cx-Ti .68mm
• Blade: Astra SP (36)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Vor V - Vegan Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Lavanille - Balm
• Fragrance: Clandestine Laboratories - Master
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia SO
• Music: Mort Garson - Mother Earth’s Plantasia

This Wholly Kaw soap isn’t my favorite vegan base, but it performs well, and can often be had for a good price. The texture is kind of a dry paste in the tub and lathers up quickly. Plus this complex raspberry and leather scent (TF Tuscan Leather) is striking.

My aftershave and fragrance continue the leather theme, Lavanille with a strong floral element and Master with tobacco and citrus. Both are heavy leather scents for the middle of June; not recommended for hot days.

LG23-17: RIP in Pieces

• Brush: Мужской Материк 26mm Zenith Boar
• Razor: Mongoose Razors Alumigoose
• Blade: Artist Club (17)
• Lather: West of Olympia - Lust - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Dr. Jon's - Propaganda - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Australian Private Reserve - Carnivale - EdT
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Tanzania. Mbeya. v: KENT. N39. p:24-36 Hr Fermentation. Sun-Dried On Raised Beds. r: 02/20/24
• Music: Crypt Sermon - The Stygian Rose

During an earlier Lather Games challenge, someone brought up the West of Olympia base, which continues to impress long after the brand closed up shop. The performance competes with some of my favorites and is relatively difficult to flood while lathering. I'm very glad I have this tub of Lust around; it's a gloriously fruity scent that stands out from anything in my collection.

I followed the theme with my brush and razor. The Мужской Материк Etsy store went down a few years ago and it's a shame Mongoose wasn't able to expand into a longterm wet shaving presence.

I followed up my shave with products from two more artisans that are no longer in the game (I'm still surprised about Dr. Jon's). The warm, full-bodied scents of my aftershave and fragrance don't really match the tart fruity-floral qualities of Lust, but we're sticking to the theme. Miss you!

LG23-19: Juneteenth

• Brush: Viking 24mm v.6 Odin's Beard Fan
• Razor: Chiseled Face Titanium Legacy Razor #RAINBOW
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue Super (79)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Kryptonite - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Nightman - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Clandestine Laboratories - Côte
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia Washed / Ethiopia Natural Process
• Music: Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

In recognition of today’s theme, my shave used products from Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, and New York. Hope everyone has a good day with friends and family.

My soap, aftershave, and fragrance all feature a big green lime note. Wonderful shave.

LG24-20: 🌊 Sunny Days ⛴️

• Brush: Trotter Handcrafts “Sea Glass No.3” 28mm SynBad
• Razor: Chiseled Face Titanium Legacy Razor
• Blade: Personna Lab Blue Super (79)
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Trade Winds - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: MacDuff's Soap Co.- Black Rock - Shave Soap
• Fragrance: Olympic Orchids - Kingston Ferry
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia Washed SO
• Music: The Decemberists - As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

I’m burned out on using sunny beach scents from previous Lather Games, so I leaned into the aquatic side of today’s theme. Trade Winds is fresh ocean breeze, Black Rock has a sense of place with its lovely medley of rose bushes and woods just off shore, and Kingston Ferry brings us to the dock (and claims to share a rhododendron note with the Vancouver Island scent).

LG23-21: Fougère Friday

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts “Endor” 26mm Declaration Grooming B9B
• Razor: Carbon Cx-Ti .68mm
• Blade: Astra SP (37)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company - Seaforth! Heather - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - TSM Fougère - Post-Shave Toner
• Fragrance: For the Scent of It - Épice Fern
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Burundi Natural Process
• Music: Roxy Music - Country Life

There once was a judge who said "fuck it,"
"I won't rhyme 'fougère' with 'Nantucket'."
Updated his flair
sat back in his chair
utterly nonplussed ab'ut it.

(Shoutout to u/Ramjet615 for reminding me to get back to Roxy Music.)

LG24-22: Spooky Season

• Brush: Farvour Turn Craft “Gandalf” 24mm FTC Two-Band
• Razor: Alpha Shaving Works Outlaw Cu
• Blade: Astra SP (32)
• Lather: Red House Farm - 9 Days Up Nort' - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Taiga - Aftershave
• Fragrance: ånd fragrance - Båre
• Passes: WTG, XTG, ATG
• Coffee: Tanzania. Mbeya. v: KENT. N39. p:24-36 Hr Fermentation. Sun-Dried On Raised Beds. r: 02/20/24
• Music: The Deep Dark Woods - Broadside Ballads Vol​.​III

Autumn in my neck of the woods means hunting season, and though I’m not a hunter myself (not a tradition in my family), many of my friends growing up marked their calendar for the start of “deer season.” Folks save up their vacation time, stock up on bright orange garb, fill up their giant Stanley with coffee (or, not-so-covertly, something with brandy in it) and prepare to freeze their patushkas off. u/Grindermonk’s wonderfully woodsy deer-tallow soap captures that spirit; I lathered it up with a turned-antler handle FTC brush and layered with additional woodsy scents.

Speaking of spirits, check out this spooooooooky jack-o'-lantern. You might be thinking, “Hey, that’s an apple! Where the pumpkins at, bruh?” You’ve clearly forgotten that this tradition started with gnarled root vegetables “such as a mangelwurzel, rutabaga or turnip”, so we might as well add a round colorful fruit to the mix.

LG24-23: Sweet Sunday...in Space!

• Brush: Grizzly Bay “Galactic Shorty” 26mm Fanchurian V10
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Astra SP (15)
• Lather: Apex Alchemy Shaving - To the Moon - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Apex Alchemy Shaving - To the Moon - Aftershave
• Fragrance: BLACKBIRD - Universal Supreme
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Colombia Washed / Ethiopia Natural Process
• Music: The Magnetic Fields - Holiday

What's more a summery sweet than a Rocket Pop on a hot, sunny day? To the Moon is true to the sticky citrus scent of those nostalgic popsicles. I expect we'll see Apex Alchemy overrepresented for today's theme, since many of their scents are inspired by desserts, sweet foods, or soda fountain beverages.

I layered the To the Moon aftershave with Universal Supreme, which distills teenage summer freedom into a fruity spray accented by wisps of incense and dry grass; taste the "cherry ice pops", chased with a cola bottle straight from the cooler, fireworks bursting overhead.

LG23-24: Christmas in July, but in June's Eve

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (34)
• Lather: Zingari Man - Bon Monsieur - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Rogue Pefumery - Fougere L'Aube
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Music: Islands - What Occurs

Judge, FOFmaster, and all around friend of the sub u/wallygator88 hooked me up with this sample of Bon Monsieur. Fougere L'Aube is still my favorite Rogue Perfumery fougère, but Bon Monsieur works well as a soap, and I’m not surprised this collaboration was a hit.

I’m traveling this week for work, so back to my dopp kit setup.

LG23-25: Christmas in July, but in June, on the Road

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (35)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Dickens, Revisited - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Etat Libre d’Orange - Fat Electrician
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Music: Rodriguez - Cold Fact

I really enjoy both this Revisited version of Dickens and the cookie recipe it’s based on. And it doesn’t really smell like other Christmas scents to me, making it a nice change of pace, while still feeling appropriate for the season. Tip of the hat.

Another travel shave.

LG23-26: Scrubby Wildcard Wednesday Travel Shave

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (36)
• Lather: AA Shaving - Oak Ash Thorn - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: WSP - Tobacco Vanilla - Solid Cologne
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Music: Wild Beasts - Two Dancers

Unlike the rest of you poor, unfortunate souls, us judges don’t have to suffer through the heinous indignities of Wildcard Wednesday. Here I sit on my Scrubby throne, shaving with actual shave soap and not slathering any sort of foul or toxic substance on my face. Feelsgoodman.

Also, good opportunity to kill another sample.

As for my brushes, I haven’t had to clean one in ages. When I do, I follow the Declaration Grooming recomendations. Generally speaking, soak with a bit of detergent for about ten minutes, rinse thoroughly, and then mix up a bowl of lather with any on-hand artisan soap.

LG23-27: Information Overload

• Brush: Maggard Razors Gray and White 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE86
• Blade: Astra SP (36)
• Lather: Australian Private Reserve / Highland Springs Soap Company - Eclipse - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Pacific Shave Co. - Caffeinated Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: BLACKBIRD - Anemone - EdP
• Passes: WTG, XTG

I know this soap is divisive, but DJ likes it, and that’s good enough to me. It’s gnarly stuff though. More relevant to today’s theme, it features 21 listed notes; they all blend together to my nose.

Last day on this work trip, so had to keep the shave simple and shave with my man Reliable Right.

LG23-28: All About ‘dat Value

• Brush: Zenith r/wetshaving Moar Boar
• Razor: Wolfman Razors WR2-DC 0.95 SB / 1.25 OC
• Blade: Voskhod (43)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Boat Drinks - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Lather Bros. - Everglades - Balm
• Fragrance: Day Three Fragrances - Del Mar - EdP
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Ethiopia Natural Process / Colombia Washed
• Music: Wilco - Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP

I ran the numbers a few times last year and couldn’t find a soap around that ended up cheaper per ounce than a Stirling tub (5.8oz for $14.25 at the moment), so I reached for the green plastic again today.

Now is the time for Boat Drinks; it’s sweet, but is the scent of summer shenanigans, and I need it to combat the omnipresent drizzle that will be falling all day. To complete the picture of swigging fruity drinks on the deck while blasting Jimmy Buffett, the Everglades balm set the shave among the mangroves, floating along, and Del Mar added in the scent of “warm sand, ocean breezes, and radiant sunshine.”

Glad to be back at home after lots of travel. Remind me not to do this to myself next June.

LG23-29: Sandalwood Saturday

• Brush: Chisel & Hound “Chakte Viga” 26mm v14 Fanchurian
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Gen 2 "Peerless" Clog Pruf
• Blade: GEM (29)
• Lather: Oz Shaving - Woodchopper - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: Long Rifle Soap Co. - Voyageur - Shave Tonic
• Fragrance: ånd Fragrances - Sånd
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Tanzania. Mbeya. v: Peaberry KENT. N39. p:24-36 Hr Fermentation. Sun-Dried On Raised Beds. r: 02/20/24
• Music: Crowded House - Woodface

Three very different takes on sandalwood today.

Woodchopper obviously focuses on the woody aspect of sandalwood. The cardamom note is inspired and really elevates this from cut wood to a proper blend.

I've sung Voyageur's praises before. It's just oakmoss, sandalwood and patchouli, but simple is often what I want in an aftershave. The sandalwood here is a little creamy and the patchouli is a little chocolaty. Easy to wear.

Sånd is the weirdo here. For the most part, each fragrance in Simon Constantine's ånd line focuses on a single material, and the style of each blend is often a surprise. Sånd leans into the creamy, savory qualities of its namesake. A subtle banana opening is colored by black pepper and cardamom (a nice callback to today's soap), layered over sandalwood and resins. The drydown is super smooth and the spicy-woody blend is warmly comforting.

I'll abstain from today's challenge. I definitely have my favorite posts, at least one of which will come up during our next podcast, but I don't want to influence our players. You're on your own for this one!

We're almost there gang.

LG23-30: That's a Wrap

• Brush: Мужской Материк 26mm Zenith Boar
• Razor: Blutt Rasur BR-1 0.99
• Blade: Kai Blue (3)
• Lather: Oaken Lab - Serious Moonlight - Shaving Soap
• Post Shave: AllMan - Fearless - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Etat libre d'Orange - Clean Suede
• Passes: WTG, XTG
• Coffee: Burundi. Murata, Kayanza. - v: Red Bourbon - p: Natural, dried on raised beds.
• Music: Ghost - IMPERA

I’m in the United States and I like using some particularly globetrotting hardware for today’s theme.

Going down the list, I lathered up my Indonesian shave soap with a brush handle from a Russian artisan paired with a boar knot made by an Italian manufacturer. I shaved with a Japanese blade in a beautiful razor manufactured in Switzerland. I followed up my shave with a splash of German aftershave and a spray of French fragrance. Coffee is from Burundi and music is from theatrical Swedish pop-metal band Ghost. (I should have made time to see that concert film in theaters. Holding out hope for a 4k disc release.)

Beyond the international theme, the link between these scents is tenuous, but I picked three options that are subtly floral. Also, I’ve heard the Fearless scent is close to Green Irish Tweed; I paired it with a fragrance that also has some lemony citrus and ambergris.

Before I go, thank you to my fellow judges and the folks that planned this year’s Games. This is always a blast and it’s been wonderful working with you.

And thank you to all our players for another fun competition. See you next year!