- Thread starter
- #201
There's a big discussion about it going on in the WWSC brotherhood thread right now, apparently some people have received slightly hard pucks but none as hard as mine
A Millennial's Shaving Journey
- Thread starter slateshalehead
- Start date
There's a big discussion about it going on in the WWSC brotherhood thread right now, apparently some people have received slightly hard pucks but none as hard as mine
- Thread starter
- #202
Shave #69 - 20 Mar, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Astra Superior Platinum blade
Software: Captain's Choice North Shaving Soap, Maggard Alum Block, Captain's Choice 45th Parallel AS balm
Music: "Don't Need It Now" by Le Boom, "Qongqothwane (The Click Song)" by Miriam Makeba, "Benny Hill Show Theme Song" by Charlie's Angels
Today's shave featured the return of a few previously tested items that have been gathering dust in the back of my shave den. After reorganizing my blade box, I decided to pull out an Astra SP. The Astra is, at this point, my second highest rated blade, so I'll be interested to see how it performs now that the Gillete 7OC SharpEdge is in my repertoire. For my first shave with it, the blade performed well - no nicks, little irritation, and a close shave. I did have to touch up one or two areas, but as a I remember, the Astra blade performs best on its 2nd and 3rd shave, so hopefully I won't have to do that next time.
I also pulled out two of my Captain's Choice samples - the North soap and 45th Parallel AS balm. The slickness of CC soaps rivals, and in some ways surpasses, that of the WWSC products I'm often raving about. CC soaps also leave my skin quite moisturized, and provide a nice cushion, even on those occasions (like today) when I don't use enough product to make my lather and end up with something a bit thinner than I'd like. That being said, I think I've mentioned before that the slickness from the CC soap is almost too much - it requires a decent face-washing to get off whatever causes the slickness (glycerin?), as opposed to WWSC soaps, which reconstitute their slickness quickly with a bit of water but don't otherwise leave your face feeling slicker than ice.
The CC aftershave balm is a really nice product - the scent is not overpowering when used in the right amount (don't sniff it straight from the container), and the moisturizing leaves nothing to be desired. It also absorbs quickly, which is definitely nice for those days when I don't want to wait around for my face to dry. If they made a more neutral scent, I might consider getting a full-sized batch, as I could then mix-and-match it with colognes. As it is, the aftershave has a strong enough scent to serve as a mild cologne, if that's what you're into.
Lots of odd music today - House music from Ireland, a Xhosa folk song, and a cultural classic - great for keeping me on schedule this morning!
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Astra Superior Platinum blade
Software: Captain's Choice North Shaving Soap, Maggard Alum Block, Captain's Choice 45th Parallel AS balm
Music: "Don't Need It Now" by Le Boom, "Qongqothwane (The Click Song)" by Miriam Makeba, "Benny Hill Show Theme Song" by Charlie's Angels
Today's shave featured the return of a few previously tested items that have been gathering dust in the back of my shave den. After reorganizing my blade box, I decided to pull out an Astra SP. The Astra is, at this point, my second highest rated blade, so I'll be interested to see how it performs now that the Gillete 7OC SharpEdge is in my repertoire. For my first shave with it, the blade performed well - no nicks, little irritation, and a close shave. I did have to touch up one or two areas, but as a I remember, the Astra blade performs best on its 2nd and 3rd shave, so hopefully I won't have to do that next time.
I also pulled out two of my Captain's Choice samples - the North soap and 45th Parallel AS balm. The slickness of CC soaps rivals, and in some ways surpasses, that of the WWSC products I'm often raving about. CC soaps also leave my skin quite moisturized, and provide a nice cushion, even on those occasions (like today) when I don't use enough product to make my lather and end up with something a bit thinner than I'd like. That being said, I think I've mentioned before that the slickness from the CC soap is almost too much - it requires a decent face-washing to get off whatever causes the slickness (glycerin?), as opposed to WWSC soaps, which reconstitute their slickness quickly with a bit of water but don't otherwise leave your face feeling slicker than ice.
The CC aftershave balm is a really nice product - the scent is not overpowering when used in the right amount (don't sniff it straight from the container), and the moisturizing leaves nothing to be desired. It also absorbs quickly, which is definitely nice for those days when I don't want to wait around for my face to dry. If they made a more neutral scent, I might consider getting a full-sized batch, as I could then mix-and-match it with colognes. As it is, the aftershave has a strong enough scent to serve as a mild cologne, if that's what you're into.
Lots of odd music today - House music from Ireland, a Xhosa folk song, and a cultural classic - great for keeping me on schedule this morning!
- Thread starter
- #203
Shave #70 - 22 Mar, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Astra Superior Platinum blade
Software: WWSC Aces and Eights, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Burn to Shine" by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, "Love and Marriage" by Frank Sinatra, "Birth of the Blues" by Sammy Davis Jr.
For this morning's shave, I decided to attempt to bowl-lather some WWSC Aces and Eights. Regular followers will know of my ongoing saga with this particular batch of WWSC soaps. Anyways, I found that, after smearing the cream in the bottom of my bowl and then soaking it in a very small amount of water before lathering, I managed to get most all of the harder bits to dissolve. Not perfect, but better than it used to be! I'll just have to be patient with this batch.
The shave itself was rather disappointing. I found the Astra blade rather irritating, especially to my jawline, and ended up with a few nicks and razor burn patches. Nothing a bit of cold water, some alum and styptic pencil action, and my aftershave couldn't handle, but it did delay me by about ten minutes... not really what I'm looking for in a shave!
Shave #71- 24 Mar, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Astra Superior Platinum blade
Software: Ingrams UK, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Don't Need It Now" by Le Boom, "This and That" by Tom Jones, "Gonna Move Across the River" by Eugene Pitt
Today's shave featured the return of an underrepresented British classic: Ingrams mentholated soap! Anyone with the chance to get this soap at its normal retail price (around $2 US, currently 1.45 GBP) definitely should - it performs just as well (if not better than) many soaps in the $10-$15 range, and the menthol kick is great! As normal, it takes about double the usual product to whip up enough lather, but the result is a smooth, protective lather which does wonders for your face!
Because of the menthol, as well as rinsing out my blade after every stroke, I managed to reduce the irritation I'm experiencing with this blade. It's a bit of a disappointment given my more positive experience with Astra SP last time around, so perhaps this blade is a dud. But I think I will be swapping it out soon for something else...
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Astra Superior Platinum blade
Software: WWSC Aces and Eights, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Burn to Shine" by Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals, "Love and Marriage" by Frank Sinatra, "Birth of the Blues" by Sammy Davis Jr.
For this morning's shave, I decided to attempt to bowl-lather some WWSC Aces and Eights. Regular followers will know of my ongoing saga with this particular batch of WWSC soaps. Anyways, I found that, after smearing the cream in the bottom of my bowl and then soaking it in a very small amount of water before lathering, I managed to get most all of the harder bits to dissolve. Not perfect, but better than it used to be! I'll just have to be patient with this batch.
The shave itself was rather disappointing. I found the Astra blade rather irritating, especially to my jawline, and ended up with a few nicks and razor burn patches. Nothing a bit of cold water, some alum and styptic pencil action, and my aftershave couldn't handle, but it did delay me by about ten minutes... not really what I'm looking for in a shave!
Shave #71- 24 Mar, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Astra Superior Platinum blade
Software: Ingrams UK, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Don't Need It Now" by Le Boom, "This and That" by Tom Jones, "Gonna Move Across the River" by Eugene Pitt
Today's shave featured the return of an underrepresented British classic: Ingrams mentholated soap! Anyone with the chance to get this soap at its normal retail price (around $2 US, currently 1.45 GBP) definitely should - it performs just as well (if not better than) many soaps in the $10-$15 range, and the menthol kick is great! As normal, it takes about double the usual product to whip up enough lather, but the result is a smooth, protective lather which does wonders for your face!
Because of the menthol, as well as rinsing out my blade after every stroke, I managed to reduce the irritation I'm experiencing with this blade. It's a bit of a disappointment given my more positive experience with Astra SP last time around, so perhaps this blade is a dud. But I think I will be swapping it out soon for something else...
Good couple of reads Frank. Good to see the music selection back! I actually look up some of the songs from time to time.
- Thread starter
- #205
Glad you enjoy them! I'm rather eclectic so I like to thing there is something for everyone!
- Thread starter
- #206
Shave #72 - 26 Mar, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Derby Extra blade
Software: Cella, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS, Clubman Pinaud AS
Music: Selections from "A Night at the Met" by Robin Williams
After a lot of debating back and forth with myself over whether to risk an irritating shave with my well-used Astra SP blade, or to grab a new one, I figured I'd have the best (or worst...) of both worlds: I swapped it out and finally tried one of my Derby Extra blades! I'm surprised I've managed to go so long avoiding them, but they are one of the only blades I have floating around right now that I haven't tested, so I figured I'd give it a go.
I was surprised to find that the blade actually wasn't half-bad. I would certainly take it over the Russian blades I've dealt with, that's for sure! It did take an extra pass, but I managed to get a decently close shave with it. There was above-average stinging with the alum block, however, so that will tell you something about the overall shave quality. I decided to toss the blade after this use (as I could feel it getting dull as I was using it...), so a mini-review will come at the end of today's (on-time!) post.
I also decided to lather up some Cella today. It does give a nice lather, although there is still something about it that I don't particularly care for... it doesn't smell magnificent, the lather is not very moisturizing, and it leaves a film in my lather bowl and sink when I wash it out. I'm glad that Don sent me a sample of it - I had been contemplating getting myself one of the giant bricks of it before he sent me this sample pot, and I don't know that I'll be using it again after I get through it...
In other news, a friend of mine got me a shave-related belated birthday present - a strop! It's a great entry-level strop, and so now I really don't have an excuse not to break out the two cut-throats I was PIFed and try straight edge shaving.... I chickened out on that this morning, so maybe I'll have more courage for my next shave!
Derby Extra Blade Mini-Review
Aggressiveness: not very aggressive or intimidating
Durability: 1 3-pass shaves on 2-days growth (I could feel it dulling as I went along
Package design: plastic dispenser with white wrapper emblazoned with the off-mint-green Derby logo
Overall: Not necessarily as bad as some say, but not worth going out and getting a pack...
Would use again: I wouldn't have any issue using it again, but I won't have great expectations for it
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Derby Extra blade
Software: Cella, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS, Clubman Pinaud AS
Music: Selections from "A Night at the Met" by Robin Williams
After a lot of debating back and forth with myself over whether to risk an irritating shave with my well-used Astra SP blade, or to grab a new one, I figured I'd have the best (or worst...) of both worlds: I swapped it out and finally tried one of my Derby Extra blades! I'm surprised I've managed to go so long avoiding them, but they are one of the only blades I have floating around right now that I haven't tested, so I figured I'd give it a go.
I was surprised to find that the blade actually wasn't half-bad. I would certainly take it over the Russian blades I've dealt with, that's for sure! It did take an extra pass, but I managed to get a decently close shave with it. There was above-average stinging with the alum block, however, so that will tell you something about the overall shave quality. I decided to toss the blade after this use (as I could feel it getting dull as I was using it...), so a mini-review will come at the end of today's (on-time!) post.
I also decided to lather up some Cella today. It does give a nice lather, although there is still something about it that I don't particularly care for... it doesn't smell magnificent, the lather is not very moisturizing, and it leaves a film in my lather bowl and sink when I wash it out. I'm glad that Don sent me a sample of it - I had been contemplating getting myself one of the giant bricks of it before he sent me this sample pot, and I don't know that I'll be using it again after I get through it...
In other news, a friend of mine got me a shave-related belated birthday present - a strop! It's a great entry-level strop, and so now I really don't have an excuse not to break out the two cut-throats I was PIFed and try straight edge shaving.... I chickened out on that this morning, so maybe I'll have more courage for my next shave!
Derby Extra Blade Mini-Review
Aggressiveness: not very aggressive or intimidating
Durability: 1 3-pass shaves on 2-days growth (I could feel it dulling as I went along
Package design: plastic dispenser with white wrapper emblazoned with the off-mint-green Derby logo
Overall: Not necessarily as bad as some say, but not worth going out and getting a pack...
Would use again: I wouldn't have any issue using it again, but I won't have great expectations for it
My rule is, never risk a bad shave because of a blade.
- Thread starter
- #208
Apologies in advance for a super-long entry, but it's been quite a while since I last wrote. Over the last two weeks, SWMBO has been visiting me from the US, and we've been vacationing across Great Britain, so I really haven't much time for the good ole' B&B. Bu now that I have some time to catch my breath, I can catch you all up on everything!
I traveled lightly in terms of shaving gear, bringing only some tried-and-true items: my Merkur 23C, the Yaqi Mysterious Space synthetic brush, Gillette 7OC Sharp Edge blades, Nivea sensitive AS, an alum block, and two soaps: WWSC Pinkerton and Santa Maria Del Fiore. This was a great small grouping, giving me decent shaves despite the fact that our first hotel had consistent hot-water issues...
At one point towards the end of the trip, I misplaced my Merkur 23C (only to have been found at the bottom of my suitcase as I was unpacking back home), so I was forced to resort to testing out my unmarked German-made OC razor from the 1960s, which I discussed purchasing a few months ago. Despite being tiny, it is quite aggressive! I will definitely need to test it properly, but I probably won't ever be using a blade as aggressive as the 7OC Sharp Edge with it again!
While I was in London, we decided to hit up Jermyn Street and some of the shave shops around there. I forgot, however, just how high-class these shops are... it only dawned on me as I was entering the first shop (D.R. Harris), as I was passed by a man in a well-tailored suit, hurrying into a waiting Bentley. Comparatively, my travel outfit (consisting of bluejeans and a windbreaker, plus a backpack) wasn't very impressive. And boy did the staff let me know it! Despite demonstrating significant interest in the products and intending to buy a few, I got the cold shoulder from almost every shop I entered.
The shop assistant in D.R. Harris insisted I knew nothing about shaving after I said that their creams were meant to be lathered with a brush - she contended that they were brushless creams meant to be rubbed directly on the face, a claim which I challenged by pointing to the barbershop in the back of the store. They weren't very appreciative of that, so I quietly returned the tub I intended to purchase back to the shelf and made my way over to Taylor of Old Bond Street.
Despite being a less posh store, their sales assistants were not much better. The shop had a few other customers in there, so it took a while for me to get anyone's attention. When I posed some questions about whether their products had gone through a reformulation (their sample Sandalwood smelled rather different from the tub I have), they didn't seem too interested in answering - possibly because they didn't know. The sales associate also kept attempting to direct me to their colognes, and away from the shaving products that I was clearly interested in. That, and the fact that I can get their products cheaper on Amazon or Connaught, led me to leave their empty-handed too.
I then made my way through the Piccadilly Arcade, stopping first in Carlo Anichini's shop. They had a number of testers for their products, which both SWMBO and I enjoyed. I intended to grab at least two bottles of Pinaud scents (plus a bar of rose soap for her), but as we were browsing (after only about 5 minutes) the stern-looking older gentleman manning the shop came to ask if he could help, in a rather condescending way. When I explained that I enjoyed many of the scents and was appreciating his stock, he said something along the lines of "maybe do a little less appreciating and a little more purchasing." I was, understandably if you ask me, rather irked by this, and his demeanor was not one that I really wanted to deal with, so again we left empty-handed.
At the end of the Piccadilly Arcade is the storefront for Santa Maria Novella, the wonderful apothecary that has a much-famed shave soap. We went in to find two shopkeepers, both clean-shaven men, but who knew precious little about the product. The soap of course smelled nice, but I think very similar to Santa Maria Del Fiore from Razorock (which is much cheaper!), and the shopkeepers' lack of any real knowledge didn't motivate me to make a purchase, so again we left.
Finally, we ended at the men's grooming section of Fortnum and Mason, the luxury department store right near the Ritz Hotel. They had cabinets of products from all the major British luxury soap manufacturers (TOBS, Truefitt and Hill, D.R. Harris, etc.), which I was quite impressed by. Less impressive was the cost: the products were marked up by about 10-25% from what they cost in the company stores a block away, a fact which the sales attendant shrugged off when I mentioned it. SWMBO and I made ourselves content with a few truffles from their chocolate shop, and left Piccadilly without any shaving accouterments.
The whole experience was, quite honestly, rather disappointing. Maybe I am spoiled by my experiences with artisan sellers like @OutlawShaver at WWSC or @Captain Pre-Capsize at Captain's Choice, but I have come to expect some level of passion from the people I purchase my shaving products from. Even when I am in a brick-and-mortar store, I generally receive better treatment from salespersons than what I experienced in Piccadilly. Maybe this had something to do with my attire - if I was dressed to the nines, flashing my Oxford cufflinks, maybe the story would be different. But that alone tells you something about the way these companies, or at least their sales associates, operate. It really is rather disappointing, overall, that the luxury makers act in such a way, but I guess it is to be expected to a degree.
When I returned home, I had a special treat waiting for me: an unopened c.1960s set of Yardley's shaving cream and aftershave, purchased for pennies off Fleabay. I have heard great things about Yardley's shave soap, so I figured I'd give the products a try! Here are my initial impressions!
Shave #73 - 13 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: Vintage Yardley Lather Shaving Cream, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS, Yardley After Shave Lotion
Despite being unopened, some of the soap had dried in the tube mouth, so I had to clean it out a bit. However, the product inside seems fresh as the day it was packaged! The cream itself is a bit thicker than a Palmolive or Ingrams cream in their metal tube, but not as thick as tub-based creams like SMDF. It required the normal amount of product and water to lather up into a thick lather, equivalent to what you might get from TOBS.
Yardley's scent is quite difficult to describe (many on B&B have tried...), but I definitely get lavender as the prevailing scent of the cream. It is not overly floral to my nose, however, but instead rather refined so as not to be overpowering. The lather has a great face-feel, offering good protection and not drying out my skin. It isn't extremely slick, but it definitely gets the job done for a DE shave.
After letting my Nivea AS dry, I applied some of the Yardley AS 'lotion', which is a lotion in the same way that Pinaud Clubman is. The aftershave is A LOT stronger than the cream scent-wise, to the point that I had to sit down and catch my breath! Nevertheless, it mellows out into a much less aggressive note which complements the cream well but doesn't exactly duplicate it. The product itself is a lighter yellow color than Pinaud, and came in the traditional glass bottle that I find so classy!
Overall, my shave with the vintage Yardley was great, especially considering that it's definitely at least twice my age! I'll definitely be on the lookout for some more, as it truly is a great find!
I traveled lightly in terms of shaving gear, bringing only some tried-and-true items: my Merkur 23C, the Yaqi Mysterious Space synthetic brush, Gillette 7OC Sharp Edge blades, Nivea sensitive AS, an alum block, and two soaps: WWSC Pinkerton and Santa Maria Del Fiore. This was a great small grouping, giving me decent shaves despite the fact that our first hotel had consistent hot-water issues...
At one point towards the end of the trip, I misplaced my Merkur 23C (only to have been found at the bottom of my suitcase as I was unpacking back home), so I was forced to resort to testing out my unmarked German-made OC razor from the 1960s, which I discussed purchasing a few months ago. Despite being tiny, it is quite aggressive! I will definitely need to test it properly, but I probably won't ever be using a blade as aggressive as the 7OC Sharp Edge with it again!
While I was in London, we decided to hit up Jermyn Street and some of the shave shops around there. I forgot, however, just how high-class these shops are... it only dawned on me as I was entering the first shop (D.R. Harris), as I was passed by a man in a well-tailored suit, hurrying into a waiting Bentley. Comparatively, my travel outfit (consisting of bluejeans and a windbreaker, plus a backpack) wasn't very impressive. And boy did the staff let me know it! Despite demonstrating significant interest in the products and intending to buy a few, I got the cold shoulder from almost every shop I entered.
The shop assistant in D.R. Harris insisted I knew nothing about shaving after I said that their creams were meant to be lathered with a brush - she contended that they were brushless creams meant to be rubbed directly on the face, a claim which I challenged by pointing to the barbershop in the back of the store. They weren't very appreciative of that, so I quietly returned the tub I intended to purchase back to the shelf and made my way over to Taylor of Old Bond Street.
Despite being a less posh store, their sales assistants were not much better. The shop had a few other customers in there, so it took a while for me to get anyone's attention. When I posed some questions about whether their products had gone through a reformulation (their sample Sandalwood smelled rather different from the tub I have), they didn't seem too interested in answering - possibly because they didn't know. The sales associate also kept attempting to direct me to their colognes, and away from the shaving products that I was clearly interested in. That, and the fact that I can get their products cheaper on Amazon or Connaught, led me to leave their empty-handed too.
I then made my way through the Piccadilly Arcade, stopping first in Carlo Anichini's shop. They had a number of testers for their products, which both SWMBO and I enjoyed. I intended to grab at least two bottles of Pinaud scents (plus a bar of rose soap for her), but as we were browsing (after only about 5 minutes) the stern-looking older gentleman manning the shop came to ask if he could help, in a rather condescending way. When I explained that I enjoyed many of the scents and was appreciating his stock, he said something along the lines of "maybe do a little less appreciating and a little more purchasing." I was, understandably if you ask me, rather irked by this, and his demeanor was not one that I really wanted to deal with, so again we left empty-handed.
At the end of the Piccadilly Arcade is the storefront for Santa Maria Novella, the wonderful apothecary that has a much-famed shave soap. We went in to find two shopkeepers, both clean-shaven men, but who knew precious little about the product. The soap of course smelled nice, but I think very similar to Santa Maria Del Fiore from Razorock (which is much cheaper!), and the shopkeepers' lack of any real knowledge didn't motivate me to make a purchase, so again we left.
Finally, we ended at the men's grooming section of Fortnum and Mason, the luxury department store right near the Ritz Hotel. They had cabinets of products from all the major British luxury soap manufacturers (TOBS, Truefitt and Hill, D.R. Harris, etc.), which I was quite impressed by. Less impressive was the cost: the products were marked up by about 10-25% from what they cost in the company stores a block away, a fact which the sales attendant shrugged off when I mentioned it. SWMBO and I made ourselves content with a few truffles from their chocolate shop, and left Piccadilly without any shaving accouterments.
The whole experience was, quite honestly, rather disappointing. Maybe I am spoiled by my experiences with artisan sellers like @OutlawShaver at WWSC or @Captain Pre-Capsize at Captain's Choice, but I have come to expect some level of passion from the people I purchase my shaving products from. Even when I am in a brick-and-mortar store, I generally receive better treatment from salespersons than what I experienced in Piccadilly. Maybe this had something to do with my attire - if I was dressed to the nines, flashing my Oxford cufflinks, maybe the story would be different. But that alone tells you something about the way these companies, or at least their sales associates, operate. It really is rather disappointing, overall, that the luxury makers act in such a way, but I guess it is to be expected to a degree.
When I returned home, I had a special treat waiting for me: an unopened c.1960s set of Yardley's shaving cream and aftershave, purchased for pennies off Fleabay. I have heard great things about Yardley's shave soap, so I figured I'd give the products a try! Here are my initial impressions!
Shave #73 - 13 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: Vintage Yardley Lather Shaving Cream, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS, Yardley After Shave Lotion
Despite being unopened, some of the soap had dried in the tube mouth, so I had to clean it out a bit. However, the product inside seems fresh as the day it was packaged! The cream itself is a bit thicker than a Palmolive or Ingrams cream in their metal tube, but not as thick as tub-based creams like SMDF. It required the normal amount of product and water to lather up into a thick lather, equivalent to what you might get from TOBS.
Yardley's scent is quite difficult to describe (many on B&B have tried...), but I definitely get lavender as the prevailing scent of the cream. It is not overly floral to my nose, however, but instead rather refined so as not to be overpowering. The lather has a great face-feel, offering good protection and not drying out my skin. It isn't extremely slick, but it definitely gets the job done for a DE shave.
After letting my Nivea AS dry, I applied some of the Yardley AS 'lotion', which is a lotion in the same way that Pinaud Clubman is. The aftershave is A LOT stronger than the cream scent-wise, to the point that I had to sit down and catch my breath! Nevertheless, it mellows out into a much less aggressive note which complements the cream well but doesn't exactly duplicate it. The product itself is a lighter yellow color than Pinaud, and came in the traditional glass bottle that I find so classy!
Overall, my shave with the vintage Yardley was great, especially considering that it's definitely at least twice my age! I'll definitely be on the lookout for some more, as it truly is a great find!
- Thread starter
- #209
Shave #74 - 16 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, EJ Best Badger brush, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: Ingrams UK, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Vienna" by Billy Joel, "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra, "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago
I found myself groggy and tired this morning, so I figured a good ole' mentholated shave would perk me right up! Ingram's UK definitely hits the spot in that regard, and got me awake enough to deal with the morning!
I realized that I haven't been using my Edwin Jagger brush as much since I got the synthetic brushes from Yaqi, so I decided to use it today. Using it definitely reminded me why: compared to the synthetic brushes, my EJ brush isn't nearly as nice to hold in my hand, soft on my face, or effective in whipping up lather. Maybe I am looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses, or maybe the brush itself has degenerated over time, or maybe it has always been like this but now I have something better to compare it to. Whatever it is, I'm really not as much of a fan of the badger hair brushes as I used to be. Maybe I could get back into it if a high-quality badger hair brush crossed my sights for cheap, but quite honestly the shave experience, low cost, and simplicity of the synthetic brush makes it a real winner for me! There is of course the trade-off between animal hair (which is organic but harmful for the badgers) versus nylon hair (which isn't good for the environment but doesn't involve animal products), but I think that evens itself out.
Nevertheless, my shave today was decent. The EJ performs well enough to make serviceable lather, so it quite honestly might just make its way into my travel kit (if only it was synthetic and dried quicker!... but I digress). My current blade definitely needs to be replaced though, so I'll be swapping it out soon.
Shave #75 - 18 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: Captains Choice North soap, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: none (open window!)
Today I was greeted by a wonderful mini-heatwave, bringing temperatures here in the UK up to what they should be in the springtime. There is a family of pigeons living in a tree below my window, so I decided to skip the music today, throw open the window, and listen to the bird calls and church bells of early morning.
To match this semi-natural soundtrack, I decided to lather up some Captain's Choice North soap. As I've said before, this product is very slick and protective, although not as moisturizing as my WWSC favorites. However, the scent profile on CC North really is quite complex, and is a great scent when I'm looking for something a little less perfumed and a little more earthy. I realized, a bit too late into the lathering process, that I had used too much water, so my lather wasn't up to scratch as I would like it, but even with a mediocre lather this product works great!
On an unrelated note, I've been thinking about my recently acquired Yardley stash. Unfortunately, the tube of cream wasn't nearly as full as it probably was when it was first packaged - likely due to evaporation. The aftershave, on the other hand, was all there. So ultimately, I'm going to run out of the soap well before I finish the aftershave. That isn't necessarily a problem, but it means that I'll have to find other soap scents that go well with Yardley's AS!
Hardware: Merkur 23C, EJ Best Badger brush, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: Ingrams UK, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Vienna" by Billy Joel, "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra, "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago
I found myself groggy and tired this morning, so I figured a good ole' mentholated shave would perk me right up! Ingram's UK definitely hits the spot in that regard, and got me awake enough to deal with the morning!
I realized that I haven't been using my Edwin Jagger brush as much since I got the synthetic brushes from Yaqi, so I decided to use it today. Using it definitely reminded me why: compared to the synthetic brushes, my EJ brush isn't nearly as nice to hold in my hand, soft on my face, or effective in whipping up lather. Maybe I am looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses, or maybe the brush itself has degenerated over time, or maybe it has always been like this but now I have something better to compare it to. Whatever it is, I'm really not as much of a fan of the badger hair brushes as I used to be. Maybe I could get back into it if a high-quality badger hair brush crossed my sights for cheap, but quite honestly the shave experience, low cost, and simplicity of the synthetic brush makes it a real winner for me! There is of course the trade-off between animal hair (which is organic but harmful for the badgers) versus nylon hair (which isn't good for the environment but doesn't involve animal products), but I think that evens itself out.
Nevertheless, my shave today was decent. The EJ performs well enough to make serviceable lather, so it quite honestly might just make its way into my travel kit (if only it was synthetic and dried quicker!... but I digress). My current blade definitely needs to be replaced though, so I'll be swapping it out soon.
Shave #75 - 18 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: Captains Choice North soap, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: none (open window!)
Today I was greeted by a wonderful mini-heatwave, bringing temperatures here in the UK up to what they should be in the springtime. There is a family of pigeons living in a tree below my window, so I decided to skip the music today, throw open the window, and listen to the bird calls and church bells of early morning.
To match this semi-natural soundtrack, I decided to lather up some Captain's Choice North soap. As I've said before, this product is very slick and protective, although not as moisturizing as my WWSC favorites. However, the scent profile on CC North really is quite complex, and is a great scent when I'm looking for something a little less perfumed and a little more earthy. I realized, a bit too late into the lathering process, that I had used too much water, so my lather wasn't up to scratch as I would like it, but even with a mediocre lather this product works great!
On an unrelated note, I've been thinking about my recently acquired Yardley stash. Unfortunately, the tube of cream wasn't nearly as full as it probably was when it was first packaged - likely due to evaporation. The aftershave, on the other hand, was all there. So ultimately, I'm going to run out of the soap well before I finish the aftershave. That isn't necessarily a problem, but it means that I'll have to find other soap scents that go well with Yardley's AS!
- Thread starter
- #210
Shave #76 - 21 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: WWSC Aces and Eights, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone, "Love and Marriage" by Frank Sinatra, "Saturday Night Fish Fry" by Johnny Neel and the Blue Sea Band
Today's shave featured a string of three shaves with WWSC products - slightly intentional on my part. It's been a while since I paid significant attention to my WWSC products, because in general they give me consistently great lather. I am more interested in checking on how these rogue 'hard pucks' are faring after letting them sit for a while, and seeing how the different scents suit the springtime! This is also a good place to say that Russ has sent me replacement pucks, which are currently awaiting my return to the US to pick up from my parents!
Aces and Eights was the harder of the two pucks I received, and sure enough has hardened up near the places where I dug out some product for my last shave. However, the product underneath the crust is still soft (which is what Russ said it's supposed to be), so I can definitely still use that! The lather is creamy and smooth, although it doesn't seem to produce the same thickness as Pinkerton does.
Scent-wise, Aces and Eights is definitely the heaviest of the three fragrances I'm trying right now. That makes it probably the least suitable for the current springtime conditions, and ensuing natural floral scents, we're currently getting. Aces and Eights has always been a bit strong for me on first use (I prefer its scent when it mellows out after a few minutes, much like I do with Pinaud Clubman); in the springtime, even the mellowed scent is a bit strong. So Aces and Eights might end up being used less during the warm seasons!
Shave #77 - 23 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: WWSC Doc Holliday, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: Selections from Bill Burr's "Let It Go"
Today's shave featured my other full puck of WWSC product, Doc Holliday. The mulled apple cider scent of this soap is really much more complex than I can describe, but definitely gives off a full-bodied scent that highlights the spices and apple. It fits a bit better with the general ambiance of springtime than Aces and Eights does, but still seems slightly out of place with the current season. That being said, I've always enjoyed mulled apple cider even during the summer, and cider generally is very popular here in England all year round, so it's definitely not being relegated to the cold-weather stores just yet!
Interestingly, Doc Holliday doesn't seem to dry out as much, and produces a thicker lather than Aces and Eights. I'm wondering how much of that has to do with the drying (probably a lot), and how much of that might be due to differences in fragrance oils. Either way, the lather is great to shave with, and seems to provide a bit more slickness than Aces and Eights, too!
Shave #78 - 25 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: WWSC Pinkerton, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "That's My Weakness Now" by Bobby Short, "Homeless Waltz" by the Nashville Bluegrass Band, "That Man" by Caro Emerald, "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Take 6
My last WWSC test for the time being is Pinkerton, a sample scent that I try not to use too often because I like it so much! (As an aside, I have about four or six full-sized pucks I intend to order from Russ as soon as I'm back Stateside... oh the perils of SAD!) Pinkerton is a lighter color than either Aces and Eights or Doc Holliday, both in terms of the product itself and the lather it produces. However, it still gives the same thick lather that I've come to expect from all my WWSC products. Interestingly, my Pinkerton sample has not dried out at all since I opened it, although that might be down to the fact that I put my samples into screw-top jars when I open them. It might be worth investing in similar containers of a larger size for when I purchase more WWSC products... but I digress!
Pinkerton's scent is hard for me to describe, but comes with the description of "Mahogany, Teakwood, Lavender, Geranium, Cedarwood, Oak." In the end, it smells slightly floral and very refined - just the thing for a spring and summer scent (although it isn't too shabby in the winter, either!). It's definitely on my list of things to get from WWSC with my next order!
For my next few shaves, I'm going to try returning to some of the other samples I've received so far, with the goal of figuring out which ones I'd like to put on my next shopping list!
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: WWSC Aces and Eights, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone, "Love and Marriage" by Frank Sinatra, "Saturday Night Fish Fry" by Johnny Neel and the Blue Sea Band
Today's shave featured a string of three shaves with WWSC products - slightly intentional on my part. It's been a while since I paid significant attention to my WWSC products, because in general they give me consistently great lather. I am more interested in checking on how these rogue 'hard pucks' are faring after letting them sit for a while, and seeing how the different scents suit the springtime! This is also a good place to say that Russ has sent me replacement pucks, which are currently awaiting my return to the US to pick up from my parents!
Aces and Eights was the harder of the two pucks I received, and sure enough has hardened up near the places where I dug out some product for my last shave. However, the product underneath the crust is still soft (which is what Russ said it's supposed to be), so I can definitely still use that! The lather is creamy and smooth, although it doesn't seem to produce the same thickness as Pinkerton does.
Scent-wise, Aces and Eights is definitely the heaviest of the three fragrances I'm trying right now. That makes it probably the least suitable for the current springtime conditions, and ensuing natural floral scents, we're currently getting. Aces and Eights has always been a bit strong for me on first use (I prefer its scent when it mellows out after a few minutes, much like I do with Pinaud Clubman); in the springtime, even the mellowed scent is a bit strong. So Aces and Eights might end up being used less during the warm seasons!
Shave #77 - 23 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: WWSC Doc Holliday, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: Selections from Bill Burr's "Let It Go"
Today's shave featured my other full puck of WWSC product, Doc Holliday. The mulled apple cider scent of this soap is really much more complex than I can describe, but definitely gives off a full-bodied scent that highlights the spices and apple. It fits a bit better with the general ambiance of springtime than Aces and Eights does, but still seems slightly out of place with the current season. That being said, I've always enjoyed mulled apple cider even during the summer, and cider generally is very popular here in England all year round, so it's definitely not being relegated to the cold-weather stores just yet!
Interestingly, Doc Holliday doesn't seem to dry out as much, and produces a thicker lather than Aces and Eights. I'm wondering how much of that has to do with the drying (probably a lot), and how much of that might be due to differences in fragrance oils. Either way, the lather is great to shave with, and seems to provide a bit more slickness than Aces and Eights, too!
Shave #78 - 25 April, 2018
Hardware: Merkur 23C, Yaqi Mysterious Space Synthetic, Gillette 7 O'Clock Sharp Edge
Software: WWSC Pinkerton, Maggard Alum Block, Nivea Sensitive AS
Music: "That's My Weakness Now" by Bobby Short, "Homeless Waltz" by the Nashville Bluegrass Band, "That Man" by Caro Emerald, "Sweet Georgia Brown" by Take 6
My last WWSC test for the time being is Pinkerton, a sample scent that I try not to use too often because I like it so much! (As an aside, I have about four or six full-sized pucks I intend to order from Russ as soon as I'm back Stateside... oh the perils of SAD!) Pinkerton is a lighter color than either Aces and Eights or Doc Holliday, both in terms of the product itself and the lather it produces. However, it still gives the same thick lather that I've come to expect from all my WWSC products. Interestingly, my Pinkerton sample has not dried out at all since I opened it, although that might be down to the fact that I put my samples into screw-top jars when I open them. It might be worth investing in similar containers of a larger size for when I purchase more WWSC products... but I digress!
Pinkerton's scent is hard for me to describe, but comes with the description of "Mahogany, Teakwood, Lavender, Geranium, Cedarwood, Oak." In the end, it smells slightly floral and very refined - just the thing for a spring and summer scent (although it isn't too shabby in the winter, either!). It's definitely on my list of things to get from WWSC with my next order!
For my next few shaves, I'm going to try returning to some of the other samples I've received so far, with the goal of figuring out which ones I'd like to put on my next shopping list!
- Thread starter
- #211
It's been quite a while since I've posted (although I've been lurking on and off), but I wanted to show off a cool new find of mine: a nearly-full bottle of Avon Wild Country Aftershave, in a "First Class Male" Mailbox! There were a bunch of mostly-full Avon aftershaves on sale at a local antique store - I may have to go pick up some more because I like this one so much...
