June 2, 2024 - Ahoy, Lather Games!
- Brush: Heritage Erskine Gel Boar #RESURRECTIONBRUSH #TOLL
- Razor: Ever-Ready 1912 #TWINS
- Blade: GEM PTFE (13)
- Lather: AA Shaving - Gale
- Post Shave: Captain’s Choice - Bay Rum
- Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts - Arcane Abyss
Theme: Gale is an aquatic storm fragrance. Check out the nautical label. Bay Rum is Bay Rum. Arcane Abyss = Cthulhu of the sea.
Challenge: I have included a humorous book with a dinosaur on the cover in my SOTD pic in honor of /u/Priusaurus amazing performance last year.
As soon as I open the lid of Gale, I'm greeted with notes of ozone, melon, and violets. I'm a fan of petrichor scents, and this ocean storm take is right up my alley. I find this fragrance calming and relaxing; perfect for a late night shave. The soap base is nothing to write home about. It's good enough. But, I'd like more slickness, especially when using a GEM.
Captain’s Choice Bay Rum is very aromatic. The bay smells fresh and takes center stage. There’s slight sweetness with a touch of anise to complement the spicey bay note. I didn’t have much discomfort when I used my alum post-shave. However, this aftershave shocked my senses. I could’ve sworn I was feeling a strong cooling effect. But, no cooling agent is listed in the ingredients.
FOMO drove me to buy a trifecta of Arcane Abyss when it was re-released a few years ago. The first thing I notice is oud. Then, a mixture of lavender, cedar, and aquatic notes roll in. That is underpinned by subtle amber and an inky smoke. I’d classify this as an oud/aquatic. Like many Southern Witchcrafts creations, Arcane Abyss creates an air of mystery. It’s too pretty to truly conjure images of Cthulhu emerging from the depths. It's an interesting fragrance which draws you to delve deeper exploring its tasteful composition.
The gelled boar knot isn’t the best at picking up soap. I couldn’t get much volume from my lather. Maybe the pig was hungry. The backbone is good, but a little less than ideal. It feels nice on my face. It’s probably as close to silver-tip as a boar knot can get.
The Ever-Ready 1912 I bought to get the twins tag last year finally gets used again to get the tag this year. It’s not my favorite GEM. It’s not the worst, either. It’s not quite efficient enough for a good ATG pass.
#photocontest Water Vehicles. Here’s a better view of the kayak under my porch I used in my SOTD photo.
#FOF