SOTD 24-30 July 2016

30 July 2016

* Weber DLC + UFO U2V1 Graphite Black
* Iridium Super
* WSP Original 2-Band + Oscar11 Rootbeer Translucent C7
* B&M Cologne Russe
* Unrefined Shea Butter
* Bergamot/Oakmoss EO

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Alumigoose // WW // Castle Forbes

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SOTD: Saturday, July 30
Czech & Speake No. 88
Simpson CH3 Manchurian
'58 D3 195 Adjustable (5)
Personna Medical Prep (3)
D. R. Harris Pink AS

Have a great weekend!

Timeless Razor Scalloped Head Open Comb
Feather Platinum
Nuávia Verde
Zenith Two Band Manchurian

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BRUSH: New Home Made from odds and ends. Synthetic.
SOAP: MEM
BOWL: Yoresh Electric.
RAZOR: Rolls Imperial.
BLADE: Rolls. Very old.
PASSES: 3 + Minor Touch up.
SHAVE: BBS +
AFTER SHAVE: Aqua Velva Musk.

My three home made brushes. They all work!!!

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Mickey

Proraso Green Pre/Post
Plisson Synthetic Pearly Grey handle
Barrister & Mann Baudelaire (Sample)
Gillette Old Type Use Ivory Soap
Personna Red (Shave 3)
Thayers Superhazel with Proraso Green Pre/post followed with Proraso/Osage Rub splash

Tallow + Steel "Dark"
BSB-Ti w/HMW Extra Dense
Above The Tie S1 w/ Triad Rolling Hex 316 Stainless | Gillette 7 O'clock Black (1)

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This was my first time using Tallow and Steel products. Due to the performance I experienced today, they're instantly in my rotation, but first let's discuss the superficial.

The packaging is classy and professional complete with simple yet striking waterproof labels and the company logo imprinted on the puck. Choosing the scent required very little contemplation. They essentially had me at, "dark". The notes are printed directly on the tub, "coffee, cocoa, vetiver, ginger, benzoin, and peppermint". Strait from the puck, there's an unmistakable York Peppermint Pattie scent. Lathering initially didn't change that. It's pleasant for sure, but you may not want to smell like a dark chocolate-covered mint candy for very long. It turns out, that's not an issue because nefore the first pass was even through, it gained more depth and the chocolate was replaced with a light roast coffee. The peppermint sustained but was more muted. As I was lathering for the second pass, the entire profile turned on its heel. Cedar became the foremost scent. I have no idea where it came from because cedar is not one of the listed notes or oils. There was a slight sweetness to it. I imagined a cedar box filled with chocolate-covered coffee beans, and this was the primary scent for the remainder of the shave. I actually never picked up on vetiver. Since I'm not a professional, I could be missing the boat here. I can't definitively say I would be able to tell you what benzoin EO smells like, but I am familiar with benzoin tincture. I did not detect a benzoin scent. It very well could be the benzoin combined with the vetiver that's giving me the illusion of cedar. It was pleasant for sure, but just surprising.

I used a slightly damp knot and about 4-5 drops of water directly on the puck. The loading was quite easy. This is one of the firmer croaps I have used, but still not in the hard soap category. The lather was quickly forthcoming. It yielded a dense and very creamy ivory lather that's a little sensitive to additional water (don't drown it). Slickness was good. I would say it's about an 8 on a 1-10 slickness scale.

There was no drama with this shave. BBS and weeper-free. The post shave feel is also very good, but I probably couldn't get away without some form of post shave product for my scalp at least. Fortunately, the paired water-based splash has lots of good stuff for your skin. Cooling wasn't needed due to the peppermint in the soap, but the splash has it as well. The scent of the splash is still cedar-forward with only hints of peppermint in the background.

While "Dark" may not be the scent for everyone, I absolutely enjoyed it despite its being a surprise. "Dark" in this case does not equate to dirty or smoky but rather a clean scent. Tallow + Steel did not disappoint with products that perform as well as they look.

I couldn't decide which pic to use, so here are the rest of them:

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And for my artsy pic for the day:

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Razor: Timeless SS, OC
Blade: Feather Hi Stainless Platinum (1)
Brush: Jayaruh JR #45 Walnut Honey Comb Handle w/ Ace Synthetic.
Soap: James of Hudson Street Turkish Bath
Aftershave: Folsom & Co. Shady Past

Outstanding shave today with this lineup of products. I had a near BBS. The brush, soap, razor, blade, and aftershave worked perfectly together.