Aug. 13, 2022
I seem to recall seeing that the idea behind Austere August was not only to contrast with June's shenanigans and daily-different-soaps, but also to take advantage of consistency, do away with all of the variables, and focus on the shave itself. I recall that Austere August was a time for evaluating technique in controlled conditions and without distractions of silliness.
I dare say that #unscented is very much in line with this kind of idea, clearing out the distraction of the very scent of our soaps. Boring? Overkill? Uncalled-for masochism? Maybe, but it's honest.
I have mixed feelings about the one-blade-for-the-whole-month part of whatever acronym Nightmare mode. On the one hand, even blade-by-blade variation can appear between blades of the same brand and flavor, and the act of changing one's blade may welcome that, thereby introducing a possibly-distracting variable. On the other hand, using a single blade for so long is not usually how one goes about things. Usually. As I see mentions begin to pop up of blades dulling, it makes me realize that TMNT Nightmare mode was an early introduction of wacky August shenanigans.
Then there's the band of zealots who are dedicated to the use of a single infamous soap, be it of an actually-pleasant-smelling batch or of what may well be some manner of horrid grime directly scooped from a mountain-man's ass-crack. Eh, they're doing their ting. It's wacky, but not really that different than #MammothMafia.
The whole hand-lathering thing that's apparently a thing? No one does that. That seems to fly in the face of Austere August.
But the question of lathering brings me to #RawHoggin. At its core, it's very much in the spirit of Austere August, and even promises an inherent reward from dedicated shaving practices in the form of a well-broken-in natural brush. But lurking beneath the surface is the hideous truth, a restriction that promises nothing but a month of agony and meager lathers: the lather must be built directly on whatever skin is to be shaved. For most of us here, that means.... face-lathering.
It is for this reason that RawHoggin is an affront to the spirit of Austere August! For not one can truly dedicate the needed attention and care to a shave when they cannot properly lather!
And yet, here I am...
#GEMsOfWisdom
#RawHoggin
#unscented
#MammothMafia
sotd.djudgement_invitations: [<DjudgementInvitation 862>, <DjudgementInvitation 2129>, <DjudgementInvitation 3005>]