June 1, 2024 – Lather Games Day 1: Bonjour, Lather Games

• Brush: ERSKINE 19mm Synthetic #RUNT #SMOLL
• Razor: Weck Hair Shaper #WECKONISTA
• Blade: Personna Hair Shaper (1)
• Lather: A A Shaving – Wapiti
• Post Shave: Abbate y La Mantia – Ishtar
• Fragrance: Mancera – Amber & Roses

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Daily Theme: Bonjour, Lather Games!

Theme justification: A A Shaving is a brand I have never used before

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I’m continuing the theme of “new to me” products. I have not used Abbate Y La Mantia aftershaves or Mancera frags before.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor: It’s a weck, with a Personna blade

Brush: It’s 19mm with a 48mm loft. (Here is where I was going to link the etsy page where I purchased it, but it no longer shows the description. I have reached out to Aaron of TalentSoapFactory for confirmation should the judges require it.) Edit: He responded and confirmed: https://i.imgur.com/BxESWR5.png

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Daily/Special Challenge: New all the things!

WARNING: PICTURES IN THIS SECTION MARKED #NSFW DUE TO MINOR BLOOD. NOTHING TERRIBLE, BUT I’M STILL GIVING A WARNING.

This is my first time using a weck razor. WTF. Not only did I give my face a decent gash, but I even cut my finger. Why on Earth would anyone want to shave with these things? All of those who did this for AA last August are pure masochist. This was by far my worst experience shaving since I started down the wetshaving rabbit hole, and I pray that I never have to do it again. It did produce a “good enough” shave in terms of visual hair removal, so I guess there is that.

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Frag description

Mancera Amber & Roses

First, I have to start off by saying that this frag and aftershave do not mix at all. Amber and Oud are both tree based resin, there is a difference. Can I adiquitely explain said differences? No, not really. The rose from Mancera overpowers the Amber to my nose, so as of right now that is all I can smell. Maybe the amber and oud cancelled each other out? Not sure. I was not a fan of Ishtar when I put it on. So as I sit, I just smell like a musky bouquet of flowers.

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Last year I watched the Lather Games from the sidelines. I have to say, it was incredible enjoyable to see the action. Watching /u/Priusaurus get kicked out of a restaurant and /u/OnionMiasma shave with motor oil showed me that I am not as crazy as most of you. I’m not as delusional; I know I will not be winning these games. That doesn’t meant that I won’t be trying my best. I just have a different set of skills.

I’ll be doing my best to avoid embarrassing myself, but I’ll be raising my own level where I can. That’s all I can do, and it’s good enough for me!

So to all my fellow Lather Gamers out there, here’s to you! Let’s have a fun month!

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Totals:

Razor Hasthtags: 1/10
Brush Hasthtags: 2/10
Hardware Sponsor Points: x/2
Software Sponsor Points: 1/16
Number of Lather Brands: 1/30
Number of Lather Scents: 1/30
Number of Post Shaves: 1/30
Number of Frags: 1/30

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Contest Hasthtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 2, 2024

• Brush: Galepromot Brown Badger #WEDONTNEEDNOSTINKINGBADGERS
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable #ADJUSTABLE
• Blade: Wizamet (3)
• Lather: Henri et Victoria – Navigateur
• Post Shave: Areffa Soap – Discoverer
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Admiral

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Daily Theme: Ahoy, Lather Games!

Theme justification: Henri et Victoria Navigateur is nautically themed. The scent description talks about the Caribbean seas and a fabled beast that sailors fear is enhanced by the fragrance’s freshness. Plus, it has a sailor on the lid.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Navigater. Discoverer. Admiral. These are all titles that can (and have been) bestowed on seafaring individuals. One, though, stands out. Christopher Columbus. While he’s a little controversial today, there is no doubting his historical significance. He “was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa …” who was given the rank of “Admiral of the Ocean Seas” by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. He is, rightfully or not, also often considered the discoverer of the New World.

So this shave is a Christopher Columbus themed shave. No genocide is endorsed or was caused by this shave

Fun fact, I tried to bring up the topic of changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day when I was an intern. The person I told this to (who has since left) told me, “Why? Everyone has skeletons in their closet.” I dropped the idea. I should bring it back up.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: The Gillette Slim is an adjustable razor.

Brush facts: The brush was purchased on Amazon. Per the listing, it is badger brush. For $5, it has to be the lowest quality badger available.

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Daily/Special Challenge: Paleontology Day

/u/Priusaurus is a good dude. He’s sent me a couple smushes over the past year, and has always been willing to answer questions. Was his win last year legitimate, or did was the win stolen from /u/OnionMiasma? The world may never know. The record books, however, have /u/Priusaurus as the rightful ruler. Plus, as he showed yesterday, he has the hardware to prove his victory.

So, to honor him I shaved with his beloved Worcester IceCats goal horn playing on repeat. In addition, /u/Priusaurus, I’ll send you the cash to cover the price and shipping if you win this auction for $5 #NotABribe

Also, since he is the one that is responsible for the Remote Learning Group Buy, I incorporated Doritos into my shave today. I didn’t have any Nacho Cheese Doritos, but I did have a new bag of Spicy Sweet Chili. I crushed them up and added them to my nearly complete lather. Here it is all mixed together, and here it is on my face. Please don’t judge my lather. I was using a very terrible brush and then I added Doritos to it. The shave actually wasn’t too bad. HeV is a good, slick base, but the nice smell of Navigateur was overpowered by the Doritos. 2/10. Do not recommend adding Doritos to your lather.

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Frag description

Chatillon Lux Admiral

Look, right now the only thing I can smell is Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos. Admiral, though, is one of my favorite CL frags (again, it would be a lot better if the lemongrass and riverboat smoke wasn’t accompanied by Doritos). In a normal wear, it does transport you to the Mississippi River. Might just be me, and local STL people can chime in, but it takes me back to walking near the Arch right by the river.

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Okay, so let’s talk about today’s shave. This was my first (or second; cannot fully recall) using HeV. It’s quite nice. Between them and MacDuff’s, I’m starting to think Canadians know what their doing with shave soap.

The brush, though, I’m 99% confident is actually a boar brush. It’s listed as badger on both the Amazon page and the packaging, so that’s what I’m going with for my hardware points. I’m just glad I will never have to use this one again. It went straight into the trash after the shave, which is where it would’ve ended up before too long regardless. It lost, seemingly, 20% of its hairs during the shave.

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Totals:

Razor Hashtags: 2/10
Brush Hashtags: 3/10
Hardware Sponsor Points: x/2
Software Sponsor Points: 1/16
Number of Lather Brands: 2/30
Number of Lather Scents: 2/30
Number of Post Shaves: 2/30
Number of Frags: 2/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

To honor /u/Priusaurus, bmac92 added crushed up Doritos to his lather, since Priusaurus helped organize the group Remote Learning buy. The resulting lather is questionable.

To honor /u/Priusaurus, bmac92 added crushed up Doritos to his lather, since Priusaurus helped organize the group Remote Learning buy. The resulting lather is questionable.

June 3, 2024 – 2024.06.03: Lather Games Day 3 – Where’s the Beef?

• Brush: AKA Brushworx Blues Stanley Cup with 26mm Turn N Shave Quartermoon knot #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #FLIPTOP #MODERNGEM
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1)
• Lather: House of Mammoth – Dammusi
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Dammusi
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Dammusi

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Daily Theme: Where’s the Beef?

(It’s Arby’s. Arby’s has the beef)

Theme justification: House of Mammoth soaps contain Duck fat.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I went easy today, since it’s Monday. Today’s theme is Dammusi. First ~~dickhole~~ trickhole of the Games. I just love Dammusi too much to not use it all.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: The MM24 is a Modern Gem. They started production in 2021. It is also a flip top due to having the head of an EverReady Shovel-Head razor.

Brush facts: The brush has a handle created by AKA Brushworx and knot from Turn-N-Shave.

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Daily/Special Challenge: OnionMiOsma Day

To start off with, Osma is the GOAT alum. I even bought a second block at the Maggard Meetup since I was already there. Always need to have a backup, am I right? Going from Maggard brand alum to Osma was a total game changer in my shaves. Don’t know how my face survived using such a poor quality alum. This is not Maggard’s fault at all, it’s just that all alum is poor alum compared to Osma.

Osma was used on this shave despite it not being listed in my shave log. This is to not annoy the robojudge.

Now, as for /u/OnionMiasma, I’ve got to say he’s a pretty cool dude too. I can even look past his error in being a Cubs and Blackhawks fan. He was one of the first people to reach out to me when I joined this community and treated me (a total stranger at the time) as a friend. He offered to drive a few of us to and from the Maggard meetup from Chicago this year. Without that offer I wouldn’t have been able to attend. I’m extremely thankful of this gesture, as a great time was had all. Meeting y’all at the meetup was a lot of fun. I also got this great picture of the convoy (us along with /u/hugbckt & /u/fuckchalzone) when he dropped me back off at O’Hare (he’s the one in the Blackhawks shirt under the yellow arrow, I’m in the Blues hat with the blue arrow). I did edit the photo for privacy a bit.

Seriously, /u/OnionMiasma++. If you’re ever in OK for some forlorn reason, let me know and I’ll buy you a beer.

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Frag description

House of Mammoth Dammusi

I love this scent. So much so that it was the first ever HoM EdP that I purchased. It beat out Rumble to earn that honor. The first note to hit me is the citrus. As a citrus lover, this is what drew me in (which is the point of that note). After that, the pine really comes forward. It’s quite relaxing.

I’d like to point out at this point I really have no idea what I’m talking about most of the time when it comes to frags. The main reason why I’m doing the FoF is to force myself to articulate what I’m smelling. I’m hoping that my later posts will be much better than these early June ones.

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Now onto the shave!

This was my first time using a MM24, though I have used a shovelhead in the past. Much better experience than with the vintage GEM I used previously. I think with some proper practice it could be a very nice daily shaver. However, I’m not sure I will be putting in the time. It’s nowhere near the level of a weck, but I just have too many nice DE razors that it doesn’t really make sense.

The brush might be my favorite handle of all time. It’s a Stanley Cup handle in the colors of the St. Louis Blues. I felt this handle was appropriate for today since the Stanley Cup Final has been set (I'll be rooting for the Panthers). I currently have a Fullmoon knot in it and I really like the knot. It’s super soft and feels fantastic on the face. I’m debating about putting it in a new handle where I can set it a smidge lower, but I’m not too sure. I think it would improve with just a touch more backbone (seriously, not much at all).

The soap, as we’ve all come to realize from HoM, is spectacular. Top teir soap.

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Totals:

Razor Hashtags: 4/10
Brush Hashtags: 4/10
Hardware Sponsor Points: x/2
Software Sponsor Points: 2/16
Number of Lather Brands: 3/30
Number of Lather Scents: 3/30
Number of Post Shaves: 3/30
Number of Frags: 3/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 4, 2024 – 2024.06.04 – Lather Games Day 4: K.I.S.S.

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Matte Black with 26mm UHD Independent Fibre Knot #SHD
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant #CNC
• Lather: Eleven – Organic Sweet Orange
• Post Shave: Summer Break Soaps – Bell Ringer
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Sundrunk

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Daily Theme: K.I.S.S.

Theme justification: Eleven Organic Sweet Orange only has one note: “100% pure, organic sweet orange.”

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Everything in my shave today was citrus. The soap is orange (linked above), the aftershave is Grapefruit, Mango, Orange, Lemon, Lime & more, and the frag scent ”[allows] the cool citrus to wash your worries away” and has citrus notes.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: The Alysworth Drakkant is made of CNC-machined 316 stainless steel. See /u/Engineered_Shave’s post here.

Brush facts: The “26MM Independent Synthetic Knot – Bulb (UHD)” is listed is listed as Ultra High Density. Compare that to the non UHD bulb, here

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Daily/Special Challenge: Base War Stories

I joined the hobby/sub only a year ago. As a result, I missed most of the Base War drama. I’ve heard the horror stories from the elders, though, just like how my grandpa would tell me stories about his time in the war. Well, actually that’s not true. My one grandpa that saw actual combat never spoke about it, and my other grandpa was a peace-time Air Force who served as a librarian while he was stationed in Las Vegas. He got out right before Vietnam. Some of the stories I’ve heard from y’all, though, are something else. Lots of drama going on during those days.

I’ve been lucky enough to try a couple discontinued bases, though, and I have to say my favorite of those is Declaration Grooming’s Bison base. Of the current crop of fantastic bases, I think Darkwing has a slight edge over everything else for me. It’s fantastic stuff. This is not to say that any of the other artisans that are popular around here are bad, of course.

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Frag description

Sundrunk might be my favorite fragrance from Imaginary Authors. I purchased a sample pack that came with 9 different frags. Some were winners, some were not. Sundrunk is what I reached for more often than not out of the pack. It’s just a light scent that hits you with the honeysuckle right out of the gate. Reminds me of the times when I was a kid and we’d eat the honeysuckle plants in my Aunt’s yard. It then dries down to a more standard citrus note which has a calming impact on my brain.

Side note: one of the listed notes of sundrunk is “First Kiss.” Yeah, I don’t get that here. I think the IA perfumer and I had different first kiss experiences.

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Now onto the shave!

Eleven seems to be relatively new to the this sub. I think a lot of us grabbed our first products from them during the sale where the soaps and splashes were 50% off. While the base is not my favorite (as described above), it is good. It produces a nice slick lather. I also appreciate the simplicity of the scents. Sometimes you just want something that’s easy.

For the aftershave, I had to make it a little more citrus-y. I, unfortunately, did not have any more oranges in my kitchen, but I did have some lemon juice. SBS Bell Ringer already gives me a little burn, so why not knock it up another notch? How bad could it be?

Well, I mixed together the lemon juice and Bell Ringer. Please ignore: 1) the mess on my vanity, and; 2) my wheezing. My nose is currently clogged and I have a bunch of drainage going down my throat. It ended up looking like this. The moment of truth…

Surprisingly, no added stinging. Sorry to disappoint everyone, but this is not a Kevin McCallister moment. I honestly feel like it neutralized some of the sting that I typically get with Bell Ringer. The only thing I now notice is that I smell like a lemon. Thankfully it’s not too strong and is fleeting. Sundrunk will stand out despite the added lemon.

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Totals:

Razor Hashtags: 5/10
Brush Hashtags: 5/10
Hardware Sponsor Points: 1/2
Software Sponsor Points: 3/16
Number of Lather Brands: 4/30
Number of Lather Scents: 4/30
Number of Post Shaves: 4/30
Number of Frags: 4/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 5, 2024 – 2024.06.05: Lather Games Day 5 – Canned Goop

• Brush: Swollen Hand
• Razor: Schick Xtreme 2-Blade Sensitive Men’s Disposable Razors #RAINBOW
• Lather: NIVEA – Men Sensitive Shave Gel
• Post Shave: Gillette – Aftershave Gel
• Fragrance: Brut – Classic Splash On

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Today's shave is a little later than normal, and you'll see why down below. Trigger warning: >!freaking spiders, man.!<

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Daily Theme: Canned Shave Goop featuring a Canadian pharmacy's intercom music playlist

Theme justification: Nivea Men Sensitive Shave Gel is available at my local Walmart The can I own is old and has a different label. Same stuff, though.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Today is a Walmart theme! As a former employee of the largest private employer in the world, I felt it was appropriate. All the items in my shave today can be purchased at Walmart: the razor, aftershave, and the cologne The only thing missing was a blue vest :)

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: the Schick razor I used is green. See product photo here.

Brush facts: N/A

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Daily/Special Challenge: Reverse Lather Routine

As many of you know, I am a devout bowl latherer. Why? I just like it better than face lathering. Don't really know why, but I just do. My typical routine involves me smushing soap into my large CaYuen bowl, then creating the perfect lather. Well, since I cannot use my bowl today, I just used my (slightly swollen) hand. Messaged the gel into my wet face as instructed on the can, and shaved. Honestly wasn't too bad

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Frag description

Brut Classic Splash On Cologne

Brut. What is there to say about this all-time classic fragrance? I felt like a true man after putting it on this morning.

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Now onto the shave!

So, I have never been more happy to shave with canned goop and a cartridge razor. Tuesday morning, I woke up with a lump on my left hip. Thought it was odd, but I continued on. I took a shower and shaved. When I got back to my room to get dressed for the day, I saw a crushed spider in my bed. Here is a picture of the bastard. Yup. A >!brown recluse!<. Lovely. I felt fine, so I went to work, mainly because I had a public meeting that I had to attend. Throughout the day I felt fine, but my hands really started to cause me issue. They were fine until I tried to touch anything or even close my hand. You know how when your hands are really dry they hurt to close? It was essentially that. Plus, they were itchy. Throughout the evening, my boss kept telling me that I looked flush, but I honestly felt perfectly fine (outside of my hands). I made it back home at about 9pm, and by that time I had a fever, I was sweating, and I was cold. Wonderful.

I ended up going to the Urgent Care this morning. They said there is not too much you can do, but gave me an antibiotic to help out. I'll be fine, it's just super annoying.

Regardless, the games must go on!.

The shave wasn't terrible at all. The shave gel works about as well as can be expected for canned goop, and the schick razor does an adequate job (it is one of the options I use for travel). The Gillette aftershave gel was sub par, but not completely useless.

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Totals:

Razor Hashtags: 6/10
Brush Hashtags: 5/10
Hardware Sponsor Points: 1/2
Software Sponsor Points: 3/16
Number of Lather Brands: 5/30
Number of Lather Scents: 5/30
Number of Post Shaves: 5/30
Number of Frags: 5/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP gets bitten by a gnarly spider, ends up in urgent care, and continues to complete for the love of the game.

OP gets bitten by a gnarly spider, ends up in urgent care, and continues to complete for the love of the game.

June 6, 2024 – 2024.06.06: Lather Games Day 6 – Thirsty Thursdsay

• Brush: Bundubeard Oryx Horn handle with 26mm AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss knot #FAUXFUR #PREMIUMPLASTIC
• Razor: Blackland Era
• Blade: Wizamet (1)
• Lather: Areffa Soap – Kentucky Bourbon
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Smash
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Saint Julep

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Daily Theme: Thirsty Thursday

Theme justification: Areffa Kentucky Bourbon is named Kentucky bourbon. Kentucky Bourbon is a beverage. The “soap is boiled with beer. It has beautiful notes of the famous alcohol beverage.”

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I’m continuing the alcohol/drink theme. House of Mammoth Splash “celebrates a wonderful cocktail, the bourbon smash.” It has notes of bourbon as well. Imaginary Authors Saint Julep is an homage to the Mint Julep. It also contains bourbon notes.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: The 26mm AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss knot is listed as a knot “that LOOKS like Pure Badger, but FEELS perfectly soft …” It also has an MSRP of $24.

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Daily/Special Challenge: WetTubing Appreciation Day

I’ll be honest, I was really hoping that this challenge wouldn’t happen this year. Nobody needs to watch me shave. That being said, mama didn’t raise no bitch.

So without further ado: LINK. Note: I did not whip up my lather during the video, because who wants to watch me look at a bowl for a few minutes? I recorded my shave, as instructed. I wanted to do a more proper silent film style edit, but as someone who isn’t a great editor I think this is a good effort.

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Frag description

Imaginary Authors Min Julep

Please see the below story, brought to you by ChatGPT:

It is 1804 in Richmond, Virginia. Emily, the daughter of a wealthy plantation owner, stood on the grand veranda, clutching a mint julep, its aroma mingling with the night-blooming jasmine. The evening felt magical, but her heart was restless until she saw him.

James, a young man from a neighboring estate, caught her eye. Their families were rivals, but none of that mattered now. He approached.

*”May I have this dance?” he asked, his voice soft yet confident.

As they waltzed, the cool breeze carried the sweet scent of mint and bourbon around them, creating a private world. The aroma became their unspoken language, each whiff a promise, each sip a shared secret. They met in secret many times that summer, always with mint juleps in hand, the drink becoming a symbol of their forbidden love.

Years later, as Emily stood on the same veranda, now married to James despite their families’ objections, she held a mint julep. The scent brought back those stolen moments, the dance, and the love that defied all odds. Some memories, like the fragrance of a mint julep, were timeless.

Mint Juleps are just that classic mint cocktail (more so than the Mojito, IMO). Saint Julep hits it dead on.

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Now onto the shave!

You can hear most of this in the video. Kentucky Bourbon is not my favorite Areffa soap, but the badger base is nice. The smell is a little off; doesn’t quite smell like bourbon to me. That being said, I don’t drink too much bourbon, so maybe I’m wrong. The actual soap is more on the cream side of a croap, but not fully a cream. It lathers wonderfully and is very slick. I still like her bear tallow more.

I get much more bourbon out of Smash, and Saint Julep does complement the aftershave. However, Smash does overpower SJ, and the it’s a much lighter scent. Smash should dissipate before too long, though, leaving the nice, minty, Saint Julep scent.

The Pure Bliss knot was great. Can’t wait to use it more to see where it stacks up against my other favorite synths, but after one use it looks very promising. The Oryx handle from Bundubeard was also fantastic. It was extremely easy to whip up a lather with this combo, despite my still swollen hands. Plus, the thing just looks fantastic.

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Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 6/10
• Brush Hashtags: 7/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 3/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 6/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 6/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 6/30
• Number of Frags: 6/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

User gives djudges the week-deserved silent treatment for unpopular challenge.

June 7, 2024 – 2024.06.07: Lather Games Day 7 – Vetiver You Want

• Brush: AP Shave Co Cashmere 24mm Ruby Ripple
• Razor: Henson Shaving razors – AL-13 Mild
• Blade: Wizamet (2)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann – Vetyver Santal
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Santa Noir Balm
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Rose Santal

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Daily Theme: Vetiver You Want

Theme justification: Barrister & Mann Vetyver Santal is (was) listed on their website as follows:

We blended a healthy dose of lemon essential oil with Haitian vetiver and elegant, creamy New Caledonia sandalwood absolute to create a light, clean, fresh vetiver scent well-suited to cooler weather

I pulled Sharpologist’s site since the scent is no longer listed on B&M’s website. Shout-out to /u/MammothBen for providing me with a big box of random samples, which included this soap.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: today’s theme revolves around santal, in both name an scent. Vetyver Santal for the soap, House of Mammoth Santa(ł) Noir balm, and Chatillon Lux Rose Santal for the frag.

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Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

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Daily/Special Challenge: GeoFatBoy Special

I’m not Geo, but I am a FatBoy, so I have no excuses when it comes to this challenge. 1 pass only ATG. No problem.

I loaded up my Henson mild for the job. It was not too bad, all things considered. Job was relatively easy and no irritation. Further shave details below in the shave section.

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Frag description

Look, Wally. I know my descriptions haven’t been great, but this one is really going to scrape the bottom of the barrel. However, today was interesting. The soap only had a faint scent. Not sure if that was due to the age of the sample, the condition it was kept in, or if it naturally had a very light scent. Regardless, it smelled like dried grass (so vetiver).

The AS and frag, though, combined to make me feel like Seal was kissing me with a rose. That is to say, musky rose is the dominant combined scent.

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Now onto the shave!

Despite the possible issues with the scent, the soap lathered easily. Became nice and slick. The only issue was due to the cashmere brush. Since it is so soft it had a somewhat difficult time with the hard soap. Thankfully it really wasn’t an issue since it was a one-pass shave.

Now, I did as the challenge required. I only did one pass and it was against the grain. Honestly, it wasn’t too bad. The Henson was a good choice for this challenge due to its extreme mildness. I have to say, if I’m in a hurry I could see myself doing this method to achieve an adequate shave quickly. The result of today’s shave was a relatively smooth face and neck with almost no irritation. Was it the nicest shaving experience? No. Could I do it again? Yes. Will I? Not if I can help it.

Side Note: Today’s plan was to use a carbon steel blade, but I checked my stash and couldn’t find any. Glad I found out now and not later. /u/OnionMiasma is already hooking me up. What a guy.

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Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 6/10
• Brush Hashtags: 7/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 4/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 7/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 7/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 7/30
• Number of Frags: 7/30

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Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 8, 2024 – 2024.06.08: Lather Games Day 8 – Small Business Saturday… But in June

• Brush: Maggard Razors - 22mm Black & White Synthetic
• Razor: Maggard Razors - V3 #ZAMAC
• Blade: Bic Chrome (1)
• Lather: Maggard Razors – London Barbershop
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth – Everett
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann – Eclipse

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Daily Theme: Small Business Saturday… but in June

Theme justification: Maggard Razors London Barbershop is under the “Maggard Razors” label.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: All the brands from today’s shave (including the brush, razor, & blade) can be found out the wetshaving hobby’s premier retailer – Maggard Razors. I also picked up the frag and AS from the Maggard Meetup.

• Maggard Razors Soap
• House of Mammoth
• Barrister and Mann
• Maggard Razors razor
• Maggard Razors brush
• Bic Chrome Platinum

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: The [Maggard Razors V3] head is listed as being made out of “Plated Zinc Alloy.” In other words, Zamac

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Mad Braggard Day

I actually haven’t spent too much online at Maggard. See here. Those top two charges are for the Meetup ($35 for the ticket, $75 for products and shipping while there). The $63 has a Henson+++, and the one below that has a Henson+ which account for most of the order. The first order was the very first wetshaving order I ever placed. It was my introduction into this hobby. It looks larger than it really is due to the blade sampler. As /u/tsrblke described it, I tend to snack instead of gorge when it comes to orders (at least from Maggard).

My largest order (quantity wise), actually came from Stirling. 21 items, including 14 sample pucks. I don’t think I’ve finished a single one of these pucks, but it has helped me figure out what I like and what I don’t. I say money well spent. Plus, they’re great for travel, especially in those tins from Dollar Tree.

Honestly, the largest expense I’ve had due to this hobby is one I’d do again in a heartbeat: The Maggard Meetup.

Item	Cost
Hotel	$138
Flight	$193
Spending	$217
Total	$548

I also gave /u/OnionMiasma some money for driving/gas. Those totals don’t include my pickup orders of Everett or my AKA Stanley Cup Handle that I would’ve been buying regardless.

Absolutely worth it. If you have the opportunity to go in the future, please do. It’s a great time.

(side note: seems like the retailer I’ve spent the most money with is House of Mammoth)

---

Fragrance description

I'm trying something different today. My mother was with me this morning, so I picked her brain on the fragrances. Her responses will be in markdown quote blocks below. Spoiler alert: >!I know where my sus nose comes from!<

Barrister and Mann Eclipse

What do you think of this?

I don't know

Come on. I have internet friends to impress.

What is that one scent? That mild musk scent? It also has some sort of woodsy citrus. Patches? Patchi? ...

Patchouli?

Yeah, that one.

Does it evoke/make you think of anything?

nods head no

House of Mammoth Everett (I used the splash, but had her smell the EdP)

What about this one?

I smell spice. Don't ask my which one, because that's what I'm smelling.

Give it a spray, see if it opens up for you

Eeck!

(Editor's note: I'm not entirely sure how to spell the sound that came out of her mouth. The "c" was a lot more gutteral than you'd expect)

some vinilla, maybe?

I read off scent the scent notes

I don't get any of that! I can't smell the citrus at all.

Thank you very much, Mom. I appreciate your help. Love you.

Side note: When was the last time you told your Mother you loved her? As long as you do feel that way, you should give her a call and let her know. It'll make her happy. :)

---

Now onto the shave!

Through the Fire Fine Crafts makes Maggard Razors’ house brand soaps. They do a fine job. The soap is serviceable, and I honestly have no complaints. It’s not my favorite scent nor my favorite base, but if I had to use it for the rest of my life it would work. On the scent front, I’d probably call this my least favorite that I have in my collection. I’m not a barbershop fan at all. My dad used get his haircuts at a salon (I know it’s not a barbershop), but I had to wait in the car due to the smell being so overpowering. That is all the scent reminds me of, and I do not like it.

The V3 razor is also fine. Nothing special, but not bad. Produced a decent shave.

---

Sponsor Spotlight

Maggard Razors is an amazing store. The community is very lucky to have such fantastic retailer, with owners who truly care about their business and customers. They’re always happy to answer random questions, they have some of the quickest shipping I’ve ever seen (meaning from ordered to OTD), and they’re just extreme nice people.

If you ever get the chance to go to one of the meetups and Brad &/or Casie, I encourage you to do so.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 7/10
• Brush Hashtags: 7/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 5/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 8/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 8/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 8/30
• Number of Frags: 8/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 9, 2024 – 2024.06.09: Lather Games Day 9 – Shave and a Haircut – Two Bits

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Plisson knot (28mm) with Paragon handle
• Razor: Gem Jr. 1912 #TWINS
• Razor: Ever-Ready 1912
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Lather: Wholly Kaw – Man From Mayfair
• Post Shave: Bricktown Grooming – Lafayette Barbershop
• Fragrance: DS & Durga – Burning Barbershop

---

Daily Theme: Shave and a Haircut - Two Bits

Theme justification: Wholly Kay Man from Mayfair is listed as WK's "barbershop line."

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: my AS and Frag continue the Barbershop theme.

• Bricktown Grooming Lafayette Barbershop
• DS & Durga Burning Barbershop

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: I used a GEM Junior 1912 and an Ever-Ready 1912 for today's shave.

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Surprise Quiz!

The judges would add a surprise quiz when the sponsor spotlight for the day is an educator.

Here are my results: 26/32. A lot from memory, some from googling. I am ashamed that I missed SSL. It's one of my favorite scents. I skipped the line when first going through the list and never remembered to go back for it.

---

Fragrance description

I did not care too much for the soap's fragrance. I think it was the basil that caused me to shy away.

The aftershave, though, I really enjoy. This was a complete surprise to me. It seems to be a little sweet to the nose. The lavender is the primary scent, with some powder and sandalwood following. It works.

The frag, though, was the star. Not only did it complement the AS to a degree, it took it to another level and creates an interesting story. You're at the barbershop getting a trim, enjoying the day. The past hour or so you had been at the dog park, playing with your newly-adopted chocolate lab. He's such a sweet boy. Plus, he's a great wingman. The cute girl you've noticed around town a couple of times was there with her dog as well, and the dogs started to play together. She came over and talked to you about your dog. Surprisingly, you both hit it off. She gave you her number to set up a "play date" for the dogs since they were apparently best friends now. You took your dog home, and decided to go to the aforementioned barbershop since your hair is a mess. Gotta look your best for next week! During the trim, everything is going great and you're on top of the world. Then you smell it: smoke. "That's weird," you think to yourself. It grows stronger. You put it out of your mind, thinking that if the building was on fire the alarms would go off. The cut continues, though. A few moments later a firefighter burst through the door and yells that you need to evacuate. The building is on fire. You quickly leave, thankful that the firefighter told you before the building collapsed on your head.

You leave and head home to your pup, but you realize that your haircut was only half done. You'll fix it before the pup play date. You're busy, though, and don't find time. When you show up with your dog at the dog park for the play date, she gives a playful laugh. It's a lovely laugh. You regale her with the story and she shows great concern. She's extremely grateful that you survived. You both smile at each other.

10 years later, you're at the dog park again. You, your wife, your two dogs, and your toddler. You think back to the time you first met your wife, right here in this dog park, and the smell of that burning barbershop rushes back to you. You smile at the memory. Then you wonder if you should have a happy memory associated with a tragic event. Your wife asks you what you're thinking about, and you just say, "Nothing," to avoid explaining the complicated thoughts running in your head. You ultimately decide it's fine to smile, and continue on enjoying the day with your family.

---

Now onto the shave!

Wholly Kaw lather worked as expected. No complaints.

For today's razor, I followed /u/Enndeegee's lead. I took my GEM 1912 and combined it with /u/EldrormR's Ever-Ready 1912. I took the heads off to more easily tape it together. Came out pretty good, if I do say so myself. Here is proof that I actually shaved with both sides. I felt like Darth Mual wielding this thing. I can only imagine what /u/Enndeegee must have felt like.

Shave went better than expected, and I didn't end up cutting my palm.

---

Sponsor Spotlight

I love Summer Break Soaps. Great scents, willing to deal with our malarkey, creates a dorito soap and mnt dew splash because one guy asked for it, and more. Helps that Doug is a fantastic base as well.

Plus, /u/Rocketk455 is an educator. As the son of an educator (in a state that hates educators), I do like that I'm supporting education him when I buy his stuff. It's a thankless job, so thank you for what you do, /u/Rocketk455.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 8/10
• Brush Hashtags: 7/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 6/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 9/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 9/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 9/30
• Number of Frags: 9/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

endeegee double GEM insanity

June 10, 2024 – 2024.06.10: Lather Games Day 10 – Happy Together

• Brush: Bundubeard Oryx Horn handle with 26mm AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss knot
• Razor: Razorock Hawk v3
• Blade: Schick Proline
• Lather: Declaration Grooming – Cerberus
• Post Shave: Declaration Grooming – Cerberus
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming – Cerberus

---

Daily Theme: Happy Together

Theme justification: Declaration Grooming Cerberus](https://wetshavingdatabase.com/product/declaration-grooming-cerberus/) is a Collaboration between Declaration Grooming, House of Mammoth, and Noble Otter. DG made the soap, HoM made the fragrance, and Noble Otter made the splash. I just left it as DG in the post to not annoy the robodjudge.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Continuing the Collaboration theme by ~~dickholing~~ trickholing Cerberus.

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Song Day

For my song, I'm going with Hootsforce by Gloryhammer.

I found Gloryhammer several years ago, and I don't really know why, but I just love them. I think it is just the Sci-Fi nerd in me. Hootsforce was the first song of theirs that really grabbed me. The beat and rhythm is just so much fun to listen to, then you add in the lyrics you end up with very fun song.

Makes shaving a little hard for me, though, as my head won't stay still! :)

---

Fragrance description

I think most of us here have smelled Cerberus. I received a smush of it before I purchased it. When I first smelled it, I hated it. But something just kept drawing me towards it; it grew on me over the next few weeks. So when DG had their Black Friday sale I grabbed a set. My sister then bought the frag as a Christmas gift for me.

I don't wear Cerberus as much as I'd like, unfortunately. There are some people in my life that have an adverse reaction to the smell. If I had to guess, I'd say it's the Opoponax that's causing the issue. I love it, though. It's got a punch, which I really enjoy.

---

Now onto the shave!

We've hit day 10 of the Lather Games! The games are a marathon, not a sprint, that is for sure.

Bog-standard shave today. It's Monday, so that's probably the reason. Lovely shave all around. Hawk++

In other news, I'm doing well following my spider bite and I'm having fiber installed at my house today. So that's great!

---

Sponsor Spotlight

Barrister and Mann

Will makes great stuff. Met him at Maggards, and he seems like a cool guy. Glad to have him as a part of this community.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 8/10
• Brush Hashtags: 7/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 7/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 10/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 10/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 10/30
• Number of Frags: 10/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 11, 2024 – 2024.06.11: Lather Games Day 11 – April Showers Bring May Flowers

• Brush: Stirling 31mm Zenith Boar #OLDWORLD
• Razor: Henson AL13+ #STAINLESSLESS
• Blade: Treet Falcon (1)
• Lather: Noble Otter – Rawr
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Unscented with Menthol Witch Hazel & Aloe
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime

---

Daily Theme: April Showers Bring May Flowers

Theme justification: Noble Otter Rawr has been classified as a Spring Scent in the past. Plus, Dandelions are classic spring-time.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Green. Everything in my setup has green. The Stirling Witch Hazel, the brush, and the SSL frag. In case there is any debate, witch hazel is an aftershave.

Side note with this theme: April showers did not bring May flowers for my area. Just more storms and tornadoes. Two massive tornadoes hit cities close by me. Thankfully there weren't many casualties, but there was a lot of damage. They're still recovering. May was rougher than normal.

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: Treet Falcon is a Carbon Steel blade. Thanks to /u/onionmiasma for the blade.

Brush facts: The brush was made my Zenith, who make their brushes in Italy.

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Color Coordinated

My pic was my SOTD Pic listed above, but I'll include it here for posterity: photo

I'm the first one to admit that I'm not great at color coordination (or any coordination, really). That's why I reached out to my boss for confirmation. She has a degree in interior design, and she stated that the items in today's shave (save for the brush that I forgot) are color coordinated.. I took the photo in front of a bush in my garden, and it even matched the theme. I'm not a good photographer, but I think it looks pretty decent.

I know she's not reading this, but I'm very for my boss. She's the reason I haven't left my current role. If she wasn't there I would've taken a job in NC about a year and a half ago.

---

Fragrance description

Rawr caught me off guard. It's the first time I've used it, and it was extremely pleasant. It's a light scent, grassy scent to my nose.

Sea Spice Lime is one of my favorites. I'm very grateful that the scent does not attract bees to me. The scent description of ocean water with lime is spot on. I went to Curacao this past spring and if I had added lime to the ocean water it would've been like wading in a giant vat of SSL.

---

Now onto the shave!

I'll be honest, I was worried about the Treet blade. So I decided to use my Henson. I have to say, it was actually quite nice. It won't replace my Wizamets, but it is far superior to Treet Black Beauty blades. I got a nice shave with no issues whatsoever.

---

Sponsor Spotlight

Yates manufactured my favorite razor: Aylsworth Drakkant. That makes them a winner in my books.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 9/10
• Brush Hashtags: 8/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 8/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 11/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 11/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 11/30
• Number of Frags: 11/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

One of the better photos I saw for the challenge, coordinated all the things, and didn't miss the fragrance.

June 12, 2024 – 2024.06.12: Lather Games Day 12 – CREAM

• Brush: Shave Forge Horsehair, 20mm #HORSESASS #HOLLOW
• Razor: GEM 1912 #RUSTYBUTTRUSTY
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Harry’s – Shave Cream
• Post Shave: Proraso – Menthol and Eucalyptus
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Every Storm A Serenade

---

Daily Theme: CREAM

Theme justification: Harry's Shaving Cream for Men is listed as a shaving cream. The tube is also clearly labeled as a cream.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Today's matching theme is Eucalyptus (otherwise known as the plant that koalas eat). All elements incorporate eucalyptus into their products. The Harry's Shaving Cream is made with "aloe and eucalyptus"(it's also listed on the tube), the Proraso Aftershave is with Eucalyptus & Menthol, and Imaginary Authors' Every Storm a Serenade has a note of eucalyptus as well.

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: This GEM 1912, which was provided on loan by /u/EldrormR, has a patina. I did my best to capture it: here, here, and here.

Brush facts: This brush, loaned by /u/OnionMiasma, is made of horse hair and has a hollow handle. It is the same brush he used here. A judge wouldn't lie about the brush characteristics, would they?

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Den Tour Day.

All I ask today is that you do not judge me on the messiness of my den/bathroom. Also, my cat wanted to take part in the den tour. I am willing to answer any questions related to my cat.

Here you have the right side of my counter. Encounter #1 with the cat. He was very interested in what I was doing. I keep all my brushes & razors up here because I have not found a good storage solution for them. I'm open to suggestions. My toothbrush also lives nested in the warm embrace of the brush forest, as does my CaYuen bowl. To the left of the sink is my organization tray. It has some of my most used items. My frags also live on this side, along with most of my lotions, because I haven't found a better place for them yet. The items on my HoM x Lancaster towel just haven't found a home yet either.

Here is the drawer on the right side. It has a few soaps and some miscellaneous items. It also has my blade bank. Under that drawer, we have a cabinet that I've installed two pullout drawers in. On the top we have my soap, and on the bottom we mostly have my aftershaves. The bottom does have my Stirling samples as well. I will say I greatly prefer the top drawer. It is much smoother and feels higher quality. Plus, I think it looks nicer. There are some boxes on each side of the drawers that have various items in them. The ones on top are filled with samples (one for smushes the other for actual sample products), while on bottom we have smush making items.

On the left side, the top drawer has my floss, hair stuff, and my sample frags. The cabinet below is a hodgepodge of items... Cat! What are you doing? You don't belong there! Come one, get out. Don't give me that look. I know you like drawers, but I don't want to be in a position where I have to tell a vet that you at a razor blade. Great, now that he's gone we can continue.

The top is mostly blades and boxes, while the bottom is a lot of bath soap and other miscellaneous items (like drop kits, travel razors, canned goo, and other various items I don't really use any more). This side really needs more organization. Next time I go to a place with a Daiso I'm buying some more organization items. The box I bought for my blades is perfect, and the stand on my countertop is nice too.

So thanks for taking a tour of my ~~crib~~ den. See you next year.

---

Fragrance description

The Harry's cream was so bad that it's not even worth mentioning in this section.

The Proraso lived up to its name and smelled like eucalyptus. Good on you, Proraso.

As for Every Storm a Serenade, the main note I'm getting is spruce and a bit of vetiver. I, unfortunately, do not get the any sense of storm or west coast of Denmark. Nor any sea notes. Not bad, but a bit different that I expected.

---

Now onto the shave!

Overall the shave was decent. I probably wasn't supposed to use a brush for the cream, but I did anyway. I mean, it doesn't say not to use a brush. The cream smelled horrible, but provided enough slickness to shave with the 1912. Result was a decent enough shave that was presentable without murdering my face.

I'll call it a win.

Finished up the morning by making some eggs, the Kenji way.. I prefer my scrambled eggs on the harder side, and this method worked great for that. They were still moist and delicious.

---

Sponsor Spotlight

House of Mammoth (/u/MammothBen). What can really be said. Active in the community while making great stuff. Him and Vida make a great team, and I've never been disappointed in a HoM product.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 8/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 12/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 12/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 12/30
• Number of Frags: 12/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP's cat makes a dramatic cameo during den tour.

Detailed tour that really let's OP's cat shine.

June 13, 2024 – 2024.06.13 SOTD: Lather Games Day 13 – Dupelgänger

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Matte Black with 26mm UHD Independent Fibre Knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet (1)
• Lather: Chicago Grooming Co. – AG 1889
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. – AG 1889
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Haverford

---

Daily Theme: Dupelgänger

Theme justification: Chicago Grooming Co. AG 1889 is "Inspired by Guerlain Jicky." It's a Jicky dupe

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I'm continuing with the Dupelgänger theme. My AS is AG 1889 (same Jicky dupe as previously mentioned) and Stirling Haverford, a dupe of Tome Ford Tabacco Vanille

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Draw a Soap Label

Behold! My masterpiece. Black on black; it's the best.

/u/chicagogroomingco, I am available for future label designs.

---

Fragrance description

AG 1889 - It's a Jicky dupe. With that, to me, it's the scent of a comforting old grandpa. Maybe it is because times change, but it's odd to think that of the fragrance Sean Connery wore that way. Maybe as times move on, our fragrance thoughts move too, you know?

As for Stirling Haverford, it's far too sweet for me. Way too much vanilla with not enough tobacco to cut the sweetness. Don't know if the real deal is like this too, but I have no interest in purchasing it after trying this.

---

Now onto the shave!

The shave was excellent. Darkwing is probably my favorite base currently. Extremely easy to lather, slick, and is great on the face. Definitely the best shave I've had this month. The Wiziment + Drakkant (along with the great lather) is a winning combination.

This shave definitely went better than David's ...

David stood in front of the bathroom mirror, his face freshly steamed from a hot towel. He reached for his badger-hair brush and dipped it into the luxurious shaving soap. As he lathered the soap into a rich, creamy foam, he felt a strange sensation wash over him, as if the room had suddenly grown colder.

He glanced up at his reflection and froze. The man in the mirror was him, yet not quite. There was a subtle difference in the eyes, a glint of something alien and unnerving. David blinked, trying to shake off the unease, and continued lathering his face.

With each stroke of the brush, the reflection seemed to gain more clarity, more definition, as if it were becoming more real than he was. David's hand trembled, and he accidentally dropped the brush into the sink. His reflection smirked.

"Careful," the mirror image said, its voice a perfect mimicry of David's, yet carrying an edge that sent shivers down his spine. "You wouldn't want to mess this up."

David stumbled back, the brush clattering in the sink. "What... who are you?"

The doppelganger in the mirror didn't answer. Instead, it picked up the straight razor David had laid out, running a finger along the blade. David felt an irresistible pull, as if invisible hands were dragging him forward. He struggled, but his feet moved of their own accord, carrying him toward the mirror.

The surface of the mirror rippled like water. David's hand passed through first, then his arm, and before he could scream, he was yanked entirely through, into a world of cold glass and shimmering reflections.

On the other side, David pounded against the barrier, his fists making no sound. He watched in horror as his reflection, now fully solid and independent, stepped out of the mirror and into his life.

"Thanks for the shave," the doppelganger said, stretching as if it had been confined for far too long. "I've been waiting for this moment."

David screamed, but no sound escaped the mirror realm. The world beyond was a distorted echo, a twisted version of his reality. He could see his doppelganger moving through his apartment, picking up his phone, calling his boss with his voice.

Days passed. David watched helplessly as the doppelganger slipped seamlessly into his life, charming his friends, excelling at his job, and even growing close to the woman David had been too shy to approach.

Time moved differently in the mirror realm. Each second felt like an eternity. David's initial panic gave way to despair, then to a burning determination. He studied the mirror, searching for any weakness, any way out.

One day, while the doppelganger was out, David noticed a tiny crack in the corner of the mirror. Hope surged within him. He pounded on the crack, willing it to grow. Slowly, painstakingly, it spread.

On the other side, the doppelganger seemed to sense something was wrong. It returned to the apartment, eyes narrowing as it saw the crack in the mirror. "You think you can escape?" it hissed.

David didn't respond. He poured all his strength into breaking the mirror, his knuckles bleeding against the glass. With a final, desperate punch, the mirror shattered.

The two worlds collided in a blinding flash of light. When the dust settled, David found himself back in his bathroom, shards of the broken mirror around him. His doppelganger was nowhere to be seen.

David looked at his reflection in the fragments. His own eyes stared back, tired but resolute. He was free. The nightmare was over.

He cleaned up the glass and stepped out into the world, determined to reclaim his life. As he walked away, he glanced back at the remnants of the mirror. For a moment, he thought he saw a shadow move, a hint of a smirk, but he shook it off.

David knew one thing for sure: he would never take his reflection for granted again.

 

Man, poor guy :(

---

Sponsor Spotlight

Dogwood Handcrafts makes some of the best handles in the business! I'm glad I was able to grab mine at a killer price thanks to an auction. I'll grab one of his Jurassic Park handles eventually.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 9/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 13/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 13/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 13/30
• Number of Frags: 13/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP (or AI, but I Want to Believe) tells a chilling tale.

June 14, 2024 – 2024.06.14 SOTD: Lather Games Day 14 – Frigid Friday

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Black Synthetic 25mm in AP Shave Co. Blue & Clear handle
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet (2)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Glacial Satsuma
• Fragrance: Simone Andreoli – Silver Marble

---

Daily Theme: Frigid Friday

Theme justification: Spearhead Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime contains a synthetic cooling agent.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Today's unifying theme is COLD. The aftershave is Stirling Glacial Satsuma, which is loaded with menthol.The frag is Simone Andreoli Silver Marble, which is described as:

Drawing inspiration from the northern Kingdom of Niflheim, Silver Marble is an icy and crystalline composition of frozen citrus and aromatic juniper, snow-draped evergreens and frosted woods. A potent and invigorating scent, with glacial freshness, woody depth and cool elegance.

From Simone Andreoli:

An exquisite union of crisp, frozen citruses and juniper berry notes that shine like icicles in the sun. A medley of spruce and cypress needles meld with the freshness of arctic air, evoking the vast expanses of an icy tundra. Base notes of frozen woods and molecules envelope the senses like an unforgettable olfactory journey to the icy North, bringing to mind vast landscapes of snow-capped mountains and frosted fir trees.

This is about as cold as a fragrance can get.

---

Scavenger Hunt Justification:

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Stacking Day

Behold! My masterpiece v2. It's not the best tower out there, but I think it is commendable.

Sadly, this challenge took a toll. In my first attempt, it fell. As a result, I (slightly) damaged one of my favorite razors.

Thankfully it wasn't worse.

---

Fragrance description

Sea Ice Lime and Stirling Satsuma are some of my favorite scents. SIL is the only tub I've killed. They fit well together, too. The citrus stands out even more over the salty ocean scent from SIL.

As for the frag, the description is pretty spot on. It smells like one of those winter mornings where you wake up, go outside, and take a deep breath of frozen air. It's nice.

---

Now onto the shave!

Well, this shave had prep that started last night. I took my fresh tub of SIL, and scooped some into my old lather bowl. I then decanted some Glacial Satsuma into a travel vial.

I then took the entire kit and placed it into the freezer

I took it all out this morning after my shower to shave. Everything was nice and frosted from its cold slumber.

Well, that's when I realized something. We need to make this a little colder, thankfully I have HoM Permafrost & Stirling Frost Drop. Let's add some of that instead of water. Well, not entirely, unfortunately. I did have to add a smidge of water, as the WS-23 & menthol just weren't producing a lather. The end result wasn't the best, but it was usable.

Spearhead's Highland base is great and produces a fantastic lather, so even with this sub-optimal lathering it was still slick. The worst part of this shave, though, was the frozen razor. Holding it was more challenging than dealing with the icicle that was on my face. I don't know if you guys know this, but stainless steel can get cold. Almost wish I had worn some mittens.

After I shaved, I used the cooled Glacial Satsuma splash. The added freezer time didn't really seem to have an impact on the splash. The added cooling agents to the soap, though, made the menthol in the splash less potent.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 10/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 14/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 14/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 14/30
• Number of Frags: 14/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP freezes all the things and should have worn mittens.

OP freezes all the things, should have worn mittens, and replaces (almost all of the) water with frost drops.

June 15, 2024 – 2024.06.15 SOTD: Lather Games Day 15 – Near Death Experience

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Plisson knot (28mm) with Paragon handle
• Razor: Blackland Era (SB 3)
• Blade: Wizamet (3)
• Lather: Chiseled Face – Banana
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Sea Ice Lime
• Fragrance: Yves Saint Laurent – L’Homme

---

Daily Theme: Near Death Experience

Theme justification: Chiseled Face Banana. After using it almost exclusively last month, this is the soap that is closest to death. It's the only one where you can see the bottom of the tub.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I'm continuing the near death theme. Sea Ice Lime is the splash I have that is closet to its death, and Yves Saint Laurent L'Homme is the frag I have that is closest to empty.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Water Day

I typically go with a wet lather (though not full GUTL). So today, I went with a nice pasty lather. I decided to use some special water for today too. See below for more info.

Pic here of my pasty (airy) lather. I'll be honest, it doesn't look too bad, but it's not great. Probably should've used even less water than I did (which wasn't much, I just dipped my brush in the water), but It's very dry and airy. Provided near 0 protection or slickness.

---

Fragrance description

The soap is the odd ball here. Laffy Taffy banana doesn't really mix with citrus and spice. YSL L'Homme is great. I get a lot of spiced ginger, but then it dries down to a nice woodsy scent. I think I've also received more complements with this frag than any other (though, I used to wear it a lot more, so that might be why).

---

Now onto the shave!

Since today was water day, I figured I should use some special water^TM. Thankfully, I always keep a stock of it in my bathroom. It's in a hidden place that nobody ever thinks to look. There's the good stuff!

So I scooped out some of my secret special water^TM and got to work. I'm going to let out a little secret: I'm not a huge fan of the CF base. Though, since Banana is my only tub, it could be that I'm just not a fan of Banana. Regardless, that is why I set out to kill it. With that out of the way, let's get back to today's shave.

I added just enough of my super secret special water^TM to make an airy paste.

Overall, not the worst shave I've had. Without the Special Water^TM it would've been even worse on (what is essentially) bad lather day.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 15/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 15/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 15/30
• Number of Frags: 15/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP shaves with toilet water.

OP shaves with literal toilet water. Somewhere an angel lost its wings or whatever.

😬

June 16, 2024 – 2024.06.16 SOTD: Lather Games Day 16 – Father’s Day

• Brush: AP Shave Co Ruby Ripple 24mm Cashmere
• Razor: Henson AL13+
• Blade: Wizamet (1)
• Lather: Barbasol – Shaving Cream Soothing Aloe
• Post Shave: Calvin Klein – Obsession Balm
• Fragrance: Ralph Lauren – Polo Green

---

Daily Theme: Father's Day

Theme justification: Barbasol Shaving Cream is currently produced by Perio Inc. Their "about us" page states that they come from a line of dental companies, "the first of which was founded in 1903." 1903 was before I was born.

Also, Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! I know it's not an easy job, but it does mean a lot. Here's to you!

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Continuing the "older than me" theme (plus paying homage to my father and grandfather). I'm using CK Obsession Aftershave balm. The [Calvin Klein fashion house was founded in 1968](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Klein_(fashion_house)). My frag is Ralph Lauren Polo Green. Ralph Lauren was founded in 1967. Both are older than I am. As a bonus, my grandfather wore Obsession (and used Barbasol) and my dad wore Polo Green.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Leg Day!

NSFW WARNING: SEXINESS* & BLOOD

First off, I'd like to state that I know I'm posting this extremely early in the day. My shave did, in fact, occur on 2024.06.16. I decided I wanted to get this done ASAP, so I took a night shower and shaved right after.

Probably the challenge I was looking forward to the least outside of WetTuber Day. As I said for that challenge, though, mama didn’t raise no bitch.

This challenge did make me change my calendar. I had to make an impromptu stop at Target yesterday to pick up some Barbasol. I had planned on using some brush-less Cella cream, but I only have a sample of that. Hence the trip to Target. Thankfully it was only a couple bucks. Plus, I found this neat stackable drawer for my razors, so that was nice.

First thing I needed to do was for this shave was read /u/Newtothethis's guide on shaving legs. It was very informative. I grabbed my trusted Henson+, loaded a Wizamet, and got to work.

To start, shorts for me are just above the knee. So that's where I'll be shaving to. Started with my left leg. Okay, everything is going fine. Just going section by section, like the guide told me to do. First part done (first pass). Left leg first pass done.

Not too bad at all!

Now, here's where the pictures stop a bit (mainly because I was in a groove). I forgot that I have some scars on my right leg that make my skin not smooth. Childhood injuries et al. As a result, I had a decent amount of blood, especially just below my right knee. I cleaned it up before taking a picture of my 1 pass legs. Nothing too major, all things considered.

Pass number two was a lot easier. Without the hair clogging up my razor I was able to make quick work on the ATG pass. The result was some smooth legs. Sorry for the blood in the photo. Unfortunately, I did forget to take a before photo, but you can see me hair in my

Overall, not a terrible job. The worst part about this shave was dealing with the clogging razor. Seemed like every inch or so the razor would clog. Guess my leg hair was denser than I thought. Also, I abandoned the brush about halfway through. It worked fine, but it was quicker just to glob it on with my hands.

*Sexiness is in the eye of the beholder. Any unauthorized use of these photos will result in lengthy litigation where we both have to explain what they hell we're doing this month.

---

Fragrance description

For this, I'm just going to focus on Polo Green. This scent sparks a lot of memories for me since it is what my dad wore when I was growing up (mostly). That's not to say they are all good memories. The mix of pine and leather create a distinct smell that brings me back to childhood.

---

Now onto the shave!

I covered the shave in detail under the challenge header. The barbasol worked well enough for this task, with the Henson razor being the best choice for the job due to its mild nature. The CK balm was actually quite nice on my bare legs.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 16/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 16/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 16/30
• Number of Frags: 16/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 17, 2024 – 2024.06.17 SOTD: Lather Games Day 17 – Don’t Have a Cow, Man!

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Matte Black with 26mm UHD Independent Fibre Knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet (1)
• Lather: Southern Witchcrafts – Necromantic
• Post Shave: Elysian – Styx
• Fragrance: Elysian – Styx

---

Daily Theme: Don't Have a Cow, Man!

Theme justification: Southern Witchcrafts Necromantic is a vegan soap.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: My theme here is "relating to dead people." Necromantic is described as being related to "necromancy: the resurrection of or communication with the dead," so I went with Elysian Styx for both the aftershave and frag. The River Styx is a river that Charon takes dead people across to get to the underworld.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Knee-Lather Day

You know, I'm starting to suspect something is up with the judges. First they want to see our legs all nice and smooth, then they want us to show them our bare knees covered in lather. Whatever. Who am I to judge others?

Here's my recently shaved knee covered in soap. Here it is all lathered up. Finally, here is the aftermath before I cleaned up

One of the reasons that I like to bowl lather is the that it keeps the messiness to a minimum. Knee lathering created a mess. 2/10 don't recommend

---

Fragrance description

For Necromantic, I get a light rose and wine smell. It's quite nice.

Elysian Styx can best be described as a "dark" apple scent. It's not a bright, fresh apple pie scent, or something like Braeburn. It's closer to the end of apple season, when the only apples left on the tree are past their prime and falling to the ground.

---

Now onto the shave!

Despite the knee-lathering, SW produced a good lather (as expected). Nice and slick. Shave was nice, but messy due to the lathering technique. I will not be doing that again.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 17/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 17/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 17/30
• Number of Frags: 17/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 18, 2024 – 2024..06.18 SOTD: Lather Games Day 18 – RIP in Pieces

• Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy Ti
• Blade: Feather (DE) (1)
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks – The Drunken Goat
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Co. – Animal Crackers
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Cow

---

Daily Theme: RIP in Pieces

Theme justification: Mickey Lee Soapworks is officially closed

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: All my software products today have working animals on the labels. Drunken Goat has goats (farm animals), Chicago Grooming Co. Animal Crackers aftershave has circus animals (bear, sea lion/seal, lion), and Zoologist Cow, well, has a cow (farm animal).

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Wicked Edge

I believe it was /u/OnionMiasma who, at the Maggard Meetup, said W_E is a community about wet shaving, and /r/wetshaving is a community for/of wetshavers (or something along those lines). Hell, my first ever wetshaving related post was on W_E. Both subs have their good and bad, but a lot of the bad seems to shine through on W_E (even if that is just due to difference in subs). I think some good conversations can be had over there, but I'll do my best to drum up an example of a ridiculously bad/annoying/odd post (mainly gleamed by looking at the most controversial post on W_E over the past year)(that also could pop up in the Daily Questions thread):

 

Why does DE Shaving Suck for Me? ? ...

For starter I picked up a Chiseled Face Groomatorium Titanium Legacy Razor - Herringbone razor cause i thought that they were good but Iguess they are not... Just sucks since I spent a small fortune on the razor and I cant even return it since i bought it used on facebook... I used feather blades since everyone here says that their the sharpest and I need that since I have super sensitive skin ... Am I DOing something wrong??... Seriously this razor is supposed to be great but when I shave with it no hair is cut and I dont know why because it should be ... it's like](https://i.imgur.com/qlKGVuU.jpg) the blade isnt cutting at all!!!

Why does shaving with this razor just freaking suck??... I am going to go back to my Dollar Shave Club razors since they worked for me and gave me a much better and superior shave to this Double Edge razor that does cut anything at all despite using feather blades...

FIN

---

Fragrance description

First time I've ever used a MLS product. Drunken Goat smells like cookies and beer. I'd probably buy a full tub if it was still around.

Animal Crackers smells exactly like it is described: animal crackers. It's wonderful. A simple buttery vanilla cookie.

Zoologist Cow: Sage is the first thing that hits me, followed by violet. Oddly sweet (think some form of sweetened milk) that I don't find too appealing, but it's not terrible.

---

Now onto the shave!

I am now really sad that I missed the MLS era of shaving soaps. This is absolutely fantastic stuff. Thank you very much for the sample, /u/Engineered_Shave! Loved the scent and the performance.

Decided to go with my Legacy razor today, just due to the name alone. Lovely razor produced a very nice shave. Probably helps that I used feather blades, which are the sharpest blades (as everyone knows). I did fix the odd issue I had in my W_E post, so don't worry :)

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 18/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 18/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 18/30
• Number of Frags: 18/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 19, 2024 – 2024.06.19 SOTD: Lather Games Day 19 – Juneteenth

• Brush: AKA Brushworxs Metamorphosis Kaiser-i-Hind with 26mm Turn-n-Shave Fullmoon knot
• Razor: Blackland Era (SB 3)
• Blade: Wizamet (2)
• Lather: Elysian – Styx
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! 3 Scotts
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! 3 Scotts

---

Daily Theme: Juneteenth

Theme justification: Elysian Soaps are made in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania was part of the [Union.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_(American_Civil_War))

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: I'm continuing Juneteenth theme with Spearhead Shaving Company products, which is based in Ohio. Ohio was a Union state as well.

On the note of today's theme:

So, as several of you know, I'm from the Tulsa area. Tulsa is known for many things:

• having a dope-ass flag
• cool art deco arhitecture
• A kick-ass park that was donated by a billionaire. Seriously, it was voted the best park in 2024 by USA Today
• Oil - It was once the oil capitol of the world. The legacy from Oilmen lives on here.
• Westhope - a Frank Lloyd Wright house
• Woody Guthrie - Tear the Fascist Down
• a lot of other great things that would take too long mention (fantastic museums, Route 66, et plus). Hit me up if you want more!

However, I'd say what most people know about Tulsa (especially now) is the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Around here, Juneteenth is a day of remembrance as well. Greenwood was called Black Wall Street due to being "one of the most commercially successful and affluent majority African-American communities in the United States." The massacre destroyed Greenwood and the thriving community it created. There's a lot more to this story, but I'm not writing a thesis here! Oh, after all that, the State built an interstate and junction over it. So that's nice.

All that to say, Juneteenth is a big deal to a lot of people here.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Meme Day

Let's lighten the mood a little bit, shall we!

• We all started this to save money, right?
• Have you guys heard of this great store?
• I mean, cartridge razors are terrible

---

Fragrance description

As I said for the frag, Elysian Styx is a dark apple scent. It's not comparable to a scent that is more apple pie, but one that is more akin to a fallen apple. It's nice.

3 Scotts is an absolutely fantastic scent. I don't fully know the scent notes, but I believe the main note I'm getting is amber. But I don't really trust my nose, so I could be completely wrong.

---

Now onto the shave!

I don't think Elysian gets enough love around here. The soap is easy enough to work and produces a nice, slick lather. Combining it with the Era resulted in great shave.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 19/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 19/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 19/30
• Number of Frags: 19/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 20, 2024 – 2024.06.20 SOTD: Lather Games Day 20 – Sunny Days

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Matte Black with 26mm UHD Independent Fibre Knot
• Razor: Yates Winning v2
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: 345 Soap Co. – Shark Bite
• Post Shave: Alcolado Glacial
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Seahorse

---

Daily Theme: Sunny Days

Theme justification: 345 Soap Co. Shark Bite is marketed as a summer scent:

In the dog days of summer, you’ll need a light, fresh fragrance to start your day off right

I mean, just look at the label. It's about as summer as you could get.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: The relevant theme for today is aquatic animals. The Alcolado Glacial has a penguin, Zoologist Seahorse has a seahorse, and the soap, as previously shown, has a shark. I even wore a shirt with a sea turtle on it, but forgot to take a pic :(

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: /u/Old_Hiker Appreciation Day

In appreciation of /u/Old_Hiker, I shaved outside. It was awful, but not because of the shave, but it didn't start off that way. I went to my back yard and found a cozy spot.. Then I had to find a water source. Thankfully, it's not like I'm in the middle of the woods. I wet my lather and brush and got to work.

This is when the trouble started. Just take a look here, and you'll see why. I should've known. June in OK? Yeah, these bastards are everywhere and I apparently am like sugar to them. Seems I'm one of the lucky mosquito magnets (always have been, unfortunately).

So I shaved about as quickly as I could, using my phone as a mirror.

End result was about 15-20 bites. I killed that many as well. See some of the fallen here on my leg. There were more, but that was the easiest photo.

---

Fragrance description

Shark Bite is primarily pineapple and wood to me, and I really enjoy it. Love pineapple.

Alcolado Glacial just smells like alcohol, which makes sense considering it is made by the Curaçao liqueur company.

Zoologist Seahorse definitely has a strong marine/ocean vibe. Nice, clean smell, unlike what you'd get if you walked into an aquarium. This is more akin to when you step out of ocean from snorkeling and take a deep breath.

---

Now onto the shave!

Outside of the misquotes, it was nice. I did shave as quickly as humanly possible so that I could stop getting bit.

This is the first time I'm using the aftershave splash. I purchased it in Curaçao when I was there for vacation earlier this year. Honestly, it wasn't bad. I don't know if I'll keep using it as an aftershave, but I will for a "cool down" splash (which is one of its main uses as well).

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 11/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 20/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 20/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 20/30
• Number of Frags: 20/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 21, 2024 – 2024.06.21 SOTD: Lather Games Day 21 – Fougère Friday

• Brush: AKA Brushworx Blues Stanley Cup with 26mm Turn N Shave Quartermoon knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles – Blugère
• Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles – Blugère
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Heather

---

Daily Theme: Fougère Friday

Theme justification: Catie's Bubbles Blugère is a "blueberry topped, woody fougere."

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Continuing the Fougère theme with Blugère aftershave and Spearhead Seaforth! Heather EdT. Heather "is a classic fougère structure ..."

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: /u/Enndeegee Appreciation Day

In his home, Enndeegee was firm,
Hating scrubs was his only concern.
He crafted a list,
No scrubs would persist,
To clear his domain was his term.

To show I'm no scrub, I'll display,
With Catie's Bubbles in my shave today.
Lathering fine and grand,
Smooth cheeks, you understand,
Enndeegee, my shave's a triumph!

With Catie's Bubbles Blugere aftershave,
And Spearhead Seaforth! Heather, hooray!
Aftershave soothes with grace,
EdT's scent, I embrace,
In grooming, a blend that lasts all day!

Enndeegee will rejoice with glee,
When the Lather Games are done, you'll see.
Every scrub he'll track down,
In his triumph, no frown,
His domain scrub-free, as it should be.

---

Fragrance description

Blugère is a favorite around here for a reason. It's fantastic, no other way to put it. It's like walking through a wild blueberry patch in the woods.

Spearhead Seaforth! Heather, though, I'm not too big of a fan. It's not bad by any sense of the imagination, but just not one I'd reach for often. I think it is because it is a tad "soapy."

---

Now onto the shave!

Didn't you see the post above?

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 12/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 21/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 21/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 21/30
• Number of Frags: 21/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 22, 2024 – 2024.06.22 SOTD: Lather Games Day 22 – Sppoky Season

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Plisson knot (28mm) with Paragon handle
• Razor: Yates Precision Razors – Winning v2
• Blade: Feather (DE) (2)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. – Pumpkin Spice
• Post Shave: Areffa Soap – Crazy Pumpkin
• Fragrance: Southern Witchcrafts – Boonana

---

Daily Theme: Spooky Season

Theme justification: Stirling Pumpkin Spice is an autumn/fall scent, hence why Stirling releases it in the fall. Plus, Pumpkin Spice is a fall scent/flavor

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Areffa Soaps Crazy Pumpkin aftershave & Southern Witchcrafts Boonana EdP. The theme, continuing the fall-esque thought, is sitting on your porch with a pumpkin spice latte on Halloween with your carved pumpkins while you scare trick-or-treaters by screaming, "Boo!" You chuckle as the young kids scream and run away. Maybe becoming a ghost wasn't so bad.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Halloween

You know, surprisingly, I don't have a pumpkin in my house in the middle of June. So let's see if we can find anything that is carvable. Well, would you look at that. The first thing I see in my fridge is a nice, carvable, onion.. As everyone know, onions are fantastic, so this should be easy.

I take the onion, and a carving board, into my ~~bathroom~~ carving station. My nice Japanese knives would be useless for this. I need to use the sharpest of blades. Always wash your tools before working! Now I'm ready to begin. First step is the peel the skin off. Easy. The sharpest blade on earth was handy for taking the skin off. Next step was to slice the ends off. Again, easy work.

I cut out two eyes to start. It's coming together. Cut a mouth for him, and c'est fini. I shall call him, Mini Miasma!

Let's add some spookiness to Mini Miasma, for a better fit for the theme. There, that's more like it!

P.S.: the reason Mini Miasma has an onion sliver in his mouth is because he's ridding his body of evil onions though his mouth.

---

Fragrance description

Pumpkin spice is a nice scent, but I don't use this soap too often. I don't get a burn from it like some, but It's just a scent I have to be in the mood for, you know? It does smell exactly like the good pumpkin spice mix you'd get at the store (or preferably make yourself).

Crazy pumpkin is probably my favorite Areffa scent I've tried. It's like walking through a pumpkin patch at dusk that's full of other flowers. The spice note also brings out the thought of a fire (without the smoke) in the pumpkin patch. I actually like it better than Stirling's Pumpkin Spice scent.

Boonana is fantastic. I get more bourbon and tobacco than banana, but the sweetness of the banana does cut through to make the other scents more palatable. Everything works in tandem to make sure this scent is a fall classic.

---

Now onto the shave!

First off, I couldn't let that Feather blade go to waste. They're expensive! So I had to put it back in my razor.(please not that the floss pick is unused for teeth, and only used as a pick to remove some onion from Mini Miasma). All back together, so the shave can begin!

Stirling soap lathers up as expected, providing a nice lather. Shaving with a blade coated in onion juices might not have been the best idea, but at least it didn't seem to cause any issues (we'll see if my face decided to yell at me later for essentially putting onion juices on it).

The splash isn't on the level of NO or other artisans, but it's not bad at all. I'd say upper-mid tier.

Rounding out with Boonana made this shave (scent wise) oddly enjoyable. Love SW's EdPs (and their affordable prices).

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend! :)

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 13/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 22/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 22/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 22/30
• Number of Frags: 22/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

User created a mini-onion miasma using a feather, the sharpest of blades.

June 23, 2024 – 2024.06.23 SOTD: Lather Games Day 23 – Sweet Sunday

• Brush: Silicone Basting Brush
• Razor: Gem Flying Wing / Bullet Tip
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE
• Lather: Talent Soap Factory – Fantasy Donut
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Iced Pineapple
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – A Whiff of Wafflecone

---

Daily Theme: Sweet Sunday

Theme justification: Talent Soap Factory Fantasy Donut smells like a sweet donut.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: SWEET, SWEET, SWEET! I'm continuing the sweet gourmand theme here. Stirling Iced Pineapple smells like a sweet pineapple, and Imaginary Authors A Whiff of Wafflecone smells like a fresh sweet wafflecone in the middle of an ice cream shop.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Kitchen Day

Kitchen Day. Alright. I got this. I don't want to use the Kitchen Aid mixer as that's been done too many times, and I don't think my other appliances would make a good lather. I'll have to figure something else out. While I was deliberating, I also had to make some breakfast for young ones, just like /u/tsrblke. Except my young one is a smaller and scalier than his, so I just have to [defrost his food] (https://i.imgur.com/PTQDuub.jpg)(just a pic of a bag, nothing more). Now back to the task at hand.

I figured it out. Might as well take full advantage of the kitchen. I grab a pot from the dishwasher, and add in a little bit more than a quarter teaspoon of Fantasy Donut. I then added the water. Gotta remember to smash the soap around to make it easier to work with! Thankfully for human breakfast I had some donuts (whoa, what a coincidence!), so I scrapped some of the chocolate glaze from one and added it to the soap for some extra sweetness.

Now for the magic. I turned the burner on and got to work* Just look at this beautiful lather!! Applying it on my face wasn't the easiest, I will admit, but it worked. Here it is right before I started shaving. Shaving wasn't too bad. I think the razor enjoyed the chocolate.

 

*Please ignore the mess that are my burners. Old range + cleaning day is later today.

---

Fragrance description

Fantasy Donut is aptly named. It smells like a fresh donut from a bakery. Glad I bought a tub.

Iced Pineapple is a very simple scent from Stirling. It smells like a fresh pineapple. I'm really enjoy simple scents that are done well.

Whiff of Wafflecone can be overly sweet at times, with the vanilla starting. After the vanilla dries down, though, the wafflecone aspect shines and it is a really fun scent. Not too usable in day-to-day life, but it's nice to have a sample of in your den when you want something completely different.

---

Now onto the shave!

Look, Aaron (from Talent Soap Factory), if you're reading this, I'm sorry for what I did with your soap. You should be proud that it actually still worked, for the most part. It created a slick barrier on my skin for the razor to glide on. So I'd call that a success. I don't think adding chocolate did anything beneficial to the shave, but it did make the smell even better.

The bullet tip gem worked well in this task. I wanted something that would be easy to use without a mirror and it did the job very effectively.

Overall, 5/10 shave. Right down the middle.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 14/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 23/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 23/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 23/30
• Number of Frags: 23/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP adds chocolate donut frosting to his donut-scented soap, heats it up, slathers it on, and gets a mediocre shave out of it. Could have gone worse.

OP adds chocolate donut frosting to his donut-scented soap, heats it up, slathers it on, and gets a mediocre shave out of it. Could have gone worse.

June 24, 2024 – 2024.06.24 SOTD: Lather Games Day 24 – Christmas in July, but in June Eve

• Brush: AKA Brushworxs Metamorphosis Kaiser-i-Hind with 26mm Turn-n-Shave Fullmoon knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: Zingari Man – The Watchman
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Unscented Balm
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Alive

---

Daily Theme: Christmas in July, but in June Eve

Theme justification: Today's soap, Zingari Man The Watchman, was provided by /u/OnionMiasma. /u/OnionMiasma has participated in over 12 shaves during these Lather Games

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: The relevant theme for today's shave is a continuation of today's theme: stuff /u/OnionMiasma has gifted to me. In fact, he sent all three of these items in one box! See the note he provided for proof.. Items 1, 9, and 13. The photo has been edited to remove our names, but that is all. He sent me this care package shortly after I joined the sub. It was incredibly generous to do for a new member and showed me just how friendly this place is. You're a real one, /u/OnionMiasma.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: /r/Wetshaving exclusive wish list

Now this is tricky. Lots of great things out there. Do we bug /u/Rocketk455 for more meme soap? I don't think so. Not after he made You Did This. We need to let him focus on better things.

Do we pressure /u/MammothBen into giving us green goop, for whatever reason? Nah.

Seems like Stirling is already working on something in the background that might moove us.

So, I think we should leave the next exclusive to one of this year's new sponsors. Namely, I recommend Aaron from Talent Soap Factory. Now, a lot of his scents are gourmand, but I don't think that this exclusive should go that route. I think he should piggyback off of a new, sure-to-be-hit movie: Twisters

What would this smell like, you ask? Well, if you ask any Midwesterner or person who lives in tornado alley, they'll let you know that there is a distinctive smell before a thunderstorm and/or tornado. I typically associate this with Ozone, but I could be wrong. Since Aaron is in KC (according to Etsy), I'm assuming he knows this smell well. I've tried most of the "storm" scents that are popular around these parts, and nothing really comes close to what I'm thinking. Maybe it's because my sniffer is off (which is true), but I don't think it's that far off. To make it easier on Aaron, I've even drawn up a rudimentary label. Bear in mind that I'm no /u/Wyze0ne. I submit to you: "Welcome to Moore, OK!" For some reason imgur didn't like this photo, so I had to go with ibb.co.

So there you go. Aaron, if you're on reddit and see this, let me know if you're up to this. I'm happy to be a smell tester for you.

---

Fragrance description

The watchman does his some of the ozone notes I suggest above, but it's definitely more of a sea-salt and ozone vibe. Makes me want to watch The Lighthouse

Alive is not one of my top HoM scents, but it is nice. I think it is just a bit too floral for my liking. I do appreciate the apple that comes through, though. The initial opening spice you get reminds me of mulled apple cider.

---

Now onto the shave!

I do enjoy Zingari soaps. While not my favorite scent, the lather was nice and the overall shave was enjoyable. I don't know if it is because of my shenanigans I've been dealing with this month, but today's lather was absolutely phenomenal. Near perfect consistency, great sheen, A+ slickness and protection. Much better than using boiling soap with added chocolate like I did yesterday. Their balms are very nice as well.

Overall, 7/10 shave today.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 15/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 24/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 24/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 24/30
• Number of Frags: 24/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 25, 2024 – 2024.06.25 SOTD: Lather Games Day 25 – Christmas in July, but in June

• Brush: AKA Brushworx Blues Stanley Cup with 26mm Turn N Shave Quartermoon knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: MacDuff’s Soap Company – Christmas Cabin
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Christmas Eve
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Santa Noir

---

Daily Theme: Christmas in July, but in June

Theme justification: MacDuff's Christmas Cabin has Christmas in its name and is sold as a Christmas vibe scent.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Let's keep with the Christmas spirit (theme)! Stirling Christmas Eve and House of Mammoth Santa Noir are both Christmas scents

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Shave in a Hat

I'm a hat guy, so this isn't really too challenging for me. I only wish that I had ordered my new Barmah hat sooner. I bought it mainly to use while traveling since it squishes down, but it would've made for a good shave hat.

Now, I noticed that the challenge says, specifically,

Just that. Wear a hat while you shave.

Sounds like I'm only allowed to wear a hat while I shave. Fine; I'll acquiesce to the judges desires. Here you go judges: Lathered up, and shaving. There's nothing NSFW about these photos, but I put them on imgbb instead of imgur since imgur has deleted my lather photos in the past.

I went with a Calgary Flames hat due to the Stanley Cup Final ending last night. The Oilers lost, so I felt it was appropriate to wear a Calgary hat since I'm sure Flames fans are happy Edmonton didn't win. Felt appropriate. This is also why I used my Stanley Cup brush.

---

Fragrance description

I love all these scents. Combined, I currently smell like tree that has been musked on by a reindeer. Sounds bad, I know, but it's not. Santa Noir just has a strong musk opening (at least I think it is musk).

---

Now onto the shave!

It's been ridiculously hot where I'm at the past week. So hot, in fact, that my back windscreen has decided it wants to melt away. So a Christmas theme shave is a welcome thought. Christmas time is typically nice and cool without being cold. Sounds lovely

MacDuff's Christmas Cabin is a great scent and their soap produces a fantastic lather. I know they're relatively new (at least it seems like they are), but they make a great soap. I'm unsure if they make their scents in house or if they are just using pre-blends, but the quality of the lather is top notch.

I reached for my Aylsworth Drakkant today out of habit, not even realizing they were the sponsor spotlight for the day. This is by far my favorite razor in my den. Don't really know what it is about it, but the shaves it provides are sublime. Efficient enough to handle some growth while being mild enough to be a daily shaver. I need to pick up the plus plate, which I was loaned on discord, as it is just a smidge more efficient (not necessarily better, but I like it a lot). There are a lot of great razors out there, but if you ever get the chance to try a Drakkant, please take it.

Stirling Christmas Eve aftershave and HoM Santa Noir EdP were a nice pairing to the soap, and rounded out a very nice, naked, shave.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 15/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 25/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 25/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 25/30
• Number of Frags: 25/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 26, 2024 – 2024..06.26 SOTD: Lather Games Day 26 – Wildcard Wednesday

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Black Synthetic 25mm in AP Shave Co. Blue & Clear handle
• Razor: Schick Xtreme 2-Blade Sensitive Men’s Disposable Razors
• Lather: Waterman – Sertentiy Blue Fountain Pen Ink
• Post Shave: Diamine – Nib Cleaning Solution
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Squid

---

Daily Theme: Wildcard Wednesday

Theme justification: Watermman Serenity Blue is fountain pen ink and is the first fountain pen ink being shaved with today.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Ink is today's relevant theme. Diamine Nib Cleaning Solution (aftershave) is used to clean ink off of nibs and feeds, and Zoologist Squid has black ink accord as a note

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Clean Brush Talk

I mainly use synthetic brushes, so my cleanup is quite easy. After I shave, I rinse it under the tap. I squeeze out any remaining soap from the brush. After that, I go to my shower and rapidly squish my wrist to shake all the water out. I grab and squeeze the knot for a couple of shakes too, to insure all the water is out. Once all the water is gone, I'll run the brush over my arm (or something) quickly to reset the bristles (don't know how else to describe that). I don't think this really does anything, but it is habit now.

Quick, simple, and easy. #SynthsRule

Here's a pic of me cleaning my brush today.

---

Fragrance description

Both my lather and aftershave were mainly odorless. Zoologist Squid, though, is my favorite Zoologist scent. It might be my favorite scent in my collection. I don't use it much since I only have a sample vial and don't want to waste what's left.

The first thing I notice is the peppercorn, but that dries down quickly. Then, the Opopanax shines through. At least, I believe that's what it is. A slightly sweet myrrh scent. I feel like I'm in a market Ancient Smyrna, where I anger a local merchant and he throws a squid at my face.

Okay, maybe not to squid part, but I had to put something in to highlight the ink note.

---

Now onto the shave!

Thankfully there is no rule against cartridge razors today, so I'll be using the same Schick I used for Canned Goop day. Now lets get to this!

First, I'll start by decanting some ink. Don't want to just pour this stuff over my brush. Waterman Serenity Blue is one of my favorite, most used inks because of how well it behaves. It's the perfect office ink. That's for paper, though, and not my face. please don't turn me into the Blue Man Group

Now to load up the brush with the ~~ink~~ lather. Don't know how well this is going to work, but let get this on my face! First, have to load it into a blunt tipped syringe. This is so I don't use too much. Looks like a good amount to me. Loading the brush. And, finally, on the face. Gotta make sure it's lathered properly.

I tried to shave quick to minimize the amount of time the blue was on my face.

Now for the aftershave. I, again, loaded up my syringe for portion control, but this time of the Diamine Nib Cleaning Solution. Can't really see it in the bowl, but it's there.

Aftermath:

My face, thankfully, isn't a blueberry, but my shirt is going to need a wash.

Overall, do I recommend you shave with fountain pen ink? No, I do not. Can it be done? Yes, but at what cost? Hopefully Hobby Day will be happening again this year and I can let everyone know how to properly use fountain pen ink.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 15/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 26/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 26/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 26/30
• Number of Frags: 26/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

shaved using fountain pen ink

shaved using fountain pen ink

June 27, 2024 – 2024.06.27 SOTD: Lather Games Day 27 – Information Overload

• Brush: Bundubeard Oryx Horn handle with 26mm AP Shave Co. Pure Bliss knot
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: Summer Break Soaps – Prom King
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Light-ish Red – Splash
• Fragrance: Zoologist Perfumes – Bee

---

Daily Theme: Information Overload

Theme justification: Summer Break Soaps Prom King has the following scent notes:

1. lavender
2. bergamot
3. mint
4. cinnamon
5. cumin
6. orange blossom
7. vanilla
8. tonka bean
9. sandal wood
10. cedar

That meets the requirement of at least 10 scent notes

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Information Overload continues! Both my aftershave, Stirling Light-ish Red, and my frag, Zoologist Bee, have more than 10 scent notes (16 & 13, respectively).

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Leftorium Challenge

I cannot believe that the judges are making us do this. Left-handiness is something that is plain wrong! It's an abomination. The fact that the judges are making us do this is ridiculous. This goes against every single thing I believe in.

This post is mostly right, until it state that left-handed people are not evil. That is just flat out gibberish. Left-handedness is a sign of the devil and nothing more. There is a reason the nuns used to beat it out of children. It was the only way the devil would leave them alone!!!

Just look at this list of left-handed people:

• Oprah - evil - wants to control the world through her TV shows
• Prince William - evil - thinks he's better than us just because of his odd family tree
• Neil Armstrong - liar and evil - wants us to believe in "the moon landing"
• Leonardo da Vinci - evil - he was probably just high all the time. Plus, the Mona Lisa sucks.
• Napoleon Bonaparte - so evil that even poison couldn't kill him
• Bill Gates - do I need to even say anything here? I mean, come on, the list is endless.
• Babe Ruth - evil - he was a Yankee for goodness' sake!
• Gordon Ramsay - anyone who cooks a grilled cheese like this is pure evil.

There's absolutely more, but the evidence is clear: the only right hand is the right hand. I mean, just look at the word sinister. I comes from the Latin word for left! That's not a coincidence. It's bad enough we allow these people to play sports just because "it gives the teams an advantage." We need to return to the values that have stood the test of time. We need to recognize left-handedness for what it is: a troubling sign of the devil’s influence. The fact the judges would bring their left-handed satanic agenda to the games embarrassing. It's time to reclaim our righteous path and banish this sinister affliction from our midst! #DownWithLeftHanders #WetshaveOnlyRight #RightHandPride #WetshaversAgainstLeftHandedness #Only1DominantHand

So, anyway, I shaved with my left hand. It went fine. Here are some pics for proof

---

Fragrance description

Prom King is a dupe of Le Male. Honestly not a huge fan of this one. Smells "generic," for lack of a better term. It's not bad, but nothing spectacular to me.

Light-ish Red is a dupe of Abercrombie Fierce. Smells like an early 2000s A&F store in the mall. A scent I can easily see, whether I'd like to or not. Not that I ever went in their stores, as I wasn't their target demographic, but they were very potent.

Zoologist Bee is quite nice. The first note I get is one similar to honey, but slightly off. It's relaxing. Vanilla is next. Don't think I have anything else like it in my den.

---

Now onto the shave!

I did (against my upmost beliefs) shave with my left hand. It was fine. Summer Break Soaps is a fantastic soap and Stirling aftershaves are very nice as well.

Overall, 8/10 shave today.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 16/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 27/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 27/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 27/30
• Number of Frags: 27/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

OP's stance on Lefties is puritanical and, apparently, righteous.

OP's stance on Lefties is puritanical and, apparently, righteous.

June 28, 2024 – 2024.06.28 SOTD: Lather Games Day 29 – Frugal Friday

• Brush: Diane D985 Shaving Brush
• Razor: Assured for Men Double Edge Safety Razor
• Blade: Assured for Men Double-Edge
• Lather: Arko – Shave Stick
• Post Shave: Xtra Care – Original Scent
• Fragrance: Yardley – Summer Breeze

---

Daily Theme: Frugal Friday

Theme justification: I'm not sure what the MSRP of Arko is, but at Maggard it sells for $2.99/75g. That works out to $0.04/g. This is by far the cheapest wetshaving soap I have in my den.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: CHEAP! CHEAP! CHEAP!. To continue Frugal Friday, my aftershave and frag were purchased at Dollar Tree and are the cheapest AS and frag I own. The Xtra Care Original Scent Aftershave and Yardley Summer Breeze Body Mist (note that the bottle calls it a perfume. See the bold words in the instructions).

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Frugal Friday

Everything in today's shave is the cheapest I have in my den. Will it make for a good shave? Let's find out!

Items: Razor & Blades: Assured for Men from the Dollar Tree.. I couldn't find a retail price for my Gem Jr. 1912, which I believe is the razor that I have that retailed for the least amount of money when new. However, I did find this ad for a MMOC with a coupon for $0.25 from 1935. Adjusted for inflation, that would be $5.73. This razor beats out everything.

Since the blades are included with the razor as a bundle, I feel like I'm being generous when I value them at $0.25/tuck - $0.05/blade. On Razor Blade Club, there are no blades that hit that price point (regardless of quantity). So that makes them easily the cheapest blades I own.

Soap: I already discussed this above, but Arko is the cheapest soap I have on a price/gram basis.

Aftershave: Xtra Care Original Scent was purchased at Dollar Tree (link above). 4 oz for $1.25 comes to $0.3125/oz of AS. This Gillette Aftershave Gel is the closest I have to it, but it comes out to $1.03/oz.

Fragrance: Yardley Summer Breeze (same pic as the razor). A perfume that is $1.25/2oz, or $0.625/oz. I mean, nothing comes close in terms of standard frags. The Brut cologne I purchased for canned goop day is close, but it still comes in above at $0.783/oz.

Brush: Diane D985 Shaving Brush I originally purchased this for #FauxFur, as the description list "faux badger hair" twice, but I ended up buying a Pure Bliss knot. Still comes in handy, though, because at $4.39 it is by far the cheapest brush I own. CamelCamelCamel has the average even lower, at $3.01, so I got played! Just like "badger" brush I used earlier in the games from Amazon (that clearly stated it was badger), I do not believe this is synthetic. Feels like a terrible boar brush.

Bowl: I cannot use my CaYuen bowl today, sadly. So I grabbed the cheapest bowl I own. This Ikea bowl fits the bill. These things come in a 6 pack for $1.99. That comes out to $0.33/bowl. A lot cheaper than my CaYuen.

---

Fragrance description

Arko - I've heard Arko described to me before as the smell of a urinal cake. I don't think that is quite right, but it's close. It's a pleasant citrus smell that does remind me of some sort of cleaner. I don't mind it.

Xtra Care Original Scent - I really cannot place this one, but it's not good. It's quite powdery, which is not a favorite note of mine, with some other note that I can't identify. Regardless, it's not great.

Yardley Summer Breeze - This stuff smells like sweet potpourri. Sickeningly sweet. It's not great, especially mixed with powder note of the aftershave. Just not good at all.

---

Now onto the shave!

Thanks to /u/jwoods23 for the Arko smush. This is my first experience with Arko. I can see why it's popular. Decent stuff at a very cheap price. Produced an okay lather that could've been a lot better with a different brush. Just look how much it's shedding in just that pic!

The razor left a lot to be desired. Can't expect much for $1.25, though (especially when it comes with blades). The blades came completely unmarked. Thankfully they weren't too bad.

The shave itself went fine. Lather could've been better. I hated that brush so much. It shed constantly to where the razor looked like it was growing its own beard. It also felt exactly like the "badger" brush I used earlier in the games with my Doritos lather. Let that be a lesson to everyone: don't buy extremely cheap brushes from Amazon that look like crap, because they are crap.

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 16/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 28/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 28/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 28/30
• Number of Frags: 28/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 29, 2024 – 2024.06.29 SOTD: Lather Games Day 29 – Sandalwood Saturday

• Brush: Paragon Shaving Plisson knot (28mm) with Paragon handle
• Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: Proraso – Sandalwood
• Post Shave: Spearhead Shaving Company – Seaforth! Spiced
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth – Fu Dao

---

Daily Theme: Sandalwood Saturday

Theme justification: I'm using Proraso Sandalwood with Shea Butter](https://maggardrazors.com/products/proraso-sandalwood-with-shea-butter-shaving-soap-5-2oz), colloquially known as Proraso Red. Its scent is sandalwood.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Red is the theme for the day. All the software in today's shave have red as their main color: Proraso Red (as linked above), Spearhead Seaforth! Spiced aftershave toner, and House of 福 (Fú Dào). Red all around.

---

Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

---

Daily/Special Challenge: Do Our Homework Day

There have been lots of great posts this year. My favorites have been:

• /u/hugbckt turning himself into a cupcake
• /u/cowzilla3 writing a song about /u/OnionMiasma
• /u/Priusaurus doing leg day after saying he wasn't going to do leg day

There are several more, but those made me chuckle the most.

As for the contests:

FOF: I have to say /u/hugbckt has it for me. His descriptions have been great.

ROTY: I'd like to say myself, since I'm competing in the contest, but if I don't win, I think /u/bacconchop has done a good job.

Photo scavenger hunt: /u/tsrblke photos have stood out to me.

Lather Games winner: Gotta give it to /u/hugbckt. Why? His posts have been great, on theme, witty, and funny. Plus, we don't need a repeat winner. /u/Priusaurus has done extremely well, though, and if he did win it would be deserved.

---

Fragrance description

Proraso Red is a lightly scented sandalwood, which I did enjoy. It's not bad at all

Seaforth! Spiced is pretty much a classic around here, and for a reason. The mandarin and cinnamon stand out to me.

This is the first time I've worn Fú Dào. Wow. The first thing that hits me is gunpowder, and a lot of it. Perfect July 4th scent, IMO. After the gunpowder dies down, the other notes start to sign through, and it reminds me of a community celebration. Takes me back to blowing up watermelons with m80s with my cousins when I was a kid.

---

Now onto the shave!

Thanks to /u/Eructate for the smush. First time using Proraso, and it's not bad. Not my favorite, but if it is all I had I'd probably be content. Did a 3-pass shave with the Drakkant and a Wizament and ended up with a smooth face and neck. No irritation to be seen.

Hard to believe that this is the penultimate shave for The 2024 Lather Games.

Tomorrow is going to be a big one. :)

---

Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 16/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 29/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 29/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 29/30
• Number of Frags: 29/30

---

Contest Hashtags:

#FOF

#ROTY

June 30, 2024 – 2024.06.30 SOTD: Lather Games Day 30 – Bon Voyage, Lather Games

• Brush: Maggard 22mm Black & White Synthetic
• Razor: Henson AL13+
• Blade: Wizamet
• Lather: Bundubeard – Kletterkees
• Post Shave: Areffa Soap – Cocaine splash
• Fragrance: Calvin Klein – Obsession

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Daily Theme: Bon Voyage, Lather Games

Theme justification: Today's lather, Bundubeard Kletterkees, is made in South Africa. I reside in the United States of America, which is different than South Africa. I'm not too bad at geography, so I can confirm this fact.

Relevant Post Shave & Frag: Today's relevant theme is "Products not made in the USA." To go with my my lather for today, I've gone with Areffa Soap Cocaine aftershave which is made in Ukraine and Calvin Klein Obsession EdT which is made in France (last line on the sticker). Again, due to my geography skills, I know none of these places are the USA.

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Scavenger Hunt ~~Justification~~: COMPLETED

Razor facts: N/A

Brush facts: N/A

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Daily/Special Challenge: World Traveler

I have already described my software above, but to recap: Bundubeard soap made in South Africa; Areffa Soap aftershave made in Ukraine; CK Obsession EdT made in France; I live in the USA.

My hardware is also made outside the USA:

Brush: Maggard 22mm Synth - Made in China (confirmed by Brad (/u/undream22) on Discord in May)

Razor: Henson Al13 - Made in Canada: "Our Razors are fully designed, manufactured, assembled and packaged in Canada.

Blade: Wizimet - Made in Russia

Bowl: random bowl purchased in Japan - Made in Japan

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Fragrance description

Bundubeard Kletterkees smells very fruity, without being overly sweet. It's a nice anytime scent, in my opinion.

Areffa Soap Cocaine is a dupe of Franck Boclet Cocaine. I'm not a fan. The fragrance is extremely floral and sweet, not something that I enjoy too often.

Calvin Klein Obsession is what my grandfather wore, so it reminds me of him (and older men in general). I wore it all through High School, so now other than the nostalgia I don't care for the scent. It does remind me of going into his wood-shop, though, so that is nice. I guess that is the point of scents, right, to transport us to a different location (time being irrelevent)? I used the Obsession balm earlier this month, but the scent of the EdT is a lot better.

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Lather Games Farewell Address & Final Shave!

Today is it. The last day of the Lather Games. We've had a lot of fun over the past 30 days and made some memories. Some good, some bad. I'm glad I was able to take part. I've done a lot of things I thought I'd never do over these Games:

• shaved with Doritos-infused soap
• made a shaving video and put in on youtube
• shaved with frozen gear
• shaved with toilet water
• shaved my legs
• I slathered lather mixed with chocolate glaze on my face to shave
• shaved with fountain pen ink
• and more

WARNING FOR ANYONE WITH ARACHNOPHOBIA. SPIDER PICTURED IN THIS POST!

That's why today we're saying, "Bon Voyage" to the Lather Games. That's not all I'm saying goodbye to, though. Earlier this month, I was bitten by a Brown Recluse spider. You can read about it on my SOTD here. I'm doing fine now thanks to time and a round of antibiotics. The spider, though, unfortunately did not survive. I'm assuming that I squished it in my sleep.

Ultimately, I am sorry that this spider had to die. It was probably incredibly scared (as much as an arachnid can be) by the big man in its habitat. Typically when threatened they flee, but it's hard to do when you're being rolled on by a giant is about to squish you. Spiders are very important to the ecosystem, so killing them is unnecessary and saddening. It was just doing what was natural to it; not the spiders fault that the venom caused me pain.

So I thought it was only right to give the spider a proper send off. It didn't turn out exactly like I had hoped, but it is the thought that counts, right?

I gathered my supplies for this shave, then headed down to a local park.. The park I chose did not have any public grills, so I had to just use my pan by itself. Time to construct the funeral pyre. This is how it started out, but due to a thunderstorm last night everything was wet. It made today absolutely perfect in terms of weather, but left no burnable twigs et al. I powered on, though. I added the spider (which had unfortunately broken into pieces while being stored) to the pyre.

I found a nice spot overlooking the water that was still in a safe area to light the fire. I intended to have some sparklers going, but unfortunately they wouldn't light. I eventually had to add some napkins from QT in order to get the fire going. I added some drier grass too hoping that would help. I didn't achieve the proper fire I was hoping for (combination of poor pyre, wind, and not completely dry twigs), but in the end the spider was sent to Valhalla via fire.

I then turned my attention to the shave. I spread out some soap into my bowl, lathered up, and shaved.

Bundubeard's mutton tallow is extremely nice. Easy to lather up and very slick. Smells great too!

After a nice shave, I washed off my razor, washed the bowl and brush with the bathroom faucet (and will clean them again at home), and disposed of the ashes.

I do hope that the slain spider finds peace among the ducks, geese, and fish. Everyone, and everything, deserves peace.

And with that, we bid adieu to the 2024 Lather Games. Here's to 2025!

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Totals:

• Razor Hashtags: 10/10
• Brush Hashtags: 10/10
• Hardware Sponsor Points: 2/2
• Software Sponsor Points: 16/16
• Number of Lather Brands: 30/30
• Number of Lather Scents: 30/30
• Number of Post Shaves: 30/30
• Number of Frags: 30/30

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