December 17, 2023

• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts w/Maggard SHD 30mm Fan
• Razor: Fatip Classic Testina Gentile
• Blade: Bolzano Superinox (German) (1)
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Roam - Soap
• Post Shave: Pinaud - Clubman Special Reserve - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Nivea Sensitive Balm
• Post Shave: L de L - Retinol Men - Facial Serum
• Fragrance: Noble Otter - Hamami - EdP

Only a couple more shaves left in this tub of Mfin' Roam.

December 17, 2023

• Brush: Elite Razor Honduran Rosewood Burl 24mm HMW Fan

• Razor: Tanifuji Spalding 0411 6/8" Full Hollow

• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Hallows - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Lemon - Toner

• Aftershave: Barrister and Mann - Hallows - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Hallows - Eau de Toilette

• Talc: Pinaud Clubman
   
  2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

Great shave! Hallows is a masterpiece.

December 17, 2023

• Preshave: Proraso Green Preshave
• Brush: Yaqi 24mm Synthetic ""Panda""
• Razor: King C. Gillette DE Razor
• Blade: Astra Superior Platinum (12)
• Lather: Haslinger Algae
• Post Shave: Williams Aqua Velva
• Post Shave: Nivea After Shave Balm

My other auto-pilot razor - probably slightly less auto-pilot because it's a 3-piece razor.

Also:

Baccarat Rouge Dupe

• Brush: Мужской Материк Orange Stabilised Burl with 28mm Oumo boar knot at 57mm loft
• Razor: Filarmonica 14 Doble Temple (8/8", extra full hollow, carbon steel)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. Friends to the End
• Aftershave: Stirling Soap Co. Friends to the End
• Cologne: Stirling Soap Co. Friends to the End
• Fragrance: Maison Francis Kurkdjian Baccarat Rouge 540

Baccarat Rouge is probably my wife's favourite fragrance (for herself), and I really like it on her, too. So when Stirling announced its dupe, I immediately grabbed it. It finally made it's way to me this week. My intention had been to show up smelling like Baccarat Rouge and see whether she notices but I ruined the surprise weeks ago in a moment of forgetfulness, and she's been asking about the set since.

The Stirling scent is really close to the original and the main difference I can detect is that the original is a bit warmer, sweeter. I'd have expected the opposite given how Haverford is sweeter than Tobacco Vanille. Anyway, the fragrances are really close, which means that I very happy with the acquisition. This is also my first solid cologne, which I mainly picked up out of curiosity. I rubbed some of it on my left wrist and spritzed Baccarat Rouge on my right so I can enjoy and compare the two a bit longer, but the solid cologne side is already a bit faint (I shaved 30 minutes ago). I think I need to apply much more of it than I did.

It felt great to shave with a straight again after a week of safety razors. I don't fully understand why, but there's still something that feels more special, enjoyable for me shaving with an open blade than a safety razor. I used to think that this difference would fade and that I'd switch back and forth without getting open blade FOMO on safety razor days, however, I'm now 422 open blade shaves in (vs 802 safety razor SOTDs since I started keeping records), and the open blade thrill is still going strong.

Dec. 17, 2023

• Brush: Yaqi 26mm Synthetic
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM Stainless
• Lather: Moon - Bixby - Soap
• Post Shave: Moon - Bixby - Aftershave

Great shave. Excellent scent like some sort of berry tea which is right in my wheel house. The soap and aftershave both worked very well, super happy with this purchase.

SOTD 17.12.2023

• Prep: warm water
• Razor: Greencult GC 2.0 IV; Headblade S4 Lunar Eclipse
• Blade: Voskhod; HB 2
• Brush: AP Shave Co. 30 mm Tuxedo Fan w/ black & clear handle
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented soap
• Post Shave: Thayer's Aloe Vera toner; Aloe Vera moisturiser gel

Long time no post from me. Looking back, I realised I forgot to post a SOTD I did with gel and the Headblade. But things happen!

So anyway, today I did one pass with the safety razor WTG and the next with the Headblade ATG. Headshave only - I currently rock some stubble with my moustache again and have grown to like it. The good thing about this style is that I can easily go back to clean shaven around the stache and have it back in just 2-3 days. I probably really need to relegate the HB as a body shaver only - it irritates my skin more than the most aggressive GC plate.

First week of my internship at a place for disabled parents with children is already over; it's better than I imagined but still not my cup of tea. The nursing/medical part is very tiny, most of my work there consists of helping the disabled people care for themselves and their kids, playing/interacting with the children and doing housework. It's a weird mix of being an OT, educator and household help. Tomorrow a hard week will start for me: 5 early shifts at the internship place, 2 late shifts at my current nursing home over the weekend. But I'll manage that somehow.

December 17, 2023

• Brush: L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic
• Razor: Fatip Classic Testina Gentile
• Blade: Bolzano Superinox (German) (2)
• Lather: Spearhead Shaving - Seaforth! Heather - Soap
• Post Shave: Barbasol - Brisk - Aftershave

Luxury shave. I wasn't planning on it, but I was in the basement bathroom giving the back of my neck a touch up Seaforth! Heather and I couldn't help it.