Scaramouche & Fandango 'SW' Sports Wash

I’m a big fan of ‘Hy’ Hydrator, ‘Fs’ Face Scrub and ‘Bw’ Body Wash by Scaramouche & Fandango, so when I was asked if I would like to try their new ‘Sw’ Sports Wash (it really is a little like the intro to Breaking Bad with all of these periodic table like abbreviations) I started with high hopes. 

Now call me a cynic, but first there were two in ones, then three in ones, and now, we have a four in one - the 'Sw' Sports Wash from Scaramouche & Fandango is not just to banish those BO (body odour) blues, oh no readers, this baby is also designed for hair, face, body and for shaving.

Now you are more like to win Euro millions (current odds 1 in 116.5 million) than you are to see me in the gym at the moment so my take on this is purely as a four in one and whether I would recommend it - the 250ml tube I have costs £9 from here.

This is what Scaramouche & Fandango say about the benefits of Sports Wash over at their website here:

‘Energising caffeine extracts pack a punch in this invigorating 4 in 1 sports wash. Taking care of both hair and skin, the Guar Gum moisturises and conditions whilst also allowing for that perfect shave.’    

Texture and consistency wise this is quite runny for a product of this nature, usually when it comes to the all in one kind of products I have found them to be quite thick but this bucks the trend and as soon as it leaves the tube you immediately get a manly fragrance, it’s like a cross between a rugged earthy aroma blended with floral notes. Thankfully, the masculine nature of the fragrance leaves no doubt in my mind that this beast is designed for post workout washing.

As you can see from the picture, it is quite runny! 

I have been using this for a few weeks now, the tube is about half empty and I have to say I have been impressed with three of the four uses it is intended for.

Yes, the fragrance and washing power is exceptional, it really does banish BO and using only a tiny bit of the wash (roughly an amount the size of a fifty pence piece) is enough to wash my hair, face and body. A little goes a long way and the fragrance kind of explodes into life and strength as soon as it connects with the warm water. Personally, I love the smell and it lathers up wonderfully.

No, showering is not like the Olympics!

  
After drying the subtle fragrance remains on the skin for a few hours and the way it leaves my skin feeling leaves me smiling, and for that and the fact that an hour after drying off my skin feels great, my face doesn’t dry out and there is no need for copious amounts of moisturiser (just a touch though). Result! 

Using the Sports Wash has cut a lot of faffing from my daily shower routine which is brilliant if in a rush, making this great for those who do need to cut down on the amount of time spent in the shower. 

While I wouldn’t use this as a shaving aid, the skin around my face is far too sensitive, it is a great body wash and face cleanser. In addition, unlike other all in one products it doesn’t leave my hair feeling like straw (which is a massive plus) and removes the various hair products I use to style my hair.

At just £9 for a tube I think this represents good value for money and is a product that works. The caffeine does pack a punch and acts as an additional wake up call for my body. This would be a perfect addition to a gym bag or like me, just for day to day use.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

You can read my thoughts on other products from Scaramouche & Fandango by clicking on the links below:

Hydrator 'Hy'
Face Scrub 'Fs' 


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What I got for Christmas 2014

Well 2014 was a pretty crappy year so I had been looking forward to Christmas and opening some presents that would bring some festive cheer to this miserable old goat. Let's just say I over indulged with the Christmas spirit on Christmas Eve (no, surely not everyone who knows me cries out) so presents weren't opened until after lunch (every mouthful was torture - not the fault of the chef).

Anyone who follows the blog may have seen that I'm in the process of a full sleeve tattoo - given the significant outlay so far I wasn't expecting anything ground breaking in present form. The last two sections of my tattoo formed part of my Christmas presents. Some pictures of where the full sleeve is up to at the moment are below. The two faces on my forearm are this years present.

But what else did Santa bring me this year?

Aftershave, yes, I know, a shocker. This time however, there were aftershaves I hadn't tried, enter stage left Bleu de Chanel, Ralph Lauren Polo Red and one that I had tried, enter stage right Aqva by Bvlgari.

Like Acqua Di Parma, a cologne I reviewed recently I had wanted to try Polo Red since someone asked for my opinion of it on Reddit. It was an aftershave that had passed me by. Being a massive fan of Polo Green, Black and Blue I'm not sure how it has taken so long for me to even smell it!

Pinterst is to blame for some of my other presents. I had seen three t-shirts with rather tasty designs and really wanted them. I had asked my mum to buy two but she opted to go safe and buy the Bvlgari aftershave (shakes head and mutters 'lazy.....lazy.....').

Some of the t-shirts that I unwrapped are below - I really do like them and there are more on the, the one I'm really waiting for says "Whiskey made me do it".

Other gifts included a joke snoring prevention device which is basically a padded boxing glove on a stick, a man stuff kit, and two books including the Breaking Bad Cookbook. 

My in laws came up with something I really wanted - fishing tackle. It has been years since I had let fishing de-stress me and after days spent fishing on holiday in the river at the side of our hotel I was if you will pardon the pun hooked again. They put together lots of tackle including rods, a reel, rod bag and nets.

The final gift was a leather band. Doesn't sound that interesting does it but it has a twist, well more of a hook - instead of having a clasp or being slightly elastic it uses a fish hook. Fashion statement or deadly weapon? Either way it appeals to my warped nature!

So there you go, that's what I got this Christmas.

Did you get anything interesting for Christmas last year (god that sounds weird)?

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Himalayan Detox Bath Salts from Therapie

Confession time, we have a very small bathroom and the space issue isn’t helped in the slightest by rafts of beauty products stacked like a game of Jenga gone wrong!

I like a soak in the bath, and for a long time was in love with Calvin Klein Eternity Bath Salts. They left my skin smooth and the fragrance was amazing. However I’ve become a little tight in my old age and spending in excess of £20 on bath salts is not something I do.

It had been a while since using bath salts but boom, amongst the hundreds of products that block my way to the sink on a daily basis was Himalayan Detox Bath Salts from Therapie.

To be blunt I’ve become instantly hooked on them.

Created by aromatherapist Michelle Roques Oneil the salts contain over 84 minerals and are infused with essential oils such as Lemongrass, Lavender, Juniper and Geranium.

It's at this point that I have to confess that every time I pick up the packet I giggle - if the salts were blue they would look just like a batch of blue Crystal Meth from Breaking Bad! 

As soon as the salts come into contact with the water there is a scent explosion. It’s awesome and the Lavender and Geranium are really evident but not overpowering and as you lay back into the warm water the stress eases away.

Personally, after a long day in the office the bath salts had a massively therapeutic effect – my eyes always feel heavy, my head clears and I feel totally at ease. This is valium in bath salt form.

The marketing blurb says: 

"A blissful cocktail of therapeutic Himalayan mineral salts, powdered Amethyst & essential oils of Lemongrass, Juniper & Geranium; these pink crystals work to balance pH levels & positive/negative ions, to help the body establish equilibrium. The Amethyst has a high mineral content, to heal & clarify problematic skin whilst counteracting the electro-magnetic energy we absorb from modern day gizmos. Add to this blood purifying & anti-inflammatory properties & discover that heaven is a bath soak".

Having used them a few times now, they never fail to send me off to a blissful sleep. My skin is smooth and soft to the touch. Combine the results on my skin with the beautiful aroma and therapeutic effects and you have a product that falls into the bath heaven category.

At £10 for a 100g pouch it is cheaper than Calvin Klein and has more benefits.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

What do you add to your baths?

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