January 2020 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Thanks, Joe! I’m fine.

 

Thanks, Joe. Good point on the bowl. I'll take it to the bowl tomorrow and see what happens, but I do know the consistency does feel different regardless.

Thanks, Jim. I probably wasn't all that clear in my ramblings- I have the Spice in a splash but not in the soap. I already had Soap Commander Endurance at the time and I recall thinking I didn't need two Old Spice dupes in the den. Apparently I was more of a minimalist then...

 

Thanks, Perry. I can blame it on Gromit, my dachshund! He left his toy there!

 

Great pic, Jim! That is one of the very few negative reviews of a PAA scent that you or Jim has given this month. Sounds like the Fine splash came to the rescue, though.

 

Wonderful shave and photo, Jason! Glad the soap worked better for you today. When (more likely, if) I finish off the RazoRock Blue Barbershop I may pick up a set of Cool. It's the same scent profile and I quite enjoy the Blue Barbershop.

 

Glad to see you back home and posting, Danny! The soap scent accords sound very unique, that's for sure.

 

Great shot, Joseph! You’re spot on about both the razor and blade! I do like my R41 and Polsilvers; I just really have to focus when shaving with it. It isn’t a daily driver for me. I prefer those razors that I don’t need to monitor so closely like my Silversmith, SS Lupo, and Shake Sharp!

 

Beautiful pic, Clint. Everything looks like it was made for each other. Is there a functionality for that leather brush wrap after usage, or was it strickly for packaging?
The Cubebe is fantastic, no doubt.

 

Jan. 30
A bloodlessly smooth mostly DFS today. But still some drama...

• Razor: Gillette Flare Tip w/Personna Blue blade (5)
• Soap: Soap Commander "Drive"
• Brush: Kong
• AS: Stirling Tsuka (spoiler alert: here is where the drama comes in)
• Balm: Glacial Unscented

The Shave
Every other month it seems like I'll turn off my alarm, put my hands behind my head, prepare my thoughts to take on a new day... then wake up half an hour later. This was that day--rushed 2 pass shave with buffing strokes, no touch ups. The results were a surprisingly smooth, irritation free, mostly DFS. Because I was tackling this shave so quickly, I really focused on riding the cap, and even though this is a mild razor, the results were stellar.

Tsuka
I got this bottle for $5 on sale from Stirling instead of my planned purchase of Clubman Special Reserve simply because it was so highly rated by so many folk here whose opinions I trust. It arrived yesterday, and I gave it a sniff from the bottle and had some buyer's remorse. Very strident, individual floral tones, and one sweet base scent (maybe the vanilla or tonka bean (whatever that is)) that really jumped out--too far out. The result, for me, was almost a sickly-sweet sort of flower explosion. I ran it by The Missus, and immediately saw that crinkle right between her eyebrows as she sniffed the bottle. Usually the kiss of death. "Maybe it's one of those scents that smells better when you put it on." Not a stunning endorsement, but uncharacteristically generous of her. Perhaps she sensed how crushed I was.

This morning, with fear and dread in my heart, I dutifully applied Tsuka after my shave. Let me first address the scent: My initial thought going into this was, "How could so many TSD members with such good taste, be so very, very wrong?" Short answer is they weren't. Everything blended perfectly. True, it is more floral than I usually go for, but that was part of the reason for the purchase: to broaden the depth of my bullpen. I even find myself smelling my hands occasionally to get another whiff, which probably looks a bit creepy--gotta stop doing that.

The drama came not from the scent, which elicited no negative comments from my wife during the hug goodbye, but from the immediate lava-like burn upon application. I patted it on, waiting for the AS sting that I enjoy so much, but could only feel immediate flames. I almost rinsed it off then and there, but thought that perhaps my menthol balm might help things a bit. Nope, just fire and ice. Twice I reached for the sink, but stopped myself. And then... it slowly faded. To nothing.

I don't know what to think about this. I got rid Baker Street because of its slow, long lasting burn. It was like putting a mildly caustic chemical on my face and having it lightly gnaw away at my face all day. This was like gas and a match, but it has faded to nothing. Could be my rushed shave left me more exposed than I thought; I am uncharacteristically smooth for a 2 pass, no touch-up shave. Perhaps too much pressure? I'll keep trying Tsuka for the remainder of the week to see if I get similar results, and to see if I feel like I can live with those results.

For now, though, I'm smooth smell pretty darned good, and irritation free. A win, but hard fought.

 

Simply a stunning shot and getting partner approval is definitely a welcome bonus!
Well, if you are cleaning each of your hardware pieces for 2-3 minutes before you take the pic, that is just another reason why your pics are so much better than mine, Blair.
Your colour matching is perfect as well. The influence of Jim is paramount and complete...

 

Sounds like a great shave! Sorry about the soap!

 

Glad to hear you are feeling better today, Jeff. That view is really nice and looks pretty cool at night as well.

 

Good luck on your soap elimination journey!

 

Excellent post and shave, Tim! Not sure about your reaction with Tsuka. If you enjoy menthol then perhaps cool it down with some Frost Drops or menthol crystals. I always mentholate my Stirling splashes. I order Glacial when I order straight from Rod. That might counteract that burn some, but that's merely conjecture.

 

Thanks, Jason! I love it there. I attribute the debacle yesterday to SWMBO and Gromit, my Doxie buddy.

 

Lovely combo, Gary...and good morning.

 

I've been on a soap reduction focus for.....hmm, let's see.....two or three years now. I've PIFed and sold quite a few and have the den down to 21 soaps and creams.

 

No kidding the R41 photographs well, Joseph. There's a list we haven't done (that I recall)…highest quality modern mass produced razor.

 

Cute, pup!

Thanks, Jason!
I'm sure there are fans of Sandalwood forward soaps, I'm just not one of them.
Proraso Red, big fan. Fine Santal Absolut, love it. PAA Sandalwood Science, terrific scent. PAA Sandalwood and WSP Sandalwood, too much Sandalwood for me.

 

Tim:
Great shave report as usual, but two points on the burn! There are really only two reasons for such an experience. One is that you’re allergic to something in it. And two would be that you maybe just experiencing a low level razor burn. I have noticed that whenever my alum block picks up any heat, that’s generally the best explanation I have for menthol-induced burn, and I use a lot of menthol. I would suggest alway checking post shave and pre AS with your alum block. That has always helped me avoid the experience.