I find that playing around with AI – and large language models in particular – can be fun. And as long as you know to take everything they generate with a trainload or ten of salt, they can be useful too. Like when I asked ChatGPT to explain traditional wetshaving to me as if I was five years old… and was told that traditional wetshaving was a magical adventure for my face.
Continue readingCategory Archives: MastodonWetShavers
Shave of the day 6th September 2023
Razor: Schick Type B2
Blade: Personna Injector
Brush: Omega #10048
Pre-Shave: Proraso Pre Shave Cream
Lather: Proraso Menthol & Eucalyptus
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
A mild midweek shave with the Holy Grail.
Shave of the day 30th August 2023
Razor: Schick E2
Blade: Personna Injector
Brush: Vie-Long #12705B
Pre-Shave: O Way Softening Shaving Cream
Lather: Mike’s Natural Soaps Lemongrass & Eucalyptus
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Another Mike-y shave in the middle of the week. One of the thing’s I like about Mike’s is how long the tubs lasts. This one I’ve had for… a decade? A little over a decade? Still retains the scent and still makes lovely lather.
Lather foam dispenser
Self lathering or fountain brushes is a dream as old as time. Or at least a dream as old as 1849, and as recent as.. well, at least the eighties. And it still don’t make much sense to me, so I wasn’t expecting anything earth shattering when I spotted Salmon C Harvey’s lather foam dispenser.
Let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed when I looked into it more.
Continue readingShave of the day 18th August 2023
Razor: Schick G4
Blade: Personna Injector
Brush: Semogue TSN LE 2012
Pre-Shave: O Way Softening Shaving Cream
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Flying Mango
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
A fast but fine Friday shave – my own fault for snoozing the alarm. Also marks the end of two weeks of using the vintage G4. Next week I’ll shave with the even older E2, before moving on to my pre-injector Schicks.
Quick review: Marmara Kolonya No3 Barber
It has been a while since I did a review. In part because I’ve reviewed most of my shave gear, in part because others tends to do a better job. But I haven’t seen anyone do a review of this Turkish aftershave, so I guess I have to step up to the plate.
The sharp eyed reader will have noticed this aftershave often in my Shave Of The Day posts. I picked it up at my not-quite-local barbershop just before the pandemic, and it has been my go-to aftershave ever since… it meshes well with most of my soaps, and is a safe choice if I don’t feel like picking and choosing between my other aftershaves.
It is not, in my opinion, a particularly complex scent. But it don’t have to be difficult to understand in order to be easily enjoyed. It’s a pretty clean scent, and it does put me in mind of how much I enjoy my infrequent visits to said barbershop.
The base notes are woodsy and spicy – cedarwood and rosemary. Both of which are enjoyable scents by themselves, but they goes well with the higher notes of patchouli – not too much, as it can be a little overpowering – seaweed, and juniper. There are also hits of forests and citrus. The base notes linger on my skin, while the higher notes are well gone before lunch time.
The after shave from Marmara Kolonya contains a lot alcohol, which certainly can feel a bit rough if your razor has left a cuts and nicks. But don’t blame the aftershave for that. Blame your technique. Or your razor, if you’re still using a cart…
It is perhaps not a great aftershave. But it is, to my mind, a pretty good one. A nice, solid daily driver that pairs well with most things and great with some – like a sandalwood soap. And it is inexpensive too, comparatively speaking. I paid roughly 25€ for a 500ml bottle a little over three years ago. At my current rate of consumption, I have aftershave for another five years in that bottle.
You can read more about Marmara Kolonya – both the brand and the aftershaves – on their website.
Shave of the day 16th August 2023
Razor: Schick G4
Blade: Personna Injector
Brush: Artesania Romera Manchurian Badger, imitation horn
Pre-Shave: Prep Original
Lather: Dr Selby Lavender
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Not exactly midweek madness, more like a Wednesday wonder. A big, fluffy brush paired with the right soap means big, fluffy lather. And that means a big, fluffy shave.
All in one shaving kit
It can be hard to keep track of your razor, your soap, and your brush. At least it can be if you got more than one of each, as many of us enthusiasts do. But fear not – Frank W Grady patented an all on one shaving kit in 1915 that will make it easy for you.
Provided you can deal with having only one razor, one soap, and one brush that is. And the soap has to be a soap stick.
But at least you know where everything is, right?
Continue readingShave of the day 28th July 2023
Razor: Schick “Lady Eversharp”
Blade: Schick Injector
Brush: Artesania Romera Manchurian Badger, imitation horn
Pre-Shave: O Way Softening Shaving Cream
Lather: Goldex Nova Fórmula
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
Yet another fine Friday shave. I do love the “me time” and moments of Zen thus hobby gives me on such a regular basis.
Shave of the day 26th July 2023
Razor: Schick “Lady Eversharp”
Blade: Schick Injector
Brush: Vie-Long #12705B
Pre-Shave: O Way Softening Shaving Cream
Lather: Asylum Shave Works Flying Mango
Aftershave: Barber No3 Marmara
Additional Care: Alum Block
A nice and mellow midweek shave.