Banantastic first meeting of the Buena Vista Wetshaving Social Club: 🍌 + 🥥 + 🧊

• Brush: Zenith 506B MB (27 mm × 55 mm Manchurian badger)
• Razor: Fatip - Lo Storto - Testa Dentata
• Blade: Mühle
• Lather: Abbate y la Mantia – Don Josè
• Post Shave: Ralon – Sport
• Fragrance: Stirling Soap Co. – Island Man

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Today is the first meeting of the club, and we chose Don Josè, the delicious Banana & Coconut soap of Abbate Y La Mantia.

A few years ago, I bought a complete sample set of Abbate Y La Mantia’s offering of the time (this was before the hard soaps, the Babylon series and even before Fufluns. Vulcano and Don Josè were my favourites and I splurged on a trickhole of Don Josè. One fun aspect of AYLM sets is that they come with a comically large 200ml cologne bottle, but a regular sized 100 ml splash.

Don Josè’s banana plays the main role here, with coconut adding only support. It’s a really easy scent to enjoy. Delicious, fresh, simple. The soft base isn’t very popular around here, but I believe it’s just because it’s different from the typical American artisan base in that you need to load a lot more soap. When you do, you get sopping wet, glistening, slick, and – in this case – refreshing mentholated lather. I’m curious to see how the fellow BVWSC members will like it.

Now I’m off back to the beach 🏖