July 4, 2023 – April Showers Bring May Flowers * Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder
Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Sonder Splash

Spring is in the air, or at least it smells like it until I step outside into the 110°F degree weather. A perfect day to be inside for a scientific approach to lathering.

The Prep: As with any good research experiment preparation is a must as is exacting measurements. My brush was placed in a 115°F water bath with a standard 196g Captains Choice bowl was similarly warmed separately using 130°F water. Facial hair was softened using an approximately 116°F water during a 9 min shower. 10mL of 120°F water was set aside for the lathering process. Ambient temperature was measured at 78°F.

The Lather Process: The copper bowl was emptied and dried before a scoop of House of Mammoth’s Sonder (1g) was added to the bottom of the bowl and spread evenly within the middle circle. The water in the presoaked brush was gently shaken out and weighed to confirm 9g of water were still present in the brush before use. I added .5mL of water into the copper bowl containing the soap and moved the brush in a counter-clockwise motion at a rate of approximately 2-3 circles per second. After 30s of brushing, .5mL more water was added and brushed again for 30s. 2 more additions of water, 1mL each, were added and similarly lathered for 30s. At this point not all soap had been used from the bottom, but the lather was fluffy and shiny indicating the lathering process was sufficient.

The Shave: Once the soap was fully lathered is was applied to the face in an even consistency and gently removed in a with the grain first pass using a damp razor. Any remaining soap was rinsed before again lathering and removing with a second across the grain pass. In the interest of not traumatizing the subject, no further passes were attempted. The entire process took a total of 8 min.

Post Shave: All remaining soap was rinsed using room temperature water and approximately 1mL of aftershave was applied gently to the skin. Upon drying the skin had a healthy appearance and the subject reported a good post shave face feel with no injuries.

Theme: Sonder is a delightful spring time scent with florals that are not overly powerful yet still quite present.

Challenge: I was a glutton for punishment in my college years and spent some time in the organic chemistry labs doing research. I just felt right to me to gear this more as a lab books experimental notes than a research paper. Hope you guys enjoyed.

#ROTY