Razor: Aylsworth Drakkant
Blade: Gillette 7 O'Clock
Soap: Gentleman's Nod Musashi
Brush: Vie-Long Horse
Bowl: Bluff Cove Pottery
Post 1: P.A.A. Alum No-Slip Grip System w/ Dry Dock System
Post 2: Dickinson's Enhanced Witch Hazel Deep Cleansing Astringent w/ Menthol & Eucalyptus
Aftershave: Gentleman's Nod Musashi
Wow! What an absolutely beautiful shave today's was. The combination of Gentleman's Nod Musashi and the Aylsworth Drakkant razor came together in perfect fashion. I honestly can't fully express just how great this shave was.
Truth be told, I'm new to Gentleman's Nod and did not know what to expect going into this shave, but let me tell you this software was phenomenal and deserves a large amount of credit for how outstanding my shave was.
Right off the bat, the Cardinal (version 4 (C4)) base is one of the best I've come across to date! It contains Sodium Hyaluronate, the sodium salt of Hyaluronic Acid which has a much lower molucular weight than H.A. and will penetrade the epidermis. This all serves to hydrate, plump, and soften from the inside.
I was a little conservative with the amount of soap I used but still ended up with a nice bowl of lather. This told me that the soap builds up quite well. The lather turned out to be probably the most slick I've ever used, and in my opinion, that's saying a lot. It really is an outstanding shaving soap that genuinely impressed me.
The scent... Zen... I'm not sure what to say but it is amazing. The blending of yuzu, jasmine tea and wood is done in an artful way that shows the craftsmanship involved. It real is obvious. There are other notes in there but these are the main points of interest with jasmine tea being the focal point.
The Drakkant has continued to impress me. The weigh, grip and head geometry are all highly engineered and to my liking. This razor, with its original base plate, cuts easily and is very smooth. It is efficient and a joy to use. I have no problem recommending this razor and have added it to my must buy list.
I did a three-pass shave and earned a bbs face. I then applied some Musashi aftershave to complete this therapeutic shave and was left feeling satisfied, sophisticated and ready for me day.
I must say that the post-shave feel is remarkable and not to be missed. Do yourself a favor and try some for yourself.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy your shaves!