A Good Start

I didn't comment too much on my post shave yesterday, partly because I had irritated myself with the razor, and partly because of a suspicion that I was overly defensive in my prep. It seemed like everything I put into it came back to me later, and the drag of the oil didn't help the blade glide any more lightly. I hadn't really considered the possibility that I should skip all the pre- and post-shave, something I'd only try with Williams.

So, that's kinda what I did today. Lathered in palm, what stuck to my hand was the preshave, and nothing but dilute Witch Hazel in a cloth after. The result was not perfect, but perfettamente facile. I got a thorough third pass in, and still the skin relaxed almost as soon as it was dry. The artisans have seemingly balanced everything in that soap perfectly without amendments, just by proportioning ingredients. One might suspect it's horribly superfatted, but no: I can clean my eyeglasses with it. The WH was just a tiny adjustment for my personal constitution. New favorite, can't recommend it enough.

And you know what? That $20 slant (with a smaller handle) might be the perfect starter razor! It fits with my "I learned everything backward" theory. It teases apart and equalizes the technically important tug sensations, while muting the distraction of exfoliation. The price is almost right, and you sure as hell wouldn't need to shim! While it represents the very opposite idea of the adjustable that most men want, it is dead center in the DE shaving galaxy, and ultimately unavoidable; so, try the ol' time-warp/slingshot maneuver in shaving exploration! Just watch out for the nebula of glycerin...

Shopaholic Relapse

Didn't even get my 24-hr chip! I cornered my wife into acquiescence during back-to-school shopping, and got her to pay my late dues at the fragrance counter. Sean John "3 a.m." probably isn't a fitting reference to insomnia, porn and blogging -- fresh! -- but the funky fig leaf seems to pick up where sandalwood leaves off, in my imagination. It certainly strikes my sinuses a lot deeper than what I got from Big Lots.