Aug. 31, 2022 - Headless Mammoth Hoggin' Day 31

• Brush: Proraso Professional Boar | Break-in photos
• Razor: Feather Artist Club SR (Kamisori)
• Blade: Schick Proline (31)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive - Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Alive - Eau de Parfum

AA Tags: #RawHoggin #MammothMafia

This is my second time doing AA, and while I can't say that I'll never do AA again, I might skip ultra nightmare mode next time and swap out the blade as needed. Using the same blade for the entire month is something that I know I can accomplish but doing so doesn't really provide any benefits to my general shave routine, and in fact it might introduce some bad habits like excessive buffing. Using unfamiliar equipment (boar brush, shavette) for the entire month was quite beneficial in building technique which is what I'm most interested in for AA but I don't think I'll have the same needs to do so each year. I'll probably sit out next year unless there is a particularly interesting challenge that I want to try out and not feel like I'm missing out on sub participation.

The raw hoggin' challenge honestly was a great idea for AA (props to /u/EldrormR), and the approximate timeline for a decent break-in of a boar brush lines up nicely with the length of the month so there is a nice sense of accomplishment at the end. The boar brush also gradually became more enjoyable to use which seemed much nicer in contrast to the MMOC challenge where the last week seemed like torture to a lot of the participants. If I had been completely new to shavettes, I don't think I would have had a great time and definitely would not have felt all that confident by the end of 31 days.

It's also interesting to note how certain challenges built comradery among the participants while others seemed to fly under the radar. I do think the number of challenges is taking away a bit from the spirit of AA, but they also do a good job of spicing up an otherwise boring month of monotony. I appreciated the exercise of documenting my experience throughout the month but it also became a bit tedious over the course of the month. In the end, AA is probably meant to be a shared month of suffering in which we all come out with /u/j33pguy13 level thrill for all things wet shaving again.

Time to go back under my rock.

Aug 31, 2022 - AA: MA-RH-MM - Almond Leather - Day 31

• Prep: Warm Water Wash
• Prep: Klar - Activated Charcoal - Face Soap
• Brush: Zenith Cobalt Blue 28mm Boar Knot (505BC SE)
• Razor: GEM Open Comb Micromatic (2nd Gen.)
• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (31)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Declaration Grooming - Chaotic Neutral - Eau de Parfum

It's the last day of AA! First, I want to say thank you to all the judges who hosted side challenges and side side challenges for AA. It has made a month of monotony bearable, and forced me to really go outside my comfort zone this month.

I've used boars a hand full of times, and this is the first full break-in of a boar knot for me. Admittedly, I didn't understand the appeal of boar knots until this month, and now I truly appreciate their unique feel.

The same is true with the MMOC, which I've used a few times with varied success, but this month has allowed me to take a razor that I was intimidated by and really get to know how capable it can be with the right techniques. It will be interesting to see the new techniques used with a fresh blade.

I honestly didn't think I'd make it past 12 shaves with one blade, but I did it and it has really paid off. It was around shave 17 that the blade finally leveled off for me.

Using Tusk has made lathering all month a breeze, except for the first week when the brush was still changing constantly. That said, I've come to really be able to dial in the base to get some beautiful lather.

I was concerned before I started that I'd begin to hate whichever scent I used, but I think the complete opposite happened with Almond Leather. Even though I had a stint mid-month where I went nose blind to the scent, I've gone from really liking this scent to loving the simplicity and nuance of this elegant scent.

My goal at the beginning of the month was to end with consistently close shaves and no irritation. For the most part, I came very close to that goal. I can get good shaves with zero irritation, or great shaves with occasionally minor irritation. Now that I'm comfortable with the MMOC, I can continue honing my technique over time.

#GEMsOfWisdom, thanks to u/EldrormR and u/Semaj3000
#RawHoggin, thanks to u/EldrormR
#MammothMafia, thanks to u/JoboozeRum #sidetracked, thanks to u/Teufelskraft

I'd finally like to thank u/djundjila for setting up the djudge portal, making all the challenges possible.

Rating: 4/5

Aug. 31, 2022

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Raiser Pinsel Simfix SF1 Synthetic
• Razor: Van Der Hagen
• Blade: Shark Super Stainless (2)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive - Balm

#MammothMafia

31 August 2022 - Austere August

• Prep: Morning shower
• Brush: Sterling boar
• Razor: Maggard V3
• Blade: Derby Extra
• Lather: House of Mammoth Fu Dao
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth Fu Dao splash

Two passes to finish out the month. We did it!

mammothmafia

Aug. 31, 2022 - Austere August Day 31

• Prep: House of Mammoth Almond Leather Bath Soap
• Brush: Dogwood Handcrafts Mire 26mm Zenith Unbleached Boar
• Razor: GEM Micromatic Open Comb Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (31)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

🐗Raw Hoggin' Progress🤮:
•Unused
•Shave 1 through 7
•Shave 8
•Shave 9
•Shave 10
•Shave 11
•Shave 12
•Shave 13
•Shave 14
•Shave 15
•Shave 16
•Shave 17
•Shave 18
•Shave 19
•Shave 20 •Shave 21
•Shave 22
•Shave 23
•Shave 24
•Shave 25
•Shave 26
•Shave 27
•Shave 28
•Shave 29
•Shave 30
•Shave 31

Thoughts for the day:
OK. I think I've done what I set out to do. I should have leveled up my MMOC flair, nabbed that neat Raw Hoggin' flair, and qualified for the mystery Mammoth flair after my second successful Mammoth Month run. Not too shabby, eh? Idk what to do with 3 flairs, but I guess now I'll find out.

The MMOC did just fine, again. I flipped my blade at the mid point for the lulz, but in case I wasn't explicitly clear, it did nothing and was not done with the intent of it doing anything. That's what lulz are. I didn't palm strop this year and saw no real discernable difference. Save your efforts unless you're banking on the placebo effect.

The most memorable thing this month was definitely the smell of rotting asshole, which again, I must thank u/djundjila for. I was planning to use my bleached knot this month, but his powers of persuasion were just too great. Thankfully that is over and now I have a beautiful stank-free knot to show for it. This time, the juice was worth the squeeze. Thank you for putting on this awesome challenge, u/EldrormR!!

Soap consumption wise, this 26mm Zenith used the same amount as I did last year scooping a gram a day and using a 26mm Maggard B&W knot, so this definitely challenged both my conception that scooping conserves soap, and that boars must kill all soaps. This was the set I picked up for participating in Mammoth Month last year, and it looks like it has another year in the tank.

Oh, and shout out to u/Joboozerum and the Mammoth Mafia crew for having such a high success rate this year (well, we still have todays numbers, but otherwise...), and for holding fast in spite of the trolls downvoting everyone. Y'all the real MVPs. Perseverance is generally rewarded... 😉

Total 🦣 Consumption: 30g (74g start, 44g finish)

Total number of times I beat u/Semaj3000 at his own challenge: 2

Mandatory Taggage:

#GemsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

u/ChrisdaBombz, it all fit! If I didn't jack up the first album it would have been glorious... 😅

Edit: fixed Shave 20 broken link. Imgur still sucks.

Aug. 31, 2022 - The end of austerity

• Prep: Hot shower
• Brush: Omega Pro 48 Boar brush 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (31)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Aftershave

Well that was fun. Despite DQing myself from raw hoggin, I now have a nicely broken in boar brush, a clean shave and my face only hurts a little bit. Hygge was great with each use, but will be put away now for a while. I proved to myself that I could shave everyday with a MMOC and 1 GEM blade. Great. Don’t ever have to do that again!

Most importantly I just did my annual donation to the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking. This is a great cause and I challenge other Canadian shavers to do the same. Any amount helps.

Today is also back to school day for my 16 year old. Best day ever (for me). And HoM Voices should arrive today too. Talk about a hopeful Wednesday! I hope your last day of August is just great. Congrats to all those who challenged themselves this past month.

Bring on sample September.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#MammothMafia

Aug. 31, 2022

• Brush: Summer Break GP B11
• Razor: Charcoal Goods Brass Level 2
• Blade: Personna Super Stainless (15)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Aftershave

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Eau de Parfum

That concludes what was by far the most enjoyable AA I've done. Hygge is just such an enjoyable and wearable scent. If I ever lost all thrill and decided to only use one soap, this one would certainly be on the short list.

For you unscented users, not going to lie, i have not paid attention at all this month. I will get all the info gathered and hopefully have winners drawn sometime this next week. Those of you that finished can now be considered officially insane.

 #MammothMafia

August 31 2022

• Brush: Zenith B28
• Razor: GEM MMOC (Gen 1)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (34)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo splash
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo balm
• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo

Well, we did it. Austere August is a wrap. I learned a lot about the MMOC last Austere August but I don't really think I picked up much new wisdom this time, despite using the Gen 1 this year vs a Gen 2 last year. The Gen 1 has a bit more of a bite when the blade is new than the Gen 2, but once it gets smoothed out they are basically the same. Once you master this razor it really is a perfectly fine daily driver. Congratulations to everyone finishing their first MMOC Month, and a nod of distinguished respect to everyone completing their second.

Mood Indigo Month was both a success and a failure. I did use up a decent amount of my puck and balm, but the soap is either losing scent strength as it gets towards the bottom or I'm just not noticing it as much. I do love doing Mammoth Month but I definitely get less excited to use these products once Austere August is over, which is a shame because of how amazing they are. My tub of Tobacconist from last AA is still around and I can't imagine having the motivation to put another 30 shaves or so on this tub of Mood Indigo to finish it off any time soon. I could probably use this tub again next year.

For u/Teufelskraft's #sidetracked, let's close on with some funk! Turn up the bass and enjoy the jam.

Earth, Wind & Fire - Africano/Power (Live)

#MammothMafia

#GEMSofWisdom

Aug. 31, 2022

• Brush: Grey Chubby - Zenith B37
• Razor: Micromatic Open Comb
• Blade: GEM - PTFE Coated Stainless Steel (31)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Z - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Z - Aftershave

Well, we've come a long way since the first day. Time to change our blades and bring out our bowls!

I decided to try to flatten out the soap to get a gauge of how much I used, which is kind of tricky to do when it's all concave, the outer edges not having changed much (also, I didn't weigh it like some of you have). Looks like it was about half. I wasn't using as much per shave early in the month, I'm sure, during which time I was still getting a handle on the face-lather.

I gotta run to report for jury duty, at a time that is earlier than expected. I get to leave earlier than I do for work to probably just sit around the courthouse all day until I leave to go home later than I do for work. It won't even take me longer to get there.

By the way, I'm not calling jurty duty "sitting around the courthouse"; rather, that's literally what's likely to happen, based on my previous experiences. There's also a chance I might get to sit around a courtroom for awhile. Then, there's a chance I might then wind up in a lineup for a jury. And then—and only then—might I end up actually serving on a trial. Which I guess might also be considered to be more sitting around, albeit with the demand for active attention after I've been staring at walls for who-knows-how-long.

Should I be selected, perhaps I'll need to return tomorrow, provided the trial doesn't happen to conclude the same day. In either case, tomorrow's shave is planned, and it's probably the last time I'll plan a shave until June.

Oh, and after a month of practicing, improving, and exploring the face-lathering method, I have come to the following conclusion:

Face-lathering blows.

#GEMsOfWisdom
#RawHoggin
#unscented
#MammothMafia

August 31st, 2022 - Mammoth Month of Raw Hoggin GEMs of Wisdom

• Prep: Warm water

• Brush: Zenith B36 “Copper Scrubby!”

• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 2

• Blade: Personna GEM PTFE (31 and done)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Splash

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

#MammothMafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Brush before and after

Last day of Austerity in August, and I made it through with the same set every day. The blade was definitely past its prime. Here is a picture of it front and back. Not as good showing the blade as u/gcgallant has done with the microscope, but you can see the damage the stops do to the edge, plus I can make out a few spots that look worn or nicked. The brown Sharpie I used to keep count looks like dried spots of blood I sacrificed to the gods of shaving.

Today, I pushed myself to go for a baby butt smooth shave, or get as close as I could. I never get to bbs on my neck, but did 3 passes on it for a dfs finish. As close as I have ever gotten to bbs on the neck without weepers, nicks, or burn. On my face, I went with 4 passes: wtg, xtg, xtg (other way), and atg. Hit those wiskers from 4 sides and give the stubble a more rounded tip like the top of a fence post that got chamfered on all sides. I also did a bit of touching up and buffing. Result was close, but not quite as smooth as I have ever gotten. It was still not completely smooth around the sideburns. No weepers or nicks today, so really, the first week was roughest in that regard. I don’t have a lot if redness, so managed to avoid razor burn.

For the brush, not certain if it is fully broken in or not. A good amount of split ends are there, and it has been able to splay since week 2. The handle is really starting to go crazy with patina. I have shades of old penny, red, blue, purple, and spots of shiny copper. I tried to get pictures of it, but it doesn’t come across well in the pics.

Mammoth month had truly been a pleasure. The I still love the scent, and maybe appreciate it more as I have used it. I don’t have a highly trained nose, but I get hints of the different fragrances each time. Mainly I get a clean and green vibe from it. The soap performs excellently even if I don’t have the hydration dialed in correctly. I’d say over hydrated performs better than under. The splash gives that aftershave sting, but the ws-23 cools it down and lingers for a couple hours post shave. Today, I gave myself an extra splash, and it was very more stingy than any time since week 1. The balm I gave an extra half pump too today. It smooths out the skin, but doesn’t feel greasy after it is rubbed into the skin.

Overall, though I miss the variety, it was nice to wake up knowing what I would be doing each day with no decisions to be made. The MMOC can be a challenge at times, but it comes down to technique. I think as the blade broke in, it showed me just where I was doing things in a non-optimal manner. The blade had a very wide sweet spot once over the first few shaves, and about half the shaves this month were problem free. It is a beast of a razor, but I’d say can be tamed somewhat, unlike a cheap tto I have. As I gained experience, I realized that tto was never going to be chatter free, and best to not use it anymore. I think that is a great aspect of these challenges. Often we get excited and buy more razors, soaps, etc., to the point we don’t build a great familiarity with them. Stepping back and exploring a fixed set for 31 shaves gave me the chance to really learn my MMOC, what angles feel better on my face or neck. Really started to dial it in this month. I’m still going to use most of my razors, but the MMOC has earned a spot in the rotation. My GEM Junior wants a turn sometime, but tomorrow, the GC .68 comes back to the den. Once I lift my no new equipment or soaps restriction, I may get a Gen 1 MMOC to see the difference a couple bumps (or lack of) in the base can make.

Cheers to everyone who made it through their challenges.

A Mammoth Micromatic Raw Hoggin’ August

Final Shave of August 2022

Brush Progress

• Brush: Zenith B26 #RawHoggin
• Razor: GEM MMOC #GEMsOfWisdom
• Blade: GEM (31)
• Lather: House if Mammoth - Hygge in Tusk
• Post Shave: Hygge Splash & Balm
• Fragrance: Hygge EDP #MammothMafia

Made it through, it wasn’t really an ultra nightmare 🤷🏾‍♂️ 

Day 1 Prep Video

RawHoggin Unboxing Pics

MammothMafia

Aug. 31, 2022 - August Austere Day 31

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Paladin Chief 26mm
• Razor: Merkur 34C
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

Bittersweet shave today. On one hand it was a great shave and I can honestly say I do still enjoy the Sonder. On the other hand I am ready for change and I know that I will not be using it again for some time. Overall I am still happy with the decisions I made for the month. #MAMMOTHMAFIA #UNCHALLENGE

Edit: Karma Train Tags - u/enndeegee u/Marquis90

August 31, 2022

• Preshave: Hot water
• Razor: Blackland Era - Level 3
• Blade: Feather (4)
• Brush: Chisel and Hound 26mm Fanchurian
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Kryptonite
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Kryptonite Aftershave Balm

Two pass shave celebration of the end of the month. Cheers!

MammothMafia

31 August 2022 - Austere August

• Prep: splash of warm water
• Brush: Zenith B33
• Razor: Blackland Blackbird Ti
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (31)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Mood Indigo - Balm

The brush is still getting softer but lather on third pass is still lacking. Overall it's been a great experience but I'm ready to go back to other soaps and brushes.

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 31, 2022 - It’s over!

• Prep: Warm water wash
• Brush: Zenith B33 Copper Boar Brush
• Razor: GEM MMOC GEN 2
• Blade: Persona GEM PTFE Coated (31)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Aftershave

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - 福 (Fu Dao) - Eau de Parfum

This blade is garbage! Actually I am going to hold onto it and try it in my MM24 when I get back home later next month.

The brush handle has started to actually get some neat patina. The knot is actually usable, not as easy as the badger brushes (I guess we will find out tomorrow!). The GEM razor is no longer in production for a reason.

House of Mammoth makes excellent software that I will continue to use. I have a second tub of Fú Dào and I just barely finished AA without having to break into it.

I am happy to be done with the torture of my skin with that stupid blade. I did get some weepers and knicks throughout the month, including today. I can count on one hand the number of times I had a great shave with this blade and razor. I should have probably given it up after the first week, but here we are. I had to see for myself if it was possible to get to 100 shaves on a single blade. It is not.

AA SOTD Pictures, Brush break-in album, brush break in album part 2 #rawhoggin #mammothmafia #GEMSofWisdom

Aug. 31, 2022 - Austere August Day 31 - The End

• Prep: Hot Shower, Stirling Soap Facial Soap
• Brush: Zenith 508A SE 28mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC Gen 1
• Blade: GEM PTFE (31)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Restore - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Restore - Balm

• Post Shave: Zingari - Unscented - Aftershave

• Fragrance: Tom Ford - Grey Vetiver

It comes to a close, finally. The long awaited end to this very long month. Am I glad that I did it? Not really. Did I have fun? Absolutely not. Will I be participating next year? As of today, no effing way.

This brush has become fantastic. Shaving 31 days with it has made it an amazing brush. The thing is, I have a brush with the same exact knot at the same loft that I will not be replacing. Therefore I have determined that this beautiful boar brush will become a side prize to the MammothMafia participants. I will touch on it more with a stand alone post, but if you have wanted to try a broken in boar and completed the AA challenge for Mammoth Mafia it can be yours. Although it may smell like Restore forever. u/EldrormR thanks for running the Raw Hoggin' challenge, it was an awesome one.

MMOC Gen 1 is below the Gen 2 in my opinion. I was happy I tried the Gen 1 so I had a nice comparison of the two, but I believe that the Gen 2 is superior in comfort while being the same in efficiency. The blade only had one day of tugging that I had to deal with, but my shaves towards the end were pretty sub-optimal and left me wanting. This isn't because of the razor though, more because of blade degradation.

Tusk base is one of the best available today. My face feels amazing, and my balm is never going to run out. That is usually the only good thing that ever comes out of AA. Yes I get bored with the scent but at least I don't have to use a crappy base... I was hoping to finish this tub, but alas I have failed. Now it is going to sit in my den for probably a long time before I decide it is time to use this scent again. A nice scent, I am just burned out on it.

I will be posting a standalone for the MammothMafia and I have to double check the data to make sure I didn't screw up anywhere. Although there is only one giftcard prize for the participants, I went ahead and got a little something that all participants will be able to get. Credit to u/raymoonie for putting the graphic together for this sticker. Also shout out to u/InfernalInternal for helping me out with the MammothMafia challenge, you have been a valuable asset in this thing of ours. Ciao!

Mandatory Tagging for the last freaking time:

#GEMsOfWisdom

#Rawhoggin

#MammothMafia

2022-08-31 - Austere August - Raw Hoggin' Mammoth MMOC

Prep: Warm Shower

Brush: Semogue Torga - C5

Razor: GEM MMOC version 2

Blade: GEM Stainless (31)

Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

Fragrance: Issey Miyake -L'eau d'Issey pour Homme

https://imgur.com/a/1FvYZZL - unbox, before 1st shave

https://imgur.com/a/B7T9tVA - after 31 days

31 shaves in the books. The GEM blade worked well but is starting to tug a bit after 31shaves. The brush broke in nicely and is sure to be a favorite going forward. A month of good shaves but I am looking forward to some variety.

#GEMsOfWisdom

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 31, 2022 - Auster August: A Month in Review

• Prep: Shower
• Brush: Semogue 1460 Boar Brush 21mm
• Razor: Razorock GameChanger .84
• Blade: Gillette Nacet (31)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Alive - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Balm

Well, it's finally over. It's been a good month, at least in a shaving sense. Alive smells great, Tusk continues to be my favorite soap base, HoM's balm is fantastic, and I've got a great, broken in boar brush. The last few shaves have been only so-so, my blade is clearly on its way out.

I also tried to get better at SOTD pics this month, and I think I made some real improvements. I think I've got a great improvement between my first and last pictures, as well as what I though was my best picture this month.

All in all, a good month, and a lot of fun.

Tags:

#RawHoggin

#MammothMafia

Aug. 31, 2022

• Brush: DG Troll Toll B14
• Razor: Henson AL-13 +++
• Blade: Gillette Silver Blue (2)
• Lather: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Soap
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Hygge - Aftershave
• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Permafrost

We made it! I hope everyone is looking forward to some variety tomorrow.

u/Enndeegee

u/Marquis90

#MammothMafia

Aug 31, 2022 - Getting Sidetracked while searching for the Wisdom of a Mammoth

• Prep: Hot shower and CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

• Brush: Maggard Green Handle 2 Band Badger 24mm

• Razor: GEM - MMOC

• Blade: Personna GEM Stainless (31)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Alive Balm

• Fragrance: House of Mammoth - Sonder EdP

Every day tags: #MammothMafia #GEMsofWisdom

Last shave of the month and I went out on a low note. I shaved at the end of today after a super long, exhausting day I rushed the shave and it wasn’t as nice as some of the others this month.

After a full month of use I have used a grand total of 1.8 oz of soap. At this rate a full tub of 4 oz would last me 68.888 uses which nicely rounds up to 69 uses! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

I have been thoroughly impressed with the Mammoth balm that I bought for AA. It has a ton of uses in it as a months use is only barely below the top of the label.

Thanks to u/djundjila and his djudge-bots I can already tell that 20/29 people have already completed a Mammoth shave every day this month. Such a great turnout for such a great cause! As promised at the beginning of the month, I’ve made a donation to the both of the causes that HoM supports with every purchase. I am so blessed to be in a position to give some help to end Trafficking for good!

Aug. 31, 2022 - AA Day 31

• Prep: Hot Shower
• Brush: Zenith B34
• Razor: MMOC (Gen 2)
• Blade: GEM PTFE (31)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Aftershave

Today sucked.

Evening shave was nice, though.

The final shave in this month long journey was about as opposite as the first as it could get. The MMOC w/GEM was smooth and sweet - 0 bleeding, efficient shave, no irritation, overall a joy to use. The Zenith whipped up a great, thick, creamy lather; nothing like the early days of trying to get those bristles to cooperate. I've learned very well how to work with this soap and even when something starts too dry it's an easy fix at this point. Sonder - I'm not even remotely sick of this. The EDP is going on my Christmas list and if I don't get it there I'll be grabbing it on my own at some point. So good. As I sit here with my face cooling down I am sure I'm going to miss this daily/nightly ritual. So good. The mammoth looking through the glass is pretty cool, too.

Zenith Day 1 vs. Day 31 and again. Pretty crazy how far it's come. So effective, too.

Anyway. For my final Sonder thought of the day I thought I'd take you back to the beginning: "The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own." So, friends - remember that each person you interact with, walk by, pass on your bike or in your car, each fast food employee, server, banker, CEO, train conductor, and barista - they've all got a life that's as vivid as yours. Treat them accordingly.

With that, I'm out. It's been a great month. Even if I win nothing (and I expect that to be the case), it's been very therapeutic for me to write something each day, help me get outside myself a little bit. I should probably journal or something.

Thanks for a great month.

#mammothmafia

#RawHoggin

#GEMsOfWisdom

Aug. 31, 2022 - Austere August

• Prep: Warm shower
• Brush: Zenith B2 Boar
• Razor: Feather Artist Club SR
• Blade: Feather Super (1)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Almond Leather - Aftershave

• Post Shave: alum

Shave of austerity #31

2 pass shave to finish off the month. I missed zero days, and posted maybe ten shaves on time or around the time I actually shaved.

I was riding thrill high for the past two AA’s, and entered this one after a slump of night posting daily shaves for the better part of six months. Shaving had become a routine, and that fit perfectly into my third season of AA.

I used this shavette last year, and I believe I probably pursued closer shaves last year by using three passes more regularly. Needless to say, this year had shaves not as smooth or close, but I also didn’t feel like a slouch for a single day.

This is my second season with Zenith B2; I imagine it has somewhere around 150 shaves, and is blossoming well. It probably is not my favorite brush, but I have almost definitely put more work into developing it than any other brush.

This was my first season with Mammoth Tusk base; I entered the month only having shaved with this set possibly once or twice. It is a perfect fit for any day; the notes can be dressed up or down. I found a fragrance match in NO Lonestar ADP.

I would use any item in this shave routine any day. Each is a fine piece of equipment. Thanks for a wonderful month of shaves!

Tags and challenges: #MammothMafia & HeadlessHorsemen.

Aug. 31, 2022 - AA 31 (Finally!)

• Prep: Cold Water Splash
• Brush: Semogue 1305 Pure Bristle 22mm
• Razor: GEM MMOC
• Blade: GEM PTFE (37)

• Lather: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Soap

• Post Shave: House of Mammoth - Sonder - Balm

• Fragrance: Barrister and Mann - Seville - Eau de Toilette

Break in album with SOTD in title.

Wonderful last shave of AA. My quick take always.

Brush: 6, 15, and 27th shave seemed to be my “turning points” throughout the month in what seemed noticeably softer in the progression. It sure helps to have at least a few minute soak of the bristles too, otherwise there is def a bit more pokey scratchiness going on.

GEM: I got a lot better with the GEM. My biggest take away, even when you think the head (do you call it a top cap on an SE?) against the skin, give it a little more tilt for good measure. It’s a cool razor in design and looks, and shaves plenty well in open areas of the face and neck. That said, I do not think the head geometry of this razor suits itself well for areas like under the nose. Finding the right angle around the chin too felt like much more of a learning curve than when using a DE as well. As for the blade, I think I need to try a new on to compare. Considering my technique got better but I presume the blade it passed it’s prime, they sort of balanced each other out.

Soap/Balm: Sonder is amazing. Citrus, creamy, soft. No need to exude the mastery that is HoM and the tusk base and magic balm, we all know that here.

Frag Seville: Gods barbershop for a reason. It’s safe, but so good. I’ve used it for consecutive AAs now and probably used about half the bottle.

Lastly, #GEMsOfWisdom #RawHoggin #MammothMafia. Happy shaving everyone, you did it.