SoS: March 31, 2014 - April 6, 2014

Lousy weather here in Montreal - still snow on the ground at the end of March. Ah well.........

Here's my set-up for:

Menthol Monday!

Neutrogena Men Facial Wash
Large Horsehair Barbershop
Super Speed/new Sharp
Godrej Menthol Mist SC
444 AS Balm
Osage Rub AS
Aramis EdT

It's been a long time since I've used the Sharp blades so I want to see how they perform in comparison to the Rapiras. The Godrej Menthol Mist is one of the best face-freezing creams out there - rich, awesome lather which gives great blade glide. The 444 balm and the Rubby Dubby Doo are unbeatable for post-shave care, as well as additional menthol cooling.

 

Menthol Monday
This shave felt so good... I could do this everyday. I started with Proraso Green PSC and really kicked my eyes open with HTGAM Frost_Byte. The combination softened and made my two days' growth stand on end, just in time for my SC101 to mow it down with ease. I used a Gillette Silver Blue blade, and it was comfortable and smooth. Three passes for BBS on my face and two plus touch up for DFS on my neck. I was sloppy and got a small weeper though. I've noticed that the OC end is a little less forgiving than the SB end. Both are smooth and provide great shaves if I pay attention. I used Synergy Coconut Bay Butter Balm before my ATG pass, and it made for smooth sailing. Krampert's Frostbite finished it up right.

Prep: Proraso Green PSC
Soap: HTGAM Synergy Frost_Byte❄️
Brush: HIS
Razor: iKon ShaveCraft 101
Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (1)
HTGAM Synergy Coconut Bay Butter Balm before ATG
AS: Krampert's Finest Frostbite❄️

 

Gem OCMM
GEM (SS-TPella Coated)(d2)
DR Harris Arlington - Face Lather
Vulfix 2235
Master Blue A/S
Renaissance Man Alpine Trails

 

Menthol Monday

Proraso Green soap face lathered with Omega 49
EJ89dl with Crystal SS (3)
3 passes, cold water splash and finish with Osage Rub

 

Gillette Tech - Bulldog
Gillette Silver Blue
Omega Baby Pro
Walter's Rose
Alum

 

3/31/14
Prep: Warm wash with Stirling Scots Pine sheep
Lather: Stirling Barbershop
Brush: Stirling Badger
Razor: Merkur 34HD
Blade: Lord Super Platinum
Post: Cold water rinse and CC Cat

I need to learn how to bowl lather. I paid for a lathering bowl and have consistently gotten dry, wet. light and airy lather. Had to abandon it and face lather up the Barbershop. Easy 3 pass with touch ups. Near BBS all over.

 

Monday, March 31, 2014

Prep: Warm shower, Cetaphil Lotion
Razor: EJ DE89L
Blade: Personna Lab Blue (3)
Soap: Stirling Barbershop
Brush: Semogue 830
Post: Witch Hazel, Cetaphil Lotion
Aftershave: Brut

If today turns out to be a good as my shave this morning, I'm in for a terrific day.

Have a great day!

 

3/31/2014 Synthetic Brush Week/Menthol Monday!!

Prep: Hot shower with L'Oreal Men Expert Facial Wash, home made PSO
Razor: Star 1912 patent single edge, French Frame Back straight razor
Blade: GEM PFTE coated SE blade (5)
Brush: Ever Ready 500N synthetic
Soap: Yeti Snot
After: Home made ASB, Barbon after shave
Cologne: Gravity

A frosty 2 pass Darn Fine Shave today. The Yeti Snot is amazingly cold.

Have a blessed day!

 

Monday:
hot shower
Somersets PSO
Gillette Ball End Tech 2 passes
Gillette Wilkinson Sword (3)
Semogue Owners Club badger
Old Spice cream
Thayers unscented w/aloe
Family Dollar Old Spice AS

Just need a mild one on Mondays since Sunday is a regular shave day. Strange phenomenon though and I've noticed this before. Saturday's shave was closer than Sunday's but this morning I had less growth than I did yesterday morning. Does a BBS shave result in faster regrowth than a DFS shave or does your beard simply grow at different rates on different days or different times of the year or depending on the phase of the moon...?

Family Dollar Spice (compare to Old Spice) - okay, I finally went to a Family Dollar store and plunked down 2 bucks just to see what so many rave about. It smells fine and feels okay on my face and it only cost 2 dollars but I'm overwhelmed with feelings of guilt. I closed the medicine chest so my Old Spice bottle wouldn't see what I was doing and I'm keeping the generic in a different cabinet but I still found myself apologizing and feeling as if I've betrayed the true aftershave that's served generations.
Absolution. I'm seeking absolution.

 

Monday

Prep: Hot Shower-Stirling Bath Soap
Soap: MdC
Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux (2)
Brush: Whipped Dog Silvertip 22mmx48mm
Aftershave: Grey Flannel

WTG-XTG-ATG (adjusted angle for my beard a bit)

I had to go back to the MdC sample this morning. It produced another excellent shave. I finished up with Grey Flannel.

Bob

 

Menthol Monday

hot shower
Proraso PSC
Mama Bear's Bear Ice SS
Merkur Mergress/Feather (1)
cold water rinse
Monster Block Alum
cold water rinse
Thayer's Lemon WH with 4 drops M-Bomb
The Rub
Nasomatto Silver Musk edp

A real frosty start to the week and BBS all around to boot !!!
Stay frosty,my friends !!!

 

SOTD March 31, 2014
pre: hot water
soap: Zafferano - L'Amande Homme
brush: Marfin n.93, silvertip 26mm
razor: Wade&Butcher "Celebrated"
after: Zafferano - L'Amande Homme

 

Happy Monday From Florida!

Hot Shower
Semogue 1305
Palmolive
R-41 (V1.0)
Schick Platinum (1)
Cold Water Rag
Skin Bracer Blue

2-passes = DFS+++!

 

Merkur Progress
Polsilver
Semogue BC Mistura
HTGAM Frost_Byte
Fine - Snake Bite A/S**
HTGAM Frost_Byte A/S Balm

Maison Francis Kurkdjian - Lumiere Noire Pour Homme

** The Fine Snake Bite A/S was Super Cold!!!! Very Nice!!

 

MONDAY
Saying 'good bye' to March

The morning I used the 'milder' of my two R41s—and was rewarded with a super-close and comfortable 3-pass shave. Normally, I'm a 2-pass shaver (WTG, XTG), but I was enjoying my shave so much, I opted to go for another pass. Part of the reason I enjoyed this morning's shave was the thick sage-scented lather generated from the PdP soap. My first DE shave using this soap (I had a straight razor shave with it last week) and it was slick! The PdP lather may not be as luxuriously slick as MdC or L'Occitane Cade soaps—but it is no slouch. Plus I really enjoy the fresh herbal/sage scent. Near-BBS this morning when all was finished.

Have a blessed week, everyone!

 

Monday

Prep: CeraVe cleanser
Soap: Tiki Bar unscented
Brush: Plisson synthetic
Razor: iKon ShaveCraft
Blade: Astra SP
After: Cold rinse, CeraVe

Once again, excellent lather from the Tiki Bar soap. Nice close shave from the ShaveCraft and Astra blade.

Have a good Monday!

 

Menthol Monday:

Prep: Hot shower, Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub, TSD Jasmine Sambac Preshave balm
Brush: Simpson 56 Best Badger
Soap: Ginger's Garden Grass Stain Menthol Snow
Razor: Merkur 41c 1904 OC
Blade: Bic Chrome Platinum (2)
Passes: WTG, XTG (3, 4)
Post: Cold water rinse, Dickinson's WH, Lucky Tiger Menthol Vanishing Cream ASB

As the blades that work best for me in my FaTip are still en route, I swapped the Bic I had freshly loaded in there the other day into my 41c, where it performs considerably better. Lovely, stable lather this AM produced a DFS+ shave in two passes. Finishing up with the Lucky Tiger put a real chill on my cheeks; I don't know how the hardcore members of the Menthol Mafia here feel about the Lucky Tiger Menthol, but it's the coldest I've found in my limited explorations.

 

Menthol Monday!
Razor: Ikon 2013 Dlx Solid Bar
Blade: Supermax Sunrise (D4)
Brush Turkish Pro Horsehair
Bowl: Dirty Bird 1.5 Scuttle
Pre Shave Soap: MRGLO Lime
Pre Shave Oil: Homemade Iced Mojito
Shave Soap: Mama Bear Lime Cilantro Iced
Post: Monster Alum Block
Aftershave: Osage Rub

​

 

P2 gillette black beauty (birth year razor)
Wilkinson Sword Saloon pack blade (India)
Proraso Sandalwood soap

Perfect 2 pass BBS with minor touch ups on face and head.

finished with Thayer's cucumber WH w/added menthol crystals
and original Clubman Pinaud AS w/added menthol crystals.

A great start to a new week.

 

SOTD Monday 3-31-2014

11/16 Money-Bak Razor, Full Hollow, Spike Point
Proraso PSC
Tabac SC
GT G4 Scuttle
Omega 31064 Boar
Dickinson's Witch Hazel
Gold Bond Moisturizing Lotion
Aqua Velva Musk ASL/Cologne