I will likely be ready though for "Variation December" (VD for short) and try to go the entire month without using the same thing twice......
November 12 SOTD TOBS Grapefruit Rubberset 400 Feather AC SS Feather Professional (5) Witch Hazel TSD Egyptian Spice AS Yawn
Changed it up a bit this morning I set the dial on the Progress to 4 for the first two pass and back to 3 for the ATG pass. I Had one of my best shaves with no irritation whatsoever.
Tonight I was in a bit of a rush. I didn't really rush through my shave, but I didn't take my time either. 3 pass, wtg, xtg and atg. Probably about half the amount of time I would normally spend. Used my alum, splashed on some bay rum and out the door I went. It wasn't until I got home that I realised that I had absolutely no sting from the alum....hmmmmm. Gave my face a feel, in all directions, hmmmmm, no stubble except for one tiny spot just under my Adams apple. I believe I got my first BBS. Is it possible to shave too slow? Am I going so slow that I'm actually getting irritation from it?
12 November 2015 Day 12 No Variation November! Utopia three-piece Gillette Silver Blue (12) L'Occitane Plisson Synthetic Proraso Barbe Dure Alum TSD 2x Iced FW type AS Splash Have a fantastic Friday!
Actually I bought most of the stuff in October......it just takes a long time to get to the northern parts of Canada, especially the last leg of the journey by dog sled.....
November 11 & 12 Feather Artist Club SS Feather Professional (3 & 4) Semogue 830 MdC scented Two passes plus touch-ups Thayer's Lavender witch hazel, unrefined shea butter, and Fine L'Orange Noir Goals Further develop my two-pass shave technique by practicing the basics Break in and get more experience with the Semogue 830 Get more experience with MdC My last two shaves have been in the Top 10. My first pass is always WTG, and my second pass is either XTG/ATG (yesterday morning) or ATG (tonight). Both shaves approached BBS with hardly no irritation. I'm getting more confident with this set up, to the point that I use short XTG and ATG strokes in my trouble spots around my mouth, chin, and under my nose. I finished up with the L'Orange (really love that aftershave), and I'm ready to tackle the world (yesterday morning) or the pillow (tonight). Stay smooth!
Shave 8 November 12 no variation Today was another fantastic shave. 3 pass WTG XTG & ATG. BBS all over. No clean up needed tonight. By the end of the month I may not want to go back to DE. JK But SE shaving is really agreeing with me. Again I was able to go ATG on the upper lip. grip of razor basically just enough for it not to fall out of my hand. I just lightly move my upper lip over my teeth. I do not draw the skin tight. then just let the razor do its thing. There is a very fine angle that works. slow steady pull up and bingo no more hair. Tom
Every shave has been about the same except for a single shave that @Bama Samurai gave me a pass on. It was a skill challenge. Derby blade in a tech, BBS in 2 passes with no touch ups. I went all the way into @NCoxSTL land by attempting it with williams and an overly floppy, cheap, tangle prone, cheap Col Conk badger brush. I passed but not without tears. More info here. Mmy setup this month has been GSB in a Triangle hole ball end tech, a20mm WD Synthetic brush lathering Proraso White followed by either store branded plain Witch Hazel, Clubman AS or Nivia sensitive post shave balm. DFS+ or better every shave but the first one for each new blade. They feel dangerously sharp the first shave so I knock down my beard to a CCS and stop because I'm always worried I'll hurt my face and need to skip a day. I do that enough out of inattention.
That's sometimes the price to admission to my land. Tears, anguish, gnashing of teeth....all that stuff.
Totally worth it! You're right about GSB, they smooth out. I am just lucky and have lighter to average beard, so I can get 5-7 days easy, however tomorrow will be the 13th for that blade.
Friday's Dove Men Face Wash Tabac Shaving Soap Jayaruh #27 Silver Tip Gillette Super Adjustable (8) Astra Super Platinum CWR, Asma Alum Block Thayers Rose Petal WH Aqua Velva AS The Tabac Shaving Soap face-lathered well with my Jayaruh #27 Silver Tip brush. Two passes with my Gillette Super Adjustable razor on 8 and an Astra Super Platinum blade gave me a close, comfortable shave. After a cold water rinse, alum block, and a final cold water rinse, I finished off with Thayers Rose Petal WH and then Aqua Velva after shave. I am clean, smooth, and refreshed... Thirteenth shave of No Variation NoVember.
