SOTD 21-27 August 2016

Van Yulay - Soap Of The Gods "Rack Em Up" | Rubberset 200-4 | RazoRock Black Mamba | Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum Black (2)

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"Rack Em Up" is another beautiful scent from Van Yulay. In fact, it could become my new favorite from this artisan. Rack Em Up opens with and sustains bold notes of patchouli and leather with just enough vetiver and lavender to lend it a refined cologne scent. Around the mid-shave point, a hint of amber makes a presence. It's a bright and beautiful, but still masculine scent.

The performance is what I've come to expect from Van Yulay's tallow and clay base, yielding a rich mocha tinted super creamy lather. This is one in which it pays to take your time building a face lather. It's very durable, standing up to quite a bit of water, and I can take a slow leisurely pace shaving my head, because it just doesn't seem to be susceptible to drying out or breaking down. This is one of the few soaps that upon completing the shave, I redistribute the lather pulled from the brush onto my scalp and face. I let the lather moisturize and soothe while I clean up the gear before the final cold water rinse. The water-based splash matches the soap scent profile pretty well, and the leather and patchouli stay in the forefront.

Rack Em Up probably doesn't knock Achilles out of its spot as my favorite scent from Van Yulay, but it's very close. That said, while "Achilles" with its bold smoky bourbon accord is likely to be polarizing, "Rack Em Up" will probably have a broader fan base.

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Pre-Shave: Cypriotian Olive/Argan Oil soap, cold water
Razor: Schick Injector I2 Hydro Magic
Blade: Personna Injector (2)
Brush: Doug Korn Epsilon 2-band
Lather: Stirling Lavender & Bergamot
Post-shave: Alum, Barrister & Man Kyovu Original, South Australian Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Van Yulay - Soap Of The Gods "Rack Em Up"  | Rubberset 200-4 | RazoRock Black Mamba | Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum Black (2)

Thanks again, Matt, for this latest visual and verbal pleasantness! Is Rack Em Up! a new offering from Van Yulay? (I don’t recall seeing it before.)

Barrister & Mann Katha Sandalwood soap
Silvertip badger in burl box elder
JR Torrey 6/8 full hollow
Pinaud Clubman splash

A fantastic shave this evening. The scent on this soap is really great, and the performance is excellent. I'm glad I decided to take a chance and get a couple of these. Really good stuff.

This razor had been underperforming, but a quick turn on the hard Ark stone took care of that. Fantastic shave...smooth, close, and very comfortable...

23 August

• GEM G-Bar
• GEM Super Stainless
• Vie-Long 12705b Fan Shape
• TOBS Grapefruit
• Attika EDC + 444


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August 24, 2016
Wolfman WR-01 Ti OC with Triad Ti
Feather (2)
Rudy Vey Rover with TGN Finest
Route 66 Frozen Margarita
Witch Hazel
Route 66 Frozen Margarita AS Balm

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SOTD 24th August 2016:

Razor- Mongoose w/Triad
Blade- Feather Pro
Soap- Barrister & Mann Orange & Cedarwood
Brush- Paladin PK-47
EDT- Penhaligon's Opus 1870

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Amazing Shave for the first day of school
I'm always a little nervous on the first day, even though this is my 15th one already.
Cologne Russe helped start the day right. The Bronze Shadow whipped up optimal lather very quickly and comfortably, setting my stubble up for its fate in the maw of my Futur set on five. Three drama free passes leaves me with very smooth and comfortable skin. Cologne Russe is one of my favorite scents, and I find the aftershave lasts nearly all day. Now to meet my new students.
Prep: Myrsol Emulsion
Soap: BM Cologne Russe
Brush: Brothers Bristles Bronze Shadow
Razor: Futur
Blade: Voskhod
AS: BM Cologne Russe
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Van Yulay - Soap Of The Gods "Rack Em Up"  | Rubberset 200-4 | RazoRock Black Mamba | Gillette 7 O'clock Super Platinum Black (2)

Thanks again, Matt, for this latest visual and verbal pleasantness! Is Rack Em Up! a new offering from Van Yulay? (I don’t recall seeing it before.)

I appreciate it! Like you, I don't recall seeing it in the past, so I'm assuming it's at least relatively new. However, given the enormous selection on their site, I could have just overlooked it.