Razor: DS Cosmetic DS-S9 w/ RazoRock Barberpole
Blade: Astra Superior Platinum Green
Brush: Spiffo! 24mm Two Band Badger
Soap: Barrister and Mann Reserve Waves
Aftershave: Barrister and Mann Reserve Waves
Other: Davidoff Cool Water Wave
A few new items into the den this week. This offering from Barrister and Mann has been on my want-to-try list for a while now. Waves is a dupe of the now discontinued Gillette Wild Rain aftershave from 1994. There is a strong possibility I used this in high school, although I don’t have a strong recollection of the bottle. I’ve heard it described as clean and aquatic and perfect for this time of year. When this set came available on the B/S/T group, I was able to negotiate a sweet trade with for some gear I know longer used. Bonus!
B&M Waves offers a blend of sea notes, lavender, geranium and bergamot. I would say this is kind of a mashup of a barbershop, a fougere and an aquatic scent. The lavender, geranium and bergamot give that fougere/barbershop vibe and the sea notes give it that crisp aquatic freshness. Scent strength is on the lighter side of medium. It is fresh with a slight throwback vibe. While not a standout, it is very approachable, an easy pull for the warm months that would work with a tonne of different fragrances. I don’t see anyone disliking the scent. This is a perfect versitile shave set for this time of year.
The reserve base does feel a bit dated to me now but I still get great shaves with it. In my water it loads and lathers easily and performs well by all metrics. I finished off with the matching splash that smells great and will carry for while in a subtle way. After a little bit of drydown, I decided to pair the soap/splash with a cheap fresh aquatic fragrance in Davidoff Cool Water Wave. Don’t be confused by the namesake, this doesn’t smell like the soap but it did work well being it is a fresh shower gel aquatic style fragrance.
The other new den add I need to point out is this beauty brush from Canadian brushmaker, Spiffo! I traded my last Spiffo quite some time ago so I’ve been eyeing his new releases for one that caught my eye. I’m a sucker for a natural wood handle and this beauty screamed my name, and while I’m not a huge fan of badger knots, I figured if I hated the knot it was still worth it for the opportunity to reknot it myself. This 24mm Manchurian 2-band badger didn’t have as much density as I would prefer but was still pretty comfortable right after a good cleaning and first use. I look forward to using this more and see if it warrants staying in the handle. I certainly hope so because this handle/knot combo looks stunning.
Happy to have all this new gear in the den. No complains. All for now – J
