2018 shave #145 (DE:29 SE:46 Str:68 Cart:2)
Merkur 38c w/ Voskhod (3)
Saponificio Varesino Opuntia
Saponificio Veresino 2.0 two-band Manchurian High Mountain White badger
Witch Hazel & Alum
Nivea post shave balm
Penhaligon's Malabah
I still have one more Shannon's Soaps to try, but for logistical reasons it was time to try Opuntia. I agree, if you like the SV style, you're going to like this one. I don't know if the scent itself outpaces 70th, but the scent strength does and makes me wish they could punch up 70th more. Funny after trying several soaps where the scent didn't match the description for me, this one was great. Now, I have no first hand experience at what a prickly pear cactus smells like, but the scent just seems to make sense and I could picture it. I got this off a BST so I don't have the AS, but I was wishing I did.
Pretty good shave with the last run for the Voskhod. It felt a little scratchy on the neck. I realized I had gotten used to not even evaluating the shave for BBS WHILE I was shaving and doing some clean-up because my neck couldn't take that with the straights. A little clean-up on the jaw angle and the dolphins were singing their praises. Despite the blade feeling a touch rough, I ended with no alum sting at all. So a very nice outcome.
So, my wife did go to Pasteur's breifly. Apparently there are several in NY and it sounded like this one was smaller than others I've seen pictures of. They did have a ton of shaving stuff, but the aisle was so narrow she had to walk down and out of it when someone wanted to get to the front to check out. She did end up getting me the TOBS cream and cologne. The scent is nice, but very weak. We'll see if it has more punch when it's lathered.