Blizzard Battles 2026 Round Nine: Subtle Art vs Hearth and Altar
Round eight wraps up, then Subtle Art Soap Co.'s Draconis Glacialis takes on Hearth and Altar's Barren Earth in my Blizzard Battles bracket, splashes, longevity, and all.
Read more →
Bary Bedford
From the Journal
All Articles →Posts by Bary Bedford
video
video
Blizzard Battles Round 8: Ice Tears vs. Frosted in Space
Round 8 of my Blizzard Battles Artisan Challenge pits Matti Lindholm's Ice Tears against Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements' Frosted in Space on a 106 degree Texas day.
Read more →
video
Nearly Naked Soapery Commander: Micro Artisan Ep. 22
I tried to record this one last week and forgot to push record. Just got home from a trip. Here's the do-over, and it was worth making twice: Nearly Naked Soapery Commander.
Read more →
video
Last Pass: Van Yulay's Shave Dad Coffee Soap
Van Yulay and Shave Dad Jerry teamed up on Last Pass, a coffee-inspired shaving soap dropping July 17. First look at the soap, the Cajun Blade ACR-1, and my morning shave routine.
Read more →
video
Goodfellas Smile Panama and Dominus: First Impressions
Brand new Goodfellas Smile gear landed: the Dominus razor and Panama soap, courtesy of Howie at Super Safety Razors. One shave in, I'm already calling Panama my favorite summer fragrance so far.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 7: Ariana & Evans vs The Cajun Blade
A&E brings Frozen Latte e Menta and The Cajun Blade brings Sub Zero, both with splashes in play. Round 7 of the Blizzard Battles settles who owns the cold.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 6: PAA Frost in Space vs Wild Fox Arctic Fox
PAA Frost in Space goes full cryogen in Round 6 and Wild Fox Arctic Fox fights back harder than expected. The menthol was very real.
Read more →
video
Fern & Shadow Right of Winter: A Texas Micro Artisan You Should Know
Doug put me onto this one. Fern & Shadow is an hour and a half from where I live in Texas, and Right of Winter is one of the best lathers I've had in a while.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 5: Happy Chap vs Hearth and Altar
Happy Chap's Absolute Zero versus Hearth and Altar's Barren Earth in Round 5 of the Blizzard Battles, two artisans tackling menthol for the first time, on a scorching Texas July 4th.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 4: The Shivering vs. Draconis Glacialis
Round 4 of the Blizzard Battles 2026 Artisan Challenge puts Stirling's The Shivering against Subtle Art's Draconis Glacialis in a menthol-loaded head-to-head that nearly ended in another tie.
Read more →
video
Thrive and Glow Inferno Night Edition: Micro Artisan Ep. 19
Found this one on Instagram before I'd ever used the soap. Cherry wood and tobacco in a tallow-and-silk base from a micro artisan worth knowing about.
Read more →
video
Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Electro High Shine: First Look
First look at PAA's Electro High Shine, a tribute to Azzaro Chrome with a holo label and a bergamot-oakmoss-tonka profile. Bary puts it side by side with the EDT. Too close to call.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 3: Wild Fox Arctic Fox vs Wit's End Berserker
Round 3 of Blizzard Battles 2026 pits Wild Fox Rituals' Arctic Fox against Wit's End Berserker in a menthol showdown. Both artisans new to menthol. Both absolutely nailed it.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 2: Triple Dog Dare vs. CryoMajik
Round 2 of the Artisan Challenge is here, and Adopted Acres Triple Dog Dare runs it back. This time it goes head to head with Denton Majik's CryoMajik, and the gap between them is a lot smaller than I expected.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Round 1: Mama Bear Bedford Falls vs Triple Dog Dare
Round 1 of Blizzard Battles 2026 pits Mama Bear Soaps' one-off Bedford Falls, a blend of Bear Ice and Hot Buttered Rum, against Adopted Acres' Triple Dog Dare. Twelve artisans entered. One trophy.
Read more →
video
Dixie Dream: Wit's End Small Batch Goods Shave Soap Review
I forgot to push record on what turned out to be a perfect BBS shave with Wit's End's brand new Dixie Dream soap and splash. You're still getting the full review.
Read more →
video
Blizzard Battles 2026 Artisan Challenge: The Pregame
Round 1 drops June 21st. Before that, I'm resetting my menthol benchmarks with Paso Green and Chiseled Face Cryogen, and I've got updates on two artisans who didn't make the lineup.
Read more →
video
Cajun Blade Defending Liberty: 250th Anniversary Shave Soap
Grabbed this one at the meet-up the moment I got my nose on it. Cajun Blade's 250th Defending Liberty is a bourbon-and-tobacco collab soap, and I haven't put it down since.
Read more →
video
Noble Otter Rei Momo: First Look at a Tropical Summer Soap
Picked up Rei Momo at the Noble Otter booth last weekend. Pineapple, coconut, banana, vanilla - tropical and creamy. Coming soon. One shave in, and I'm already sold.
Read more →
video
Denton Majik Dominate: A Fougere Homage to Brut Dominant
I've been on a fougere kick, and Denton Majik's Dominate is checking every box. An homage to the discontinued Brut Dominant, plus the full Texas Wet Shavers meetup schedule if you're coming out.
Read more →
video
Sangria Nocturne: The Shave Mercantile's New Aftershave
The Shave Mercantile's Sangria Nocturne hits the den tonight: dark fruits, citrus, red wine, and an intimate scent built for late evenings. Plus their new splash aftershave in the same fragrance.
Read more →
video
Texas Trail: Soap Palooza's Leather-and-Coffee Soap for the Texas Meetup
David Young at Soap Palooza made a soap for the Great Texas Wet Shavers Meetup - coffee, leather, smoke, and desert creosote. I got my hands on it before the unveiling and it's real good.
Read more →