It's been six years and I-shudder-to-think-about-the-amount of shaving paraphernalia since I opened my account with a 34c, EJ Black Badger and Taylor's Sandalwood.
Six years on...
I avoid making rash decisions about razors. I generally hold back for a few months or even years (I only recently jumped for a Blackbird). Better yet, I put my name down in the Lending Pool (I've tried and discounted many expensive razors this way). I'll very occasionally make an impulsive-yet-considered razor purchase - in this way, 2012 saw me buy my first Gillette Aristocrat (the #22), 2014 saw the Mongoose arrive, 2016 a Blue Tip Rocket, and 2017 the Sabre. I try to avoid falling down rabbit holes but, from-time-to-time, I helplessly launch myself in feet first.
I don't have much desire for brushes. They're a tool that, unlike razors, are meant to last years rather than decades. I now know my preferences (soft synthetics or unscritchy two band badgers with even knots and little-to-no glue bumps) and have little hunger to deviate from there. I keep a scrubby little Semogue to scratch myself with to remind me every so often. I have a couple of brushes - which are in keeping with said preferences - on the radar but I would offload current possessions to make room. Five brushes is fine. Three better. Maybe I'll eventually settle on four.
Soaps have to fit in a 19L Really Useful Box. If it's full, I have to sell to buy. This isn't much of a hardship since it'll accommodate nearly 40 tubs. In truth, I'm suffering from a serious case of SAD which I'm making very little effort to fight off. I'm vaguely justifying it to myself as merely testing out as many different types of soap and cream as possible... as if I were one day to make my own?! But that doesn't explain why I currently have multiple scents from Wickham 1912, Wholly Kaw, Eufros and Barrister & Mann. Bugger it.
I've stopped buying aftershave. The unscented Eufros balm is the best aftershave product I've come across and I'll sell, trade, and run down my remaining splashes (Myrsol and Pitralon) until exhausted, at which point I'd would like to buy one bottle of something alcohol- and fragrance-free at a time. I'd love for someone to come up with a less boring version of Thayers. Preferably in a cool glass bottle.
I have already minimised my perfume collection down to three full bottles. Chanel Pour Monsieur EDT for smart, Kiehl's Musk for casual, and Chanel Cuir de Russie for special. Years ago I was a Basenotes fiend with a burgeoning fragrance collection but, nowadays, I'm happy to play around with the odd sample (or ten) of something niche (or Guerlain) to augment the above. I'd love to be able to wear Habit Rouge but I can't quite get away with it.
