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Doug's Journal of Shaving Happiness v2.0

Journal Entry #793
2022 Shaves (DE: 14, SE: 2, Straight: 0, Cart: 0, Skipped: 8)

01/24/2022
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water
Razor: Parker Variant @1
Blade: Treet Platinum (1)
Bowl: Fine Accoutrements Lather Bowl
Brush: WCS Tortoiseshell Collection Torch Shaving Brush, Silvertip 26mm
Soap/Cream: WCS Gatsby -- old PAA formula (16)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Petal Facial Toner
AS 2: Nivea Sensitive ASB
AS 3: WCS Gatsby AS splash (16)
Fragrance: Bentley for Men Black Edition

Overview
Because two in a row ain't bad. (Apologies to Meatloaf, may he rest in peace).

SOTD Pics
None

Shave Quality
I went in a different direction on my neck today and I got it closer. It is still not quite BBS, but it is really darn close. The shave was pretty spectacular today.

Gear
The Variant is a great adjustable razor. It is more aggressive than the razor it is patterned after, but it is a solid performer. I recommend everyone give one a try.
The Treet Platinum worked well as it usually does for me. I am a fan of Treet blades in general (especially their carbon steel models). This one is really solid for me.
All happy with the shave software. The crescent shaped soap ring started to lift out of the tub as I was loading this morning. A couple of chunks got pulled into the brush. It won't be long.
Two in a row for the Bentley Black Edition. It is a really good fragrance. I sprayed more heavily today so it is lasting longer and is more noticeable.

Other Thoughts
My Monday game isn't happening. Perhaps I will go checkout one of the other cigar lounges near me. Maybe I will just hangout at home.


Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
 
Journal Entry #794
2022 Shaves (DE: 15, SE: 2, Straight: 0, Cart: 0, Skipped: 8)

01/25/2022
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water
Razor: Parker Variant @2
Blade: Treet Platinum (2)
Bowl: Fine Accoutrements Lather Bowl
Brush: WCS Tortoiseshell Collection Torch Shaving Brush, Silvertip 26mm
Soap/Cream: WCS Gatsby -- old PAA formula (17)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Petal Facial Toner
AS 2: Nivea Sensitive ASB
AS 3: WCS Gatsby AS splash (17)
Fragrance: Cremo Spice and Black Vanilla

Overview
Going, going, gone!

SOTD Pics
None

Shave Quality
The shave was decent today. There is a fair amount of residual irritation on my neck, but that should go away in the afternoon (I think). I can't complain too much since the shave quality is just about the same as the previous two days.

Gear
  • Variant + Treet Platinum = (y)
  • WCS Gatsby was good, but the scent was just okay in my book. I didn't have any fragrances that matched well to it and it smelled a little generic. I have heard that the V2 scent is better, but I probably won't be restocking this one. I will have to pull something new out for the rest of January before we dive into the Williams Challenge in February. What shall I use? I could have a couple of shaves from my SV Felce Aromatica. I could get a start on my next 3017 target, RazoRock Nomad soap+AS. Maybe I will get a couple of shaves from the unused "What the Puck" Blue Barbershop. Decisions, decisions...
  • The Cremo Spice and Black Vanilla is one that I used to think really highly of. Perhaps my nose has changed, or my tastes have improved, but today it isn't wowing me.

Other Thoughts
I am looking forward to Zoom/BS/D&D night tonight. We are very close to the end of the adventure and perhaps need to start discussing where we go once the adventure is complete.

Perhaps I will open a new bottle of bourbon tonight... Perhaps I will just have a pour of my GTS2019... I have a bottle from my whiskey club waiting for me at a local store. Perhaps I will go pick it up. Decisions, decisions...

I really want @CVargo to restart his "Bad Blades" reviews. There are a bunch of interesting blades that I sent him in the olden days, before Covid, that I would love to see him shave with.


Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
 
Journal Entry #795
2022 Shaves (DE: 15, SE: 2, Straight: 0, Cart: 0, Skipped: 9)

01/26/2022
Shave Skip Day

Fragrance: Armani Code Profumo by Giorgio Armani

Overview
Giving the face a day off.

SOTD Pics
None

Shave Quality
N/A

Gear
I love the root beer like scent of Armani Code Profumo. It is quite enjoyable.

Other Thoughts
Today seems to be one of those completely uninteresting days where it feels like I could have slept through it and not missed anything. Maybe this evening will be different.


Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
 
Journal Entry #796
2022 Shaves (DE: 16, SE: 2, Straight: 0, Cart: 0, Skipped: 9)

01/27/2022
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water
Razor: Parker Variant @2
Blade: Treet Platinum (3)
Bowl: Fine Accoutrements Lather Bowl
Brush: WCS Tortoiseshell Collection Torch Shaving Brush, Silvertip 26mm
Soap/Cream: RazoRock Blue Barbershop triple milled soap (1)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Petal Facial Toner
AS 2: Nivea Sensitive ASB
AS 3: RazoRock Blue Barbershop AS Splash (1)
Fragrance: Boucheron Pour Homme EdP

Overview
Having a really barbershop-y day!

SOTD Pics
IMG_20220127_102013.jpg

Shave Quality
This was my first go around with this soap. It stung my face a bit, but I think that is just my face adjusting to this new soap. The shave is BBS. The soap left my face feeling clean and smooth in the way that only an old-school milled shave soap can. The residual irritation is going away quickly. I am going to be using this soap more.

Gear
The razor and blade combo are still good. I think tomorrow, however, I am going to switch to my February setup for the One Blade challenge.
The soap stung my face a bit. I think it may be that I had the soap a little too dry. Or, perhaps, it was just my face adjusting to a soap lacking superfat. I will keep going with it until February and see how it goes.
The aftershave is great. I never took the opportunity to purchase Floid Blue. Now that I am using this I wish that I had.
Boucheron Pour Homme is beautiful. I love floral perfumes. The rose and ylang-ylang are a great together and in combination with the spices and oakmoss. This was love at first sniff.

Other Thoughts
Got to hang out with my card gaming friends last night and play a couple of games of Vampire the Masquerade: Rivals (link for anyone interested in the game: Vampire The Masquerade - Rivals Expandable Card Game). It was a ton of fun and really improved my day. Today I am thinking about building a couple more decks for next week.

I didn't do much knitting or crocheting in 2021. I really need to remedy that in 2022. I have several afghans that I need to make (one is in progress) and a cardigan that I really need to finish. Oh, and there is a ton of sock yarn in my stash that needs to become a ton of socks.


Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
 
Journal Entry #797
2022 Shaves (DE: 17, SE: 2, Straight: 0, Cart: 0, Skipped: 9)

01/28/2022
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water
Razor: Mergress XL @1
Blade: Treet Black Carbon (1)
Bowl: Fine Accoutrements Lather Bowl
Brush: WCS Tortoiseshell Collection Torch Shaving Brush, Silvertip 26mm
Soap/Cream: RazoRock Blue Barbershop triple milled soap (2)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Petal Facial Toner
AS 2: Nivea Sensitive ASB
AS 3: RazoRock Blue Barbershop AS Splash (2)
Fragrance: Quorum EdT by Antonio Puig

Overview
An early start on my February blade.

SOTD Pics
N/A


Shave Quality
The shave was quite good today. Not quite as smooth as yesterday, but still good. There was one problem that I need to work on, however. The razor was dragging and skipping in places. I think my lather might have been off. I will figure it out and have some better, safer shaves. There were no ill effects of the skipping this time, so that is good. Next shave will be better.

Gear
Except for the dragging I experienced, the combination of Treet Black Carbon and the Mergress was really good. It is easy to forget how different carbon steel blades are from stainless blades. They are more gentle on the face, but less efficient.
The soap is fine. I need to dial it in some more. It was kinda thin today, but I am not sure that I actually had enough water in it. The soap to water ratio was off either way.
Quorum is an excellent old-school perfume. There is a sort of "cigarette smoke" like tobacco note to it, which makes it very interesting to my nose. I like it, but it probably isn't for everyone.

Other Thoughts
Living life mostly online is really exhausting after a while. I am not getting enough in-person, face-to-face time.

I am contemplating a large Italian Barber order. Trying to pick things that I will actually use and will actually enhance my shave den. There is nothing that I actually need, however. But, I am feeling the need to stock up on old-school shaving soap.


Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
 
Hang in there Doug! At some point, all this kerfuffle will pass and this day will be nothing but a distant memory.
 
Journal Entry #798
2022 Shaves (DE: 18, SE: 2, Straight: 0, Cart: 0, Skipped: 9)

01/29/2022
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water
Razor: Mergress XL @1
Blade: Treet Black Carbon (2)
Bowl: Fine Accoutrements Lather Bowl
Brush: vintage Made Rite 58 badger w/ original knot
Soap/Cream: Mitchell's Wool Fat (1)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Petal Facial Toner
AS 2: Nivea Sensitive ASB
AS 3: Aqua Velva Ice Blue AS
Fragrance: Jaguar for Men EdT

Overview
MWF is an impressive shave soap.

SOTD Pics
N/A


Shave Quality
My brother gave me two pucks of MWF for Christmas. I decided to put one into rotation today. I heavy load and a large amount of water gave me a rich cushion-y lather that was quite slick. It was difficult to hold on to the brush as I was building the lather. The shave was excellent and very much BBS. The Fat is a very impressive soap. No dragging to skipping today.

Gear
The Mergress works well with the Treet Black.
Mitchell's Wool Fat is better than I remember. The shave performance was amazing and I absolutely love the scent. Tabac is still my absolute favorite, but this could be a close second. It needs a few more shaves to know for sure, but I am looking forward to more.
Aqua Velva is one of the best aftershave splashes on the market. It smells great and has a great face feel.
I need to use the Jaguar for Men more often. It is very, very good.

Other Thoughts
It was a good day that started with a killer shave.

Watching Down Periscope tonight. It is very much a classic movie.


Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
 
Journal Entry #799
2022 Shaves (DE: 19, SE: 2, Straight: 0, Cart: 0, Skipped: 9)

01/30/2022
Pre: Hot shower/splash of cool water
Razor: Mergress XL @2
Blade: Treet Black Carbon (3)
Bowl: Fine Accoutrements Lather Bowl
Brush: vintage Made Rite 58 badger w/ original knot
Soap/Cream: Mitchell's Wool Fat (2)
AS 1: Thayer's Rose Petal Facial Toner
AS 2: Nivea Sensitive ASB
AS 3: Aqua Velva Ice Blue AS
Fragrance: Navitus Parfums Primas Parfum

Overview
Another great MWF shave.

SOTD Pics
IMG_20220130_095318.jpg

Shave Quality
Another stellar performance from MWF today. Near to full-on BBS with very little razor burn afterwards. I finished the shave feeling and smelling really good.

Gear
Still happy with the razor.
I towel stropped, hand stropped, and then glass honed the blade last night. The blade worked quite well.
I really should keep MWF in permanent rotation.
Aqua Velva is a classic.
Navitus Parfums Primas is enjoyable, but has a scent similar to Creed Aventus. It is not a clone, but it definitely seems to be inspired by it. Good, but not great.

Other Thoughts
We are watching The Book of Boba Fett. I am enjoying it. The pace is slow, but I am really enjoying the story.


Thank you for reading and commenting on my journal. I hope you have a great day and stellar shaves, Cadre.
 
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