Wednesday SOTD Thread - March 13th, 2024

Mar. 13, 2024

Brush: Yaqi 26mm Synthetic
Razor: Karve Overlander
Blade: UK Tech Statum [6]
Lather: Chiseled Face - Vert Noir - Soap
Post Shave: Chiseled Face - Vert Noir - Aftershave

Good shave. Weird scent, family doesn’t mind it though.

Mar 13, 2024 - MM24 7th Match-Up: Spearhead vs. CB

Brush: Chisel & Hound Chocolate Drop 26mm v19 Fanchurian Knot
Razor: EldrormR Industries MM24 #MMarch24
Blade: Personna GEM PTFE [13]
Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Blugère - Soap
Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - Blugère - Aftershave Lotion

Today's match-up could have gone either way. Spearhead has excellent bases and beautiful vintage scents re-created by Shawn. Still, when I woke up this morning, I just wanted to use Blugère.

The CB Luxury base is fantastic, and Blugère is one of favorite fougères besides Passiflora. I used the Aftershave Lotion this morning for the first time, and I love how it brought out the scent notes in such a different way.

Rating: 4.5/5

Gorgeous brush! And you have to give a vote to anyone who can dream up a blueberry topped fougère!
- Absolutely, on both accounts 😄

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Prep: hot tea, hot shower
Brush: Yaqi Cashmere Synthetic Shaving Brush, Dandelion Green Handle, 24mm
Razor: Gillette Aristocrat (1948-50)
Blade: Durablade Sharp Hi Chromium (1)
Lather: Stirling – Sharp Dressed Man - Shave Soap
Post Shave: Stirling – Post Shave Balm – Sharp Dressed Man
Post Shave Beverage: hot coffee

As the Sharp Dressed Man ring of death gets smaller and smaller, I feel compelled to only shave with this until it's gone. Of course Stirling soaps take forever to get used up, so that's easier said than done.

Sharp Dressed Man++;

Spearhead ❤️ vs CBubs 💔

Brush: Zenith r/Wetshaving exclusive MOAR BOAR (31 mm × 57 mm bleached boar)
Razor: Zwilling J. A. Henckels Friodur 72-V (13/16", quarter hollow or near wedge, stainless steel)
Lather: Spearhead Shaving Company Seaforth! — 3 Scots
Aftershave: Spearhead Shaving Company Seaforth! — 3 Scots
Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company Seaforth! — 3 Scots
Talc: Borotalco

This 7 vs 10 match-up is the hardest for me to date. Both artisans deserve the underdog boost and a chance to take a crack at the Mammoth (sorry Cow, but... You know).

In the end, I had to choose Spearhead which is just about my favourite brand. It's not a choice I can enjoy guilt freely, however, nor can I confidently predict the outcome of this match-up. Catie's Bubbles has a huge arsenal of great scents, and I think it has the edge today among the old guard on the sub. Spearhead is only 6 scents into its stellar ascent to shavedom greatness, but has been (subjectively, I didn't run the numbers) more visible on the sub than CBubs in the last two years or so, and we do have a big turnover. No telling at what rate new members vote today vs the grizzled veterans. On the other hand, CBubs has personally been a lot more visible on the sub discord than Spearhead recently. So in some sense, today may also be a generational struggle, or even a contest over who's closer to the cocaine. I'm going to follow it closely.

3 Scots smells like a fresh version of Spiced, less sweet and gourmand, and this solves my long-standing is-Spiced-a-Christmas-scent?-yes-of-course-it-is-u/semaj3000 conundrum: 3 Scots is my summer Spiced, Spiced is my winter Scots.

No matter the outcome today, we'll have a well-deserving winner and a tragic robbed runner-up.

Also, happy Wedgeday everyone!

we’ll have a well-deserving winner and a tragic robbed runner-up.
Here here!
As we say here in the Sailing "Capital" of the US, I decided to split tacks with the fleet.

March 13, 2024

Brush: Stirling 24mm Synthetic
Blade: Cien Men 2-Blade Cart (1)
Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Royal Garden - Soap
Post Shave: Aqua Velva - Ice Blue - Aftershave
Post Shave: Goodfellow & Co. - Face Lotion - Kelp & Sea Mineral

Great artisans to pick from today. I picked Cbubs because he creates original scents himself.

I went the Cbubs route myself. Kind of feel like he's underappreciated.
- It was pointed out to me that I used a dupe while giving him credit for original scents. Oops! Still lots of original scents from him, which I have to try some day. This is my only Cbubs soap and it's a 2oz. sample.

Wednesday, March 13, 2024: Witchcraft Wednesday

Preshave: Proraso Green Preshave
Brush: Semogue C3 Galahad Horse 🐎
Razor: GEM Flying Wing
Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (1)
Lather: Southern Witchcraft Autumn Ash
Postshave: Naissance 702 Witch Hazel
Postshave: Floid The Genuine
Postshave: Nivea After Shave Balm

It was the first shave with a new GEM blade - so a bit rough. I still have 98 blades to go – I'm not sure I will need to buy blades ever again in my life.

Have a good night!

_{Shared via [emacs](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/) & [sotd.el](https://gitlab.com/shavin1/sotd.el)}

first or nineteenth?
Autumn Ash ++;
- First!

March 13, 2024

Brush: Chisel & Hound Classic 26mm V23 Fanchurian
Razor: J.A. Henckels Friodur 14 Full Hollow Square Point
Lather: Catie's Bubbles - Midnight Dreary - Soap
Toner: Thayers - Cucumber - Toner
Aftershave: Fabergé - Brut - Aftershave
Talc: Yardley Classic
 
2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

You absolutely cannot go wrong with Catie's Bubbles. I think that's because they have been around for a long time, producing consistently excellent products, and we kind of take them for granted. I'd put Stirling Soap Co. in that category as well. As usual, the underdog gets my vote. Today's competition will be interesting.

Yesterday I used the Unilever release of Brut and today I used Fabergé's original product. I can definitely tell a difference. The Unilever product is more heavy handed and one dimensional, whereas the Fabergé product is less strong, has a subtle spice note to it, and is far more nuanced. Given that I am anything but nuanced, YMMV.