Razor: Rockwell 6s on 4
Blade: Gillette 7 O’Clock SharpEdge Yellows
Brush: Yingling Brushworks 26mm Black Badger Synthetic
Soap: MacDuff’s Soap Company Whyte Saffron
Aftershave: MacDuff’s Soap Company Whyte Saffron
Other: Thirsty Badger lather bowl
Day 2 today of #CanadaWeek and today I’m going to focus on a couple new finds in the past year, MacDuff Soap Company and Yingling Brushworks. Sometime in 2020 MacDuff hit my radar when I saw the awesome branding and realised another Canadian artisan was behind the product line. My first acquisitions were in the V2 base and was prior to them having aftershave splashes. The base had some issues but I was quite surprised with how responsive and receptive MSC was to feedback. Fast forward a couple months (?) and they had a new v3 base, a line of matching aftershaves and are now available in retailers both here in Canada and the USA.
I picked up Whyte Saffron in the V3 base and the more I use it the more I like it. It loads very easily and is super easy to dial in as long as you don’t overload the brush. Just a few swirls and you are ready to build. The base explodes with a little bit of water but can take a fair amount of it too. It is thirsty but not to the point you will have trouble finding that sweet spot of hydration. Once you have it dialled in it has great cushion, is SUPER slick (like drop your razor slick) and has a really nice post shave feel. I was able to whip up a great lather in this beauty Canadian made lather bowl in no time. (toot toot…..yup that is my own horn, lol)
Scent wise Whyte Saffron is a great scent. Coconut, Saffron, Jasmine, Redwood Cedar, Soft Patchouli. It was a slightly woodsy gourmand quality. Almost like oatmeal cookie meets cologne. Sounds strange but honestly, it really works. The base still does have a touch of a scent but is vastly improved over V2, but I still wouldn’t judge the scent direct off the tub. Lathered up this scent is just gorgeous.
The brush today is my most recent brush acquisition but it does really deserve mention. Scott at Yingling Brushworks is fairly new to the artisan brush making game but he is already doing really nice things. His brush coin is already one of the nicer ones I’ve seen, his handle looks stunning and is quite comfortable to lather with. While he is just starting out he is starting to find his style in my opinion and I’m excited to see where he is headed.
Razor today was my trusty Rockwell 6s on 4 plate. This adjustable stainless steel razor is another fantastic Canadian product. Having the multiple plates, this razor is a great value option for any shaver. Shave quality is high and in one kit you will have base plates for any preference of shave. They also make a more budget friendly option in the 6c which shaves extremely similar and it worth a look if you aren’t ready to dive into the stainless.
I finished up the shave with the matching splash from MacDuff. They nailed it with their first aftershave splash. Scent is strong, performance on the skin is great (no alcohol) and it will carry with you for at least an hour post shave. Hard to believe this base was their first crack at a splash.
Happy to have found these two beauty artisans this past year. Absolutely fantastic shave today. All for now – J
