July 6, 2023 - Olfactory Overdose - Stack of Tabac
- Brush: Yaqi Cola 22mm Synthetic
- Razor: Gillette Travel Tech J3 #JETSETTER
- Blade: Gillette Rubie (3)
- Lather: Mäurer and Wirtz - Tabac Original
- Post Shave: Mäurer and Wirtz - Tabac Aftershave Lotion
- Fragrance: Mäurer and Wirtz - Tabac Eau De Toilette
#FOF
Today’s Theme:
I have do have some trickholes in my den. Samples of House of Mammoth make those a bit more affordable to add with the soap and post shave products. I also have a few from Barrister and Mann, Summer Break Soaps, Noble Otter, and Declaration Grooming. Normally, I try the soaps first, and then if I liked it, I’d get the splash or balm. I have started getting the EdP/EdT more often in the last year. So if I have all those other options, why the Stank? First, my calendar balanced better with my trifectas from other brands slotted into different days. Second, When I first got the soap, it definitely had some stank, but not unpleasantly so. Once I added the aftershave and then the EdT, the scent opened up more and drove off that funkiness of the soap. I’ve fully embraced the Tabac. Ok not to the point of getting a matching brush like u/djundjila, but my Yaqi Cola brush matches the brown, and the mixed part of the handle is orangish like the stripe. It has become my dedicated Tabac brush. I also like the brush with Tabac because it is a smaller knot, and is easier to load from the tub. With a full complement of Tabac, definitely on theme.
The Shave:
Just like it was a normal Tuesday, I loaded the damp brush with as much soap as it could hold. Then transfer to my trusty kiddie IKEA cereal bowl to finish hydrating. Once I got a soft, wet, but not drippy lather, I proceeded to shaving. This Travel Tech was a bonus razor I got off eBay. I won an auction for an Ever Ready razor, and when it arrived there was Travel Tech in the box with the Ever Ready. It had a red leather case, but it practically disintegrated when I took the razor out. It is not the aluminum handle, but a short heavy little thing. I’m guessing plated brass based on the heft. While the razor head is nice, the short handle makes it a bit awkward to find the angle. Three passes today, and a fine shave is the result.
Sponsor Spotlight:
I first experienced the work of Chatillon Lux and u/hawns in the scents made for Declaration Grooming like Yuzu/Rose/Patchouli. In the last year since the 2022 Lather Games, I have been adding more fragrances to the den. In preparation for this year’s games, I got the sample sets of Chatillon Lux and Maher Olfactive. So far I’ve used a few and am blown away by how much I’ve liked them. If I had the extra cash right now, a full bottle of Treachery would be on its way to my house. I think scent mixing is a magic art. I am better at seeing differences in color than in differentiating the complex components of perfume. One thing I’ve said many times is sometimes you get a new fragrance that completely changes your perceptions of a scent. Y/R/P is one such scent. It opened my eyes to patchouli, and that helping me embrace more scents I may have passed on before.
Today’s Fragance #FOF:
Tabac is a strange beast. The soap itself is where everyone talks about the stank tank. I never found the funk unpleasant, but my wife and daughter both liked that I had a more old fashioned scent that reminds them of my wife’s father. He used mostly drugstore scents, but when I use a more traditional scent, my daughter says I smell like Papa. The smile I’d get from them was enough to keep using it. At first I’d play up the floral by using Thayers - Rose Petal or Lavender, but in the last few months, I finally got the aftershave and EdT. What a difference the medium makes for Tabac’s fragrance! Gone is that stank, but more lavender and citrus comes out. I can’t tell what the rest of it is, but it is much nicer as a trickhole than just the soap.
I thought about trying to write a limerick for Tabac using stank and tank, but then I kept trying to set it in Nantucket and gave up.
Tabac Original,
Normally on a Tuesday,
But good for Thursday.
Today’s Challenge:
Nice thing about Tabac for stacking (photo linked above) is the flat caps and lid. It reminds me of when my daughter was little and we’d make towers with her Duplo bricks. “Make it go high”, my daughter would tell me. We’d make skinny towers that were taller than me. For today’s challenge, I stacked it as high as I could and the Travel Tech made a nice finial on top.