SOTD by u/Priusaurus

July 17, 2023

• Brush: Oumo Pandora – 28mm Badger
• Razor: Valet Autostrop – VC2 #SELFSHARPENING
• Blade: Feather FHS-10
• Lather: Storybook Soapworks & APR - Carnivale
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann – Bay Rum Splash
• Fragrance: Chatillon Lux – Sni Mato
• Music: Spice Girls – 2 Become 1

Personally, I love the collaborations in this hobby. In many industries, someone that sells the same product as you would be seen as a competitor, but collaborations remind us that there is a mutual respect among artisans. There are many, many, many times where together they can develop something that is better than either one would produce on their own. Business-Buzzword-Bingo calls this “synergy”, but I call it awesome. It’s great to see our favorite artisans work together to develop the things we love. Everyone wins.

Today, I’m using Carnivale by Storybooks Soapworks & APR. Sadly, Dan from APR has passed away. And Storybook Soapworks is out of business. So, I really appreciate u/worbx sending me a smoosh. Because once it’s all used up, it’ll be just like u/MrTangerinesky’s chances of winning Lather Games: Nonexistent. To tie that theme together, for my #photocontest, I’m including an extinct animal: my fossil of a Phacops Trilobite from the Devonian Period. This little guy was crawling on the bottom of the ocean floor 400 MILLION YEARS AGO! Coincidentally, that’s approximately the last time u/MrTangerinesky had a worthwhile Lather Games Post….

The scent of Carnivale is interesting. It’s warm and kinda spicy and a little fruity. Smells like a fall fragrance to me. Almost reminds me of the craft fairs my mom used to take me to as a kid. To take those spicy notes to another level for my splash, I used the best Bay Rum on the market: Barrister and Mann’s. Actually, worked nicely together. Then, I was feeling kinda crazy and sprayed a little Sni Mato from Chatillon Lux on. I don’t think Sni Mato and Bay Rum have any scent notes in common, but from a #FOF perspective, they worked okay together. Sni Mato is floral, yet earthy, and on a base of cocoa and Bay Rum is obviously spicy. Anyone that’s ever consumed Cinnamon-Chocolate knows that’s a great combination, so it’s not THAT crazy these two scents would play well with each other. Floral-Earthy-Spicy is a great combo, IMO.

DISCLAIMER: I got this splash for free from last year’s lather games prize.

And as far as the challenge goes, I will do anything for Lather Games, but I won’t do that. I don’t own alum and have never used it. Never much saw the point or value from it. I’m trying to keep my face from drying out, so putting a salt block on it never made sense to me. If I was to ever, ever, ever, use alum, I would 100% buy Osma, the only luxury alum. Buuuutttt…. That’s not going to happen today.

And for my interview today, I have a dude who knows all about collaborations. Shawn Maher has worked with so, so many wetshaving artisans out there, as well as being the guy behind Chatillon Lux and The Maher Olfactive. I’d bet everyone reading this has used and loved the scent of several products scented by Shawn. I was so excited that Shawn agreed to take part in this series and play along with my questions. So, thank you so much, u/hawns! And Shawn – You likely missed the post, but I haven’t seen you sign up for our group buy for Doritos Soap and Mountain Dew Splash yet! For a guy who’s developed some of the most amazing scents in our hobby, you really missed the boat on this idea! ;-)

10 Questions with… Shawn Maher

1) I read that you got started in perfumery by blending essential oils to create a fragrance for a face balm you made for yourself. Most people would simply go to the store and buy whatever they have there, but you built something for yourself. Have you always been a do-it-yourself go-getter, like that?

Yeah, I've always kind of been like that. I used to be in a band where I wrote all the songs, booked all the shows, was in charge of scheduling practices and paying rent at the practice space and also was the one who had the van. Now, my main job (associate creative director of copywriting at an ad agency) requires me to learn new stuff all the time, including how retina and corneal surgery works, how welding and plasma cutting works, the scientific process for optimizing industrial janitorial services, and how shoes are manufactured, just to name a few. Plus, I was always the kind of student who got As and worked ahead when I found it interesting but got Cs and never did my homework when I didn't. But when something interests me, I go in whole-ass, never half-ass.

2) It’s actually stunning how many fragrances you’ve created within this wetshaving hobby of ours. Do you have one you are most proud of?

I would say the scents I'm most proud of usually aren't scents in shaving products since all the small nuances kind of get destroyed by the base. It's like trying to watch a movie on a screen covered in vaseline or watch something through a rusty screen, dirty windows and seven bushes. However, I would say La Petite Prairie would be the scent I'm most proud of that was made to be in a wetshaving product.

3) Spearhead Shaving’s Spiced (which you created) is one of my favorite scents. Who is your favorite Spice Girl?

I was in high school when the Spice Girls came out, and in band my trombone section thought it was really funny to annoy people by playing the instrumental hook for Wannabe. I always wondered if there was a reason why Scary Spice was scary other than because she's Black?

4) Do you have a tally of how many scents you’ve created since starting Chatillon Lux & Maher Olfactive?

I never remember them all, especially due to one-offs. It's probably been at least three dozen. Probably more, I would say, considering there are almost two dozen active scents in both lineups. Memory and organization have never been my strong suits. I like to think that's because I am always moving forward and never in the past...but probably just because I'm scatterbrained.

5) Do you have any scent notes that you don’t like working with or refuse to work with?

I'll work with anything, but I don't have the slightest interest in making scents that smell like what's already out there. So many people were pissed because they saw a coffee note in 1904 and just assumed it would smell like the generic sweet latte scent that so many people have done already. My brother in Christ, if you want that scent, then go with one of the ten million options that already exist. I don't know if there's a single note out there that I wouldn't work with. I think everything has its place if used correctly.

​

(INTERVIEW CONTINUES IN THE REPLY)

[**July 17, 2023**](https://imgur.com/a/F0Qux8R)

* **Brush:** Oumo Pandora – 28mm Badger
* **Razor:** Valet Autostrop – VC2 #SELFSHARPENING
* **Blade:** Feather FHS-10
* **Lather:** Storybook Soapworks & APR - Carnivale
* **Post Shave:** Barrister and Mann – Bay Rum Splash
* **Fragrance:** Chatillon Lux – Sni Mato
* **Music:** [Spice Girls – 2 Become 1](https://youtu.be/FA5jsa1lR9c)

Personally, I love the collaborations in this hobby. In many industries, someone that sells the same product as you would be seen as a competitor, but collaborations remind us that there is a mutual respect among artisans. There are many, many, many times where together they can develop something that is better than either one would produce on their own. Business-Buzzword-Bingo calls this “synergy”, but I call it awesome. It’s great to see our favorite artisans work together to develop the things we love. Everyone wins.

Today, I’m using Carnivale by Storybooks Soapworks & APR. Sadly, Dan from APR has passed away. And Storybook Soapworks is out of business. So, I really appreciate u/worbx sending me a smoosh. Because once it’s all used up, it’ll be just like u/MrTangerinesky’s chances of winning Lather Games: Nonexistent. To tie that theme together, for my #photocontest, I’m including an extinct animal: my fossil of a Phacops Trilobite from the Devonian Period. [This little guy](https://imgur.com/a/9US1BTx) was crawling on the bottom of the ocean floor 400 MILLION YEARS AGO! Coincidentally, that’s approximately the last time u/MrTangerinesky had a worthwhile Lather Games Post….

The scent of Carnivale is interesting. It’s warm and kinda spicy and a little fruity. Smells like a fall fragrance to me. Almost reminds me of the craft fairs my mom used to take me to as a kid. To take those spicy notes to another level for my splash, I used the best Bay Rum on the market: Barrister and Mann’s. Actually, worked nicely together. Then, I was feeling kinda crazy and sprayed a little Sni Mato from Chatillon Lux on. I don’t think Sni Mato and Bay Rum have any scent notes in common, but from a #FOF perspective, they worked okay together. Sni Mato is floral, yet earthy, and on a base of cocoa and Bay Rum is obviously spicy. Anyone that’s ever consumed Cinnamon-Chocolate knows that’s a great combination, so it’s not THAT crazy these two scents would play well with each other. Floral-Earthy-Spicy is a great combo, IMO.

DISCLAIMER: I got this splash for free from last year’s lather games prize.

And as far as the **challenge** goes, I will do anything for Lather Games, but I won’t do *that*. I don’t own alum and have never used it. Never much saw the point or value from it. I’m trying to keep my face from drying out, so putting a salt block on it never made sense to me. If I was to ever, ever, ever, use alum, I would 100% buy Osma, the only luxury alum. Buuuutttt…. That’s not going to happen today.

And for my interview today, I have a dude who knows all about collaborations. Shawn Maher has worked with so, so many wetshaving artisans out there, as well as being the guy behind Chatillon Lux and The Maher Olfactive. I’d bet everyone reading this has used and loved the scent of several products scented by Shawn. I was so excited that Shawn agreed to take part in this series and play along with my questions. So, thank you so much, u/hawns! And Shawn – You likely missed the post, but I haven’t seen you sign up for our [group buy for Doritos Soap and Mountain Dew Splash](https://www.reddit.com/r/Wetshaving/comments/1519drd/summer_break_soaps_remote_learning_lets_make_it/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) yet! For a guy who’s developed some of the most amazing scents in our hobby, you really missed the boat on this idea! ;-)

**10 Questions with… Shawn Maher**

**1) I read that you got started in perfumery by blending essential oils to create a fragrance for a face balm you made for yourself. Most people would simply go to the store and buy whatever they have there, but you built something for yourself. Have you always been a do-it-yourself go-getter, like that?**

*Yeah, I've always kind of been like that. I used to be in a band where I wrote all the songs, booked all the shows, was in charge of scheduling practices and paying rent at the practice space and also was the one who had the van. Now, my main job (associate creative director of copywriting at an ad agency) requires me to learn new stuff all the time, including how retina and corneal surgery works, how welding and plasma cutting works, the scientific process for optimizing industrial janitorial services, and how shoes are manufactured, just to name a few. Plus, I was always the kind of student who got As and worked ahead when I found it interesting but got Cs and never did my homework when I didn't. But when something interests me, I go in whole-ass, never half-ass.*

**2) It’s actually stunning how many fragrances you’ve created within this wetshaving hobby of ours. Do you have one you are most proud of?**

*I would say the scents I'm most proud of usually aren't scents in shaving products since all the small nuances kind of get destroyed by the base. It's like trying to watch a movie on a screen covered in vaseline or watch something through* [*a rusty screen, dirty windows and seven bushes*](https://youtu.be/5gr3jopJmVg)*. However, I would say La Petite Prairie would be the scent I'm most proud of that was made to be in a wetshaving product.*

**3) Spearhead Shaving’s Spiced (which you created) is one of my favorite scents. Who is your favorite Spice Girl?**

*I was in high school when the Spice Girls came out, and in band my trombone section thought it was really funny to annoy people by playing the instrumental hook for Wannabe. I always wondered if there was a reason why Scary Spice was scary other than because she's Black?*

**4) Do you have a tally of how many scents you’ve created since starting Chatillon Lux & Maher Olfactive?**

*I never remember them all, especially due to one-offs. It's probably been at least three dozen. Probably more, I would say, considering there are almost two dozen active scents in both lineups. Memory and organization have never been my strong suits. I like to think that's because I am always moving forward and never in the past...but probably just because I'm scatterbrained.*

**5) Do you have any scent notes that you don’t like working with or refuse to work with?**

*I'll work with anything, but I don't have the slightest interest in making scents that smell like what's already out there. So many people were pissed because they saw a coffee note in 1904 and just assumed it would smell like the generic sweet latte scent that so many people have done already. My brother in Christ, if you want that scent, then go with one of the ten million options that already exist. I don't know if there's a single note out there that I wouldn't work with. I think everything has its place if used correctly.*

​

(INTERVIEW CONTINUES IN THE REPLY)