Near Death Experience

• Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 51 mm Manchurian badger)
• Razor: Fatip - Lo Storto - Testa Dentata
• Blade: Mühle
• Lather: Mickey Lee Soapworks – The Kraken
• Post Shave: Zingari Man – Nomad
• Fragrance: Imaginary Authors – Every Storm a Serenade

Theme: The Kraken was a PIF I received three years ago and it's a true zombie: it qualifies as "Near Death" by this year's theme definition (Photographic evidence with podophilic material for my co-djudges u/J33pGuy13 and u/VisceralWatch) and qualified as dead ("Rest in Pieces") in previous iterations for being unobtainium by a defunct vendor.

Relevant post and frag: I'm leaning into the nautical theme here. Kraken is (aside the obvious branding) an aquatic scent, Nomad is a Bay Rum, and Every Storm a Serenade is a green aromatic scent, that is still nautically themed for some reason, inspired my an obsession with Ulv, a Danish Seafarer.

Challenge: I went pasty today. Really a sad affair with this new to me Zenith brush (second use today) which encouraged me to take my time and build a beautiful wet lather. Alas, tomorrow, my pretty butterscotch.

June 15, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co. - 24mm Synbad Fan
• Razor: Blackland Era - Level 3 SB
• Blade: Bolzano Superinox (German) (6)
• Lather: Arko
• Post Shave: Australian Private Reserve - Raconteur - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Brut - EdT

It's the strangest thing. The past few days I've been having cravings for Arko, which I haven't used in probably at least a year.

It did not disappoint. I really like the scent, and the lather is quite slick. Honestly, it's good stuff.

Followed it up with Raconteur which is the best smelling aftershave I own, and then brought things back down to earth with Brut, the $10 EdT that everyone loves.

June 15, 2024

• Brush: Wald Stratos Goldvein 29mm A1 Fan

• Razor: Iwasaki 13/16" Full Hollow Square Point Tamahagane

• Lather: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Soap

• Post Shave: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Aftershave

• Post Shave: Thayers - Rose - Toner

• Fragrance: Saponificio Varesino - 70th Anniversary - Eau de Parfum

• Talc: Yardley Gold
   

I normally use a very wet lather, so today I went pasty and really did not like it. It did not affect my shave result much, but made rinsing and cleaning the straight razor more of a hassle. One benefit, though, was that the denser lather delivered more of the soap's fragrance which I (clearly, if you look at the photo) love.