Pre: Occam's Original Pre-Shave Soap
Brush: St James of London 26mm Silvertip
Razor: ATT Colossus R1
Blade: Feather
Soap: Mystic Waters - White Tea & Ginger
After: Balm
Splash: Beaver Woodright - Shipwreck Cove
Tea: 2011 Fujian Province (Aged) 'White Peony'
I tend towards collecting and obtaining a variety of Chinese whole leaf teas and on average keep around 16-20 of various origins and values, the peony pictured is around $110.00 for the cake (200 grams) and is pressed whole leaf that is somewhat cured. Some of the silver needle white tea I really enjoy is far more costly and difficult to obtain, running to $90 plus for 28 grams. Such a 'white' is picked by hand on 1 or 2 days of the year prior to dawn where oxidation occurs when the fine, fresh shoots lose their appeal or more rightly gain flavour and scent attributes considered undesirable. Not at all related to shaving, other than the great sample received recently from Michelle at Mystic Water: White Tea and Ginger.
A sweet ginger and white tea scent from the soap that is both sweet,complex, very esoteric and immediately desirable as a collector and drinker of Chinese teas. I often feel like a subtle, different scent even with a large collection of soaps - most of which are strong. Matching the scent profile of the soap to a splash has been a struggle, and I am currently looking at essential oils to make a batch up myself or having one prepared to order. The usual almonds worth made a mountain of thick, glossy lather with a very, very good post shave feel as is expected from Mystic Water Soaps. A touch of after-balm to sooth the skin then a generous application of Shipwreck cove with its very subtle Bay Rum, Clove, lime and Ginger notes sitting on top of the proceedings.
Enjoy your shaves, Gents!
