Tonight, I shave with Williams and the Veg.

[insomniac]

Both available at my local drug store, why not?

I figure I will use my humble ball-end Tech. I'm not sure whether I should use a sharp, high-quality blade, or perhaps grab one of the many Dorco 300s I received in my WCS sample pack last year.

Now, while I have a Tweezerman, I also have a cheap (and as far as I can tell no-name) boar brush that I acquired new years ago and used perhaps a few times. It is not a particularly attractive brush, but that should go well with the Williams, no?

I pledge not to even take a sniff of the Veg before I apply it.


As an aside, the Williams has a pleasant aroma, like a generic janitorial cleaning product. Perhaps I have one of the special pucks with Sodium Palm Kernelate?

 

[insomniac]

I survived.

Everything I post here will be absolutely true. Scout's honor.


Hardware: Gillette Ball-end Tech, Feather (2), Tweezerman, Col. Conk shaving mug
Software: Williams soap, witch hazel, Lilac Vegetal (aka The Veg)

Part 1: Williams


Reading the stories of woe and triumph in the Williams review thread, I decided to thoroughly soak my puck and brush in a mug of hot water - as hot as the tap could give me. And by soak, the water was up to the edge of the mug. Further, the mug was in my sink, which was also full of hot water.

Immediately after a refreshing shower, I poured out most of the soaking liquid, let the brush drip a bit, and got to work. "They said ten to twenty seconds..." Well, the lather still was elusive. So I added water. And more water. Aha! This Williams is a thirsty creature.

Eventually I got a rather nice lather and applied it to my skin. Lo, it did not dry up on my skin. Even as I ran to get my cell phone camera and returned, the lather was still there, patiently waiting for me to get on with it.

The smell of that hot lather was not the same as the soap - there is a light lemon scent, though I don't think it smells like Arlington.

One pass - success. Actually quite nice, though I did notice my skin was a bit dryer than if I used a tallow-based soap. So I went to two passes.

And there was still plenty of lather after two passes, both in the mug:

... and in my brush:

Four passes depleted the lather once and for all, but I did get a very nice - dare I say, damn fine - shave.

A quick rinse with warm and cold water, some witch hazel, and I was on to...

Part 2: The Veg

I carefully unscrewed the cap to make sure that I did not get a chance to smell that green concoction while in the bottle. A splash - well, a bit more aftershave than usual, but why not?

Burn! Pinaud does not skimp on alcohol. But the alcohol felt good, and my skin felt nice! Refreshed, even! And the smell?

Well... difficult to describe. Definitely notes of lilacs (and yes, urinal pucks) but not awful. Not something I would wear to work, or on a date, but for an evening shave, not altogether unpleasant. It is not my scent of choice, neither is it the hellish brew I was assured it would be by many.

 

[Topgumby]

Excellent report.

See, folks, there's nothing to be afraid of, and if you dare...