Day after Christmas shave (Wednesday):
Good morning Gents, and hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I have been keeping up with everyone's journals, but just haven't had the time to comment. It'll take me a while, but I'll get properly caught up soon.
Meanwhile, today, I decided to use some new stuff.....this:
If you recall, I had sampled this Gratiot League Square soap a few weeks ago and totally dug it. So much so that I ordered not only a full tub, but the matching a/s and EdT as well. I decided to give it all a go today. And man oh man, what an incredible shave!
I had one of the most AWESOME shaves I've ever had this morning! I'm going to start calling shave experiences like this "Top 1 percenters". There's perfect shaves, but then there are ones that even exceed "perfect" (I know, impossible in reality, but allow me some hyperbole) and are only achieved maybe 1% of the time. This is what today was - a "Top 1 percenter"!
The soap is to die for, in terms of both scent and performance. This might be the slickest lather I've ever achieved with a soap - it was beyond description. And the scent? OMG, dynamite! Totally a cold weather scent, mind you, but guess what - it's cold now, so just right! The scent is complex, but I'd say that the leather note is dominate. But my goodness, the sandalwood and amber are noticeable, and dare I say some vetiver and rose mixed in there? I almost detect, at times, a tart apple note. It also has a "boozy" quality, which I've recently learned is a term used by fragrance reviewers, and I totally get it. If anyone has been to Germany and tried Asbach Uralt, it's in that same vein. Or perhaps an apple brandy - calvadose perhaps. No matter, it's awesome!!!!!
The aftershave smells just like the soap and is a perfect complement. It's a splash, but a little on the thick side. Not thick like an SV a/s, but still more viscous than a regular splash. I re-applied with my hands wet, and that seems to be the best method for application, IMHO. BTW, my daughter happened to pass me in the hall after I was done shaving, and she asked, "What's that smell?" I replied that it was my aftershave. Then she said, "It smells soooooooo good!" I then asked her what she thought it smelled like, and she simply stated, "It smells great!" OK then - good enough for me - LOL.
The EdT is stronger, obviously, and adds some more notes. Personally, I don't think the EdT is "must buy", unless you like some vanilla and tobacco in your frags, which this adds. It borders on a "pipe tobacco" type of vibe, but not quite. I could see it being quite cloying in warmer weather, but fortunately that's not applicable at the moment.
The other things I'll mention, in closing, is the razor/blade, and brush. I used the Merkur Progress w/Persona Red again, and I know I've said it before, but this razor/blade is most definitely my "desert island" shaving implement - it's perfect! And the Semogue mixed boar/badger brush is breaking in wonderfully. The handle is fantastic, and the knot really whips up an outstanding lather. Is the brush worth the retail price tag? Well, if you value quality handles, then yes. The knot is reminiscent of a good batch of TGN 2-band Finest, if you've used those knots. So it's a solid brush for the den.
OK, rambling complete. Time to get some lunch!