July 14, 2023 - Frigid Friday
- Brush: Noble Otter 26mm Synthetic
- Razor: Chiseled Face Legacy
- Blade: Gillette Platinum (2)
- Lather: Chiseled Face - Cryogen - Soap
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Company - Glacial Citron - Splash
- Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Alive
- Music: Obadiah Parker - Hey Ya
Daily Write-Up:
Two really distracting things going on during this shave.
First. The cold. I went with this sample of Cryogen, which is the coldest soap I own. I considered using this for some… um… shoring of the plums as well given the hilarity I’ve read in years past when people tried that. But even having it on my face and neck, I noped right out of that idea. Also, I had forgotten that the smell is basically Vicks Vaporub which is not great. The Glacial Citron only existed to further the cold and prolong it. What's cooler than being cold? Ice cold. Also, Stirling Glacial on top of Cryogen. Sadly that lyric didn't really fit. After all this cold, I allowed myself my favorite frag.
Second. The backwards shave.
To know how to backwards shave, I figured it was high-time to finally actually map my beard. I know this is the first thing we tell people on the DQT and on Wicked_Edge, and I have a good idea of what my beard pattern is, but I’ve never actually done it. And it turns out, there isn’t really a good tool to use. So I made one in Microsoft Paint. Everyone feel free to use this to map your beard. Your shaving will thank you. Just draw on it in Paint.
Now that I’ve mapped my beard, I’m ready to go. Notice how my beard is super symmetrical, and doesn’t have any weird twirls or anything? Yeah, I’m really thankful for that. I think it’s mostly because I am fundamentally a beautiful person. So, now I just need to shave the opposite of these red arrows on the first pass.
Yes, I have lots of mild razors, because I tend to favor them. But, I only have another week with the CFL, so I used it instead. Maybe not the best choice. Probably not the best choice.
I could have made so many better decisions today. But I didn’t have a go at the ol’ ball bag, so I'm considering it a win. I’m sure /u/tsrblke is thankful for that as well, as he’s getting this razor next.
The soap is borderline painful. Shaving backwards using an aggressive razor with which I’m unfamiliar is borderline painful. This is not enjoyable. What am I doing with my life? The second pass, WTG, seems almost pointless.
But Alive is amazing. So… not all is terrible. Another 4/10 shave.
Soap Theme Justification
Per the product page: Coldest soap on the market.
Post-Shave and Fragrance Relevance Notes
* Aftershave of Glacial Citron doubles down on the cold, and adds a lot of citrus.
* Alive partners with the fruit in the Citron using its own Bergamot and Apple, and then brings us back to earth. You definitely feel awake and alive with all that menthol on your face - the frag is a good reminder how thankful we should be of that fact.