RTM's way

[RTM]

Derby Premium is the blade to use when one is looking to freshen up. It doesn't give me closest, or indeed close shave. This morning a fairly scruffy git was looking back at me from the mirror. I think I will reserve Derby for those rare days when I need a touch up to go on.
I went with fresh Feather today; thought about having something else instead of Trafalgar and decided not to upset the balance of nature. Three passes and the result is good. I tried to monitor the second pass closely, and I can confirm, I used too much pressure. Something to work on.
H&B for post, and I am lazing on a couch with couple of megabytes worth of technical manuals to munch through.
Apparently, the off switch for children has yet been invented; there is no mute button either. One cannot possibly have it all I suppose.

 

[RTM]

Feather #2 and Trafalgar, that's the ticket. I debated with myself whether to let Trafalgar to sit this one out but decided I shouldn't. The scent is fresh and summery, the only thing that comes close in terms of being summery is MdC Rose, and I am hoarding the Rose up. Silly thing to do, of course, but that's the general problem with humans - they tend to be silly in many regards. I am set on finishing both Trafalgar and Albion before moving on. Time permitting I also will deal with some leftovers. Waste not!
Two point five passes gave me a solid result. I changed the direction of strokes, now it is mostly xtg, or angled wtg. Half pass is atg on my sideburns.
Post was Hawkins and Brimble balm. Delighted with performance.
Tomorrow the course, aka my well earned holiday, is set to begin in earnest. Must be humble about it. It has a fairly complex syllabus and will demand some capacity for thought. I know a lot of what is being taught, and I know that there are huge gaps in my knowledge too. Can't possibly afford to mess this one up.

 

[RTM]

Three full passes with Feather #3 and Trafalgar. My mind is full of distractions. Muscle memory shave and two tiny weepers to go along with it. When I applied H&B post-shave the nicks were gone but there was no less than a drop from each. My mind is really preoccupied. Must be focused and zen-like when shaving. At any other time as well. Might be reading too much into things, must keep it real.

 

[RTM]

I cannot see my face in the mirror during the day but I am well aware of the feel. And the feel is good. I am pleased with how it went this morning. Feather #4 and Trafalgar - the set up is constant - and I am getting better when it comes to handling razor. Textbook lather, slick and shiny - for three passes plus nape. I takes time to get to know every piece of equipment to the point when you don't care what your equipment is. I am getting there, not quite there yet.
Post was H&B and yes, I like the stuff. It's about half the price of JB and just as good.
Muddling through the course, drinking water from cups made of organic banana leaves. The atmosphere is relaxed way more than I am used to, and I think it has been done intentionally. There are times to chill and smell the roses. All in its good time. Keeping my focus though, remembering that this is but an intermission, and life as we know is still out there waiting for me to get back.

 

[RTM]

I felt today is the day for a change. So on I went, opened up Nuavia Rossa, and took it for a test drive. Fresh Personna blade. Soaked the brush for good 15-20 minutes, shook it well, put couple of drops on soap's surface and lathered up. About forty seconds swirling the brush; loaded up pasty substance, and proceeded to face lathering. Twice I added a little bit of water, literally drops, directly on my brush. The lather was dense, and at the same time felt light on the face. It actually stuck to skin. I will play with water ratio, it's in my inquisitive nature, but I'd be pleased to shave with what I got today. The scent is truly elegant, sandalwood themed. I brushed my teeth, and proceeded to the three pass shave, plus nape. I was enjoying every second. I still am. Leftover lather doubles as aftershave, and the scent lingers. It lingers properly. Anyone who is looking up the definition of lingering should shave with Nuavia, and get the feeling.
It's a nice not-too-hot weekend, the sea is exactly right shade of blue, and I am as tired as a man who was doing seriously heavy lifting during the week - although I wasn't. There was a lot of sitting on a comfy chair and listening and adjusting to the fastest ever pace I've seen on any course. It'll do me good, this shake up of my brain cells. The stuff I am studying is genuinely interesting.

 

[RTM]

I get up at 6 a.m. to hit the gym, or do couple of lapses in the swimming pool - hence mostly evening shaves.
Nuavia Rosso will sit on my bathroom shelf for lo-o-o-ong time. I am truly enjoying the soap; there is no inclination whatsoever to reach for something else. Personna #2, two passes and I feel sorry it's over. It was proper, enjoyable shave. I will play with water ratio later on, right now I am simply having good time using good quality soap.
Today was slow day at the office - everything that's been taught was known to me to the point of I-can-do-it-blindfolded. Still, I had to sit through with my poker face on, and listen for something I might not know. Maybe tomorrow it will be more challenging.

 

[RTM]

Personna #3 and #4 with Nuavia Rosso. Played a bit with water ratio, adding more than usual. Nuavia takes it up and produces good lather. Two shaves were identical. I didn't feel the need for aftershave; today however, I put H&B on and it adds comfort but takes away the scent. Doesn't matter as I prefer not to have any. Yes, Nuavia will stay on the bathroom counter for the foreseeable future.
I am studying things I always wanted to know; I knew about them of course, now I am getting to know them. This is exciting. Still in theory stage, time and huge amount of stuff to learn before coming to the real world application.

 

[RTM]

Relaxed evening shave. Washed my face with JB Face Buff, exfoliating to be precise. Made thick dryish lather directly on my face. Nùavia scent is complex, enjoyable. Brushed my teeth, and went on to build proper lather adding water to the brush. I'm in danger to become a walking advertising for the soap. Fresh Feather blade and three passes. I made sure to keep an eye on the pressure, and it paid off. Leftover lather as an aftershave. I put some H&B before going to bed, but it was more of an evening routine than actual need.
Weekend is upon us, have lots of stuff to read, and in some cases training videos to watch. Looking forward to it as I see the benefits long term. And I like the material.

 

[RTM]

Logging two identical shaves with Feather #2, #3 and Nuavia. Loading time reduced to 10-15 seconds and it was enough. I think it is silly to try and "save" on soap. Reducing load time was more of a scientific approach. The soap is perfectly able to take as much water as logically possible producing good lather. I might try badger instead of silvertip to see how it goes. Not a fan of boar. Years ago I bought Omega boar and it was my brush for long time until I researched the issue and got me my first a badger, then a silvertip.
Three passes and I am pleased with the result.
I made a huge mistake of using aloe based aftershave on Feather #2. It lits my face and makes it sticky. I will hold on to aloe post shaves for now; something tells me I should PIF the things and forget about them. Pity because the stuff smells really good; just not for me, at least at the moment. Anyway H&B saves the day and my skin. Healing get to the part where almost all scratches and cuts are gone, almost being operative word. Tinies littlest nicks are the most annoying, and take longest to heal properly. Still, there is hope. Maybe they are the reason why aloe based post shave lits me up.
Doing fine with the course. The stuff is really interesting; sometimes I want it to go on and on forgetting that there is time for everything, including going home.

 

[RTM]

Feather #4 was close to pushing it. The overall feel is o.k. but I think the magic number for both Feather and Personna will be reduced to three. The scent of Núavia keeps on opening up, pleasant and complex.

 

[RTM]

Hasty morning shave with fresh Feather. I really tried (and succeded) to reduce pressure to zero. My razor is heavy enough and Feather is the sharpest thing on the menu - perfect combination. Not tiring of Nuavia, quite the opposite.
Busy to the point of feeling tired at ten pm, concentration is down in the evening. Getting older, have to face it. Still, must get on, no other choice.

 

[RTM]

Same day evening shave. I wanted to look good next morning, hence double tap. Same old set up, and I nicked myself. Accidents happen, and this one happened when (I still wondering how) my hand jumped and the corner of the razor literally lightly touched my skin. I didn't feel a thing, the red dot appeared as if out of nowhere. Nothing terrible, and it didn't even put a damp om overall good shave. I went for three passes, and took alum for post-shave. Except for the exact location of the nick my piece of alum was silent. Nuavia delivers. I binned the blade. In the morning there was no sign of accident. I put H&B just for fun and went on with the day.

 

[RTM]

Long weekend... I don't remember when was my last long weekend. Man should stop once in a while and smell the roses. There is always this nagging feeling in the back of my mind telling me not to waste time, get on with the program, I'll sleep when I'm dead etc. It does feel good to rebel against one's own and have a bit of unexpected time off. Off as in chill out. Whatever could be done tomorrow will be done tomorrow.
Evening shave with Núavia and ... Merkur blade. How I came into possession of Merkur I cannot tell, probably picked it up abroad and brought back from one of my trips. It's a blade with its own distinguished character. I like the result of three passes.
Núavia upper layer softened up a bit because of water, and I sort of scooped up an amount with damp silvertip applying light pressure. Face lather, adding copious amounts of water. This is a very good soap. I can tell because I thoroughly enjoy every single shave. I fully understand those who believe the variety is essential to enjoyment. Can't possibly argue with this. Variety is the spice, as the current expression goes. And here I am, doing the exact opposite. Moreover, feeling good about it. I'll chalk it to the Zen thing. Don't see anything else I could chalk it off to.

 

[RTM]

Summer in the Middle East! Hot and humid weather is not something one would be eager to expose oneself for longer than necessary. In my case, necessary is 24/7 unless I am out of the country. Sea is the walking distance away (being a total snob I am driving 20 minutes to that particular beach where the sand has the right shade of blue and the waves are exactly this high). I've met people who dream to live near the sea. Those deeply acquainted with hot Mediterranean weather are eager to move to colder places. Of course, some people are easily impressed by eggs cooked in the sand. I am more impressed by how far and how fast the air-con industry moved on in the last decade or so. To summarize: heat and humidity are not your friends when it comes to exposed skin.
To change the subject completely... Today I took my time. Someone posted here his experience with steaming up the face before shave. Hi-end Turkish barbers do that instead of hot towel. I remember I liked the feel, and today I replicated the prep from my memory. Jumping forward, I don't think it has anything to do with improving my shave, except being highly enjoyable. I washed my face with Rugged and Dapper liquid thing, and put on mud mask for twenty minutes. Then I steamed up my face for good ten minutes and proceeded to the actual shave.
I loaded up my brush with Nuavia as I would with cream - water softened the top layer. I lightly press damp brush onto the soap, one (!) swirl and Nuavia pasty substance is loaded. Wet face, lather direct, make dryish pasty lather. Brushed my teeth - 2 minutes. Added water to the brush and continued to build lather. It was perfect but I think I will go back to loading wetter-than-damp brush for 20-30 seconds. It feels like a correct thing to do. I've spent the equivalent of USD50 or was it 60 on Nuavia Rosso. Spending is the wrong word in this case. It was an investment in my general well being.
Four passes today, no pressure at all, plus nape. I am so pleased with the result. Four passes and not a sign of redness anywhere. Merkur makes good blades. I massaged leftover lather into my face, and then applied H&B post shave. Perfect. I want that every time.

 

[RTM]

Merkur blade is a peculiar piece. I cannot wholeheartedly say that it is smooth because it is not; nor it is sharp as say Feather. The end result however is one of the best. The blade is relatively expensive, though cost less than Bluebeard's Revenge. Merkur is an acquired taste. Third use, smooth operation. I will see if I can go for a fourth round, for scientific reasons. Doing its job for three uses is enough for me. Doing proper job that is.
I was asking myself whether I should try out MdC Rose, and the answer was of course, I should. Just not now. I enjoy every second lathering Nuavia up, and I see no reason to change. I know for a fact that MdC is as good as Nuavia. I guess there is time and place for everything.

 

[RTM]

Merkur went to the blade bank after fourth use. It was borderline, I believe three is a magic number for any blade for me. Regardless, Nuavia delivers as usual. Three passes and the result is exactly what I am looking for!
H&B as post-shave for good measure. Post feel for Nuavia is way above the average. But I like my H&B balm. It's scentless, and it has overall positive effect.

 

[RTM]

Personna #1. I think Personna is the blade for me all things considered. I could designate it as my go-to.
I think I am achieving sufficient level of proficiency to sit back and enjoy the ride. Keep saying to myself, always remember 200th hour.

 

[RTM]

Personna #2. I had to spend one day in a faster than usual pace, and taking travel wash bag was optional. So I had 48 hours stubble to mow down. Washed my face with Rugged and Dapper liquid face soap, and something nudged me to lather in the bowl, instead of my regular face lathering. I scooped generous amount of softened Nuávia with my brush, and got to whirling. How many times have I said Nuávia never failed me? Lots, so here's once more... Painted my face three times, then nape. Still lots of lather left. I prefer direct approach - on my face. Lather is just as good but somehow it feels more natural. Still, glad I broke the routine even in such a small detail. I used leftover lather to wash my face.
H&B post-shave out of habit.

 

[RTM]

Yesterday, Personna #3 with Nuavia was as good a shave as any with this setup. Binned the blade. J&B post shave.
Today is the weekend, relaxed and slow weekend, and I went with decision to shake things up a little. New Personna, and ... Martin de Candre Rose. Some time ago I had 50 grams of unscented MdC; it was a striking difference from anything I've tried until then. So I went online and got me a 200 gr Rose. The scent alone is worth the price of admission.
Sufficient time should be taken to dial this soap in. Today the lather was good, I can easily go with it for every day, but it could be better. The lather doesn't form thick layer, however the lather itself is very thick. I will have to play with water ratio. The scent is fantastic, the closeness of shave is way, way above the average. Four passes: the third was a control pass. I could have easily stopped at two, today's being the weekend and all. I decided to trust my technique, four passes. I had to go for reload after second pass. I am not a fan of overloading the brush. I think there should be enough for one pass, anything more than that is a bonus. With today's selection of excellent soaps I rarely go for reload though, except when dialing in. It takes several minutes to build proper lather, and when I say proper, I mean proper, no cut corners. Have I mentioned excellent scent? I did, several times.
Post was H&B; sadly the there is less and less left everyday. I am aiming to reduce the shaving expenditure; on the second thought I care less about expenditure, and more about accumulating stuff. Can't stand it when people hoard up things to the point when it becomes burden. And the line is thin and blurry between having enough, more than enough, wanting a bit extra because [insert your reason here], and addiction. So before acquiring a new tub of post-shave cream, I will go through what is readily available in the drawer - Jack Black Double Duty. I think I will give another chance to several aloe based post shave, later on.

 

[RTM]

I didn't write much for the last couple of weeks. I will come back to it in few days.
Ran out of H&B two days ago. Whipping up Nuavia Rosso with Personna.