SoS: November 28, 2016 - December 4, 2016

Chris, sorry for butting in but to me NO other Turkish soaps or creams even come close to Arko!

 

Thanks! Arko is the only Turkish soap I've tried.

 

Ok, I'll give it a shot. First, the scents. While they are both different, the Derby has a sort of funky smell, not bad really, but I like it. The Arko seems to have a more floral scent to me. Second, the lather. The Derby lathers up nice, but seems a little bit on the foamy side, but still Ok. The Arko, on the other hand, lathers up pretty thick and easier to adjust to one's taste by adding a bit of water to the brush. Now on to the slickness of the lather. While the Derby has a decent amount of slickness and the razor glides easily along my face, the Arko, in my opinion, beats the Derby hands down. I get a much better glide with it and seems to produce smoother shaves. So, this is my comparison between the two and hope it makes sense.

 

SOTD - Merkur Progress//GSB//Duke 3 Best//B&M Vanille//B&M Lavanille

 

Sunday's


Dove Men Face Wash
Arko Shaving Stick
Jayaruh #61
Gillette NEW SC
Personna Super
CWR, Asma Alum Block
T.N. Dickinson's WH
Pinaud Clubman

The Arko Shaving Stick face-lathered well with my Jayaruh #61 boar brush. Two passes and touch ups with the Gillette NEW SC with a Personna Super blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse and alum block, I finished off with T.N. Dickinson's WH and then Pinaud Clubman After Shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed...

 

How does HE like it?

 

The shave lineup plan for Shave Den Sunday:

prep-Dove Men + Care Bodywash(in shower)
shave-TSD Soap with Lanolin(Russian Leather fragrance)
brush-Burma Shave**
razor-the blue Sensor Pivot + DisposeABLE from the makers of Gillette***
A.S.-TSD(Russian Leather added in).

**the Badger is in Massachusetts at least, but about 45 minutes from here. I think they had enough time to get it here for today's mail delivery, but I',m not in the shipping business.

***-in fact, it IS a Gillette.

 

Thank you sir - dragged it out of it's home for the picture

 

Sunday's Planned SOTD



Razor: Duvert fréres N°19 frameback
Brush: Zen Shave two band 24mm
Bowl: Turkish 5” Copper Bowl
Pre Shave Scrub: MRGLO
Pre Shave Oil: Homemade Bay Rum w Lime
Shave Soap: Crowne & Crane Caribbean Spice
Post: Monster Alum Block
Aftershave: Small Batch Shave Tonic

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Great picture, Roby!

 

Razor: Gillette Flair Tip A 3 1955
Blade: Lord Platinum Class (3)
Brush: El Druida Mopane 2 Band
Soap: Maggard Razor Orange Menthol (Sample)
Aftershave: Maggard Razor Orange Menthol

Very close comfortable 3 pass shave tonight. Very happy with the Maggard Razor Orange Menthol soap and aftershave. The Gillette Flare Tip is and excellent razor. Nothing fancy just functional. The Lord Platinum is holding up very well.

 

Thank you Jim, have a great night buddy!

 

Planned Shower for Stephan Sunday

bodywash-Dove Men + Care
deodorant soap-Coast
shampoo-Stephan(well what else, lol)-Daily Herbal
deodorant-Every Man Jack(Sandalwood)

 

Merkur 1904 open comb razor
generic DE blade
Maggards 24mm marble handle synthetic brush
Tabac soap
Pinaud Clubman aftershave

 

Barrister and Mann - First Snow
Island Bladeworks - "Bullwinkle" | TGN Finest
Mongoose B3 | Kai Captain Titan Mild (1) | Triad 316 Stainless Rolling Hex
Coffee of the night: Hunter Bay's "Praying Monk" (Ethiopian blend)

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I finally got to try B&M's "First Snow". I have to say, when I first heard the description of it, I thought, "leather and fir? okay, I'll bite, but who the hell puts menthol in a Winter seasonal?" I get it.

The clear-bottom jar contrasting with the black lid is a very nice touch. The label artwork is also perfect as one can expect from B&M. The scent off the dry puck is an obnoxious menthol and crushed fir needle assault. Seriously, it made my eyes water. Fortunately, the lathered soap is nothing like that. The "fragrance" of the menthol, when the soap is lathered, accentuates the fir scent perfectly. Being a shower shaver, I believe I have an advantage in fully appreciating First Snow in that the steam carries the fragrance as you inhale. The menthol quite accurately approximates the gentle tingling sensation you feel just inside your nostrils as you take in the crisp winter air. This was a very good use of menthol, and if not for the fragrance, I might not have noticed it on my skin. The fir is present at the same time, and it's a very accurate one at that. I kept looking for the leather, but I really didn't notice it until the first pass was almost over, but then it made a clear presence although remaining at the base.

The performance of the Glissant base remains my benchmark. It lathered easily with my new TGN finest knot in the well-balanced Island Bladeworks' "Bullwinkle" moose antler handle.

It was a very enjoyable three-pass head and face shower shave with the Mongoose that, for some reason, I've been neglecting lately. I don't have another razor that can do for my neck what the Mongoose can.

I finished with the matching First Snow splash, that still only had a hint of menthol, and I did not detect any lingering cooling beyond what I'd normally get with any other alcohol splash. The coniferous fragrance was an excellent continuation from the soap, but the dry-down was a pleasant surprise of a stepped-up leather presence. It's a clean, nubuck leather fragrance that reminds me of a new pair of work gloves.

First Snow, while marketed as a Winter seasonal, is appropriate year round. Additionally, in terms of strength, it's one of the lighter Barrister and Mann offerings, so it's unlikely to interfere with any cologne you may desire.

 

Nice set up Doug!

 

Sunday, December 4, 2016

Paladin Lapis Lazuli Chief
La Savonniere du Moulin
The OneBlade
GEM PTFE SS #6
Floid Blue Chilled


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When it comes to AS, he is a menthol junkie. He does not care so much for shaving with them tho. Says he can't feel what he is doing as well. This is understandable since he has only been DE shaving for six months or so, and still feeling his way around.