Aug 31, 2022 - AA: MA-RH-MM - Almond Leather - Day 31
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
sotd.djudgement_invitations: [<DjudgementInvitation 4223>, <DjudgementInvitation 4284>, <DjudgementInvitation 4199>]