June 19th, 2025: Juneteenth

• Brush: AP Shave Co. - Black Butterscotch w/ AP Pure Bliss Synthetic
• Razor: Schick - Injector
• Blade: Schick Yellow
• Lather: Declaration Grooming - Convergence - Soap
• Post Shave: Catie's Bubbles - Top of the World - Aftershave
• Fragrance: Brut - Classic - Splash On

Daily Theme: According to Harvard Medicine, "the ability of odors to bring to mind past experiences has intriguing scientific and therapeutic implications". A Harvard neurobiology professor reports that our sense of smell is intricately intertwined with our cognitive, memory, and emotional cents. Okay, what does this have to do with the theme? The first time I ever smelt Convergence, I was immediately brought back to my childhood elementary library. Why? I have no clue. It brings to mind the charging boxes of the old clamshell MacBook laptops we used. Speaking for myself because I know not everybody is fortunate of this, but I had an incredible childhood. Playing outside for recess with my friends, had no responsibilities, very little expectations, and experienced freedom like not every child gets to. I was free to be myself, have fun, and be a kid. As we all know, that illusion wears off eventually and we learn the ways of the world. It is so strange how a random soap sample conjured up these old feelings of freedom and wonder that I used to experience on a daily basis. I used Top of the World because it reminds me of going to Colorado as a graduation gift/family vacation after high school. Seeing and hiking mountains for the first time was a true eye opener and the freedom I felt when I got to hike mountain sides and seeing the vast views is certainly inspiring.

Daily Challenge: What do mirrors do? They reflect light. No mirror day ≈ no light day? Well, the logic isn't there, but that's what I did. I took my shower and then turned off all my bathroom lights, and did my best to cover all the door gaps letting it any bit of sunlight. I dug through my smush dopp bag and smelled each container until I found it. Luckily, it a Maggard sample and the shape of their containers are distinguishable and only picked through 4 or 5. Then I had to feel for the brush I was gonna use. Then the splash, by smelling nearly every C-Bubs splash I have because I went through 5 or 6 of them. I sat down in my old man shower chair and did everything my feel and memory. Surely the lather was bad because it felt weird on my face and felt a lot of the blade and tugging with an injector. After a few passes, I rinsed off and took my initial unflattering SOTD picture and then the original. Then as I was putting my Brut on, I accidentally knocked it into my sink feeling for it, but thankfully it was plastic and I don't think I lost much. Lather Games is doing a number on me and I think I am losing the plot.

Notes: I do not have a shower mirror and the pics were taken after the shave.

$discord