Author Topic: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)  (Read 741677 times)

Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1860 on: March 23, 2017, 08:49:40 PM »
Mickey Lee Soapworks - Réunion
Island Bladeworks "Bullwinkle" | TGN Finest
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)


Mickey Lee Soapworks has been absent from den up until now.  I have no excuse, and it's too bad because I've been missing out.  A dense creamy lather is very easy to achieve and it arrives rather promptly.  The residual slickness is near perfect, but MLS excels in the post-shave department.  My face and scalp are soft, supple, and well hydrated.

Réunion is an excellent example of a non-smoky vetiver well-seated in damp earth.  The unfolding nears the cusp of murkiness without becoming muddy or dirty. It holds fast to the original green notes and sustains them throughout. 

The splash provides a nice alcohol sear, and the fragrance matches the soap well.  The longevity of the splash is about 4 hours.  There's nothing particularly daring about Réunion, and that's fine with me.  It's simply a welcoming classic vetiver fragrance that's likely to please the masses.  It just happens to be loaded into an outstanding soap base.  Now that I've tried the safe, I think I'm going to pick up Drunken Goat.


Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1861 on: March 25, 2017, 10:34:40 AM »
Van Yulay - Smoky Mountain Whiskey
Ever-Ready 100T | Elite Razor Manchurian
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)


It's no secret I'm a fan of Van Yulay.  However, looking back on my previous reviews, I note I was ecstatic about their soap and splash performance, but pretty critical of their lackluster packaging and somewhat chaotic website catalog.  I'm happy to say the website was improved almost immediately, and the labels' art and execution has improved with each offering.

When I heard this offering actually contains real Laphroaig single malt scotch (whisky), there was no way I could pass it up.  I was given the opportunity to test this soap pre-release.  I have not, however, received this free of charge.  I simply don't trade reviews for products, and Van Yulay of all companies, understands that I will not write a favorable review for a product I don't like.  It is my understanding that the product I used here is the final release and is now available to the public.

Beyond the excellent performance of the soap, another aspect of Van Yulay's products that's always been excellent is the bold fragrances.  Smoky Mountain Whiskey doesn't deviate from this.  I'm a fan of Islay single malts which typically impart notes of peat, smoke, and salt.  SMW is more like a semi-sweet bourbon filled out with a moderate amount of smoke and this is countered by a crisp and clean ozone.  Off the puck, this is very similar to Van Yulay's Achilles, but lathered it's quite different.  Where Achilles has tobacco elements with bourbon, Smoky Mountain Whiskey doesn't have tobacco and is considerably less sweet with highlights of clean, crisp, misty air that complements the smoky whiskey base. It's a very bold, yet pleasant fragrance.

Van Yulay's alcohol-free splashes are also excellent performers, providing soothing and nourishing qualities.  The ingredients of Van Yulay's splashes give off their own creamy fragrance that tends to initially mellow whatever fragrance oils that are included.  These creamy notes diminish fairly quickly, allowing the intended matching fragrance to come through. The excellent skin feel provided by these splashes is such that I often use them on non-shave days.

Smoky Mountain Whiskey is another nice offering from Van Yulay.  Whiskey/bourbon fans will definitely appreciate this one.

Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1862 on: March 26, 2017, 05:06:43 PM »
Chiseled Face Groomatorium - Rhinoceros
Island Bladeworks "Bullwinkle" | TGN Finest
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)
Homemade Alcohol/Witch Hazel/Aloe Splash w/ Rhinoceros EdP
Zoologist Rhinoceros EdP


Ron Wiebe, Chiseled Face Groomatorium proprietor and artisan, is apparently a fan of Zoologist Perfumes.  Additionally, it would seem Zoologist's Rhinoceros is one of his favorites.  The two companies teamed up, and we have the first in hopefully a line of Chiseled Face-Zoologist shaving soaps.  I've been a fan of Chiseled Face for quite some time, given their consistently high-performance soaps and bold fragrances.  If the guy that came up with Ghost Town Barber, Sherlock, and Midnight Stag is passionate about another perfumer's fragrance, it would seem Rhinoceros is a no-brainer for me.

Unlike many wet shaving money-grab "limited edition" products, Rhinoceros seemed more like a pilot project.  It's apparently expensive to make, so there was some risk involved with this venture.  It would have been quite unfortunate for Chiseled Face to have a warehouse full of un-sold Rhino.  It's my understanding that, depending on the success of Rhinoceros, more Zoologist-scented soaps would be forthcoming---including a revisit of Rhinoceros.  The sales went better than expected, so don't fret if you missed out as the opportunity will most assuredly come around again. 

A $35 blind buy on a Chiseled Face soap is no problem in my mind.  However, a $125 USD blind-buy of an EdP I've never experienced before is a little more daunting.  That said, given Ron's passion about this project, and my alignment with his fragrance choices, I took the plunge.  If for nothing else but to do my part in spiking Zoologist sales, thereby confirming the collaboration was mutually beneficial.  Honestly, Zoologist may never have come up on my radar had it not been for this soap.  While I was on Zoologist's site, I ordered a sample pack of their other offerings (8-2.5mL testers).

I refrained from using the soap until the EdP arrived a few days later.  The thick black glass jar and premium metallic black and gold labels are unbelievable.  The presentation alone does a lot to mitigate the sticker shock.  Then when the EdP arrived from Zoologist, I immediately understood the rationale for the soap's premium packaging.  There would simply be no other way to present it up against the fine presentation of the Zoologist EdP. Aesthetically, the two products complement each other quite well.

I took whiffs off the dry soap jar while waiting for the EdP to arrive.  I already know that's no way to explore a shaving soap fragrance, but I can't express this more emphatically that it's completely useless with this particular soap.  All I could get was a caustic alcohol and ammonia essence, so I quit trying until shave day.

Upon lathering, I was rewarded with an unmistakable bold rum fragrance, verging on excessive.  This was quickly filled out with leather and muted smoky vetiver notes and tobacco.  Competing for the edge were distinct bergamot, oud, and cedar. Just as I thought the fragrance had stabilized, a swelling musk pushed through and sustained throughout the shave.

For probably obvious reasons, there was no matching splash made for Rhinoceros.  I therefore tried my hand at a homemade solution using isopropyl alcohol, Thayers Unscented Witch Hazel with Aloe, and the entire contents of the 0.08 oz. sample of the Rhinoceros perfume, all added to an unused 4 oz. apothecary bottle I had lying around.  While I would prefer a professionally-made matching splash, this worked out quite nicely.  Given the recommendations I've received, I may yet re-make this using ethyl alcohol to eliminate the brief harsh alcohol scent from the isopropyl alcohol.  I've already ordered a second Rhinoceros sample because I don't see a safe way to extract it from the full-sized bottle other than to pump spray it in which I would imagine would result in some waste.  The longevity of the homemade splash was about 4 hours.  I estimate my ratio of alcohol to Thayers to be about 2:3.

I refrained from using the EdP until the next day just so I could evaluate the longevity of the splash.  Now, having had the opportunity to wear the EdP all day, I'm very happy with it.  It turns out the soap does a great job of leaving the fragrance alone other than muting it, of course.  So, if you're not into blind buying the fragrance (keeping in mind there are samples and even travel-size options available on Zoologist), you'll know what you're getting by having experienced the soap first.  The EdP is aggressive, but well balanced.  The initial rum blast is even bolder, but it calms down quickly.  The leather, oud, soft smoky vetiver, tobacco, bergamot, and cedar are all still there.  The perfume does seem to carry additional complementary elements I didn't detect in the soap, such as fir and a very subdued wet musky floral.  Rhinoceros is a complex beast.  I will absolutely be wearing this often.  I also look forward to exploring the samples of Zoologist's other offerings.  I hear good things about "Civet", "Badger" and "Bat".

I'm very pleased with this Chiseled Face-Zoologist collaboration.  I sincerely hope it was enough of a success for both parties as to facilitate future endeavors as they seem to share a similar model of bold elegance.

Here are a few pics of the EdP presentation:









« Last Edit: March 26, 2017, 05:10:24 PM by 120inna55 »

Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1863 on: March 27, 2017, 08:29:50 PM »
The Club - Midnight Kush
DrivenLegend Red & Black | APShaveCo Tuxexo 30mm
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (2)


With a name like "Midnight Kush" and the iconic pot head Bob Marley emblazoned across the label, one might anticipate a specific dominant note from this Diamond Exclusive soap.  If subtlety isn't your bag, the first three advertised scent notes are, "…Cannabis, Cannabis, and Cannabis…".  Now, that we're on the same page, you're expecting this to be a cannabis-forward fragrance, right?  Prepare to be disappointed.  Take a whiff off the tub, and you've got a pretty good representation as to what you'll experience when lathered, and that's patchouli, musk, and vanilla---in that order.  You may notice something missing.  That's right, no cannabis.  I tried very hard to detect even a faint cannabis note, flower or otherwise, and I came up bupkis.

That's not to say this isn't an pleasant accord, if not a bit contrived.  The patchouli is forward, but it's used well and, it's balanced with musky vanilla.  This fragrance is just this side of my floral/sweet threshold, so despite my disappointment by the absence of cannabis, I will use this again.  If for no other reason than that of the performance.  It's a vegan formula, and I'd love to know the identity of the artisan that made it (PM me.  I won't tell. I'll buy all your products.). I'll stipulate the usual, dense, slick lather, blah, blah, blah.  Let's be honest, given the playing field, if I encounter a soap that's not dense and slick, I'll quit mid-shave and grab a stand-by.  Post-shave is a quality that's not quite as prevalent, but I can abide that.  It's what a good nourishing after-shave product is for.  However, the base in Midnight Kush excels in the post-shave department.  I mean such that I messaged the artisan I was certain was responsible for it, but he denied it.  The fragrance is not his style anyway, but the base is his caliber.

Midnight Kush's matching splash has the same profile, but it's brighter initially.  The dry down is more reminiscent of incense, but no cannabis there either.  This is a nice concoction, though.  I like it when an artisan decides to decrease the alcohol without completely eliminating it.  I could feel the alcohol, but it was very light.  Again, my skin already felt great just from allowing the pulled lather to stay on my scalp while I cleaned up the gear.  You do need to shake this splash right before using it because there's not enough alcohol in it to emulsify the oils as evidenced by the obvious separation.

Overall, I'm quite pleased by this Diamond exclusive, but not for the reasons I'd anticipated.  If you have an opportunity to pick up Midnight Kush, do so for the bold and pleasant patchouli/musk fragrance, but more so for the performance.  It totally redeems itself of the misleading name with the post-shave.  If you're looking for a good cannabis soap, I recommend the artfully done "Quatre Cent Vingt" by Catie's Bubbles for the floral side or even "The Dead Sea" by RazoRock for faint warm cannabis notes.




Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1864 on: March 31, 2017, 10:26:26 AM »
Jeeves of Hudson Street - "Turkish Bath"
DrivenLegend Red & Black | APShaveCo Tuxexo 30mm
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (2)


Based on prior use, I already knew I wasn't a fan of the "Turkish Bath" fragrance.  It's just too powdery for me.  It's not offensive, mind you, but rather it's simply not my style.  This is a testament to the performance of Jeeves' soap that I continue to use it.  Frankly, I have too many soaps.  Regardless of fragrance, Jeeves is not one that will get pushed to the back, but I do intend to replace "Turkish Bath" with "Black Tea" that's currently on the way.  The creaminess and density of the lather is on par with my other favorites that's probably about 5 soap bases.  The post-shave is in my top 3.  The residual slickness, however, may yet be number 1.

I finished with Le Grand Chypre because it's one of my favorites and it counters the Turkish Bath quite well.

The "Streamline" is firmly seated as my all-time favorite shaver.  I've been alternating between a first generation (1930s) and a second generation (1950s), and I've come to the conclusion that the second generation is a skosh more forgiving.  While the first generation weighs a few grams more than the second, I can't tell it in my hand.  This is the consummate shaver in my book. This was a flawless head and face shave.

Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1865 on: April 01, 2017, 06:02:56 PM »
L&L Grooming + Chatillon Lux - TSM Fougère
Ever-Ready 100T | Elite Razor Manchurian
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)


Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1866 on: April 04, 2017, 05:47:10 AM »
Tallow + Steel - Shag
Island Bladeworks "Bullwinkle" | TGN Finest
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)


This one will no doubt be polarizing.  But for me, it was well worth the wait.  Shag opens with a thick herbaceous and earthy fragrance.  It quickly fills out with bold resinous notes with a pronounced smokiness.  This is not an overall smoky fragrance, however, but rather lending the impression of smoldering herbs and flowers.  Mid-shave, sharp citrus pushes through melding very well with the ever-present resinous notes, never having abandoned the earthiness.  Despite its individual notes, Shag has enough green herbs and floral to keep it riding the line between sweet and bitter.  Regardless, patchouli detractors need not apply, because there's no mistaking it in Shag.  This a very complex and artfully crafted fragrance.

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1867 on: April 05, 2017, 09:04:19 PM »
Jeeves of Hudson Street | Black Tea
BSB-Ti | HMW Extra Dense
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (2)
Folsom & Co. | Shady Past


I'm officially a fan of Jeeves of Hudson Street.  My prior experience was with their "Turkish Bath" soap which is a bit too powdery for my taste, but I continue to use the soap because the performance overrides any misgivings I may have with regard to the fragrance.  When I saw that they had a "Black Tea" soap, I figured it would be a good fit.  I anticipated it being a singular black tea fragrance, but I was very surprised with the accompaniment.  The mellow, slightly smoky, black tea is unmistakable, but gentle tobacco and citrus fill out the fragrance quite nicely. This is not the type of fragrance that packs a punch, so it's light by nature, but I would love to see this translated into an aftershave splash. Regardless, "Black Tea" is permanently in my rotation.

Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1868 on: April 07, 2017, 09:14:33 PM »
Soapmakers of Awesometown
Zenith XXL Manchurian
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)
Floïd Blue


It appears the inept USPS system has inadvertently benefitted me.  To pass the time as I awaited the arrival of my Soapmakers of Awesometown soap, I'd been poring over the reviews.  They've been admittedly mixed, but the general consensus seems to be that this was not to be treated like B&M's Glissant base. The takeaway was that SoA is not thirsty.  Knowing that, I was initially careful with the water, and the result was nothing less than spectacular.  Despite my hard water, a dense slick lather was very quickly forthcoming.  In fact, if memory serves, the only soap in my arsenal that makes a quicker lather would probably be Chiseled Face.  At this point, SoA performs on a level at least approaching that of Glissant, if not matching it. Glide was spot on, allowing me to take long sweeping final passes on my scalp.  I left the pulled uber-lather on my skin while I cleaned my gear, and this resulted in a remarkable post-shave.  Granted this is my first shave with SoA, but I don't think I missed the lanolin.  I honestly can't find a complaint against this base.

The fragrance is lovely.  Passionfruit, bright sweet citrus, and florals are very forward but kept in check by a touch of sandalwood.  This is a well-crafted accord if not a bit whimsical.  It's probably a good thing that a matching splash doesn't exist because my wife thinks it's too "girly" for me.  Far be it from me to come off as "girly" as I affirm my unblemished reputation as a rugged, manly man by carefully positioning my shaving gear in a light box in order take glamour shots to post on the internet.

Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1869 on: April 09, 2017, 03:11:12 PM »

Offline 120inna55

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1870 on: April 11, 2017, 07:26:10 PM »
Barrister and Mann - Petrichor
Ever-Ready 100T | Elite Razor Manchurian
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)


I was pleased that Barrister and Mann decided to revisit Petrichor along with a first ever matching splash.  My only other experience with an "after-the-rain" fragrance is with Chiseled Face's "Summer Storm".  I was curious to see B&M's take on it, but I really couldn't see how it could surpass "Summer Storm" which I find to be spot-on accurate. After using "Petrichor", I quickly realized both soaps are accurate and their chosen names are a good clue as to why that is.  While "Summer Storm" is earthy and green with slightly murky and floral notes, it emanates a distinct ozone fragrance that endures throughout the shave.  "Petrichor" does seem to suggest some ozone, but it's very understated. Instead, Petrichor is more that of damp, non-mossy, earth along with some dry earth as well.  The two fragrances are certainly in the same family, but Petrichor is more reminiscent of the early stages of a light rain where the earth is not yet completely saturated.  Summer Storm is less subtle and clearly meant to impart the fragrance following---or even in the midst of---a full-fledged storm complete with lightning, hence the ozone.

Petrichor from the dry puck essentially smells like dirt.  It must be lathered for a real appreciation of the fragrance, but it's gentle and subdued by nature.  It's damp earth throughout, but never muddy or murky.  Crushed , non-floral vegetation becomes more prevalent later in the shave, but it never eclipses the damp earth.  There was virtually no linger after the shave, but the splash brought it all back.  Naturally, the splash is bolder, but I lost track of it about two to three hours later.  I think this is the nature of the accord in that it contains purely natural notes that fade into the environment.  It may be to a greater degree for me because I live in the woods and it just rained all day.  It was a certainly a serendipitous inaugural Petrichor shave.

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1871 on: April 13, 2017, 08:14:34 PM »
Big Easy Soaps & Tinctures - "Flying Fortress"
DrivenLegend Red & Black | APShaveCo Tuxexo 30mm
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)


If you like the smell of high-octane fuel, but don't like the headache, you'll love the distinct helicopter exhaust and Hoppe's No. 9 fragrance of Flying Fortress.  It's accompanied by cavendish tobacco, leather, and gunpowder.  Somehow, it works.  I find myself using the splash on non-shave days simply because I can't get enough of it.  Any reservations I had about Big Easy's slickness not quite hanging with the big boys have been obliterated.  I used so much water that the lather blew up the 30mm.  Slickness was optimal at this point.  This much water would jeopardize many other tallows, but I found the sweet spot for Big Easy.  I'm glad I have a big tub of "Flying Fortress" because I think it's a retired flavor.

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1872 on: April 15, 2017, 04:09:09 PM »
Barrister and Mann - Diamond
Ever-Ready 100T | Elite Razor Manchurian
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)
Barrister's Reserve - Classic


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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1873 on: April 17, 2017, 07:51:46 PM »
Chatillon Lux + L&L Grooming - Blackberry Blossom Bay
Island Bladeworks "Bullwinkle" | TGN Finest
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)


I would have liked to have included some blackberry blossoms in the pic, but well, in light of our non-existent Winter and early Spring, they have already yielded to actual berries which the wildlife have pretty much pillaged.  But, as always, we're covered up in bay out here.  Specifically, our underbrush is probably 80% wax myrtle/bayberry (Myrica cerifera) which emanates the pleasant fragrance year-round, peaking this time of year.

Blackberry Blossom Bay is as close to bay rum territory as it can be without having an actual rum note.  As such, it is very much a Spring iteration, which is not to be translated as light or short-lived.  This is a robustly fragranced soap.  The inclusion of blackberry blossom is a nice touch, and it's held up by soft vanilla and sandalwood. The overall accord almost tricks me into thinking I smell clove, but I really don't detect it, nor do I feel it.  Additionally, my brain tries to fill in the rum, but it's not there.  Instead there's a floral and blossom component that's not immediate but rather unfolds and sweetens a bit during the shave, succumbing to light cinnamon in the latter stages.

L&L's bison base is ridiculously dense and slick.  I have enough of these under my belt that I can confidently say this is one of the elite soaps in the artisan realm.  I'm a huge fan of clay in soaps provided it's done right.  L&L's is one of the best applications of clay in a soap base I've ever encountered.  It rivals Stirling's old formula, but it lathers easier.  L&L is one of the easiest and consistent lathers I've used, provided I load with a barely damp brush until I get that sticky, stringy substance embedded in the knot's tips.  Then, I dunk the knot in my hard water and go to town with a perfect scalp lather, completely skipping the big bubble stage.

So, to dance with who brung me, I finished with Chatillon Lux's splash.  Again, the bay rum "suggestion" makes me anticipate the impending flush (my skin doesn't care much for cinnamon), but it doesn't happen.  It's the perfect ratio of bracing and cooling along with a heavenly and unique take on bay.  The floral and bay are initially more forward, but the dry-down introduces the sandalwood, vanilla and sweet citrus, but just as you think it's stabilized, a slightly pungent, but glorious berry blossom overtakes the fragrance and actually seems to intensify about an hour later.  The staying power is one of the best in the business as I continued to enjoy it a good 6 hours later.  This fragrance is very much a work of art.

When these two guys get together, they knock it out of the park!

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Re: SAFETY Razor Shave of the Day (SOTD)
« Reply #1874 on: April 20, 2017, 03:45:52 PM »
Great  pics, guys.

My shave today:
Razor: Schick injectorE3 with Schick blade
Brush: Simpson Duke 3
Soap:  Art of Shaving Sandalwood (old formula)
Aftershave: Witch hazel followed by Neutrogena Triple Defense balm.
I'm not bald I'm follicly challenged.