SOTD by u/Tetriside

June 19, 2024 Juneteenth

• Brush: Rubberset 200-N Maggard Black and White 20 mm #FRANKENBRUSH
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird SS #CNC
• Blade: Wizamet (33)
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Vor V
• Post Shave: Chicago Grooming Company - New City
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Fake Yellow Light

Theme: Wholly Kaw is in New Jersey; Chicago Grooming is in Illinois; Declaration Grooming is in Michigan.

Challenge: This is probably my favorite challenge. I've been jotting down ideas. I couldn't land on one for /u/cowzilla3, so I made 3. There's one for /u/sgrdddy, too.

The Architect
Waiting
NEED
MOAR
SPICE
Slurry
Soap Kill
My Homies

Vor V is the first Wholly Kaw soap and splash I bought. I got it before my first Lather Games to get a sponsor point on my calendar and won a set of Wholly Kaw as my prize that year (I chose Rebelle). Working backwards a bit: I paired this with New City because they smell very similar. I was under the impression that Vor V was an original fragrance when I bought it. The similarity between the two was apparent when I bought New City and smelled it for the first time. New City is/was advertised as being inspired by Tom Ford Tuscan Leather. Wholly Kaw’s ad copy? No mention of Tom Ford, Tuscan Leather, dupe, inspired by, homage, etc. Sure enough, a search query at thirsty badger confirms that I was sold a fabulous smelling lie of omission.

Now, to the fragrance. I smell raspberry and leather in equal measure. Once it’s lathered, it opens up a bit and the scent of oud comes out. Leather and raspberry sounds like an odd combination. But, the pairing smells really good. Leather scents sometimes fall flat with me; like someone who doesn’t move during… smooshing. I’ve talked about this before. I love the smell of a good leather wallet, or couch. It’s a luxurious material. Leather works very well in the fragrance. Raspberry gives it a nice berry boost. There’s something about raspberries that smells like happiness. It’s also unexpected in a leather fragrance. When the oud comes into play it takes it up a notch. I can just make out the saffron. This fragrance feels stylish, like a guy who wears sport coats with t-shirts and slacks with loafers. Did I just describe Tom Ford?

New City is more leathery than Vor V. There are herbal and floral notes that come through in this dupe. There’s a note of incense when I smell the bottle. I prefer the raspberry heavy approach of Vor V. But, I appreciate that there’s more nuance in New City.

Sadly, Tom Ford’s fragrances are out of my price range. So, sans Tuscan Leather, I scoured my den for something to go with the pair of Tuscan Leather dupes. I got a sample of Declaration Grooming Fake Yellow Light in the Adventus box. It has several scent notes in common with Vor V: leather, amber, chai (black tea), and vanilla. I have just enough of it left for today’s shave. I’ve worn this a few times (hence being nearly empty, although I think it leaked a bit, too), but haven’t really nailed this one down. At the start, Fake Yellow Light is resinous, ambery, leathery, with a touch of honey. There’s a strong tobacco scent. The dry down smells like leather, tobacco, chai, and amber. It's more of an amber/leather/tobacco fragrance compared to the Tuscan Leather dupes which are fruity and smooth. This might be one of my favorite Scott originals. There's a nice layering with the tobacco and chai spice. Everything is enveloped in amber. It's very masculine.

#photocontest - darkness. The light source is the night light in my bathroom with the door closed. There are no windows.

#FOF

[**June 19, 2024 Juneteenth**](https://i.imgur.com/fV7aO0K.jpeg)

* **Brush:** Rubberset 200-N Maggard Black and White 20 mm #FRANKENBRUSH
* **Razor:** Blackland Blackbird SS #CNC
* **Blade:** Wizamet (33)
* **Lather:** Wholly Kaw - Vor V
* **Post Shave:** Chicago Grooming Company - New City
* **Fragrance:** Declaration Grooming - Fake Yellow Light

Theme: Wholly Kaw is in New Jersey; Chicago Grooming is in Illinois; Declaration Grooming is in Michigan.

Challenge: This is probably my favorite challenge. I've been jotting down ideas. I couldn't land on one for /u/cowzilla3, so I made 3. There's one for /u/sgrdddy, too.

[The Architect](https://imgur.com/BI5vpDb)
[Waiting](https://imgur.com/EJjueVL)
[NEED](https://imgur.com/eeC4krU)
[MOAR](https://imgur.com/dCSV4lE)
[SPICE](https://imgur.com/tOMpumw)
[Slurry](https://imgur.com/P2bHbNC)
[Soap Kill](https://imgur.com/X3ndQit)
[My Homies](https://imgur.com/QmzDjLq)


Vor V is the first Wholly Kaw soap and splash I bought. I got it before my first Lather Games to get a sponsor point on my calendar and won a set of Wholly Kaw as my prize that year (I chose Rebelle). Working backwards a bit: I paired this with New City because they smell very similar. I was under the impression that Vor V was an original fragrance when I bought it. The similarity between the two was apparent when I bought New City and smelled it for the first time. New City is/was advertised as being inspired by Tom Ford Tuscan Leather. Wholly Kaw’s ad copy? No mention of Tom Ford, Tuscan Leather, dupe, inspired by, homage, etc. Sure enough, a search query at [thirsty badger](https://www.thirstybadger.ca/shaving-fragrance-homage/) confirms that I was sold a fabulous smelling lie of omission.

Now, to the fragrance. I smell raspberry and leather in equal measure. Once it’s lathered, it opens up a bit and the scent of oud comes out. Leather and raspberry sounds like an odd combination. But, the pairing smells really good. Leather scents sometimes fall flat with me; like someone who doesn’t move during… [smooshing.](https://imgur.com/a36y2Me) I’ve talked about this before. I love the smell of a good leather wallet, or couch. It’s a luxurious material. Leather works very well in the fragrance. Raspberry gives it a nice berry boost. There’s something about raspberries that smells like happiness. It’s also unexpected in a leather fragrance. When the oud comes into play it takes it up a notch. I can just make out the saffron. This fragrance feels [stylish,](https://imgur.com/Br2wWZj) like a guy who wears sport coats with t-shirts and slacks with loafers. Did I just describe Tom Ford?

New City is more leathery than Vor V. There are herbal and floral notes that come through in this dupe. There’s a note of incense when I smell the bottle. I prefer the raspberry heavy approach of Vor V. But, I appreciate that there’s more nuance in New City.

Sadly, Tom Ford’s fragrances are out of my price range. So, sans Tuscan Leather, I scoured my den for something to go with the pair of Tuscan Leather dupes. I got a sample of Declaration Grooming Fake Yellow Light in the Adventus box. It has several scent notes in common with Vor V: leather, amber, chai (black tea), and vanilla. I have just enough of it left for today’s shave. I’ve worn this a few times (hence being nearly empty, although I think it leaked a bit, too), but haven’t really nailed this one down. At the start, Fake Yellow Light is resinous, ambery, leathery, with a touch of honey. There’s a strong tobacco scent. The dry down smells like leather, tobacco, chai, and amber. It's more of an amber/leather/tobacco fragrance compared to the Tuscan Leather dupes which are fruity and smooth. This might be one of my favorite Scott originals. There's a nice layering with the tobacco and chai spice. Everything is enveloped in amber. It's very masculine.

#photocontest - darkness. The light source is the night light in my bathroom with the door closed. There are no windows.

#FOF