November 25th, 2025: Much better!

• Brush: Maggard Razors 24mm Synthetic
• Razor: Joseph Rogers & Sons Near Wedge (1)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann - Roam Two - Soap
• Post Shave: Pinaud - Clubman Special Reserve - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Nivea - Sensitive - Balm

I shaved with this razor 4 times in a row last week, each time hoping it would improve. After lots of razor burn, I finally gave up and re-honed it (refreshed, really, since I only have a 10k). My previous refresh must have left some sort of nasty burr, because THIS is what I remember it feeling like when I fell in love with it. Super smooth, and I think the operative word is "gentle". It hardly feels like there's a blade touching my face, yet the hair gets removed with relative ease.

Pinaud aftershaves are quite heavy on the alcohol so there's usually some burn, but not today. It just felt like putting water on my face. Incredible!

SOTD - 2025-11-25

• Prep: Proraso - Crema Pre Barba Protettiva (blue)
• Bowl: Captain’s Choice - Obsidian Copper
• Brush: Semogue - Owners’ Club Cherry Wood Boar 24mm Boar
• Razor: FaTip - Lo Storto Originale - DE Slant, Open Comb
• Blade: Feather - New Hi-Stainless (1)
• Lather: Stirling Soap Co. - Arance Mandarini (sample)
• Post Shave: Hâttric - Classic Aftershave
• Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. - Glacial Unscented Balm
• Post Shave: Proraso - Polvere Post Rasatura
• Tool: wsdb
• Tags: $discord

In preparation for the Thanksgiving Feast, I went meat shopping. My family is generally anti-turkey. I was able to secure a couple of Picanhas. It will be a feast indeed.

Have a good day!

Tue 25 Nov 2025

• Brush: Chisel and Hound – Screwdjriver with v28 Fanchurian
• Razor: Heljestrand 14 (7/8", full hollow, carbon steel)
• Lather: Catie’s Bubbles – Cape Cod Cranberry
• Post Shave: Imaginary Authors – Telegrama
• Fragrance: Summer Break Soaps – Valedictorian

The Heljestrand 14 it a bit of a fake 14 if you ask me. None of the elegant curves of the venerable Fili, Iberia, or J. A. Henckels 14 outline, but rather modern straight lines and a chonky tail. But Heljestrand’s Swedish steel doesn’t care about curves or my feelings about them, it just cuts stubble cleanly, smoothly, and closely. I like Heljestrand’s Swedish steel.

Today’s scentscape is less disjointed that it might appear: CCC has a sweet, very dry note that feels vaguely vanilla-y to me, but without being gourmand. I find it difficult to nail down, but to convince myself that it’s there, I combined CCC with two fragrances that have a dry, non-gourmand vanilla note, and I enjoy how it helps join these fragrances together.

The luxury cream soap base is great stuff, and shines quietly in the shadow of the mighty prem.

November 25th, 2025: Bluesday

• Brush: Yaqi "Mysterious Space" - 2-band 24mm Badger
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable (L4, 1966)
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium (2)
• Lather: Stirling - Deep Blue Sea - Soap
• Post Shave: Stirling - Deep Blue Sea (+ menthol) - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Oleo & Co. - Facial Toner - Toner
• Fragrance: Stirling - Deep Blue Sea - EdT

Two passes, BBS results. The Slim is a fantastic razor.

DBS++

November 25th, 2025

• Brush: Unbranded - Marble w/ Maggard G5C Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette - Slim Adjustable
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue
• Lather: Red House Farm - No Scrub - Soap
• Post Shave: Catie’s Bubbles - Dranks - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Catie’s Bubbles - Dranks - EdP

November 25th, 2025: SLS

• Brush: Chisel & Hound “Spice Lily” - TurnNShave Tuxedo 26mm Synthetic
• Razor: Gillette Slim Adjustable (L4, 1966)
• Blade: Wizamet Super Iridium (3)
• Lather: Barrister and Mann/Southern Witchcrafts - Samhain - Soap
• Post Shave: Barrister and Mann/Southern Witchcrafts - Samhain - Aftershave
• Post Shave: Oleo & Co. - Facial Toner - Toner
• Fragrance: Catie’s Bubbles - Dranks - EdP

Fantastic luxury shave. The vegan BaM base is excellent, and the scent of Samhain is truly something special.