Buena Vista Wetshaving Social Club, 3rd Edition, Wed 18 Sep 2024

• Brush: Semogue Owner’s Club (cherry wood and boar) (49)
• Razor: Zwilling J. A. Henckels Friodur 17 (NOS, 7/8", hollow ground, stainless steel)
• Lather: MacDuff’s Soap Company – Old Strathcona
• Post Shave: Noble Otter – Barrbarr
• Fragrance: Spearhead Shaving Company Seaforth! – Fleur de France

Oh wow! This was my first time trying a MacDuff’s soap, and it’s a delightful base! So easy to load a gooey protolather and hydrate it to a dense, creamy, drippy lather. I really slept on this one.

Today is the third meeting of our Buena Vista Wetshaving Social Club, and we have picked @sahenders@sub.wetshaving.social’s submission of MacDuff’s Old Strathcona. Thank you Sahenders for the generous smush! The scent is a pleasant Barbershop scent of the Barrbarr kind. Both Barrbarr and Old Strathcona have a prominent note that I perceive as anise, but neither have it listed. It’s maybe some combination of Rosemary/Terragon and Basil playing a trick on me?

Ether way, the scent is really pleasant and combined well with Barrbarr, but the star of the show is the soap base. I’ve rarely had such a wonderful lather on the first try with a new base. Really dense and protective feeling lather. I need to kill a tub to make room for MacDuff’s.

Great BVWSC meeting, great shave!

18.09.2024 - BVWSC part. II: Canadian Druid in a barbershop

• Prep: shower
• Brush: AP Shave Co. Snakeskin handle w/ 26 mm Silksmoke Flattop/Fan hybrid knot
• Razor: Leaf Thorn
• Blade: snapped BIC Chrome Platinum
• Lather: MacDuff’s Soap Company - Old Strathcona
• Post-Shave: Moon Soaps - Old School balm

-> 2 pass head shave, 1 pass face shave. Good shave overall!

Today’s BVWSC shave is done with a soap I found really interesting. MacDuff’s Soap is an artisan I heard many positive things about; their inspiration from Canadian landmarks and the great outdoors is also something I find intriguing. Plus, featuring their dog on the tub art and in their logo is a huge bonus point with me too.

I really have grown to like barbershop scents, even though as a german I never was inside one at all. Old Strathcona is definitely a very unique take on this genre - once the very generous sample by @sahenders@wetshaving.social showed up, my initial impression was of an old time cologne for mature gentlemen. Luckily, that’s not everything!

The soap lathered very fast. Props to MacDuff’s Soap base, this one gets slick quick and turns into a beautiful lather with just a bit water added to the brush. Once lathered, the scent turns away from the cologne-style barbershop and more towards something green. Everything makes sense now that I’m reading up the official Scent description . Djundjila and walden also mentioned anise which is described as basil and tarragon; I didn’t get much of that (my nose is sus) but much more of a herbal, green and slightly salty cologne (I guess the salty parts come from the mushroom absolute?). Call me weird and maybe it’s my ADHD, but I pictured a druid like Miraculix sitting in a old school barbershop chair. Hence today’s post title. I really like when a soap takes me on such a little daydream journey, especially on a stressful day like today.

Performance wise, apart from the quick lathering and the good slickness, it’s also very skin-friendly. I tested it on both my head and face, each with their individual problematic areas and had no irritation or burn whatsoever. I could see MacDuff’s as something I might pick up in the future - I really like unique barbershop scents and this one definitely fits the bill. Thanks sahenders for your suggestion and the generous sample! Compared to CFG Ghost Town Barber, my favourite barbershop and my newest HAGS Barberwood, Old Strathcona is way less sweet. It’s earthy, mossy, dark without being divisive. Perfectly suited for the upcoming autumn season!

I apologize for my lengthy writeup and any incoherent rambling that it may contain. Hope it’s been at least a tiny bit entertaining for you folks! I’m already looking forward to our next BVWSC shave in October. The sample by @PorkButtsNTaters666@sub.wetshaving.social already arrived yesterday and it also smells very intriguing and mysterious. Have a good night (or day, depending on your time zone)!

September 18, 2024 - Buena Vista Wetshaving Social Club

• Brush: Maggard 24mm Tuxedo Synthetic
• Razor: Blackland Era - Level 3 SB
• Blade: Lord Platinum (4)
• Lather: MacDuff’s Soap Company - Old Strathcona - Soap
• Post Shave: Noble Otter - The Night Before - Aftershave
• Post Shave: allMan - Refined - Balm
• Fragrance: Barrister & Mann - Lavender, Interrupted - EdP

I’ve only ever heard good things about the MacDuff’s soap base, and it indeed has a lot of great qualities. I half expected to see Xanthan Gum in the ingredients, but it’s just your typical butters, oils, and yogurts, and milks.

This shave felt a little rough, but I can’t blame the soap. The slickness was excellent, so I’ll blame the blade. I don’t have much experience with Lord Platinum, but 4 shaves might be past the limit. Closeness and comfort were not on par with the past few days.

Luckily I have a lot of the sample left thanks to the generous portion from @sahenders@sub.wetshaving.social , so I’ll be able to try again with a better blade.

The scent is a good one. Like @djundjila@sub.wetshaving.social I get an initial hit of anise, despite there being no anise in the marketing materials. I really enjoy the smell of anise, so bring it on.

I never really got into the barbershop genre, but the description talks about how it’s based on a fougere, just without the lavender. I can definitely get behind a lavender-free fougere. Similar to how Shawn Maher replaced oakmoss with sage in Seaforth! Heather, MacDuff(is that the guys real name?) replaced lavender with rosewood. I’m sure there are other “variations” of a fougere out there, but these are the only ones I’ve noticed. I can’t say I’m good enough to pick out rosewood, but I at this point in my shaving journey, lavender has been a bit overused and I appreciate the absence.

I also like the fact he uses real tree moss (oakmoss) according to the ad copy. I have no idea if I’ve used anything with real oakmoss before. I used to get frag burn a lot, so if anyone is going to be sensitive to oakmoss it’s probably me, but I had no problem at all.

Sep 18, 2024 - BVWSC - Old Strathcona

• Brush: Craving Shaving Blue Bronze 26mm Crave Synthentic Knot
• Razor: Mühle Rocca R94
• Blade: Gillette 7 O’Clock Super Stainless (Green) [5]
• Lather: MacDuffs Soap Company - Old Strathcona - Soap
• Post Shave: Southern Witchcrafts - Druantia - Aftershave (Alcohol Free)
• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Fougère Gothique - Eau de Parfum

Today’s BVWSC shave was with the selection of Old Strathcona. It’s a unique take on a barbershop/fougère scent with rosewood substituting for lavender and the addition of aromatic tree moss and earthy mushroom absolute.

The feedback of the Rocca was satisfying, and almost as good as a GEM razor. Druantia and Fougère Gothique complemented the shave with their mushroom accords.

September 18, 2024 - Buena Vista Wetshaving Social Club

• Brush: Zenith B40 28mm Boar

• Razor: C.V. Heljestrand MK 31 11/16 Söderfors Extra Specialstål Full Hollow

• Lather: McDuff’s Soap Company - Old Strathcona - Soap

• Toner: Thayers - Lavender - Toner

• Aftershave: Chicago Grooming - AG 1889 - Aftershave

2 passes. Face lather. Excellent shave.

I’ve wanted to try a McDuff’s soap for a while. I really enjoy the scent descriptions on the web site. This one is his barbershop scent and it’s a doozy. Great lather, and a very enjoyable shave!

Wednesday, September 18, 2024: Buena Vista!

• Brush: Semogue C3 Galahad Horse 🐎
• Razor: Ertan Süer L’Ours Russe (7/8th)
• Lather: MacDuffs Old Strathcona
• Postshave: Naissance 702 Witch Hazel
• Postshave: Pitralon Classic After Shave
• Postshave: Nivea After Shave Balm

Yesterday, my sense of smell was developed as ever – but unfortunately, everyone in my family is getting ill, and my nose is completely stuffed. So, I only got a general sense of good smell out of the soap (but I’m looking forward to retry it once I’ve fully recovered) – I will not commit to anise or not anise.

The base is really good, and produces a creamy lather without much effort. I’m happy to have tried this, and my intent of focusing my aquisitions on European shaving soaps is wavering. Well done for suggesting this, @sahenders@sub.wetshaving.social, and thanks for the generous smush!

Anyways, have a good evening!

~Shared via emacs & sotd.el~