July 1, 2023 – Bonjour, Lather Games

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke

• Razor: Schick Injector

• Blade: Schick Injector SE Blade (1)

• Lather: Oleo Soapworks - Excursion

• Post Shave: Captain’s Choice – Eucalyptus Aftershave

• Fragrance: Duke Cannon - Huron

Special thanks to u/worbx for the smoosh of Excursion and u/2SaintsDude for the use of the Injector.

Today ended up being more on theme than I had anticipated. Between the new style of razor for me, new soap base, new post shave, and my first lather games; I was a bit overwhelmed here. So how did it you go you may ask, well not as bad as it could have I guess.

The Lather: The soap whipped up into a lather quite quickly with minimal efforts. The scent was a pleasant cologne scent with moderate strength. During the shave it provided plenty of cushion and slickness. This was about the only part of the shave that went well.

The Razor: The Schick Injector couldn’t be more polar opposite of the Blackbird I’m used to, and no doubt any problems I had were due to my inexperience. The razor is extremely light making it quite hard for me to judge correct pressure. The blade feel was non-existent, but it still seemed reasonably efficient. I didn’t cut myself up too bad, but it also took me twice the time.

The Post Shave/Frag: I started the post shave by using a Captain’s Choice Eucalyptus sample I had never touched. Suffice to say that the scent was more than overwhelming. I don’t usually use a frag so I had to go rummaging around my box of random stuff I had been given as gifts. Low and behold I stumbled upon an unopened Duke Cannon Huron frag. At this point I was desperate for anything that might help tone down the eucalyptus insanity I was dealing with so, not really knowing how it smelled, I decided to slather it on. According to my wife it helped, but to me all I got was aquatic eucalyptus. Not a scent I would recommend to anyone.

Challenge/Theme: The razor was a new style, the soap was a new base/brand, the aftershave was a new brand, and the frag was a new brand. The combination of scents was probably also new to humankind.

Hopefully I’m doing this right #ROTY

July 2, 2023 – Don’t have a Cow, Man!

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke

• Razor: Schick Injector

• Blade: Schick Injector SE Blade (2)

• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles - X

• Post Shave: Thayer’s - Unscented

Special thanks again to u/2SaintsDude for the use of the Injector.

Today went a whole lot smoother than yesterday, pun intended. I may actually be getting the hang of the Injector, or the loss of blood yesterday gave less for me to lose today.

The Shave: This was my first time using Catie’s Bubbles, and I struggled a little bit. The soft soap took both more water and more elbow grease than I expected. That I was ok with, but what got me the most was the overwhelming scent of Fruit Loops I got from the soap once it was lathered. Now I like Fruit Loops as much as the next man, but smelling like them made me feel like I was scented like on a small child.

The Post Shave: My post shave consisted of Thayer’s unscented. Why unscented when I smell like a bowl of cereal? I wanted to use something that I felt matched the spirit of the day’s theme (more on that later).

Smelling Like a Man: Given my lack in frag options and my desire to smell better I turned to the only other thing I have with a scent, deodorant. I have a small collection of Hoffman’s deodorant and I generally use a scent that is unobtrusive to my shave fragrance, but not today. I went with the only thing u/cowzilla3 would approve of, Burn the Ships. Now my wife may hate the smell of Old Spice, but it was a necessary addition to my scent today to make me feel like a grown man.

Theme: Today’s theme is all about not using animal products and I decided to take it a step further and go plant based. Catie’s Bubbles is a well known vegan soap base so that was no issue. Splashes however often include the use of alcohol which is often derived from fermentation (microorganism byproduct). I wanted to stay as true to only plants as much as possible so I opted for the alcohol free unscented Thayer’s.

Challenge: Schick Injector Se used

#ROTY

July 3, 2023 – Almonday * Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
Blade: Personna Lab Blue (?)
Lather: Captain’s Choice - Italia
Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Smash Splash * Coffee: Kirkland Signature – Summit Roast * Music: Led Zepplin – Stairway to Heaven It was nice to get back to my usual shave hardware today and be in familiar territory for a more straightforward shave.

The Lather: Honestly, I’m not a big fan of the Captain’s Choice base. The base is chunky out of the sample and the texture is off-putting right out the gate. It lathers up relatively easy, but I find it neither exceptionally slick nor well cushioning. It’s good enough for a decent shave, but why settle.

Scent (Theme): You can’t help but be smacked in the face with the scent of almonds when shaving with Italia. It is, in fact, the only scent note listed on the Captains Choice site. I happen to actually like the scent of almonds and my kids love this scent.

After Shave (Theme): So I took some time to think about what aftershave to pair with the almond scent as I don’t have a strictly almond option. For me, I only really eat almonds while having a cocktail. So Smash seemed like a perfect fit. It has the boozy properties that just make me feel like I’m lounging with a drink and snack.

Challenge: This was perhaps the trickiest part of the day for me as I know very little about u/RedMosquitoMM. I delved into the last 3 months of his SOTD’s and came up with a 3 prong approach to an appropriate way to honor him, a trifecta of honor if you will. * Coffee: Now I don’t drink coffee, but in every SOTD RedMosquitoMM posts his daily coffee. So I fired up whatever my wife had and did my best to make it enjoyable. I faired ok and was wide awake for the shave. * Music: This was an easy one. It takes me a fair amount of time to shave so I picked the longest song I knew. Stairway to Heaven carried me through the shave and it’s an awesome song to boot. * Blade: Looking at his posts I was in awe of the number of uses he gets from a blade. I think my personal best is around 5, but he’s putting in up to 50 uses. So I dug through my used blade pile and found myself a random, old, used Personna Lab Blue so I could get the full RedMosquitoMM experience.

#ROTY

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

July 5, 2023 – Canned Shave Goop * Brush: Lefty
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
Lather: Dollar Shave Club – Shave Butter
Post Shave: Thayer’s - Original * Fragrance: Duke Cannon - Huron

The day I dreaded most on the calendar is here, mass-produced shave day, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s been well over a decade since I swore off the junk sold in the markets, and admittedly I had almost forgotten why. So I made a trip out to Target and without further ado I bring you my experience.

The Goop: Dollar Shave Club (DSC) Shave Butter is one of those products no one ever asked for but was thought up by a person who has never and probably will never use it. I mean one of its main marketing points is that it goes on clear. Sounds great until you try to slather on this greasy clear goop with a scent reminiscent of cardboard. I almost didn’t even use the stuff, but unlike u/alg82 I feel the weight of u/djundjila djudging me and I’m not here “djust participating.”

The Shave: So I went ahead and used this foul goo, but there was no way in hell it was ever touching my brush. To be honest I don’t think it would ever come out if I did. Instead I went with my least favorite hand (lefty) and coated myself like a greased hog. I will give to DSC, they nailed some sort of slickness. The cushion factor however was non-existent as the stuff goes on almost like oil. I thought about using a mild razor for safety purposes, but by this point I was fully committed and I’m not about to half-ass this. So away I went with the harshest shave I’ve ever experienced. What skin wasn’t cut was left feeling like I shaved with sand paper with most of the hair removed. I remember now why I left this stuff.

Post Shave/Frag: After the delightful shave experience came the next hurdle, getting this goop off my face. Cleaning the slime from my face took a fair amount of water and towels, but I soldiered on and kind of prevailed. For my post shave and frag I decided to keep the Target shopping experience alive and went with Thayer’s Original for my aftershave and topped it off with some Duke Cannon Huron.

Theme: All software can easily be found in my, and maybe your, local Target. You too can experience the joys of Dollar Shave Club Shave Butter.

Challenge: Admittedly I’ve never thought of what I would choose for a scent. I’m no perfumer but I will do my best and if it already exists direct me to it. The theme for the soap would be a forest by the ocean. Evergreen scents of Spruce, Pine, and cedar would contend with notes of sea water and ozone. To liven the scent up a little bit perhaps a little rose and mint subtlety. Some mild citrus notes of bergamot and a touch of oakmoss should just about round it out. Would it be good… probably not, but I’d give it a shot.

#ROTY

July 6, 2023 – Olfactory Overdose * Brush: Lefty
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
Blade: Astra SP (1)
Lather: First Line Shave – Star Odyssey
Post Shave: First Line Shave – Star Odyssey splash

Today was the first day of lather games that seemed like a normal shave. Yes, I am the dickhole day shaver on a regular basis. It is in fact this mix and match scents kinda thing I struggle with.

The Shave: Being a rather straightforward day it was a smooth and easy shave. Lather got slick, new blade was sharp, and the facial hairs were cut. Today was no blood sport gentlemen. After an enjoyable shave a little splash was used to completely destroy any chance of smelling something other than Star Odyssey for the rest of the day.

Theme: All software used is the same scent from the same brand.

Challenge: Stacking day was a fun challenge. Since todays right up was rather short, I had a fair amount more time to play. I began with the obligatory stack of everything used today. I then decided to do one better and start messing around with more soaps in the stack. Suffice to say I enjoyed myself, and I have no shortage of soaps.

#ROTY

July 7, 2023 – Fremen Friday * Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
Blade: Astra SP (2)
Lather: Wholly Kaw – New York
Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Melange splash

Admittedly I am a big fan of Dune. My first introduction to the franchise was actually the old pc game Dune II though. Once I was able to get my eyes on the movie I was hooked. I still watch it every time I see it available, much to the chagrin of my wife. So needless to say I was quite excited for this day. Unfortunately, the use of Melange as my shave soap was off limits due to how I planned out my Lather Games calendar, but at least I had the aftershave.

The Soap: While I’ve used Wholly Kaw before, New York was new to me. Needing something to fill my calendar for the day I decided to try it out and was not disappointed. The base is of course fantastic and needs no further introduction. The scent, however, is probably my favorite Wholly Kaw scent thus far. I really enjoy how the warm and spicy notes play against the leather. It’s definitely one of those samples that didn’t disappoint and will be going on my to be purchased list for full size.

The Shave: I was in a bit of a rush and got a few little knicks, but all due to user error.

Post Shave: I was unfortunately not into shave soaps when Melange first came out. I was, however lucky enough to land a set and so the post shave was a must to give me that whole Fremen Friday vibe. It actually paired quite well with the new York, at least I think so.

Theme: All spicey desert software today.

Challenge: I have a few hobbies, but the one I enjoy the most is cooking. Now I don’t mean Kraft Mac n Cheese. I’m talking make my own pasta from scratch, beignets without a premade mix, crème brûlée , etc. To not make this overly long I will narrow it down to only one facet, BBQ. I am after all a simple man at heart so meat and fire are all I need to be happy. Let me take you down a stroll of some of my families favorites and 3 different ways of using a ceramic cooker/BBQ.

• Pork: I first delved into the intricacies of pork and smoking with crafting my own bacon. A week long salt cure and a 4 hour long apple wood smoke can work wonders on a pork belly. Other favorites are smoked and reverse seared pork chops and the crowd pleaser of smoked ribs.

• Beef: I don’t only smoke meats and beef allows me to highlight another way of BBQing, rotisserie. For those who have never tried picanha, it is as close to bacon as beef can get, at least fat wise.

• Veggies: My wife isn’t a big carnivore, and I would wager some among us are vegetarians as well. For you I have direct grilled simple mixed veggies with yams, just ignore the sausage.

Now that you’re all hungry who do I send the bribes to?

#ROTY

July 8, 2023 – Small Business Saturday… but in july

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (3)
• Lather: Maggard – Tobacco and Leather
• Post Shave: Arianna and Evans – Vanille de Tabac

Small business Saturday holds a special place in my heart. I work in a family run small business and intricately understand some of the added difficulties small businesses face. Especially when Covid hit. Unfortunately a lot of good mom and pop businesses didn’t make it. I was glad to see many of the artisans and vendors were able to whether the storm. Enough about that though as today is all about Maggard.

The Shave: This being my first time trying a Maggard branded soap I was actually pleasantly surprised. The scent was good, not great though. I get the tobacco and leather scents, but for some reason I pick up an almond-like scent as well that is slightly irritating to my nose. Scent aside, the lathering process went quite well as the soap was easy to form a nice fluffy lather and provided reasonable slickness and cushion.

Post Shave: I didn’t find the post shave feel of the soap to be particularly great. Certainly not when compared to some of the top bases (Tusk, omnibus, NO). I found my face to be less happy after shaving. Now that is about what I expected as those 3 in particular are hard to beat. For aftershave I decided to match the Tobacco and Leather with the second most hated artisan (at least from what I read) of the sub Arriana and Evans’ Vanille de Tabac. The vanilla tobacco scent blended beautifully with the leather and tobacco notes of the soap and helped smooth out the overall smell for the day.

Theme: Maggard soap is of course on theme, but what about the Vanille de Tabac. I purchased Vanille de Tabac from Maggards when I was first getting into using soaps. So while it might not be Maggard brand, I still supported their business through the purchase. Moreover, it paired beautifully with the Maggard soap scent wise.

Challenge: I, like many others, have found the Daily Questions piece of the sub to be extremely useful. Over the last year or so of being active in this sub it has been an incredible source of information and learning. I did of course post both questions(1 and 2) and an answer today in accordance with the challenge requirements. There may be more posts as well, but hopefully those suffice.

#ROTY

July 9, 2023 – Death Before Decaf * Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
Blade: Astra SP (1)
Lather: Gentleman’s Nod - Musashi * Post Shave:* HAGS – The Awakening splash

Admittedly I don’t normally drink coffee or tea. I’m more a regular soda for breakfast kind of guy. Sound unhealthy? It is, but healthy is not what today is all about. A while back I decided to give Musashi a try though as I wanted to see what a tea scent was like and so thankfully I had a tea scented soap to use for today.

The Soap/Lather: The scent of this soap out of the container is strong. I mean really strong and quite off-putting. If you can get past this point and lather it up the scent evens out a little bit and becomes rather enjoyable. The soap lathered up quickly enough, although the kitchen sink gave me a little more water than I would have liked. With my slightly overhydrated lather I was ready to go.

The Shave: I didn’t expect this shave to be too difficult. After all it’s only a change of location. What I forgot all about is the one thing a bathroom has and a kitchen doesn’t that seriously affects shaving, a mirror. My wife was fairly confused with the fact that I was lathering in the kitchen, but after almost two decades with me she’s seen enough of my shenanigans to just shrug this one off. She was even kind enough to allow me to use her portable mirror. That’s right, my wife handed me her face powder and told me the mirror on it was all she had. To say this shave was challenging would be an understatement. The severely limited view, lack of a second hand to stretch skin, and the paparazzi pictures my wife was taking were not at all helpful. I managed to make it through the shave with just barely enough lather and only a few inquisitive questions from the kids. I quickly wrapped up the shave with The Awakening splash and cleaned up my mess.

Theme: Today’s theme was coffee or tea scent and Musashi definitely nails it. The strong Jasmine scent is clearly discernable and somewhat overwhelming. For splash inspiration I looked to my favorite tea in a can, Just Peachy. Yep I made my own Just Peachy shave by using The Awakening which has not only the peach notes, but a Jasmine note as well to help blend it into the soap scent and carry the tea scent through.

Challenge: I did in fact shave in the kitchen, and I do not recommend it.

#ROTY

July 10, 2023 – Musical Monday * Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
Blade: Astra SP (2)
Lather: Van Yulay - Woodstock * Post Shave:* HAGS – Hellfire Club

Monday’s are always a little rough, but music makes it a little better. Music themed soaps, however, are not always as pleasant.

The Soap/Lather: In my search for a musical soap I stumbled upon Van Yulay’s Woodstock. Unfortunately it did not work out as well as the actual festival. The scent was a moderate level and thankfully didn’t smell like the namesake. That said, it still wasn’t an enjoyable scent. The lather was likewise lackluster in performance.

The Shave: The shave was similarly poor, but what else would you expect with unenjoyable lather. The post shave was substantially helpful in dealing with the after effects and shortcomings of the shave though.

Theme: Today’s theme was music and in that regard Woodstock nails it. As one of the most iconic musical festivals I am sure that goes without saying. My post shave may not be as clear though. Hellfire Club was inspired by the Stranger Things Season 4 and specifically in loving memory of Eddie Munson. For those that do not know Eddie, he was in a rock band on the show. So, yes, Hellfire club is made in memory of a musician.

Challenge: When I saw the challenge for today I immediately regreted my soap decision. I did, of course, grab one of my kids pencils and take a horrible stab at it.

#ROTY

July 11, 2023 – Sunny Days * Brush: Edwin Jagger Silvertip Badger #OLDWORLD
Razor: The Art of Shaving Ivory Mach 3 #RAINBOW
Blade: Mach 3
Lather: Spearhead Shaving – Sea Forth! Sea Spice Lime * Post Shave:* Spearhead Shaving – Sea Forth! Sea Spice Lime splash

A little late getting posted today as work and the kids occupied the day.

The Soap/Lather: Anyone who hasn’t tried this soap definitely should. The scent and performance are fantastic and it lathers easily to boot.

The Shave: It was a cartridge shave and it was awful. Need I say more?

Theme: Nothing screams summer days quite like Sea Spice lime. It takes me to relaxing on the beach with margaritas.

Challenge: I didn’t realize the color challenge only applied to the software and brush or I likely never would have used the cartridge. I guess I need to read more carefully next time. See top line for ivory goodness.

#ROTY

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

• Brush: Edwin Jagger Silvertip Badger
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (3)
• Lather: Razor Emporium - Fireside
• Post Shave: HAGS – Eulogy

I don’t really look at the ingredients of shave soaps too often. I generally don’t care what’s in them as long as they work well, except for today.

The Soap/Lather: This soap surprised me in terms of both scent and performance. I like the smoky fire and bourbon smell and that’s a good thing as I had to slather it on this morning. I normally bowl lather, but todays challenge had me doing a face lather. Unfortunately I only have a small sampling of the soap so in order to not disqualify myself from the daily challenge I smeared soap on my face and used it as the loading zone for my brush. It lathered up pretty well, but I’m quite glad no one was up at my house to see my do it.

The Shave: The soap provided a decent slickness and cushion for a nice smooth shave.

Theme: Today’s theme was all related to ingredients, and in that Fireside nails it. The third ingredient is in fact coconut oil. Since none of my aftershaves contain coconut oil I had to get a little more creative. I opted for HAGS Eulogy to continue the coconut theme with its black coconut scent. The combination of the two has me smelling like a tourist at a Hawaiian luau. Not sure that that’s a good thing though.

Challenge: Reversed my lather routine and face lathered .

#ROTY

July 13, 2023 – Hippy Dippy Baloney

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti #CNC
• Blade: Astra SP (4)
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli
• Post Shave: Thayer’s – Original
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli

I can without a doubt say that I have seen the Lego movie far more than any grown man should. Two young kids will definitely do that to you.

The Soap/Lather: After my horrible patchouli experience with Van Yulay’s Woodstock I was more than a little nervous about Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli (YRP). It’s scent, however, is significantly better. The citrus and rose mix well with the patchouli and help to create a much more complex aroma. The soap, of course, lathered up quite well.

The Shave: Great shave with this soap with no nicks or burning.

Post Shave: Used a little Thayer’s for the post shave to help keep the natural hippy dippy vibe going. Topped that using a sample of YRP I grabbed from Chatillon Lux’s website.

Challenge: When I think of Hippy Dippy Baloney there is only one song that comes to mind, Steppenwolf's song Magic Carpet Ride. If John Kay is to be believed the song isn’t in fact about a drug trip, but I’m not a believer.

Thanks to u/2SaintsDude for the sample of YRP.

#ROTY

July 14, 2023 – Frigid Friday * Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti * Blade: Astra SP (1)
Lather: Noble Otter - Orbit * Post Shave: Noble Otter – Orbit spalsh * Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Midnight Swim solid cologne

Glad it’s Friday and I'm ready for the weekend.

The Soap/Lather: Orbit smells fantastic and lathers up just as great. No issues getting a slick and cushioning lather.

The Shave: The shave scared me a little bit as ATG for a first pass is definitely not the way. I was reminded why today as I felt the blade grab in during the first pass across my face. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this as a daily shaving process. After doing my first face pass ATG I decided to complete my neck and subsequent face passes as I normally would. Thankfully the cooling element of Orbit helped to comfort the skin a little during the shave.

Post Shave: Followed up the shave with the matching splash for continued cooling and a little Midnight Swim to give me the cold late night swim feel.

Theme: Noble Otter’s Orbit contains the published synthetic agent Koolada-23. Midnight swim fits in with one of the scent notes being cold water and thus making todays mix a Frigid Friday swim.

Challenge: My first face pass was against the grain, and I did not enjoy it.

#ROTY

July 15, 2023 – Sheep-ruh

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (2)
• Lather: Shannon’s Soaps - Botanica
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming - Contemplation

First time trying Shannon’s soaps and why not on chypre day.

The Soap/Lather: I am really not a fan of chypre in general. For whatever reason it just doesn’t click for me. Admittedly this is only the second one I’ve knowingly tried though. The lather however was pretty good. Not the best base I’ve ever used, but certainly adequate for a quick morning shave.

The Shave: After yesterday’s ATG first pass shave my face was a little sensitive and I had to take it a bit slower. Other than that, it was a damn good shave.

Post Shave: Followed up the shave with Contemplation as it just seemed to fit the day. It also helped mellow out the chypre scent into something a little more my style.

Theme: Botanica is billed by Shannon’s soaps as a “modern take on chypre.” How does one modernize a scent, I have no idea. Contemplation, however, may be a little more vague. As Sheep-ruh (phonetics?) is the name for the day I decided on Contemplation because it smelled the most of what sheep remind me of, grass and sunshine.

Challenge: Unfortunately I had to shave in the same bathroom my children were showering in so a video was not possible. Instead let me explain why Double Y (YY) is better than u/VisceralWatch (VW). Lets begin from the top.

• Aerodynamics: Clearly YY is far more aerodynamic in water with that smooth, freshly shaved, dome as VW will be slowed with that perfect head of hair.
• Courage: YY laughs in the face of danger and requires no eye protection for shaving. VW on the other hand wears glasses, I’m sure for his safety.
• Happiness: Just watch YY, the man is always smiling and incredibly excited to shave. I doubt any YouTube shaver can match is joy, but certainly not VW.
• Encouragement: YY has encouraged me with his overly positive praise of each soap to further my den growth without concern to the fact I have more soap then one man could ever need.

All jokes aside, VisceralWatch has a great channel and I have enjoyed watching more than a few of his videos.

#ROTY

July 16, 2023 – Shave and a Haircut – Two Bits

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (3)
• Lather: Zingari Man – The Wanderer
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – The Wanderer splash

Couldn’t sleep so I’m up early this morning for my shave.

The Shave: Smooth and enjoyable shave with The Wanderer today. Clean barbershop scent combined with the Zingari base is a recipe for success.

Theme: The Wanderer literally has barbershop on the tub for its description.

Challenge: I spent a little time putting some memes together for you all to enjoy.

#ROTY

July 17, 2023 – Happy Together

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (1)
• Lather: Storybook Soapworks/APR - Carnivale
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth/Barrister and Mann – Smash splash

I was really excited to get a sample of Carnivale to try for the lather games from u/2SaintsDude as I have seen Storybook Soaps go up for sale on bazaar, but they are always instantly sold. Let’s just suffice to say high expectations.

The Soap/Lather: On first smell I really wasn’t too sure about the scent on this one. The woody and fruity notes play fairly well together, but there is something underlying that I cant quite put my finger on. As far as lathering, it is superb. It lathered quickly with little effort and produced a great lather.

The Shave: The lather carried over into a great shave with no nicks or irritation.

Post Shave: Normally I don’t use my alum stick unless I manage to cut myself, but today was different. I went ahead rubbed that bad boy all over me today though. Thank god no one was there to see me though as I probably looked like a blind lady trying to put on lipstick. After that I decided to top off one collaboration with my favorite collaboration splash Smash.

Theme: Collaborations abound, both soap and splash are collaborations.

Challenge: Yep I used my alum and I wish instead of the phallic/lipstick shape it was an Osma block. At least for days like today where I have to run it all over my face.

#ROTY

July 18, 2023 – Spooky Season

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (2)
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts – Autumn Ash
• Post Shave: First Line Shave – The Weight
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Saw Tooth

The Shave: While I’m not a fan of this scent, the Southern Witchcrafts base is definitely fantastic. It lathered up easily for a smooth shave. What wasn’t as easy was trying to gather up my trimmings for the challenge. I decided to use a glass cup to facilitate this and make for easier picture, but the basin would have been much easier for the actual shave. There was so little water in the cup I almost felt like I was putting more hair on my face than I was taking off in the later passes.

Post Shave: For my post shave I went with The weight for 2 reasons. First it just smells like fall to me. The patchouli with the tobacco gives it that earthy with the saffron and pink pepper notes providing some spice. Second, it reminds me of fall hog hunting with the gunpowder notes. After the splash I tossed on a little Saw Tooth which has both cedar and amber notes to round out the fall theme.

Challenge: Yep I collected my shavings in a cup. Then I got to thinking, what could I use them for. So I collected the shavings as best I could on a paper towel and allowed it to dry before doing a little arts and crafts. Admittedly shavings are an awful medium to work with. I even did a little online research to find other options for the shavings. Now I have 2 boys myself who, on occasion, shave with dad. It’s a great way to connect with your boys, but I want to help those of you with little girls that might not want to shave like dad and dad likely doesn’t want to shave their legs. I have the answer to that gentlemen. Now you too can shave with your daughters and nieces and not just in their play kitchens u/OnionMiasma, u/iamhonestlylying, and u/tsrblke. Just a note, I did not make the Barbies, but if you gentlemen need help with it I got you.

#ROTY

July 19, 2023 – Cream

• Brush: None
• Sock: Hanes Ultimate X-Temp Crew Sock (Black)
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (3)
• Lather: Truefitt & Hill – 1805 Shaving Cream
• Post Shave: Castle Forbes – Lime Essential Oil Aftershave Balm
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Sea Solid Cologne

The Shave: Mistakes were made in today’s shave. It all began with a poor cream selection. u/2SaintsDude is right, the dregs of my T&H 1805 tub had hardened up some. I decided it would be fine as I had fashioned my sock into a brush like apparatus and would lather it up like a champ. Well it turns out sock lathering a hardened cream is not as easy as one might think. After spending an inordinate amount of time for a complete lack of lather I had the genius idea that the rules had never said you couldn’t face lather. So I reached my hand in the sock and went to work on my face. Looking at other posts I see that no one else was stupid enough to make this mistake. Let me tell you, face lathering with a sock is probably about as much fun as making out with a sock puppet. It did however generate just enough lather for me to shave. Overall I would not recommend.

Post Shave: After my sock shave debacle I decided to use Castle Forbes Lime Essential Oil Balm to soothe my irritated face. I quickly finished up with a little Duke Cannon Sea and was on my way.

Theme: 1805 is a shave cream. Why CF Lime? Firstly, the closest you can get to a cream in aftershave is balm. Second CF is a well known maker of shaving creams, no soaps allowed. Last is the Sea solid cologne. I used this because it also seemed more like a cream in that it is a soft solid.

Challenge: I face lathered with a sock and I’m not proud of it. Here's what my sock looked like after tub loading, during the face lather, and after. After I was done I did place the sock in a random spot in the house for my wife to find and wonder what the hell I had been doing with it. Ah the joys of marriage.

#ROTY

July 20, 2023 – Dupelgänger

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (4)
• Lather: Ariana & Evans – Vanille de Tabac
• Post Shave: Ariana & Evans – Vanille de Tabac splash
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Old Glory solid cologne

The Shave: Admittedly I have a hard time lathering this soap and usually use it in a more paste like form. Seeing as how its Water Day, I added significantly more water and made a thin runny lather. This was especially fun trying to put on as it just dripped off my brush and ran down my face. The shave was just as bad as the runny lather provided little in the way of cushion.

Post Shave: Seeing as how its dupe day I went ahead and used the matching splash to ease my face after its second day of shit show shaving. I followed that up a little Duke Cannon solid cologne.

Theme: Vanille de Tabac is a dupe of Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille as listed on Thirsty Badger. The Old Glory fit in with its similar warm tobacco scent.

Challenge: I turned my normally pasty lathering into a watery mess.

#ROTY

July 21, 2023 – Fougère Friday

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (1)
• Lather: Maol - Heliopteris
• Post Shave: Noble Otter – Cerberus Fougère splash
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Sawtooth

The Soap:

• Fougère scented soap
• Lather is slick and fluffy
• Ready for a shave

The Shave:

• Blackbird all ready
• All Three Passes are needed
• My Clean Shaven Face

Post Shave:

• Cerberus calling
• I Must enhance the descent
• For Fougère Friday

Fragrance:

• Sawtooth will complete
• The days woodsy scent profile
• Aligns with the day

Theme:

• All software align
• With the fougère scent profile
• I smell like a fern

Challenge:

• Haikus for each part
• See five other examples
• My writeup is done

#ROTY

July 22, 2023 – Strange Times for Berry Club

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (5/1)
• Lather: Macduffs Soap Company – Winter Cabin
• Post Shave: Noble Otter – Tis the Season splash
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Sawtooth

The Backstory: Seeing how this is the Berry Club and these are strange times I decided to shave the berries. What, a blade to my most precious of areas? Yes, and unfortunately I have to admit it’s not the first time. See after my wife had our second child I did a little research as to how it kept happening. Apparently those sex ed classes in high school were right. So I went ahead and made an appointment with a Urologist to take care of the problem. Like any good doctor he did an exam, and asked me to come back to see him with testicles shorn. So when the berry club called for a body part shave today, I knew what had to be done and I wasn’t about to back down.

The Soap/Lather: Winter cabin definitely has that raspberry smell. I would hate to have had a masculine smell while shaving my body. It does lather up quick, easy, and slick so at least I had that going for me.

The Shave: For those that haven’t tried it, testicles are quite difficult to shave. The skin is loose and wrinkly, the hair grows in whatever the hell direction it wants to, and nothing clogs a DE razor like pubes. It was slow going, but I had the balls to see it through. As I was finishing up clearing away almost a decade of testicular follicle growth, nut sack in hand, I realized that maybe putting a picture of my testicles on the internet was not something I or the judges really wanted. So now what? It occurred to me that I would have to continue my shave upward for a full chesticle to testicle shave. I quickly threw on some pants for a before photo and continued my shave. I didn’t keep track of the time, but I expect I spent the better part of an hour shaving. The chest, like my berries, led to repeatedly clogging. Surprisingly the belly button was the most difficult area to shave though. All in all a smooth shave with only a little damage to my skin.

Post Shave/Frag: Since this is berry day and raspberry is my theme I opted for a little tis the season to coat my berries with. Let me tell you, aftershave on the testicles is a strange sensation. After that I decided to use Sawtooth and bring out a little more of the wintery woods to blend the scents a little better.

Challenge: I am shaved like a slip and slide champion. I offer before and after pictures of my chest/stomach. I will be setting up my only fans for those that would like to see the shaved nut sack. Use coupon code BerryClub for 25% off first months subs.

#ROTY

July 23, 2023 – What IS that enchanting aroma

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (2)
• Lather: HAGS – Darkside (Donkey Milk)
• Post Shave: HAGS - Darkside splash
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Yuzu Rose Patchouli

The Soap: I will admit, I bought this soap simply for the label art. As a Star Wars fan I just couldn’t pass it up, but I had high hopes for a dark masculine scent. I had never used HAGS soaps before and I briefly read the scent as being a woody floral. Upon arrival my perception of the soap had definitely changed as the floral notes overwhelm the scent right off the tub. Thankfully it dries down to a fantastic scent.

The Lather: For me, Darkside is tricky to get the lather right. It’s a very soft soap and I find it easy to over hydrate. That said, if lathered correctly it produces a slick and cushioning lather.

The Shave: The shave was nothing short of spectacular. The Blackbird Ti shape reminds me of a light saber, and not the Chapelle version, so of course it adds to the Darkside shave experience.

Post Shave/Frag: Being such a great scent there was of course no other option than to follow it up with the matching splash. To match the floral notes of Darkside I decided to follow it up with Chatillon Lux YRP. The two blend well together and have me feeling like a new man.

Theme: Today’s soap choice was fairly difficult for me. You see I work with 16 women and 1 man so I get a fair number of women weighing in on any scent choices I make. In the end, HAGS Darkside won due to the way it was received by the office ladies. One even went to far as to tell me “If this is what Darth Vader’s helmet smells like, I’m in.” Whatever that means.

Challenge: This is the lather you were looking for.

#ROTY

July 24, 2023 – Christmas in July's Eve

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (3)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Waves
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving – Sea Forth! Sea Spice Lime splash
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon - Huron

The Soap/Lather: It’s Barrister and Mann, so you know the scent is great and the lather is awesome

The Shave: The shave was smooth and easy today.

Post Shave/Frag: In order to create the ultimate aquatic citrus scent I opted for SSL aftershave and Huron as my frag. The combination of all 3 was quite nice.

Theme: I received todays soap sample from u/2SaintsDude. He’s a close personal friend that I finally convinced to join us in wet shaving. He and I send each other samples of almost everything we buy so that we can maximize our experiences. The splash and frag were also gifts I was given from other people in my life.

Challenge: For todays challenge I thought I would do something a little different. This whole community has been awesomely supportive and I could say something about most of the active members. Alas I don’t have the time to write it all and the judges certainly don’t want to read it. Instead let me recognize the person who gave me my first PIF u/InfernalInternal. I want to give a shout out for the generosity of the PIF as well continuing on the Mammoth AA. More importantly he’s putting up a donation for each member who joins him. If ever we should meet, first drinks on me.

#ROTY

July 25, 2023 – Christmas in July ~~but in June~~.

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Merkur 34C
• Blade: Astra SP (1)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Frozen Tundra
• Post Shave: Noble Otter – Tis the Season splash
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon - Sawtooth

Lather: Normally this is the easy part. Add soap to bowl (yes I bowl lather) and add water while whipping up a lather. Not today though. As the day is all about using your off hand. So away I went working up a pathetic lather for the days shave. Yes this awkward lather session lasted longer than prom night, but alas Imgur would only let me post 60s.

The Shave: The shave went just as poorly as the lathering. My left hand really has little in the way of talent so most of the time spent was at angles so far outside the norm it removed nothing from my face. After shaving for what seemed an eternity I managed to get some semblance of a decent shave.

Post Shave/Frag: I finished up the shave continuing on the winter spirit with Tis the Season splash and Sawtooth. I now smell like a tree in the snow.

Theme: Todays theme is winter scent and Frozen Tundra is just that. Stirling describes this scent as “A blend of nine essential oils and menthol meant to recreate the scent and feel of earth in winter.”

Challenge: Todays challenge was using your non-dominant hand for the shave. While I wasn’t able to record the shave, I did use my left hand and struggled through it.

#ROTY

July 26, 2023 – Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: Edwin Jagger Silvertip Badger
• Razor: Merkur 34C
• Blade: Gillette 7 o’clock Super Stainless (?)
• Lather: The Handmade Soap Company – Shaving Soap (Basil, Lime & Sweet Orange)
• Post Shave: HAGS - Megalodon
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon - Huron

I guess I didn’t really get that we were supposed to shave with something not meant to be shaved with on Wildcard Wednesday. I instead went with a shave soap that was given to me a number of years ago. At the time I was only using creams and not soaps so it has sat neglected in a drawer.

The Soap/Lather: The scent on the soap is pretty much gone at this point ant it smells more of regular hand soap than anything else. The puck of soap is extremely hard, but I was able to scrap some of the soap off in what looked like pencil shaving and press it into my bowl. What was amazing, though, is how easily and well it lathered up.

The Shave: To mix things upn a little bit, I went back into my drawer of old blades and decided to draw a random blade from the bottom of the pile. I wound up with a 7 o’clock so I threw it in my 34C. While not the slickest formula out there the lather provided me a decent shave even if the blade was past its prime.

Post Shave/Frag: For my post shave/frag I tried to stay with a naval theme and use products I didn’t think had been used yet.

Theme: Pretty sure I’m the only one with a puck of this.

Challenge: While my den is nothing too impressive, it helps me get the job done and all of it has been acquired over the last year of shaving with soaps. I have a few other pieces around in other odd spots, but pretty much all of it is pictured.

#ROTY

July 27, 2023 – Lavendursday

• Brush: Edwin Jagger Silvertip Badger
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (3)
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps - Homecoming
• Post Shave: Noble Otter – Cerberus Fougere
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Sea solid cologne

Early morning outdoor shave, what could be better than watch the sun come up while being eaten alive in 80 degree weather.

The Soap/Lather: The scent on homecoming is quite clearly lavender, and I like it. Todays smoosh, courtesy of u/worbx was quite generous, so I went over to the hose and added some water and got going on some nice thick lather.

The Shave: I learned from my kitchen shave and grabbed the kids iPad instead of my wife makeup mirror and set up shop on their table. Just I was beginning my shave I started to itch, and low and behold the damn mosquitos were biting my legs even though I lit 3 citronella candles. Needless to say this put a bit of a damper on the enjoyment, but I soldiered on. While I had initially planned to use my bowl of water for rinsing the razor I happened to have the sprinklers turn on and begin to soak me during the shave. Apparently they aren’t terribly well aimed, but they did provide a nice way to rinse the blade.

Post Shave/Frag: Soaked and poorly shaved I wrapped it up by using Cerberus Fougere. While not the most lavender forward scent, the blend of lavender and greenery easily matched the days shave. I finished it off with Sea as it only seemed right to match the days sprinkler shower shave.

Challenge: I did shave outside on my back patio. I wish I could have gone to a more scenic place, but as my shave took place at 5:30 this morning I didn’t feel like dealing with the sheriff at the parks.

#ROTY

July 28, 2023 – Frugal Friday

• Brush: Edwin Jagger Best Badger #ANCIENT #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: Merkur 34C
• Blade: Astra SP (1)
• Lather: Red House Farm – Prairie Dog
• Post Shave: Thayers - Original
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Sawtooth

The Brush/Soap: I bought this brush a little over 11 years ago for $46 when I first began my foray into better shaving with creams. This little workhorse got me through a number of years and remains my go to traveling brush. While I did receive this soap as a PIF from u/grindermonk, thanks again for that, it is also the cheapest soap in my den at ($0.11/g). Don’t let the steal of a price fool you though as this soap has a fantastic scent and lathers up well even using my cheap Cumberbatch bowl ($10).

The Razor/Shave: Admittedly I never started with a super cheap razor. I went from cartridge shaving to DE shaving via a Merkur 34C. For the low cost of $47 from Pasteur this is a hell of a gentle razor. I paired my cheapest blade with it, a $0.1 Astra SP, for ultimate cost saving shaving. The combination provided a gentle and smooth shave.

Post Shave/Frag: By far my cheapest post shave is Thayers at a whopping $0.79 per ounce. While cheap, it is also quite effective and still in regular use for me. I followed that up with some Duke Cannon Sawtooth ($13.53/oz).

Theme/Challenge: For the cheapest shave out of my den it is actually quite an enjoyable experience. The real question is how much did I save? Well lets add up what the most expensive shave would cost assuming 2 grams of soap are used, 0.1 oz aftershave, and .005 oz Fragrance. The cost differential per shave turns out to be a massive $508.12 when brush, bowl, and razor are included. If we remove them, however, and only focus on the consumables the differential drops to $1.12. So let me tell you, It feels good to save a buck and change. Only 23 more shaves and I can save enough for a new soap, Hooray.

#ROTY

July 29, 2023 – Sandalwood Saturday

• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm Satin Juma Smoke
• Razor: Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Astra SP (2)
• Lather: Castle Forbes – Cedarwood and Sandalwood
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder
• Fragrance: Duke Cannon – Sawtooth

The Soap/Lather: Having not used this sample of cream in over a year, it is definitely harder than it should be. That said, it still lathers up beautifully. Castle Forbes, from what I’ve sampled, has the best shaving cream base. The scent of this soap definitely presents both sandalwood and cedarwood with little else to distract you.

The Shave: The lather from this cream helps to provide a smooth and effortless shave. Really no complaints today. I followed up the shave with Sonder splash and my Sawtooth frag.

Theme: Castle Forbes needs little explanation as sandalwood is in the name, but let me explain the aftershave and frag a little more. While Sonder isn’t an extreme burst of sandalwood, it does provide sandalwood notes and the flowery notes fit right at home alongside both sandalwood and cedar. The sawtooth continues the woody notes and rounds out any rough edges to the scent combination.

Challenge:

• Overall Winner: I think u/Priusaurus will likely ascend the throne as the king of the hill this year. His posts were well done and challenges effectively handled. He was likely compelled into doing more than he planned due to the ongoing feud/competition with the equally impressive u/MrTangerinesky, but that’s just my speculation.
• ROTY: As much as I would like to claim this title, it is not mine to take. I am more than capable to admit defeat to u/tsrblke. His posts consistently hit the mark and provided a basis from which to djudge all other ROTY posts.
• FOF: This can only go to u/RedMosquitoMM. The eloquent explanations and flow of the scent descriptions consistently take you to a place where you feel like you are right there with him on a scented journey.
• Photo Contest: While I admittedly haven’t tracked every photo taken, u/chronnoisseur42O definitely stood out in my mind. That Lavender day shot was just killer.
• Videos: While there were a number of videos that were full of humorous shenanigans, u/Impressive_Donut114 provided a consistent set of videos that were well edited, entertained, and provided a complimentary musical background.
• Most Disturbing Shave: This probably needs to go to u/hugbckt. I hope to never see another man drink his shave water again.

I could go on and on talking about a number of other competitors. I have really enjoyed reading the threads and watching the videos. One more day to go.

#ROTY

July 30, 2023 – Bon Voyage, Lather Games!

• Brush: Edwin Jagger Silvertip Badger (England)
• Razor: Merkur 34C (Germany)
• Blade: Astra SP (Russia)
• Lather: Los Jabones De Joserra – Good Company (Spain)
• Post Shave: Tallow and Steel - Cognac (Canada)
• Fragrance: Georgio Armani - Emporio Armani EDT (France)

The Soap/Lather: This was my first time using a Los Jabones De Josera and it went ok. Good Company has a vanilla cognac scent that is actually pretty damn good. While the soap appeared to lather up relatively well, it just didn’t have the thick consistency I like to see. Perhaps it was user error, but either way it was less than perfect.

The Shave: Even with the thin lather the shave was still pretty slick, just not quite as cushioned as I would prefer. That said the Merkur provides such a gentle shave it wasn’t that big a deal. I finished off the shave with Cognac to double down on the cognac theme. Finally I topped it all off with Emporio Armani to smooth down the scent of alcohol a little just in case I get caught speeding today.

Theme/Challenge: I’m located in the US and the products (Hardware & Software) used were all made in other countries.

Final Thoughts: I was admittedly unprepared for the craziness that is the lather games. Quite frankly trying to explain a shaving competition to someone who hasn’t done it is impossible. Trust me I’ve tried. I take my hat off to all of you fine competitors, and look forward to the simplicity that is AA.

#ROTY