SOTD "HALLOWEEN IS COMING THEME WEEK" October 23rd - October 29th, 2017

[ronweston]

View attachment 832305

Now that's what I call an illuminating shot, Big_Tex! Nice one.

 

[ronweston]

Thursday
Prep: Warm Shower-Stirling Bath Soap-Scots Pine Sheep
Soap: Chiseled Face Ghost Town Barber
Razor: Gillette Slim
Blade: Vintage Gillette “Spoiler” Super Stainless (Shave #6)
Brush: oscar11/TGN High Mountain White-22mmx48mm
Aftershave: Chiseled Face Ghost Town Barber

WTG-XTG-ATG (adjusted angles for my beard)

Chiseled Face Ghost Town Barber today. 20 seconds to load the oscar11/TGN HMW brush. Easy, thick, slick, lather. Vintage Gillette “Spoiler” SS still in the Gillette Slim. Excellent smooth, close shave. I finished with Chiseled Face Ghost Town Barber aftershave.

Bob

Quite an appealing layout, Bob.

 

[ronweston]

View attachment 832327​

That is definitely a come-hither shave pic if I ever saw one!

 

[alfredus]

Pre-Shave: SebaMed, cold water
Razor: Razorock Baby Smooth Al
Blade: Voskhod (1)
Brush: Nathan Clark Envy White
Lather: Mike's Bay Rum
Post-Shave: Alum, Stirling Bay Laurel Witch Hazel, Australian Emu Oil

I hope you all have a very enjoyable Sunday ​

 

[ronweston]

Thursday:

Prep: Hot shower
Razor: 1968 Gillette Super Speed
Blade: Astra Superior Stainless (3)
Brush: Yaqi 24mm Synthetic Tuxedo
Lather: B&M Latha Oceana
Post-Shave: MITA witch hazel+aloe / Nivea Post Shave Balm / Clubman Pinaud

View attachment 832329 ​

Excellent closely-nit grouping. Nice little seasonal anchor to your pic.

 

[ronweston]

CRSW Jeff's Soap
Ever Ready 350 TGN Finest
Rigarazor 8/8
MLS Kraken Milk

Neat angle on the blade, Gabe.

 

[ronweston]

Lovely display. And oh, that brush is a real looker!

 

[ronweston]

A Black and Orange shave in honor of the colors of the Holiday.

pre: hot towel, TOBS Jermyn St pre-shave gel
bowl: C.O.Bigelow ceramic
brush: Vie Long horsehair
razor: Razorock Hawk
blade: Kai Pinks
Soap: TOBS Jermyn St
post1: hot towel, alum, cold towel
post2: TOBS Jermyn St a/s cream, a/s spritz

Always one of my TOP performers, good old TOBS Jermyn St. The brush and cream combo whipped up a lather very quickly, more quickly than most other brush/soap combos.
The Hawk is a one pass wonder. I love the wider width compared to the width of a regular DE, and the razor is incredibly light and agile.
Not sure that the pre-shave gel does much, as I usually use either Proraso, or Nivea or Kheils which both have an abrasive in the scrub.

Great shave!

View attachment 832343

Attractive medium high angle perspective of your arrayment.

 

[ronweston]

Timeless Scalloped + Stork Consul Ti/ Triton R3/ M&F L7 butterscotch Finest/ Tabac

Wonderful placement of your elements. Oskar.

 

[ronweston]

COLONIAL/CHARCOAL GOODS :: PALADIN :: L&L :: CHATILLON LUX​

Take my breath away.... Basking in the light, a dazzling, richly colored image of sheer beauty. Bravo. Chris.

 

[ronweston]

Vintage Vulfix Best Badger
SV Manna di Sicilia
Crabtree & Evelyn 5/8 Half Hollow
RR Son of Zeus Splash​

This close up is so sharp and dramatic that it is nearly three dimensional, Dave.

 

[ronweston]

Schulze 192
Shavemac D01
Goldachs Classic Shaving Soap
Booster Mosswood After Shave Lotion

View attachment 832390

Superb portrait indeed!

 

[ronweston]

Rockwell 6C plate 4
Rockwell
Jan Zoethout custom synthetic
TFS Corte Sabauba
Cien Balm

A smooth head once again.
This was my first shave with a Rockwell blade and I was not impressed.

I am very happy with the razor and all its base plates, but the blade felt like a used Polsilver.
Now there's nothing wrong with a Polsilver that had had 5 shaves or so, but from a new blade I was expecting something else.

The Cien Balm gave a nice warm burn on the scalp, lovely!

View attachment 832396

I know what you mean about the Rockwell blade, Loei. I got the hundred pack when I purchased the razor a year and a half ago. I don't think I've used all the blades in a single tuck yet.

 

[ronweston]

Barrister and Mann - Fougère Gothique
DrivenLegend Red & Black | APShaveCo Tuxedo 30mm
Ever-Ready 1912 | Delta Echo | Gem PTFE

Fall, and more specifically, Halloween offerings are in abundance this year and the gloves are off. Barrister and Mann's "Fougère Gothique" came with its share of hype. The question is, does it live up to it?

I preface every review regarding limited editions with my obligatory statement about how I'm a sucker for packaging. Well, one more peculiarity about me is that I abhor samples. I have such an abundance of sometimes unopened soaps, that I haven't the time nor the desire to entertain samples. Some of you were already using the Fougère Gothique by way of samples weeks in advance of its release. Will Carius, being fully aware of my aversion to sample soaps, kindly surprised me with a decant of the unmacerated EdP. Being a total amateur in this whole fragrance thing, I had no idea what unmacerated meant. He explained that it simply hadn't had time to age in the alcohol so it would not have fully melded, and strength would likely be affected. Regardless of whether or not I was supposed to, I did note a transformation of the fragrance over that time period. For the first week of use, I wouldn't have categorized the decant as dark. Fougère? Yes. Dark? No. More recently, presumably secondary to the time elapsed or the education of my nose, it is clearly as-advertised and that is a "dark fougère". Given that I'd been using this EdP on a frequent basis for about 6 weeks, now, I fully knew what to expect from the Fougère Gothique line.

Because I don't know what I'm doing, I'll just start by describing in my own amateur way how the retail EdP unfolds to my nose. Then, I'll comment on what doesn't come through so well on the soap.

Fougère Gothique (EdP) actually opens with a thick, earthy, non-animalic musky note. Given my nose and body chemistry, this pleasant note remains non-specific for almost an hour. At which point it becomes identifiable as mushroom. Mushroom that's just pushed through damp earth and moss. The musky earthiness maintains its presence, but it is soon brightened by a full floral that's very close to rose. I have a sensitivity to rose, in that despite my affinity for it, rose proper gives me a headache. In this fragrance however, it deviates just enough to avoid that issue. I can't say for certain, but I've been told it's likely the tuberose that I'm detecting. This floral window plateaus for a good portion of the arc, but the accord doesn't abandon the dark undertones. The floral peaks with a sweetness interwoven with a green character akin to nectar as opposed to candy. In relationship to the longevity of the fragrance, the sweetness is relatively brief and relents to the original earthiness which, upon its resurfacing acquires a woody lavender, leather, and finally an understated smokiness. As this complex journey fades---and I'm talking at least 10 hours---it lays down a warm woodiness with periodic sharp or bitter notes which are probably cedar and bergamot pushing though.

The documented notes are, "ash, lavender, smoldering flame, balsam, bergamot, geranium, vetiver, mushroom, sandalwood, leather, oakmoss, cedar, tonka bean, tuberose, (and allure)." Marketing embellishments aside, there's no way I could say I picked up all those notes, but it does give you an idea of the range to expect from this masterpiece of a fragrance.

The soap off the dry tub (or coffret) is a confusing cluster of floral, musk, and earth. So, please, lather it before making a judgment. Certainly, having experienced the EdP first, my understanding of the soap comes more quickly. Like the EdP, it opens with an earthiness, but to my surprise, the mushroom is much more identifiable. I suspect this is because the balance is thrown off in light of the limitations of the soap base medium, thereby muting the full spectrum of the ensuing floral. Frankly, if all this soap did was stop at the dark earth aspect, I'd be happy. It's quite enjoyable, but there's more to be had with longer exposure. The floral does come, but it's less rose and more geranium. There is some sweetness and even perhaps bitter citrus, but it's brief. The leather is more specific in the soap as well. In musical terms, the soap's display of the Fougère Gothique fragrance is played straight. The notes are there, but the piece is devoid of the flourishes and transitional turns that come natural to the master.

The Fougère Gothique soap uses the Reserve base. I've commented extensively about the exceptional performance of this base. While there are several other artisanal soaps that match the Reserve performance, none surpass it. Where Reserve does stand out is in its tolerance for hard water. I can achieve a luxurious lather with any of my preferred soaps despite my hard water. However, with Reserve, I can get there more quickly.

I commented on the impressive longevity of the EdP, and to be honest, 10 hours is probably necessary to fully appreciate the complexity and unfolding of this fragrance. However, the matching tonique does a remarkable job of approximating this in a shorter timeframe, which for me is roughly 5 hours depending on activity. In fact, some will no doubt use the splash (tonique) as a replacement for the EdP. As far as performance, the tonique is on par with most other alcohol-based splashes. I don't typically register the effectiveness of a splash unless I have a sub-par shave, and given the Reserve base, that's unlikely.

The presentation of this set speaks for itself. The fact that I address this aspect last is a testament to the product, as my allure to unique or extravagant packaging is well established. Barrister and Mann partnered with a very talented artist, Rebecca Graves Pottery, to carry through the gothic vision, handcrafting brush handles with Declaration knots, razor holders, and coffrets filled with soap. While I desperately desire to have my very own 30 mm Declaration Brushworks brush, I couldn't justify going full-tilt because despite their beauty, they just didn't seem practical. The coffret, however, is a unique blend of theme, whimsy, and function. These are quality pottery down to the last detail, and designed to fit perfectly in either hand with a horn serving as a thumb rest to facilitate your grip while loading your brush. Each piece is numbered and signed by the artist. This same artist created the motif across the line including the tonique, jars, and t-shirts. The jars/tubs are the same as the rest of Barrister and Mann's updated packaging except the art is silk screened directly onto the jars. The tonique carries on the devil motif, but inverts the red/black scheme. Such attention to detail was paid that even the glass tonique bottles are smoked grey as opposed to the usual amber apothecary style. One minor faux pas was the unexpected inclusion of child-proof caps for the toniques. Also of note is the erroneous ingredients listing on the soap tub. The listing is for the Glissant base as opposed to the Reserve. This is remedied by the inclusion of a card denoting the correct ingredients. (The Hallows curse apparently lives on.) The EdP is presented in a quaint but elegant box, that blends with the theme but is absent any devilish image, thereby lending an air of sophistication. Nestled within the box is a classic cylindrical, heavy glass bottle with a concave starburst base that effectively scatters the light through the amber product, essentially allowing it to speak for itself. The text on the bottle is apparently screened, but in such a fashion as to appear to be etched and subtly blends in as to avoid belying its simple elegance. It's topped with a clear plastic cube reminiscent of vintage fragrances.

Even if the extras aren't your thing, you must appreciate the thoughtful design and artistry surrounding this set, let alone the complexity of coordination and cooperation involving at least three busy artisans. That said, all would be for naught if the core product failed to be worthy of such efforts. Realistically, when your soap and splash are spent, and your coffret is relegated to a whimsical yet beautiful candy dish, you realize the EdP is what's left standing. Fougère Gothique does stand alone in this regard. Fougère Gothique is truly a masterpiece, and I suspect a sign of more to come from Barrister and Mann.

Beautifully designed presentation image, Matt. The ground level perspective, the slightly staggered arrayment, and the intricately balanced colors encompassed by the gray gives a visual hint of the experience of Fougère Gothique. And your exposition is exceptional.

 

[Tallapoc]

29-10-2017

Agua y jabón :: Aqua di Parma :: Rubberset 400-4 :: Gillette toggle, persona :: Aqua di Parma, balm

 

[bazza1]

SOTD: 29th October 2017.

Shaving recipe for today.

Prep: Hot shower:/Cien~ Green Kick Shower Gel & Shampoo.

Pre:

warm wet flannel to my face.

Wilkinsons Fruits ~ Coconut & Vanilla Body Butter.
Brush: Omega S10065 Synthetic.

Bowl Lather.

Soap : Arko Shave Stick. (Disk)

Blade: Gillette Silver Blue. (2)

Razor: 1968 Aluminium Handle Gillette Tech (Eng) .

Warm wet flannel/ cold wet flannel to rinse my face.

Post:

Alum Block./Lemon+Peppermint Oil & Witch Hazel Mixture. / Blue Stratos Aftershave.

Aloe Vera Gel.

Greetings,

We all experiment in trying razor & blade duo's ,some work,some don't , the Gillette Tech /Gillette Silver Blue today was one of the most pleasurable Razor & blade duo's i've had to date with my Gillette tech,a superb match, i had to look to see if i had put a blade in the razor, sheer utter efficient smoothness , the Alum block detected no irritation in the slightest...Amazing

A very relaxing non-aggressive 3 pass sunday shave with no errors to report.

Finishing the shave off in style with a very generous splash of Blue Stratos.

My face is feeling super smooth & smelling 'old school' devine.

Enjoy your sunday, ladies & gentlemen.


​

 

[Joli]

Wonderful placement of your elements. Oskar.

Thanks Ron!

 

[shm]

Splendid sepia, Søren. That No Name Brush is an interesting element.

Thank you very much
The brush is an English porcelain/bakelite I restored some years ago, with a knot as similar to the original as possible. I like it a lot and should use really it more.

 

[shm]

2017-10-29

Ikea bowl ¤ M&F Blonde Badger "Chief" ¤ 6/8" Joseph Allen & Son NON-XLL
Myrsol Blue Soap ¤ Myrsol Blue Aftershave ¤ Myrsol Blue Cologne

 

[120inna55]

Beautifully designed presentation image, Matt. The ground level perspective, the slightly staggered arrayment, and the intricately balanced colors encompassed by the gray gives a visual hint of the experience of Fougère Gothique. And your exposition is exceptional.

Thank you, sir!