Jan. 18, 2024

• Brush: Yaqi 26mm Synthetic
• Razor: Karve CB SB D
• Blade: Pro Edge Platinum [5]
• Lather: 345 - RKY MTN Tree Line - Soap
• Post Shave: 345 - RKY MTN Tree Line - Aftershave

Ok shave. This blade really dropped off in sharpness quickly. This scent reminds me of Irish spring bar soap but with a twist, I enjoy it.

Fresh!

• Brush: Zenith B8 (XL aluminium handle, 28 mm × 57 mm boar)
• Razor: Zwilling J. A. Henckels Friodur 14 (8/8", extra hollow ground, stainless steel)
• Lather: Fitjar Islands Melderskin
• Aftershave: Summer Break Soaps Winter Break
• Fragrance: The Scottish Fine Soaps Company – Vetiver & Sandalwood
• Talc: Pinaud Clubman Finest Powder

I bought this jar of Fitjar cream years ago, and never fell in love with it. It’s a mild scent dominated by menthol, and the performance I’ve experienced isn’t stellar. Revisiting it today didn’t change my mind, so this tub goes back to the bottom of the pile.

I’ve learned the other day that SBS has an old and a new splash formula (since Valedictorian). This should be the old formula with more alcohol.

January 18, 2024

• Brush: AP Shave Co. - 24mm Synbad Fan
• Razor: Fatip Classic Testina Gentile
• Blade: Elios Inoxidable (7)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Tobacconist - Soap
• Post Shave: Chatillon Lux - Lamplight Penance - Toner
• Post Shave: Nivea Sensitive Balm

Lamplight Penance is one of the strongest scented things I own, including my small collection of EdPs. Usually when I wear a frag on the same day as using this toner, I smell LLP long after the EdP has faded.

I’ve started wetting my face before applying the toner, then apply a smallish amount, then give my face a half-assed rinse with water, and pat it off with a towel. This makes the scent more bearable and nice.

January 18, 2024

• Brush: Chisel & Hound Gulf Short 26mm V22 Fanchurian

• Razor: Dovo Facharbeit 6/8" Full Hollow Square Point

• Lather: Wholly Kaw - King of Oud - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner

• Aftershave: Wholly Kaw - King of Oud - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Good shave.

I don’t think this edge has had too many shaves since it was last refreshed (9/2023), but compared to my last few straight razor shaves, it felt dull and unrefined.

OTOH, KoO was awesome, as always.

SOTD 18.01.2024

• Prep: warm water
• Razor: Stando Perun
• Blade: Rapira Platinum Lux
• Brush: TGS Galaxy 26 mm
• Lather: Wholly Kaw - Cuero Oscuro
• Post Shave: Thayer’s Aloe Vera toner; Phytorelax Headshave ASB
• Fragrance: Philipp Plein - No Limit$ EdP

As always, I’m one of the last posts with my head shave of the day.

1 pass, overhydrated my lather so it was too wet for my personal preference. Still usable, but not very enjoyable even though WKs base usually gives me great shaves. Cuero Oscuro is a very dank, harsh leather fragrance. Think antique furniture. But I actually chose it to compare it to today’s fragrance that I applied in the morning…

Philipp Plein, in case you’re not familiar with him, is a german-born designer who designs fashion that kinda embodies the trashy Ed Hardy vibe of the late 2000s with Cowboy and Rock aesthetics. An accurate description I read about his fashion is like “he goes like ‘well, this is a fair price’ and then adds one or two zeros to the price tag”. His brand is therefore a big cliché for the newly rich… Oh, and if you’re ready for something truly cringe worthy, look up the ad for No Limit$ on YT. I seriously didn’t knew anything about this when I blind bought it last year…

Back to the actual fragrance. It is made by Alberto Morillas, so not as bad as it may come off in the commercial. It opens with a very sharp note, mostly citrus and spices. The citrus is gone faster than your hard earned money when you buy a PP jacket, but the spices stay. Together with a rather synthetic leather note and some woody notes that are actually pleasing. The chocolate note is also noticeable and once it comes to life, this fragrance becomes way more bearable for me (and everyone around me). It never really becomes very gourmand-y to me due to the harsh synthetic leather note. Cuero Oscuro is way more pungent, but this leather note is too artificial to me personally. It certainly has a very great longevity (much to my dismay) at it’s price point and it’s certainly unique. But today was the last time wearing it. Despite the praise it got from people who don’t like the marketing and PP as a brand and person, it’s simply too over the top for me. I like leather, Oud and smoky fragrances, but this comes off as too much of a try hard. I adore the natural and comfortable leather scent in TF Ombre Leather and Tuscan Leather. I even appreciate the rugged leather in SW Valley of Ashes. But this here? Way too synthetic. Ok, this closes my rambling about this perfume and designer. Have a good night, folks!