June 8, 2024 - Small Business Saturday... but in June
- Brush: Maggard Razors Aluminum Handle 2-Band Badger 22mm
- Razor: Maggard Razors SS70 #ZAMAC
- Blade: Wizamet (25)
- Lather: Maggard Razors - Mango Sage Tea
- Post Shave: Barrister and Mann - Paganini's Violin
- Fragrance: Zoologist - Chameleon
Challenge: My biggest Maggard’s order was made last month and was just over $150. It was mostly samples and other items for a PIF I’m putting together. It also included Catie’s Bubbles Blugere for my fougere soap and a boar knot for my Aurora LG brush.
Thanks to /u/Impressive_Donut114 for the smoosh! As I begin loading my brush I smell tea with a muddled mango note. It's similar to brewing a black tea with bits of dried fruit. As such, the mango isn't particularly juicy or bright. I mostly get black tea. It's cozy. I'm not a fan of the soap base. It's too fluffy and doesn't hold much water.
For post-shave today, I'm using Paganini's Violin to play off the black tea in the soap. When I got the r/wetshaving release of Paganini’s Violin, I thought it was boring. I expect strong scent notes from Barrister and Mann. It took a few shaves for me to appreciate the subtleties of this unassuming fragrance. It's a dry, nuanced, tea-like fragrance. It's almost like the scent of paper. It's more delicate than any tea I've smelled. Imagine a tea that smells as light as violets. That's the best analogy I can come up with.
I chose Chameleon from Zoologist for the mango note to match the soap. Freshly sprayed, this fragrance feels aromatic; borderline aquatic, even. There's zesty citrus, mainly lemon, a dry woody note, and a bit of smoke. It's been a while since I've worn this. It's not what I expected so far. About 30 minutes later, there’s a tropical fruit buried in a light, powdery note. The powder note isn’t very green, or even floral. It’s as close to neutral as I can imagine for a powder note. Similar to Mango Sage Tea, the mango note in this isn’t a big player. It sits in the mix and complements the other players. A lot of the citrus has evaporated at this point. There’s still traces of the aromatic opening, but I’m mostly smelling the powdery note. It pairs nicely with Paganini’s Violin. Similar to my initial impression of Paganini’s Violin, I find myself wanting more. It’s pleasant. But, it’s not interesting enough to grab my attention.
I used the SS70 and aluminum handle badger for the theme. I don’t think I’ve used this razor since last year. The way it clamps the blade leaves room for chatter. It usually causes some irritation. Today wasn’t too bad. The brush is great for lathering, especially when I don’t have a lot of time to shave.
#photocontest - eyes
#FOF