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

July 1, 2024 - Bonjour, Lather Games! / New All The Things

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts / Declaration Grooming B11 26mm #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: Boker 376 5/8" straight
• Lather: AA Soaps - Wapiti
• Post Shave: Captain's Choice - Lime
• Fragrance: Geo. F. Trumper - Eclipse

Daily Write-Up
I think there was some shock across the community when I came out of the closet as a Lather Games judge. I suspect even those who were planning to really compete wanted me to take my rightful place as winner of the Lather Games.

But I felt I could do more to ensure that such a miscarriage of judgment that happened last year to put u/Priusaurus on top will never happen again.

So I implore all of you to shave your hearts out and shitpost valiantly so Mr. Saurus is forced to mail you his beloved trophy.

For today, I broke out the straight I had been fearing for 18 months since I won it in a PIF. I had attempted to use it once, when it was evident that it was not shave ready, I sent it off to Mr. u/whosgotthepudding of Muninn Woodworks to have it honed just for this day. For my first straight shave I didn't get as close as I would have liked, but there was no blood and no stinging from the Captain's Choice – a brand of aftershave I've never used before.

The AA Shaving performed ok. I wish I had used a soap I was more familiar with for my first straight shave, but it seemed to work fine. This new-to-me B11 is fantastic though. Beautiful handle and a nearly perfect knot. I suspect after a couple more uses it results in a different brush heading to the ‘zaar.

I finished it up with GFT Eclipse. I was hoping this scent, once again one I've never used, would just be a faithful dupe of B&M Eclipse, but sadly it's best described as “generic, vaguely-British chypre”. Pity.

Soap Theme Justification
I’ve never used any soaps from AA Shaving.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Theme: New All The Things. Soap, AS, and Frag I’ve never tried before.

June 2, 2024 - Ahoy, Lather Games: The Castigation of Cowzilla the Third; or This Week; the Death of a Friendship

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm #PREMIUMPLASTIC
• Razor: Gillette 195 (Fatboy) #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Chiseled Face - Bay Rum
• Post Shave: Captain's Choice - Bay Rum - Splash
• Fragrance: Chicago Grooming Co. - El Caballero

Daily Write-Up
As you get older, there may become times in your life where you’re forced to sever a friendship because it’s no longer healthy for you to remain in the relationship. Today I’m recollecting the good times I’ve had with u/Cowzilla3, and lamenting the death of our bond. A bond that has lasted all of 24 months.

Cowzilla3 and I joined the sub at approximately the same time, and I was quickly entertained by his hijinks during the Lather Games of 2022. He added some levity to the games, though his schtick was taken too far when u/AirBudRuler took over.

We met in person for the first time in 2023 at the Maggard Meet, where we bonded over nachos, talking about shaving and life and many other topics.

I waited anxiously for the next installment of the Spice Off series, and read them multiple times whenever a new one was posted, aiming to glean as much information from them as possible. I scoured the internet for additional dupes for him to try, and even presented him with a full tub in a base he hadn’t experienced to review at the 2024 Maggard Meet.

Throughout this time we shared hardware and sent smushes back and forth. I knew I could count on him to respond quickly, and drop something in the mail in a reasonable time frame. So it was a little surprising that I had to ask multiple times for an Old Spice Dupe smush for the Lather Games. You see, as part of the planning committee, I had some input into the theme days, and one of my contributions was “Cowzilla3 Appreciation Day” which turned into Ahoy Lather Games once it was workshopped a bit. I was excited for the sub to celebrate our long-running soap reviewer, and my personal friend.

He had committed to sending one of his obscure Old Spice Dupes, so I built my calendar around that. However, I was alarmed by Friday of this week when no smush had arrived.

Sadly, I don’t think there is a written record of that conversation. Certainly nothing in Discord. But it went something like this:

OnionMiasma: “Hey, did you send out that smush of that Old Spice Dupe you were going to send? I’m planning to use is Sunday”

Cowzilla3: “No, I couldn’t be bothered. Get rekt, mate.”

There it was. The sign I should have known was coming, but my heart couldn’t believe had arrived. Like the fire of a towering dumpster inferno, Cowzilla3 had torched the remnants of our relationship, leaving my emotions charred and raw.

I look back and see other signs. The hateful Autostrop razor he gave to me for the Lather Games last year. Making me smell the god-awful concoction that Kyle created. The time we met for lunch and then I was going to take him to the airport, and he was like, “hey screw you, I’m actually flying from the airport that’s 2 hours one-way from your house, I don’t care if you mind, you promised to take me to the airport.”

I’ve spent the last 48 hours processing this immense hurt, working my way through the stages of grief. There was disbelief that my long-term friend could act so callously toward me, anger at the way I had been treated… Ok, that’s all the further I’ve gotten.

I’m still in the anger stage. And I know from the times in my youth when my mom’s boyfriend would smack me around in his alcohol-fueled rages, smelling like a mixture of Old Spice and cheap vodka, that music is the healthiest way for me to help process my anger. So, since he had at one time sent over the music video of Some Postman by the Presidents of the United States of America when I was having some ongoing mail issues, I decided to re-write the lyrics to one of their songs to illustrate my feelings right now.

Introducing “Cowzilla” to the tune of “Kitty” by the Presidents of the United States of America

Note: I left the “Meows” in the song. I think he was scared I wouldn’t agree with his review, and thus decided to ruin my LG calendar. Pussy.

Little reviewer been up all night
Little reviewer been up all night
Can you hear him typin’ at his keyboard?
Can you hear him typin' at his keyboard?
Little reviewer been up all night

He needs some nutmeg and lemon in his soap
He needs some anise and jasmine on his soap-filled brush
He's typin' 'up a review
He's typin' 'up a review
He needs some oldness and spicy in his soap
Oh, ‘Zilla, won't you stop reviews?

Cowzilla wrote a post and I won’t read it (x8)

Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow-meow
Meow
Meow
Meow
Meow

Cowzilla grinnin' and lookin' so satisfied
Cowzilla grinnin' and lookin' so satisfied
I've lost all my Lather Games chances
Lost all my Lather Games chances
Cowzilla grinnin’' and lookin' so satisfied
‘Zilla rear up and mess my calendar
‘Zilla rear up and mess my calendar
Fuck you, ‘Zilla, you're gonna spend the night (x3) Unread!

You know who would never do something like this? u/Priusaurus. Even though I’ve spent the last 12 months trashing him and all he stands for, vilifying him as a cheat and a thief of the Lather Games title, he’s always been an absolute gentleman. A caballero, if you will.

Soap Theme Justification
Bay Rum. It’s in the name. I would have rather used an Old Spice Dupe… but here we are.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Theme: Bay Rum. For the second day in a row I’m using a Captain’s Choice sample, this time in Bay Rum scent. Closing it up with El Caballero, which Vida describes as a bridge between Bay Rum and Gentlemen’s Cologne. Ironic, because while u/priusaurus is a Caballero, u/cowzilla3 certainly is not.

July 3, 2024 - Where’s the Beef?

• Brush: Shave Forge Horsehair, 20mm #HORSESASS #HOLLOW #RUNT
• Razor: Muhle R89 #TWINS #ZAMAC
• Razor: Edwin Jagger DE89 #TWINS
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Red House Farm - NoScrub
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Lavanille - Splash
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Company - Sandalwood

Daily Write-Up
When I saw this day on the calendar, I never thought I’d be celebrating the lack of COWtallow while simultaneously hoping that COWzilla3 leaves the sub. But, unless he apologizes for what he’s done it’s either him or me.

Speaking of cows… they’re delicious. Per the EPA, a single cow produces between 154 to 264 pounds of methane gas per year. Not counting for the emissions of any other livestock, 1.5 billion cattle, raised specifically for meat production worldwide, emit at least 231 billion pounds of methane into the methane into the atmosphere each year. Granted, no one is raising cows specifically for making soap, but if you believe in climate change, it’s probably best if we process less beef.

Similarly, a single Cowzilla3 produces between 154 and 264 hundred words of garbage for the sub each year; words that metaphorically smell about as bad as methane. He’s ruining the sub, just like we’re ruining the planet.

Did you see his song today? Embarrassing. Just as embarrassing as his misshapen eyebrows are.

Today I switched razors halfway through the shave. Yep. They’re the same razor, but I prefer the handle on the R89. It fits in an Altoids tin, whereas the DE is a smidge too long.

This brush though is one I only keep around because of the Lather Games. It's terrible and smells... well, again, not quite as bad as Cowzilla3. But similar. Very, very similar.

Soap Theme Justification
This soap has bear tallow. Bear! Play hard, post well, and either u/Enndeegee or I might send you a tub of your own.

Unlike Mr. Zilla3, it smells great.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Riffed around with the scent notes in the soap, which are sandalwood and lavender. I pulled in the lavender for Lavanille, and then finished it off with Stirling Sandalwood.

Edit: Oh, shit. Yeah, I used Osma. It's fine. About as pointless as the 41st edition of TGSO.

Put Cowzilla on the grill.

Put Cowzilla on the grill.

**July 4, 2024 - K.I.S.S.?

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts 2022 POTG Handle, Maggard SHD 28mm #SHD #FRANKENBRUSH #COMPOSITE
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird #CNC #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet Falcon Carbon Steel (1 and done)
• Lather: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon
• Post Shave: Eleven Shaving - Sicilian Lemon - Splash
• Fragrance: Chicago Grooming Co. - Shiloh

Daily Write-Up Awesome brush. Awesome razor. Really like the soap. Splash works great. This is my favorite frag from CGCo. So far we have the makings of a stew... I mean, a good shave.

That blade though. Holy crap these are bad. Halfway through I popped it out and into a Gillette Tech to see if it would be less bad. Eh… These might be the worst blade currently in production.

Base wars. Generally, I find all modern bases to be more or less the same level. I kind of miss Excelsior - I found it to work a little better for me than Omnibus, and certainly last a lot longer. I'd say there are two modern bases that I probably prefer- Tusk because it's definitely the one I use the most, so I have it super dialed in, and CB Premium is just something a little bit more special than everything else.

Soap Theme Justification
The soap has only lemon in its scent notes.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Lemon bomb today. Lemon soap. Lemon AS. Chicago Grooming Co.’s Shiloh also opens with a very strong lemon note; much more so than the other dupes of this frag, which is why it’s my favorite version.

The Castigation of Cowzilla3 Takes an Unexpected Turn
So, many people probably think that “Ahoy Lather Games” was the day that was written in specifically for u/Cowzilla3. I may have helped perpetuate that misunderstanding by pretty much saying that exact thing on June 2nd. But that’s not the case.

It’s today that is really the theme day for u/Cowzilla3, because… well…. he dumb.

And you’ll note, that he failed to even grasp the simplicity of today, claiming that a scent bouquet rich with anise, jasmine, citrus, and aldehydes could be thought of as a single scent.

Because he dumb.

But something about the whole situation with u/Cowzilla3 hasn’t been sitting right with me, and after spending days and nights thinking about it, I believe that I’ve come up with an answer about how he can be seemingly normal in person, but have such a different personality when dealing with him online.

Here’s what I knew about u/Cowzilla3.

• He is from New York
• He used to “have a house” in Washington D.C.
• Last week he was “very busy”. So he couldn’t send me a smush he promised.

I started thinking about this in my head. Working it back and forth, trying to come up with a solution. It's a tough problem, indeed.

Nothing was coming to me, until I saw this note in the news this morning. “"The toiletries were Old Spice and Pert Plus. I thought that was amusing and odd.” - Stormy Daniels

We all find Cowzilla3 to be odd.

~~Many~~ A few of us find him amusing.

But… these qualities evidently are also found in our 45th president, as said by someone who… well… got close to him.

I’m not a smart man. But I can put two and two together, and I had my first ever “Finkle is Einhorn” moment.

Clearly the man I have been messaging for years is actually former president Donald J. Trump. However, the times I’ve met him, he sent an envoy (generically named, for convenience and so we wouldn’t suspect it). The man we’ve seen as Cowzilla3 is his public front, but behind the keyboard it is our Old Spice and Pert Plus-loving former president, who is now both a credibly accused sexual assailant and a convicted felon. He also evidently seems to be a wet shaving aficionado.

He really couldn’t be bothered to send me a smush last week! He was (unsuccessfully) defending himself against 34 felony charges.

Well, given this revelation…. u/Cowzilla3 - I forgive you.

u/Cowzilla3 - let’s start planning the Maggard Meet early so that the Hampton can accommodate your security detail, and you can come as yourself.

June 5, 2024 - Drugstore Day

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps “Mood Indigo” Synthetic, 28mm
• Razor: Assured For Men TTO Safety Razor
• Blade: Assured For Men Blade (1)
• Lather: Bolero - Cedar Wood and Eucalyptus - Cream
• Post Shave: Bolero - Cedar Wood and Eucalyptus - After Shave Lotion
• Fragrance: Catie’s Bubbles - Cape Cod Cranberry

Daily Write-Up

Using this stuff year after year (why don’t I throw it away?!) is bad enough. But now I need to try to use a brush with it and bowl lather, since I normally face lather?

Ok.

I put a generous amount of the Cedar Wood and Eucalyptus Shaving Cream in my bowl. Sadly, there’s still enough left for 1 or 2 more years.

I attempted to whip it into a lather.. It really didn’t want to lather up, but I managed to get something passable.

Then I scraped the hair off my face (one pass only, I’m not a masochist) with the Dollar Tree razor and blade. It’s just so bad. There’s very little slickness from the soap. And this unmarked blade is not sharp at all. Lots of blade chatter from the plastic TTO razor. 1/10 shave, 1/10 with rice.

Soap Theme Justification
The soap was purchased at Dollar Tree, which is the store nearest to my home that sells shaving items. Well, except that there is an AutoZone next door. But they only sell shaving soap, not razors.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Dickholed the Cedar Wood and Eucalyptus. Riffed off the soap and aftershave (that were allegedly cedar wood, but they pretty much just smell like chemicals) with more cedar. I had planned on using HoM Tobacconist, but in my first audible of the games, I felt more like using CCC, which also has cedar as a prominent note.

Now that shave is done, it’s probably time to return to alternate-universe OnionMiasma, to see how he’s progressing….

Prequel 1 here

Prequel 2 here

He readies himself in front of the mirror, taking care to not nick himself with the plastic razor. This is one of his proudest possessions. It helped him get to where he is. The fake chrome has flaked off, leaving only the plastic underneath now, but as he deftly removes the hair from his face, he’s forced to think about how far he’s come. It’s graduation day. He can finally put his old life behind him.

In the past few years, he’s been focused on two things, graduating with honors so he could move on to having a fruitful career, and becoming the internet’s biggest wet shaving expert.

For the first item he ended up changing his major to journalism. He felt that AI was just a flash in the pan, and people are obviously going to shift back to newspapers. He doesn’t have a job yet, but is continuing to flex his writing muscles by staying engaged in various wet shaving forums.

There are tons of them, and he’s active in almost all. The only one he’s never been a fan of are the weirdos over at Reddit. He checked it out, but quickly was told he wasn’t welcome due to his affinity for a specific brand of product that he’s a paid ambassador for.

It’s that brand’s forum he’s most proud of. He built the Phoenix Artisan Phans Facebook group from nothing to 221 active users. In the past year he’s gone from being proud to have met the founder to being a paid representative of the company.

He finished up his shave, rubbed in the Bolero Cedar Wood and Eucalyptus aftershave into his face, and grabbed his cap and gown.

It was a short walk across town to the stadium where graduation was held, and Onion used this time to continue to mull over his options for post-graduation work. His top choice would be to combine his degree with his passion. Maybe he could write a series of reviews looking at all the different soaps using a specific scent. Nah, that would be painfully boring to read.

Maybe he could start his own blog. Or do some Youtube videos as one of those new-fangled Shavefluencers.

The options abound.

But deep in thought, he didn’t notice when he stepped into the street that it wasn’t empty. He noticed a vehicle coming towards him, but noted it was in the other lane, so he slowed down to let them by. At the last moment, the yellow Jeep Wrangler swerved towards him in order to purposefully strike, and hit him straight on with a sickening crunch.

Onion flew to the side of the road, bleeding in multiple places. He looked up to see the Jeep speeding away, and he noticed the spare tire – a Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements cover adorned the extra rubber.

As he was bleeding out… his mind raced. Who in the hobby have I upset? Who did this? Why now? Was it because I slept with Doug’s wife? Is it one of the Reddit fanatics out to silence me?

He was unable to answer these questions as darkness descended upon his senses for the final time.

June 6, 2024

• Brush: Zenith Sub Exclusive Moar Boar 31mm #subbroosh #oldworld
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #fliptop #moderngem
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Noble Otter - Thè Noir et Vanille
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Cheshire - Splash
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Cheshire - EdT

Daily Write-Up
I shaved today, which was impressive given everything going on today. I did not watch any wet tubing videos or make one of my own.

I did watch some lunatic make a drink out of allspice. That was bizarre.

Soap Theme Justification
The soap literally translates to Black Tea With Vanilla.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Bringing in another tea scent with Cheshire

June 7, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Saponificio Varesino - Desert Vetiver
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Citricuya - Balm
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Confluence

Daily Write-Up
Props to the Hon. u/Djundjila for the soap. I had never tried any Saponificio Varesino before. Both the soap performance and scent were great. I could totally see picking this up.

Going ATG and only ATG? Loved that less. I used a really mild razor and still ended up skipping and nicking my chin.

Soap Theme Justification
Vetiver is right there in the name.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Given the grassy scent of vetiver, I decided to do a theme of variations on the outdoors. Started with the DV, then went to B&M Citrucaya, which though it’s got a lot of citrus, I get more green florals taking over. It reminds me of the bike trails near where I grew up in summer, when everything is blooming. Lastly, I put on Confluence, which has a strong evergreen note.

June 8, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Maggards Razors - Northern Moss
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Petrichor - Splash
• Fragrance: Zingari - The Magician - EdT

Daily Write-Up
Until this April, the only Maggard Razors soap I owned was London Barbershop, which I didn't like at all. It made my face tingle in a bad way. So, it was in the big box of soap I dropped off on the PIF table.

I happened to walk by a lot later and saw this tub of Northern Moss and snagged it. It's a perfectly fine scent.

I have historically bought more from the artisans directly. So I don't have a lot of big Maggard's orders. Though I did but quite a bit more than I intended back in April. 3 EdTs and 4 new tubs of soap came home with me from the meet.

Soap Theme Justification
Maggard Razors is right there in the name.

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
All items I got for no charge at a Mags Meet. The Northern Moss was from the 2024 PIF table, the Petrichor was from the 2023 PIF table, and I got the Magician sample from Heather this year.

Moss/Wet Mud/Green Scents are a great progression for this weekend as I'm planting trees.

June 9, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts B11
• Razor: Dr. Squatch Safety Razor #RAINBOW
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - BarrBarr
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Seville

Daily Write-Up
I like Hygge. It’s also my least-favorite HoM soap that I own. So it pained me to use HoM here, but that’s where it fits.

I wrote the quiz, and still couldn’t get all the answers. I got 30/32 - I had forgotten the second AA Shaving and Wholly Kaw scents.

Sorry that some had challenges with it - I tested it on a number of different devices, and it worked fine.

Soap Theme Justification
Hygge is marketed as “a Danish concept which conveys a sense of comfort and togetherness. The concept reminds us of an old-fashioned barbershop, where people come together to enjoy relationships and the simple everyday pleasure of a good shave.”

Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
Barbershop scents, three very different ways.

You have the cold wintery Hygge, the nutmeg-spicy Barrbarr, and the powdery, citrusy Seville.

June 10, 2024

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps 'Mood Indigo' / Maggard Synthetic 28mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Era
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Zingari Man - Nocturne (with B&M)
• Post Shave: Zingari Man - Nocturne (with B&M)
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Admiral

Very late post, as I was working on the podcast and lost track of time.

I suggest everyone go listen to your favorite organ jazz.

Scent theme today - took the smoke note from Nocturne (made by Zingari, in collaboration with Barrister and Mann) and pivoted to Admiral. Great scents today.

June 11, 2024

• Brush: Stirling Boar 24mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Era
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Albizia
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Albizia
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Albizia

This soap was my first kill, and is still one of my favorites in my collection. Spring scents are generally my jam, and I'd personally rate this one above Rawr which everyone seemed to have made a group decision to use today. Slightly below Alive, probably, but I use them for different moods. This is more restrained... maybe more polished? Alive is fresh and fun and invigorating. If people have suggestions for others to try in this same vein, I'm all ears.

It's been a minute since I really tried on an SOTD pic. I thought the greens and wood in the labels went well with the grass, and the ivory and black brush matched the black lid and ivory tape of the DG label.

I'm titling this Everything's so green!

June 12, 2024

• Brush: Stirling Boar 24mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Era
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Old Spice - Cream
• Post Shave: Old Spice - Indian
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive - Nefertiti

Went with Old Spice today, because I have the cream of it. I paired it with the Old Spice that Cowzilla gave me for secret santa one year.

And then I followed it up with Nefertiti, which rifs off the jasmine note. I think this is also a good choice, because it features "jazz cigarette", which might explain why someone would choose Old Spice amongst all the other after shaves available.

June 13, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts / DG B11 26mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Citron - Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder - EdP

Pulled out the sub-exclusive AG1889 for dupe day.

Went with a lemon theme today - that's one of the big notes in 1889, and Citron and Sonder both have lemon in spades.

June 14, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts / DG B11 26mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Margaritas in the Arctic - Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Ausflug - EdP

Happy Birthday to me! Ausflug came in today.

June 15, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Nordost
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Everett - Splash
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Satsuma - EdT

I worked on this tub all month of May, I probably have 8-10 shaves left. Definite ring of death, but still some left.

I did weigh it to make sure that all the samples of Wapiti I sent out didn't make that the closest to death, but there's probably twice as much Wapiti as Nordost.

Went with an orange theme. Followed the soap with Everett, finishing with the Satsuma EdT. I'll be sending the bottle of that to u/bmac92 later this week though, I don't like the Satsuma EdT.

June 16, 2024

" Brush: Chisel & Hound / House of Mammoth ""Ausflug"" V24 Fanchurian 26mm" * Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech * Blade: Gillette Platinum * Lather: Taylor of Old Bond Street - Almond * Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Semicolon - Splash * Fragrance:* Summer Break Soaps - Homecoming - EdT

With a house full of company, Father's Day, and recording a podcast I was unable to shave my legs today.

However, in keeping with the spirit of the challenge, I will wear jeans to cover my unshaven legs, even though it's 95 degrees outside, because that's what u/ktturtlesue would have to do.

It's a shitty double standard.

For scents today, in honor of Father's Day I let my daughter choose. She picked the Almond TOBS instead of the original, and then anything lavender is always her pick.

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Blugere
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Balm
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Indigo - EdP

Just about forgot to shave with editing the podcast today, so the daily challenge will have to get skipped.

I've recently opined that there's something just a little bit more special about the CB Premium base. This wasn't supposed to be my soap today per my calendar, but I just wanted a great shave, and so this got the call up. I can use something else on Fougere day instead of this.

Riffed off the blueberry note to (Mood) Indigo, which was awesome.

No animals were harmed in the making of this shave, to my knowledge. At the very least, the soap is definitely vegan.

June 18, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Talbot Shaving - Author's Ridge
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co - Autumn Glory
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co - Autumn Glory

I used Talbot, which kicked the bucket this year. Given that it's an Autumn-inspired scent, I followed it up with the much brighter-but-still-fall Autumn Glory.

June 19, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps - Remote Learning

A trickhole of Remote Learning. Summer Break Soaps is in Nebraska, which was a territory that fought to end slavery.

Someone accused us of being in the bag for u/priusaurus today.

Even if that were the case, given that he unleashed this evil on the world I'm reminded of why I hate him.

I really hate you Priusaurus. Just like in this scene.

A meme for all my fellow judges

June 20, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime
• Post Shave: Spearhead - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime - Splash
• Fragrance: Spearhead - Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime

Waited until night so the bees would all be in bed

User forgets to mention that they did the daily challenge

June 21, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Eufros - Fougere
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Fougere Classique - Splash
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. - Varen

First time using the Eufros. The strong mint note was unexpected but nice. I really enjoyed the scent and the performance was good.

FC is boring and fine.

I really love Varen though. I think it's Rod's best original scent.

For u/Enndeegee

There once was a man from Manchester
Rumor is, he's not a molester.
On walls he did lather
His posts, filled with blather
Of scrubs he is a detester

June 22, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts / DG B11 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts - Pomona
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Pomona - Splash
• Fragrance: Kenneth Cole - Reaction

Headed back to Wisconsin for another day of tailgating and live music. Yesterday was an absolute blast.

Not sure why I always end up in 90 degree Wisconsin on autumn day, but here we are.

My scent theme for today is apple. KCR has green apple as its most prominent top note. This is the cologne that Mrs. Miasma picked out for me when we went shopping together in college, then just as friends. It's a really nice crisp and fresh scent, I just wish it lasted longer than 20 minutes.

June 23, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts / DG B11 26mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Van Yulay - Death by Chocolate
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Embrace - Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Embrace

I have gone on record saying that I can get a good shave out of any modem soap.

Turns out I need an "almost" in that quote.

I picked up this tub at the Maggard's PIF table. Thinking it would be fun to try, I put it in my bag, and then later slotted it for today's theme

I went back to check the Spice Off to see if I was unique in my distaste for this soap. Turns out I'm not. It just didn't do a good job of providing slickness.

I also didn't love the smell. Smells like something u/priusaurus would like.

I paired my chocolate scent with coffee, as I often do. Lots of burn from the splash. Embrace is a great scent.

June 24, 2024

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts / DG B11 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory - Razberri Tomato Leaf
• Post Shave: Talent Soap Factory - Razberri Tomato Leaf - Splash
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Voices

I have a double PIF here.

u/Redmosquitomm sent me a smush of this soap back in January. I liked it- wished it was more tomato leaf-forward, but liked it regardless.

Then in May I traded a bunch of stuff, and ended up with this set in a trade with u/Wyze0ne.

I riffed off of the raspberry and decided to stay with fruit and went with Voices, which has a strong mango scent.

This was not a good pairing.

As for who I'd like to see a sub exclusive from- I'm very excited about the sub exclusive for the 2025 Shave Against Suicide that was promised by u/rocketk455 earlier.

Otherwise, I'm here for all the sub exclusive stuff.

June 25, 2024

• Brush: Summer Break Soaps 'Mood Indigo' / Maggard Synthetic 28mm
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Platinum (1)
• Lather: Black Ship Grooming - The Golden Carol
• Post Shave: Black Ship Grooming - The Golden Carol - Splash
• Fragrance: Gentleman's Nod - Juniper Reverie

Theme Notes:
The marketing drivel for this soap, courtesy of the Wayback Machine, is as follows:
"DO YOU HEAR THE CAROLS BEING SUNG ON A COBBLESTONE STREETS? our hope is that the first Ghost of Christmas Visits you and takes you back to a time filled with Golden Carols. Our scent for this was created to what we think of when we think back on Christmas of past. We thought of sweet apples and tart cranberries use to make an old world christmas punch. Full of the flavors of christmas."

Yes, that was copied and pasted. All the grammar mistakes are theirs, not mine.

As a scent, it was fine. Typical heavy-coconut oil soap, it got foamy fast. It reminds me a lot of Chiseled Face. Only burnier, because while this particular scent note isn't listed, this stuff smells like straight up cinnamon.

For my relevant frag, I used Juniper Reverie, which I liked a lot.

All the software in this shave came from my friend u/putneycj. So, not only is it Christmas -> evergreens, but they're themmatically linked that way. It's fitting to celebrate our friendship on this particular day of the LG calendar, as I've had a number of theological discussions with him which I thoroughly appreciated.

I shaved while wearing a Chicago Cubs hat. Go Cubs Go!

June 26, 2024

• Brush: Oral B Braun Pro 500 14mm Bert and Ernie Custom Edition #RUNT #SMOLL
• Razor: Blackland Razors Blackbird
• Blade: Gillette Platinum (1)
• Lather: Orajel Kids - Anti-Cavity Toothpaste with Fluoride Natural Berry - Soap
• Post Shave: Listerine - Cool Mint - Antiseptic Splash
• Fragrance: Listerine - Cool Mint - Breath Spray

We are back for a third installment of my review series, where I try to help all wet shavers find ways to avoid big soap and still get a clean, comfortable shave.

In 2022 I endeavored to determine if baby food is a suitable substitute for the massively overpriced shaving soaps and creams we all use. Spoiler alert: it is. Nice and slick, and had a refreshing spinach and onion scent. In this review I attempted to make my own homemade toner, which I don’t recommend. It’s very time consuming, and time is, as we all know, money.

In 2023 I brought hard-hitting video evidence that big oil can actually help you save money over the criminals at big soap, and showed that you too can have a nice slick shave using the motor oils at your local big box store or fueling station. I did determine, however, that gasoline is a poor substitute for an effective aftershave splash, as many, many showers were required to remove that scent from my face.

This year, I am going to evaluate that while big soap is only here to fleece your wallets and empty your bank accounts as you chase after new bases and scents, can big oral hygiene help you with your shaving ritual as well? Could you combine tooth care and shaving into one process using the same easily-purchased materials? Find out after the jump.

For today’s shave, I assembled some of the finest tooth care and shaving implements on the market. For my brush, I’m using the Oral B Braun Pro 500 14mm brush. This is the “Bert and Ernie” Custom Edition in that in order to convince my daughter to brush her teeth we all got Sesame Street toothbrushes at one point courtesy of some stickers. I purchased this toothbrush and replacement heads with my own money from the Costco in Mount Prospect, Illinois. The Burt and Ernie stickers were purchased with my own money from Amazon.

For the soap, I’m using Orajel Kids Anti-Cavity Toothpaste with Fluoride, Natural Berry flavor. This is a more obscure soap, but Shallot and Scallion hate mint or bubble gum, so we’re trying different types of toothpastes since the one they liked is discontinued. They said this tastes “kind of like garbage, Dad”. I purchased this toothpaste using my own money from Walgreens in Prospect Heights, IL.

For the aftershave, I’m using Listerine Cool Mint Antiseptic Splash. This was purchased with my own credit card at Target in Arlington Heights, IL. I’ve not paid the Target Red Card bill yet though, so technically I should disclose that I haven’t actually had funds leave my account. Also, I don’t even pay that bill, u/ktturtlesue does, so I guess she bought this for me? That does not affect my objectivity in this review.

For the frag, I’m using Listerine Cool Mint Breath Spray. This was purchased using my own money at Walgreens in Buffalo Grove, IL.

Now that’s settled… on to the shave.

I placed an amount of soap in my bowl equivalent to two walnuts. I know most here use almond-sized amounts of soap, but I also know “more soap, more water” to be what has worked for me in the past, so I decided to err on the side of too much soap. I could always add more water later. This amounted to approximately ½ of a tube of toothpaste.

I started building a proto lather, but it was very clear that I needed more water.

I was following u/cosmobarber’s precision lathering technique, so I slowly built the lather, adding water as necessary

Once I had a lather that was as good as I was going to get and does not at all resemble semen, it was time to move to my face.

I started with scooping up the soap and painting strokes to get the soap on my face. Once I had my face covered, I used my battery-operated shaving brush to lather the soap further, which provided a gentle exfoliation that I really appreciated..

Once the lather was ready, I moved to shaving.. If I’m honest, the slickness was not great, and there was a lot of stinging. I finished up above my lip, where I ended up with 4 weepers, finished my chin, and then rinsed to move to the after shave portion of today’s shave. Using the Blackbird with toothpaste, like milk while running, was a bad choice.

I poured a healthy splash into my hands and applied it directly to my face. Great Odin’s raven, that stung. Like a bunch of tiny hornets stinging me all over my face. After it dried, I was left with skin that felt clean and replenished, and a calming mint scent.

Lastly, I went with a spritz of the frag on each wrist and four on my neck for good measure. If I were reviewing this on Fragrantica, I’d say its main accord is mint, with top, middle, and base notes of mint. I’d say the longevity is moderately strong, sillage is enormous. I’d classify this as a more-male scent, with great value, as it was approximately $5.

Overall, the post-shave items in this shave were great. I’d leave the toothpaste for your teeth, and pick up another bottle of Pennzoil for shaving purposes. Given that a tube of toothpaste costs what, $10? This was a pretty expensive shave for the quality that I got. I rate this shave 42 jackalopes out of 87.

For brush cleaning- in this brush I'll throw the head away and put a new one on. Normally, I lather the brush twice with Dawn, and then follow up with a mild-scented shaving soap for a third lather. Typically I use NO Monarch.

June 27, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Weck Sextoblade #WECKONISTA
• Blade: Personna Glide-coated Hair Shaper (1)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - King of Oud
• Post Shave: Wholly Kaw - King of Oud - Splash
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux - Rose Santal - EdP

I'm not really competing. I can't.

But I also can't help myself sometimes.

I realized today that I hadn't gotten the 1/10 of a point for Weckonista.

And it's on left hand day.

And I'm using a soap base that I don't prefer and have little experience with.

Awesome.

Let's throw in a brand new Personna blade to make it fun.

My scent theme is "Roses". Don't let this list of 14 scent notes confuse you. It's definitely rose-forward. I like roses in my garden. But, not my favorite on me. I know when I walk downstairs, I'm going to get a "what in the fuck are you wearing today?"

Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Clary Sage, Rose, Aldehydes and Pink Pepper
Middle notes: Angelica, Rosewood, Galbanum
Base notes: Agarwood or Oud, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli and Amber

The Shave: I don't want to talk about it. 3 cuts. Left-handed, no depth perception, unforgiving razor, shit blade.

But, at least I have use of my right arm if I would have allowed myself to use it.

When I was in eighth grade, I had a teacher, we'll call him Mr. Thomsen (so I don't doxx myself or him) whose right arm was completely "dead" from effects of Polio he suffered as a small child.

The other students were merciless to Mr. Thomsen. Not only was he an easy target because of his arm, but I believe he was gay and partnered in a time and place where that was something to be subject of great ridicule and speculation. Many of the less-kind kids (eighth graders are particularly ruthless in the best of cases) would play a game where they would try to get things to stick in his dead arm, and then see how long it would be until he noticed. You'd often see band-aids on his right arm from where pencils, forks, or geometry compasses had been lodged into his skin. He also had a personality that just seemed at odds with teaching 13 and 14-year olds; he was kind, quiet, unassuming, shy, and frankly just liked to read and talk about books.

There are a lot of things I regret about things I've done, but I'm glad I can say I always returned the same kindness to him that he showed to me. I too was a voracious reader at the time, and didn't fit into the cow town in which I was raised, albeit for different reasons.

Things were doubly difficult for him physically, because before Polio removed the use of his right arm, he was right-handed. So he spent virtually his entire life having to navigate with only his non-dominant hand.

So while this shave was extraordinarily unpleasant, at least I don't have to do it every day.

I know that Mr. Thomsen passed on several years ago, but I fondly remember his class as being one of the few bright spots of my middle school years.

June 28, 2024

• Brush: Stirling Boar 24mm
• Razor: ~~Assured For Men TTO Safety Razor~~
• Razor: Gillette 7 o'Clock Tech Clone (India)
• Blade: Astra Green (1)
• Lather: Derby - Lemon
• Post Shave: Aqua Velva - Ice Sport
• Fragrance: Five Below - CEO Pour Homme

I was not looking forward to this day.

The soap is fine. I traded this soap with another r/wetshaving member, but kept back enough for today's shave, because at 4.49 USD for 3.3 oz., it was by FAR the cheapest soap I own. It's also not great. And smells a bit like lemon Pledge. But it's fine.

The aftershave is fine. It smells really generic and chemical-y. But it's fine. It goes away quickly.

The frag is surprisingly nice. It is a pretty faithful recreation of Hugo Boss that I found at Five Below last summer.

The blade is fine. I don't usually use Astras, but they're fine.

This fucking razor though. It's terrible. The gaps are all over the place. It rattles and chatters and just can't give a good shave. It wasn't even worth the $1 I paid for it. And I couldn't come up with a reason why I haven't thrown it away.

So I was going to do that. But then I realized that the asshole judges might say that if it's in my garbage, it's still in my collection, because it could still be used.

Ok! I'll throw it in my trash compactor!

But then I realized that it's not 1988, and my house doesn't have a trash compactor.

How can I ensure that it's not usable, so it won't be considered part of my collection?

Just then, u/ktturtlesue asked if I wanted to go to a Lobster Truck. For those of you who haven't been to a Lobster Truck, it's like a taco truck, but with lobster. Sometimes, like in this case, there are lobster tacos. The tacos are optional, the lobster isn't.

Anyway - I was struck by a bolt of brilliance. As Americans, we're legally required to drive giant vehicles that weigh approximately 2 metric tons. The vehicle could easily dispose of a 2 oz. mostly plastic razor so that it would be completely unusable, and no longer in my collection.

I waited until she was going to back the van out, and slid the razor underneath her tire. She then backed over it. And then went forward just to make sure it was completely dead. Yep, it's unusable now

So now, I'm using a cheap Gillette Tech clone that u/PhilsophicalZombie sent me. It retails for $6.99, and is definitely cheap. But it shaves just fine. Now given that hideous razor is gone, it felt so dang good to save money by wet shaving today. Just don't look in the first drawer of my bathroom. Or the second, or third. Under the sink is bad too, as is my office closet. Definitely haven't spent $600 on shipping through PirateShip in the last two years, plus all the smushes I've sent all over the globe. Nope.

June 29, 2024

• Brush: Farvour Turncraft 'Blue Diamond Dust' / AP Shave Co G5A 26mm
• Razor: Gillette Ball End Tech
• Blade: Gillette Platinum (1)
• Lather: Proraso - Sandalwood
• Post Shave: Proraso - Sandalwood
• Fragrance: Maher Olfactive - Santal Auster

Not appropriate for me to speculate. So, I hope I win.

June 30, 2024

• Brush: Stirling Boar 24mm (Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó)
• Razor: Karve Overlander (Canada)
• Blade: Gillette Platinum (1) (Российская Федерация)
• Lather: Lothur - Dave (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive Balm (Estados Unidos Mexicanos)
• Fragrance: Creed - Millésime Impérial (République française)

First of all, I live in the United States. All the items in my shave are not from my homeland.

The brush is the very first one I purchased. I have an email from Rod Stirling confirming it is in fact made in Jie-nah.

This Overlander was gifted to me by u/Engineered_Shave. He forced a patina on it, it looks really cool. I think I'm going to shine the head back up, leave the handle as-is and do a passaround. I equipped the razor with a Russian-made Platinum, which are my go-to blade until I run out of them in the mid 2030's.

The lather. Ick. This stuff is gross.

Post shave - this is one of the first posts I bought. I don't like it as well as the artisan balms, but it works fine. For the price I'll absolutely get Stirling unscented instead.

Frag - this French-made frag was a sample from Bloomingdales, I think. It's probably my favorite Creed scent, but it's just ok. I'd take many of the scents from artisans active here all day over this.

Relevant AS/Frag Notes: All are from places other than where I am from.

Thanks to most for a really great Lather Games.

And now, in the style of u/iamhonestlylying, my Top 5 people or groups I want to recognize for making this a great games

1.) The other judges, both the standard judges and the photo contest judges. I really enjoyed the camraderie as we did podcasts, chatted back and forth to discuss specific posts, and vented to each other.

2.) u/Enndeegee - while he is included in the bullet above, because he inadvertently became a photo contest judge due to my inability to effectively proofread, a special shout-out to him for all the effot he put in to engage people in the games. Yes, he will score very far down the list because as an actual player he's pretty.... how do the British say.... rubbish. But, we would all be poorer if you weren't here. I chose my soap today specifically to honor you. Do the thing you do.

3.) u/Djundjila - yeah, he's included above in the judging. But, I know it's been said before, but I'll say it again. There is absolutely no way the Games happen without his tireless effort and the portal he created. Yes, we ask for very small inconveniences of the players to make sure everything is picked up correctly, but as a result we were able to thoroughly read and score 2,161 posts for the games (excluding today) due to his magic portal. And - the players get to hold us accountable - I know that some feel the games are better off without this point, but they're absolutely less fair - almost every single appeal was legitimately a judge error, that happens when we're doing this as a side gig. I appreciated the transparancy as a player, and I really appreciate it as a judge.

4.) The top 20-30 players who put in the effort to follow our ridiculous rules day-in and day-out every day for the month. I had a great time reading your posts, and hope everyone really enjoyed themselves.

5.) u/ktturtlesue - for putting up with me talking about this for the last 4 months. I promise I'll stop talking about this and will actually shave with something you like tomorrow. Probably Ausflug.