Perhaps some... Witch hazel would help?! 😉

this won't be my favorite soap, I think - too bad, it wasn't cheap ☹️

Judging by the price I saw when looking it up - this is way overpriced for an A&E soap! 39€ is crazy. By comparison, you get A&E Barbiere Classico, their own barbershop scent in their new Ultima base for ~27€ here . I can't say anything about their Ultima soaps, as I'm only familiar with their Kaizen and K2e. However, even the K2e which is a very good base is only around 23€ everywhere.
However, I am glad to hear your skin has recovered enough from yesterday's blood bath that you can already shave again!

Thank you very much, I really appreciate your kind words 🤝🏻

26.06.2024

• Prep: cold water
• Razor: Feather Popular
• Blade: Feather
• Brush: hands
• Lather: Hawkins & Brimble - Elemi & Ginseng shaving cream
• Post Shave: Natura Siberica ASB gel

1 pass head shave. This one wasn't so good. A lot of tiny weepers on my scalp.

Thing is, Feathers are again deceptively smooth. Usually I feel when a shave is bad: tugging, an awful tight skin feeling, burn... There was none of that, but I immediately saw the little bleeding dots appear in the mirror! As I took the blade out to bin it, I saw a few tiny burrs on it. Maybe this was a rare manufacturing defect...

The end of the internship is near and I am so happy about that. Really, this place sucks ass. I'll never complain about my nursing home working conditions again if I remember this place.

20.06.2024

• Prep: warm water
• Razor: Gillette Sensor (modern version)
• Blade: Gillette Sensor 3
• Brush: my hands
• Lather: Hawkins & Brimble - Elemi & Ginseng shaving cream
• Post Shave: Natura Siberica ASB gel

This was, in comparison to yesterday, a freaking awesome head shave!

I did it before my late shift. 1 pass and done. For this modern version of the Sensor, they actually put one 3-blade cartridge with it and it's quite enjoyable (although already kinda overkill for my skin). It did a way better job than the awful KCG.

Today I also tested my theory and just used my wet hands to hydrate the lather from the H&B shaving cream. It also works well! So in a pinch, this cream is also a good travel option if you forgot to take a brush with you. I still really like the scent and my scalp also agrees with it. So that one was truly a bargain!

SOTD 01.03.2024

• Prep: warm water
• Razor: Wilkinson Sword Classic
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux
• Brush: AP Shave Co. Snakeskin w/ 26 mm Flattop/Fan hybrid
• Lather: Moon Soaps - Union
• Post Shave: Isana toner; Phytorelax Headshave ASB
• Fragrance: Tom Ford Ombre Leather EdP

Birthday head shave. I actually post this on the second of March in my time zone, but on the first I turned 30 years old.

When I was younger, I always thought that by 30 I'd have everything in order: successful job, a own house, a wife, maybe kids or at least plans to get one. Instead I celebrated my 30th birthday with Tom, my classmate from nursing school who accompanies me during an internship because I am currently still in a retraining to become a registered nurse as I realized by 2020 that being an occupational therapist isn't my 'real' thing. We did a small celebration in our little room at the rehabilitation centre in Bad Liebenstein where we're currently working and sleeping. I swerved. I realised that I was on a wrong path and that something else is my true passion that I'd have never thought of if it wasn't for the Covid pandemic forcing me into that job. Still no house of my own. Still no wife, not even a girlfriend. But I still have something worthwhile: friends. So many people wrote to me today, it was overwhelming to see what a positive impact I have on others.

Oh, the shave itself was rushed. Just one pass before my late shift at my station. Moon's Union is a small diameter tub so it fit nicely into my backpack as I wanted to have at least one luxurious shave for my special day... But this being a barbershop soap fits. A clean cut, a fresh start, a new decade of my life. Time to rock my thirties!

SOTD 08.02.2024

• Prep: warm water
• Razor: RazoRock Hawk V2
• Blade: KAI Captain Pink
• Brush: AP Shave Co. 30 mm Tuxedo Fan w/ black & clear handle
• Lather: Noble Otter - Neon Sun
• Post Shave: Thayer's Cucumber facial spray; Natura Siberica ASB gel
• Fragrance: Coach Platinum EdP

I realised that I forgot to log yesterday's shave, so I gave the same soap and brush a spin again...

1 pass head shave, no nicks or irritation. Noble Otter always treats my skin well. The KAI blades aren't really my favourite, but they work way better than the Feather AC blades I used to have. My real champions are the guarded KAI Protouch though.

So today we had a little carnival party at our nursing/therapist school... And my class had to organise it. Despite me absolutely hating anything related to carnival ("Fasching" over here), some fun was had and we did well.

In other news, the moustache is back. At least in some capacity - yesterday I trimmed everything else down with the 1/2 guard of my Gamma+ Absolute Hitter (perhaps the best trimmer I ever had) and only went over my upper lip with the 1 guard. So it's about 2 mm longer than the other stubble, barely noticeable but still a start. I really didn't like myself with just stubble - it was making me look like a nobody, like someone just blending in with the masses. One of the most important things I learnt in my twenties: don't let anybody else dictate what you should like. You have to feel comfortable with yourself, not all the others. And if you prefer something that's niche, so be it! It's the same with music and wetshaving to an extent - sure, a Gillette cartridge razor would also do the job on my dome and perhaps in less time. But do I want that? Nope. I like taking my time, enjoying the process and paying attention to what feels good.

SOTD 05.02.2024

• Prep: warm water
• Razor: RazoRock Gamechanger 0.84 OC
• Blade: BIC Chrome Platinum
• Brush: AP Shave Co. 30 mm Tuxedo Fan w/ black & clear handle
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo
• Post Shave: Natura Siberica ASB gel

Mammoth Monday head shave. 2 passes: I did the most part with the Gamechanger, then some cleanup with a disposable. 3 tiny blood spots due to not shaving for a few days and longer stubble on my dome, but overall a very comfortable shave nonetheless.

I currently have a lot to handle and on top I prepare a little celebration for my 30th birthday on the 1st of March. Originally, I wanted to throw a small party on the following Saturday, but since all my friends are parents who work, we'll see how I can organise everything...

Actually, I never imagined it but turning 30 is hard for me. Sure, I know life doesn't end there, I can still do lots of stuff, most of my friends and current classmates are older and since I'm a bald dude with facial hair I already look thirty for a few years... But seeing how I haven't really achieved anything like my parents or friends did in their 30s (no family/kids, no marriage, no house) kinda pulls me down. Birthday blues is real and I hate it...
(I normally would have written about this in the Free Talk Thread, but since we didn't have one and I forgot to make one too I'll just tack it onto my SOTD. Feel free to laugh about my first world problems.)

SOTD 01.02.2024

• Prep: warm water + CeraVe anti-blemish cleanser
• Razor: Stando Perun
• Blade: BIC Chrome Platinum
• Brush: TGS Galaxy 26 mm
• Lather: Barrister & Mann - Le Grand Chypre
• Post Shave: Thayer's Cucumber facial spray; Phytorelax Headshave ASB
• Fragrance: Bentley for Men Intense EdP

First head shave of February. Oh, and a bit of WTG neck shaving to contour the "beard". I kinda have the feeling that I look like a budget Jason Statham with the new look... despite him being one of my favourite actors, I feel like it's not such a great look for me. 🤔

Just one pass, but good enough to clear the stubble. One weeper behind my right ear, otherwise a good comfortable shave.

Like a true wetshaver, I'm gonna list my fragrance again despite that I applied it in the morning and usually shave late evening/early night. Bentley for Men Intense is kinda growing on me. It's a clean, warm and sophisticated scent. Unfortunately the performance isn't really great, but I guess that's why it's so cheap. Sorta reminds me of whisky, more precisely the Scottish ones I tried when I was over there in 2019. Not too heavy though, suitable for everyday wear.

It was a really solid day. I already had some friendly interactions with some residents there and the potential colleagues were really friendly and helpful. I'll see what the higher-ups will say when I call on Tuesday 😉

SOTN 14.10.2023

• Prep: warm water
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Flying Wing/Bullet Tip gold
• Blade: GEM PTFE
• Brush: Zenith Moar Boar 31 mm
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Unscented soap
• Post Shave: Thayer's Aloe Vera toner; Aloe Vera gel

Much thanks to djundjila for not only sending one, but 2 unscented soaps to me!

Today I used DG Unscented for a 2-pass head shave. I actually had the whole week off (paid leave), but didn't shave much except for a swift one with gel and the Headblade. I experimented with various beard styles but am back into beardstache territory (the stubble will go tomorrow with my Sunday shave).

Unscented soap is kinda weird - it smells a bit like wet dog (or wet bison since it's DG?). I suppose it's the tallow scent. However, I was able to do two passes with a fresh GEM blade and it didn't flare up my eczema side too badly. One tiny weeper on the other side, but that's expected after a long pause.

Went with mostly scentless post-shave too and actually... It works, but it's dull. I might have to get in the habit of alternating between unscented head shaves and scented face shaves to actually get some enjoyment out of the hobby again. Much thanks to djundjila though for the soap, I'll put it to good use!

I also can't understand why some manufacturers sell straight razors with anything less than a perfect edge. It'd certainly detract beginners from ever shaving with one again. Compared to DE razors, where you just pop in a blade and you're good to go, most people (myself included) lack the proper skills, time and funds to get straight razor honing right. I think that's why Böker offers a honing service for their straight razors.