What soap/cream did you use today?

Mike’s Bay Rum t. (Mike’s Natural Soaps) bay & bergamot

That’s day seven with Mike’s Natural Soaps and my face hasn’t felt this good for years. There’s something to be said for this simply great soap – and there’s something to be said for sticking with this simply great soap for days on end. In fact, when I told my wife’s dermatologist that I used a different shaving soap every day, she winced. And probably with good reason. Over the last year and a half, I’ve indulged in hundreds of soaps, and at the same time my hide has grown more and more tender. It can be hard on your skin to continually subject it to slightly different lather each morning. Lately, getting a good shave has proved tricky. But something about Mike’s Vetiver and Mike’s Bay Rum have restored me to shaver’s heaven. 

Bouki Very interesting observation and hypothesis about the potential consequences of frequently rotating through multiple soap bases…Intuitively, it makes sense. Even though the implications are distressing..Although your hide “sensitivity” could be caused simply by the act of wet shaving every day. Or the use of different razors or blades. Or the use of a variety of post-shave products. Or…gasp….aging. Correlation may not be causation. There are multiple interactions at work here..

Stirling Iced Pineapple

Fine Accoutrements / Platinum

Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk

Acqua di Parma Colonia shaving soap (original)

No time for a photo today, but I used Grooming Dept. "Maleki" again. You've all seen it enough to know what it looks like by now. 

Mike’s Bay Rum t. (Mike’s Natural Soaps) bay & bergamot

That’s day seven with Mike’s Natural Soaps and my face hasn’t felt this good for years. There’s something to be said for this simply great soap – and there’s something to be said for sticking with this simply great soap for days on end. In fact, when I told my wife’s dermatologist that I used a different shaving soap every day, she winced. And probably with good reason. Over the last year and a half, I’ve indulged in hundreds of soaps, and at the same time my hide has grown more and more tender. It can be hard on your skin to continually subject it to slightly different lather each morning. Lately, getting a good shave has proved tricky. But something about Mike’s Vetiver and Mike’s Bay Rum have restored me to shaver’s heaven. 

Bouki Very interesting observation and hypothesis about the potential consequences of frequently rotating through multiple soap bases…Intuitively, it makes sense. Even though  the implications are distressing..Although your hide “sensitivity” could be caused simply by the act of wet shaving every day. Or the use of different razors or blades. Or the use of a variety of post-shave products. Or…gasp….aging. Correlation may not be causation. There are multiple interactions at work here..

Hey, frenchy! Thanks for your note. There are certainly lots of variables involved in wet shaving. And regularly varying those variables has been my heart's content for the last five or six years. But for the rest of this month and throughout July I might just stick with one set up: same razor, same blade, same soap. I'm really happy with how things are working out right now. I've found my shave satori.

Mike’s Bay Rum t. (Mike’s Natural Soaps) bay & bergamot

That’s day seven with Mike’s Natural Soaps and my face hasn’t felt this good for years. There’s something to be said for this simply great soap – and there’s something to be said for sticking with this simply great soap for days on end. In fact, when I told my wife’s dermatologist that I used a different shaving soap every day, she winced. And probably with good reason. Over the last year and a half, I’ve indulged in hundreds of soaps, and at the same time my hide has grown more and more tender. It can be hard on your skin to continually subject it to slightly different lather each morning. Lately, getting a good shave has proved tricky. But something about Mike’s Vetiver and Mike’s Bay Rum have restored me to shaver’s heaven. 

Bouki Very interesting observation and hypothesis about the potential consequences of frequently rotating through multiple soap bases…Intuitively, it makes sense. Even though  the implications are distressing..Although your hide “sensitivity” could be caused simply by the act of wet shaving every day. Or the use of different razors or blades. Or the use of a variety of post-shave products. Or…gasp….aging. Correlation may not be causation. There are multiple interactions at work here..

Hey, frenchy! Thanks for your note. There are certainly lots of variables involved in wet shaving. And regularly varying those variables has been my heart's content for the last five or six years. But for the rest of this month and throughout July I might just stick with one set up: same razor, same blade, same soap. I'm really happy with how things are working out right now. I've found my shave satori.

Bouki I think we have the makings a controlled experiment here. But…no mention from you about post-shave products…

Bouki Very interesting observation and hypothesis about the potential consequences of frequently rotating through multiple soap bases…Intuitively, it makes sense. Even though  the implications are distressing..Although your hide “sensitivity” could be caused simply by the act of wet shaving every day. Or the use of different razors or blades. Or the use of a variety of post-shave products. Or…gasp….aging. Correlation may not be causation. There are multiple interactions at work here..

Hey, frenchy! Thanks for your note. There are certainly lots of variables involved in wet shaving. And regularly varying those variables has been my heart's content for the last five or six years. But for the rest of this month and throughout July I might just stick with one set up: same razor, same blade, same soap. I'm really happy with how things are working out right now. I've found my shave satori.

Bouki I think we have the makings a controlled experiment here. But…no mention from you about post-shave products…

frenchy, I don't use aftershaves or balms or creams any more. It's too hot and sticky down here for any post-shave moisture-faction. Most days my biggest challenge is just figuring out how to stay dry. Now, as for the controlled experiment, I should be up front about my ineptitude. In fact, in high school my chemistry teacher gave me an award for submitting the worst lab report he'd ever read! Kind of put me off science. But I do like writing about what works well for me, and I hope that from time to time there's something in my notes that helps you find more pleasure in your own shaves.

Loved the razor and the brush, and the soap base is excellent, but the trinity scent just doesn’t inspire me.  Chucked the rest of the sample because although that scent certainly pleases most folks, it’s not my jam.  Now Ouroboros?  That one I dig!  

Hey, frenchy! Thanks for your note. There are certainly lots of variables involved in wet shaving. And regularly varying those variables has been my heart's content for the last five or six years. But for the rest of this month and throughout July I might just stick with one set up: same razor, same blade, same soap. I'm really happy with how things are working out right now. I've found my shave satori.

Bouki I think we have the makings a controlled experiment here. But…no mention from you about post-shave products…

frenchy, I don't use aftershaves or balms or creams any more. It's too hot and sticky down here for any post-shave moisture-faction. Most days my biggest challenge is just figuring out how to stay dry. Now, as for the controlled experiment, I should be up front about my ineptitude. In fact, in high school my chemistry teacher gave me an award for submitting the worst lab report he'd ever read! Kind of put me off science. But I do like writing about what works well for me, and I hope that from time to time there's something in my notes that helps you find more pleasure in your own shaves.

Bouki You were an award winning chemistry student in High School. Stop being so modest…