In honor of Grooming Dept’s release of new products today (scroll down at link) — just now, in fact, and I placed my order already because they sell out quickly — I went with a Grooming Dept shave.
I began today’s shave, as I begin every shave, by rubbing the tiniest possible amount of Grooming Dept Moisturizing Pre-Shave over my wet stubble. It’s such a tiny amount that my previous tub lasted 14 months, as I recall, and with this new formulation, I’m certain the tub will last more than two years. The Pre-Shave’s effect on the shave is wonderful. I never thought anything would replace MR GLO, but I now have two unwrapped bars of MR GLO in storage under the bathroom sink; I doubt that I’ll ever use them.
After massaging the pre-shave into my stubble, I wet my face, and then I load my RazoRock Amici brush with Grooming Dept Mallard Corretto shaving soap. This is one of my favorites (and no longer available, much as the current offerings will be before the weekend is over). You can see the ingredients at the link, and it does make an absolutely great lather in consistency and slickness. However, I am particularly drawn to the fragrance: “Scent Notes: Coffee, Brandy, Plum, Berries, Honey, Cacao Dust, Vanilla, Patchouli.” And, for Steve Riehle, these various scents combine synergistically to produce a heavenly fragrance, despite what reading the list might make you think.
I used my King C. Gillette razor this morning. The stock handle was for me unusable — heavy and slick — so I replaced it with this stainless steel RazoRock UFO handle — and of course, the head is an exact copy of the Mühle/Edwin Jagger design. However, the initials engraved on the cap are indeed those of King Camp Gillette. In that sense, it is a Gillette razor.
Three passes left my face perfectly smooth — Edwin Jagger does make a good razor — and I applied just a dot of Grooming Dept Rejuvenating Serum to rejuvenate my face. My face feels now like a teenage face, only without acne.
The tea this morning is Murchie’s Storm Watcher, though there is in fact no actual storm to watch, just an overcast sky. “contains Yunnan and Ceylon teas. Full-bodied with low astringency, a selection of tea terroirs blended for a brisk, satisfying mug. Slightly smoky with toasted malty notes.”