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Not quite Music City USA

Italian shave!!!

Prep: Hot shower, Musgo Real Lime Glyce Soap, Proraso Red Pre-shave cream
Razor: Game Changer .68
Blade: Astra SP (2)
Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar
Soap: Razorock XXX
Post-shave: Humphreys Maravilla
Aftershave: Razorock XXX
Talc: Borotalco

Ok, so everything wasn't Italian. The blade is Russian and the Pre-shave soap is Portuguese. The razor, I believe, is machined in Canada, but I bought it from Italian Barber, so there's that. As for the soap, it's one I haven't used in a while, and I forgot just how good it is. I used Marco's method to lather it - soap everywhere - and got a perfectly hydrated bucketful of lather that was very slick with really great residual slickness. This comes in handy with the Game Changer, which is mild and comfortable, but not the most efficient razor I own. Four passes and some touch up under my jawline and I'm BBS with only a little momentary irritation. The XXX splash just reinforces what had to be one of my favorite scents - all citrusy and fresh and clean. I wish I had a laundry detergent that smelled like this stuff. The Borotalco capped off a nice trip to Italy and an impromptu theme shave. Things are great in my shave world this morning!

Thanks for reading and have a great shave!

Frank

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Amazing shave this mid-morning!

Prep: Hot shower, Musgo Real Lime Glyce Soap
Razor: Paradigm Diamondback
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Green (1)
Brush: Tech Hive Synthetic
Soap: PAA Coconut Bay w/ Lime CK-6
Post-shave: Humphreys Maravilla
Aftershave: PAA Atomic Age Bay Rum
Talc: Borotalco

It's been a while since I used a Gillette 7 O'Clock Green. They used to be the only blade I used, for years. They're smooth and plenty sharp enough to get a BBS. I just started trying out other blades out of curiosity. The GSB is awesome, and I like pretty much every blade I've used except Derby Extras. But the Green today reminded me of why I used them for so long. In the Diamondback, I got an effortless four pass BBS. And every time I use a CK-6 soap I like them more. I don't have a tiered ratings system for my soap collection, but the CK-6 would be up there with the very best. Maybe I should start rating them. CK-6, Sego, Kaizen would contend. I'll think about it. Anyway, today's shave was as good as it gets in all respects. I'm very happy!

Thanks for reading and have a great shave!

Frank

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global_dev said:
what does Maravilla smell like? Is it a play on maralago or marijuana/vanilla or salt &vanilla?

lol- I looked it up. So so wrong. I see its spanish for miracles/wonder and a WH.
Click to expand...
Yep, it's just a witch hazel. It seems more astringent than Humphreys standard witch hazel, but I could be imagining things. It's a big bottle for the money, which I like.

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A nice comfortable shave after a day off.

Prep: Hot shower, Musgo Real Lime Glyce Soap, Proraso Red Pre-shave cream
Razor: Paradigm Diamondback
Blade: Astra SP (3)
Brush: Simpson Duke D3 Best Badger
Soap: CBL Grassroots Lavender (first use)
Post-shave: Humphreys Maravilla
Aftershave: Speick AS
Talc: Borotalco

First time with the Grassroots Lavender. Like all CBL Premium soaps, it loaded quickly and produced copious amounts of dense, slick lather. Today was almost three days growth, and the Diamondback and Astra SP did short work of cutting down the stubble. I'm BBS smooth after four passes and no touch up. Just a great shave!

Thanks for reading and have a great shave!

Frank

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
That Grassroots Lavender is a great scent! Don’t know what Yardley’s use to smell like, but must have been divine!
 
Today I broke out the Wilkinson Sword Empire Sunday blade. It was a bit of a struggle.

Prep: Hot shower, Musgo Real Lime Glyce Soap, Proraso Red Pre-shave cream
Razor: Wilkinson Sword Empire Sunday Blade
Blade: Sunday blade from 7-day set
Brush: Simpson Chubby 2 Super Badger
Soap: A&E Kaizen
Post-shave: Humphreys Maravilla
Aftershave: Men Vintage English Leather
Talc: Borotalco

I'm convinced that whoever originally owned this Empire 7-day set never shaved on Mondays and always on Sundays. The Monday blade is plenty sharp. To my chagrin, I discovered the Sunday blade is not nearly as sharp. I stropped it up nicely before use, and after, but I'll not be using the Sunday blade again until I can find someone to hone it. And that may never happen. This isn't a razor I'm likely to use that much, but when I do, it'll be with the Monday blade. Even with a face full of super slick Kaizen lather, it was a tuggy struggle to draw the blade across my face. It shaved me close, but it wasn't a comfortable shave. I didn't use it for the fool's pass - I grabbed the Fatboy for that - but it did do a good job in the end, just very uncomfortable, like shaving a dry face. Lesson learned. I might give the Tuesday blade a spin next. On Tuesday!

Thanks for reading and have a great shave!

Frank

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Dave in KY said:
Maybe they used the Sunday blade every time they shaved and never changed it. Still a cool set to have (y)
Click to expand...
That's quite possible. It's first in line. I'm going to give each blade a try, but not on consecutive days. Today took a bit of a toll. The English Leather sent me through the roof! It's a very cool set to have, use it or not. I'm very lucky my friend who found it thought of me!

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A superlative shave with the Diamondback with the Gillette 7 O'Clock Green. This may be the magic combo.

Prep: Hot shower, Musgo Real Lime Glyce Soap
Razor: Paradigm Diamondback
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Green (2)
Brush: Simpson Berkeley 46 Best Badger
Soap: CBL Sir Fougere
Post-shave: Humphreys Maravilla
Aftershave: Nivea 2 in 1
Talc: Borotalco

The CBL Premium base is so good! Sir Fougere is a very clean, fresh scent, like line-dried clothes in the Spring.Im not really qualified to judge it as a Fougere, but I know I like it a lot! Performance-wise, it's right up there with the best. Very slick, great residual slickness, and it rinses off nicely, leaving my skin feeling nourished and clean. I used the Nivea 2 in 1, and a little does indeed go a long way. I can't stop feeling my face - it's truly BBS. The 7 O'Clock Green was so smooth it's like there wasn't a blade in the razor. So comfortable! A great way to start off the week!

Thanks for reading and have a great shave!

Frank

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Love SIR Fougere tonsorial! Chris did well with making that one. Have a good day Frank!
 
Ive made a command decision. If there's a second stimulus check, I'm going for the Sē'būm Acqua set. I only live once, as they say. I have to live up to my custom caption!

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Today I shaved, but my heart wasn't in it. It was just one of those days.

Prep: Hot shower, Musgo Real Lime Glyce Soap, Proraso Red Pre-shave cream
Razor: Paradigm Diamondback
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock Green (3)
Brush: PAA Atomic Rocket
Cream: La Toja
Post-shave: Humphreys Maravilla
Aftershave: Swiss Pitralon
Talc: Borotalco

I screwed up my lather with too much water and had to start over. I finally achieved a nice slick lather on the second try. The shave was great, but for some reason, I just sort of went through the motions. Again, it was just one of those days. Hopefully, I'll be more enthusiastic tomorrow!

Thanks for reading and have a great shave!

Frank

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