Martin Man
Honolulu, Hawaii
HoosierShave usually gets this annual thread going, but it looks like he's especially busy this year. My apologies if I'm treading on sacred turf, but I'm so curious to see what made the grade in your den in 2024.
What worked well in Boukiville in 2024:
Artisans
Abbate y La Mantia (49 uses) stole the show in 2024. It’s a fun soap. But when I use it I have to stick with a Feather SoftGuard blade, and that’s a pincher. May have to go easy on this brand in 2025, for the sake of my skin. Frank’s Ethos Grooming Essentials trailed close with 43 uses, a worthy contender made by the nicest soap cooker in all shavedom, while Joserra, the new kid on my block, clocked in at 39. Altogether, I dipped into 31 brands, which is a lot of soap for one bony old face.
Soaps
Martin de Candre Fougère (bol en frêne) sat on its wooden throne and sneered, “Is that all you’ve got?” Thirteen uses later, it weighs more than it did when I bought it. A miracle or a curse, who’s to say? The shaves are sublime, but the soap is practically immortal. A bunch of other soaps showed up for a week or so of shaves: Eufros’ Argos, Joserra’s Bernardo de Gálvez, Barrister & Mann’ Le Grand Chypre & Seville, and Mammoth’s Tobacconist.
Razors
Blackland’s titanium Vector dominated for the second year, with 45 uses. Pair it with a Feather ProGuard blade, and it’s perfect: one pass, no irritation. Karve’s aluminum Bison (35) and stainless Overlander (34) followed like loyal deputies. And then there’s the Lambda Athena in bronze. A work of art, really. It shaves like a dream but sits on the shelf like a trophy. Too beautiful for this world.
Blades
Wizamet Super Iridium, 55 times. Derby Extra, 51. Astra Superior Platinum, 49. Blades, blades, blades. They come, they go, they cut. Not a whole lot of difference between them. I’ve found that only a guarded blade can keep my irritation at bay.
Brushes
The Vielong American stormed onto the scene in early 2024. With 71 uses, its floppy tuft and barbershop handle made short work of the hardest soaps. The Phoenix Shaving Peregrino (34) soldiered on, nearly 700 shaves in and still standing. And Plisson’s Cade synthetic (34), a decade-old relic from L’Occitane, proved you don’t need a big price tag to punch above your weight.
Post
Postshave products? Nope. My skin said, “Hard pass.” I gave some away, poured others down the drain, and let the rest age on a shelf like a doomsday prepper’s canned beans. The only thing I use nowadays is an occasion splash of bay rum. It burns at first, but for some wonderful and mysterious reason, it doesn’t bring on a rash.
Discoveries of the Year
Joserra and Mammoth were welcome additions to the den – scents to die for, lathers like melted marshmallow. Zingari Man impressed, too. But my skin’s getting cranky about superfatted soaps. Old age is a party pooper.
Goals Met, Goals Set
Last year’s big goal? Finish one soap. In July Phoenix & Beau’s Spitfire finally gave up the ghost after eight long years. A solemn farewell, but no tears. Over the years I had stocked up on several P&B soaps. They lathered like a dream, sure, but innovation outstripped them. For me this brand is done and dusted.
For 2025 my big goal is to use a jar of Martin de Candre's Absinthe at least every other day.
What worked well in Boukiville in 2024:
Artisans
Abbate y La Mantia (49 uses) stole the show in 2024. It’s a fun soap. But when I use it I have to stick with a Feather SoftGuard blade, and that’s a pincher. May have to go easy on this brand in 2025, for the sake of my skin. Frank’s Ethos Grooming Essentials trailed close with 43 uses, a worthy contender made by the nicest soap cooker in all shavedom, while Joserra, the new kid on my block, clocked in at 39. Altogether, I dipped into 31 brands, which is a lot of soap for one bony old face.
Soaps
Martin de Candre Fougère (bol en frêne) sat on its wooden throne and sneered, “Is that all you’ve got?” Thirteen uses later, it weighs more than it did when I bought it. A miracle or a curse, who’s to say? The shaves are sublime, but the soap is practically immortal. A bunch of other soaps showed up for a week or so of shaves: Eufros’ Argos, Joserra’s Bernardo de Gálvez, Barrister & Mann’ Le Grand Chypre & Seville, and Mammoth’s Tobacconist.
Razors
Blackland’s titanium Vector dominated for the second year, with 45 uses. Pair it with a Feather ProGuard blade, and it’s perfect: one pass, no irritation. Karve’s aluminum Bison (35) and stainless Overlander (34) followed like loyal deputies. And then there’s the Lambda Athena in bronze. A work of art, really. It shaves like a dream but sits on the shelf like a trophy. Too beautiful for this world.
Blades
Wizamet Super Iridium, 55 times. Derby Extra, 51. Astra Superior Platinum, 49. Blades, blades, blades. They come, they go, they cut. Not a whole lot of difference between them. I’ve found that only a guarded blade can keep my irritation at bay.
Brushes
The Vielong American stormed onto the scene in early 2024. With 71 uses, its floppy tuft and barbershop handle made short work of the hardest soaps. The Phoenix Shaving Peregrino (34) soldiered on, nearly 700 shaves in and still standing. And Plisson’s Cade synthetic (34), a decade-old relic from L’Occitane, proved you don’t need a big price tag to punch above your weight.
Post
Postshave products? Nope. My skin said, “Hard pass.” I gave some away, poured others down the drain, and let the rest age on a shelf like a doomsday prepper’s canned beans. The only thing I use nowadays is an occasion splash of bay rum. It burns at first, but for some wonderful and mysterious reason, it doesn’t bring on a rash.
Discoveries of the Year
Joserra and Mammoth were welcome additions to the den – scents to die for, lathers like melted marshmallow. Zingari Man impressed, too. But my skin’s getting cranky about superfatted soaps. Old age is a party pooper.
Goals Met, Goals Set
Last year’s big goal? Finish one soap. In July Phoenix & Beau’s Spitfire finally gave up the ghost after eight long years. A solemn farewell, but no tears. Over the years I had stocked up on several P&B soaps. They lathered like a dream, sure, but innovation outstripped them. For me this brand is done and dusted.
For 2025 my big goal is to use a jar of Martin de Candre's Absinthe at least every other day.
![[Image: 8b5b49144cadbc5a5aad8fc5adfafd23.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250105/8b5b49144cadbc5a5aad8fc5adfafd23.jpg)
![[Image: 4d8a95b8ef137f4d0c87068844bd2cae.jpg]](https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250105/4d8a95b8ef137f4d0c87068844bd2cae.jpg)