Regal Gentleman - Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut Luxury Shaving Cream

For the last couple of months my face has been rocking either stubble or a full blown beard. Not because I’m a trendy hipster, no, its because I hate shaving and am generally the most lazy person you will ever find….EVER (that‘s a guarantee folks).

When approached by any shaving people I always jump at the chance to try new things and regularly seek out new products to try. When Regal Gentlemen asked me to try a new product they were stocking I jumped at the chance to compare Erasmic with Taylor of Old Bond Street Coconut Luxury Shaving Cream. 

I hate shaving - it’s a pain, I slash my face and I get irritation after I’ve finished. I found solace in Erasmic Lather Shave Cream and loved using the old style shaving brush. In a previous post I mentioned that I had a weird flashback to my youth when I first used the brush, and being lazy (as mentioned above) I have copied this from a previous post (so sue me):

‘My late grandfather would always shave using one, normally at the kitchen sink so he could gain easy access to the rear garden (yard for my American readers - so thoughtful) to terrorise any passing squirrels with the nuts (and I don’t mean literally) to pass through.

I can see him now hunched over the sink in his trousers, white vest and shaving kit. It always seemed to take hours!’

This is only the second shaving cream product I have ever tried that involves using a brush and deciding yourself how thick you want the lather. 

I received a 150g tub of the Coconut Luxury Shaving Cream from Regal Gentlemen about five weeks ago when I had a five o'clock shadow, by the time I managed to open it I had whiskers like Captain Birdseye*. I struggled so much to get the lid off I would try three times a day, sit and ponder new approaches and tactics. In the end there were direct messages on Twitter to see if I was doing something wrong when trying to unscrew a lid. Two more weeks passed and I had a brainwave (can you still say that in a politically correct world?!?) I would use power tools…….

I’m joking, I used a knife to pry the lid up a bit and it opened a dream. Opening this tested my sanity and I know its probably all my own fault.

After the laps of my flat in joy and I’d finished high fiving all of my cats (even if they didn’t want to) I set to work. Removing the plastic protector for the cream I thought I had been sent a lemon. It wasn’t a cream but it looked fairly solid to me. It then dawned on me that it needed wetting.

All joking aside, as soon as the protector was removed my nostrils filled with a lovely, fresh coconut - it was so present yet subtle on the nose so evident but not overpowering. After wetting and dabbing the brush in the aroma only intensified, for the better. I’m not a fan of coconut - the body butter knocks me sick, and I only just got over my entire coconut hatred with Dirty Works Coconut Body Scrub.

I love the smell of this - there, boom, in six rather than 500 words.

This lathers up brilliantly - a wet brush dabbed and run around the rim of the tub once resulted in my massive face being covered in a lovely smelling thick, rich lather. Happy days as they say.

I left it for a few minutes to soak in as I hadn’t used anything to soften my beard and hacked away with the razor (after I had trimmed it down to the bone using a beard trimmer). The shave was smooth, the lather didn’t block the blades that much but the best was yet to come.

After I had finished shaving and washed my face off their was a noticeable coconut fragrance following me around for a good few hours. After an hour usually I have a rash or some burning - I had none, and in fact instead of a red rash I had silky soft skin to the touch.

Thinking the coconut smell would alter my aftershave I was surprised, it didn’t. It instantly faded away so thankfully no deep wood infused with coconut poisoning the people around me.

This does the job brilliantly, costs £8.95 for 150g and will last me probably six months if I have shave daily (which I won’t).

An amazing quality product that will give you value for money. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

*This is Captain Birdseye for those who haven't experienced their brand of 'fresh' fish....

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Woodhouse Clothing - Denim Guide

Style isn’t really my thing, I stick to solid colours and tend to wear jeans and a tee shirt if I’m going out or lounging around. If you asked me to tell you the difference between a type or style of jeans or denim I would look at you blankly so when asked if I would take a look at the Woodhouse Clothing new Denim Guide I was intrigued.

My denim/jean history reads like a sad poetic tale, in my youth (oh the 1980s…..) it had to be baggy jeans (preferably without the Bros transfers - remember those?!), in my teens it was boot fit to go with my goth/dark Terminator boots and moody grin and then in my 20s into loose fit as it started to all become about comfort. Now in my *cough* mid 30s I’ve been converted into regular fit jeans.

Back in the day jeans came in waist size 30, 32 or 34 and I always had a waist in between. Using a belt was useless as I looked like a sack of potatoes that had been tied by the village idiot. Hence I would style based on the fact that loose fitting jeans allowed me to hide the fact that they were either cutting me in half or in danger of hitting the deck.

Before I talk more about my conversion, here is a little bit about the clothing gods over at Woodhouse Clothing:

Established in 1975, Woodhouse Clothing is a British retailer with a physical base in Notting Hill and their online store. They stock a variety of menswear, accessories and grooming brands including Scotch & Soda, Barbour and Stone Island.

Jeans are a big part of their brand and they have put together a Denim Guide, an inside-out guide to, you guessed it, denim and how to care for it. 

I read the denim guide, it is truly awesome with a history of denim, how it is made, how to care for your favourite pair along with other useful hints and tips. They also link off to brand profiles and allow you to browse their amazing online store. 

Opting for a pair of charcoal Armani jeans I sat back and waited for them to arrive - and they did, swiftly and with a courier who knocked and waited for me to get to the door. The jeans came neatly wrapped and with a cool car air freshener.

I was asked if as part of this post I would style the jeans - I warn you, I have no style, but here is what I put them with……(no make-up was used in this photographs……and you can tell)….

Armani Jeans - Woodhouse Clothing - £100
Ripstop Tee - £25
New Rock Boots - £110 - Camden Town

The jeans I have to say are well worth the price, the have sizes that fit, I got a 33 inch waist and 34 inch leg and they fit a dream. They are by far the most comfortable pair of jeans I have ever owned and I would feel at ease in these paired off with a shirt in a social setting say a meal with the boss. 

Feel free to take the proverbial out of the photographs in the comments section - maybe I should improve my Photoshop skills!! 

Ending on a serious note, I could lose at least £10,000 on the Woodhouse Clothing site (if I had it), all of their clothes look good, even on me (I think) and I am by far my worse critic.  

Go and take a look at their site and read the Denim Guide, you will be amazed and converted.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

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Tone Tee - Fitwear for Men

“Hey fatty bum bum” that’s what small children chant at me as I cowardly make my way to the tube station in a morning. It’s like running a gauntlet of pre-pubescent hate. I am of course joking but seriously laughing away in my head as I recall the first ever episode of Peep Show where the housing estate teens mock the main character Mark by calling him “clean shirt”.

I digress in something of a fever, mainly because I’m actually wearing a Tone Tee at the moment, have a t-shirt on and the heating! 

If you ask anyone who knows me really well I’m slightly body dismorphic - I see a massive beached whale when actually I can be at a healthy 12 stone, which isn’t bad for a six foot broad bloke I think. So, I’m not fat, but I’m also not exactly toned.

Before anyone thinks I’m getting my kit off and taking pictures of my body you can think again/stop laughing/put the sick bag down (delete as applicable).

I think my body shape is quite weird, mainly because it is more of an hourglass figure because I don’t have kidneys where other mere mortals have theirs, therefore my sides are slightly concave.

When I mentioned that I was going to be trying the product and had to describe what it is I referenced that its like Spanx for men, to which the throwback comment was, "so it's Manx"......oh dear....

The Tone Tees sell for £19.99 (and they have a buy one, get one free offer) and since receiving my two, the first a t-shirt, the second a vest top I have seen adverts for them every time I turn on the television.

Their website outlines the usual marketing blurb and benefits of Tone Tee as follow:

“The Tone Tee tops are compression and shaping garments for men, which have been specially developed to create a smooth and more streamlined appearance to problem areas on a male body.

• Tone Tee’s super-slimming secret is its specially-designed 360 degree Tone Technology – precision core stabilising compression panels which target key problem areas for men
• Special built-in temperature control breathe-in-technology
• The premium stretchable blended fabric fits firmly and comfortably against the skin so there’s no bulk under clothes
• The athletic design is engineered for maximum mobility
• No more feeling self-conscious, enjoy the benefits every other man is enjoying with Tone Tee.

With Tone Tee you get comfort, compression and confidence making you look slimmer, trimmer and leaner. You’ll see results instantly!’

The actual tees are really well made, the seams are sturdy and this is great for reasons that will become apparent. You can see the actual compression panels working across the fabric and when I held it up before trying I wondered how the hell I was going to get it on!

If I had to liken putting it on to another item of clothing it would have to be a wetsuit - it's bloody tight as you pull it on but what is instantly surprising is that while it should be sucking the life out of you, breathing is really easy and the tightness isn't irritating or uncomfortable, if anything its snug.

So, is it worth it? Well, the first time I wore it to the office nobody could tell I was wearing this under a t-shirt and I found that the compression panels actually did work - back fat is pulled in, buddy belly becomes flat and my pecs are shaped to look firm and toned. Result.

I found wearing the Tone Tees a breeze, they didn't make me overheat or sweat in any way and the comfort factor became irrelevant as I forgot I was wearing them each time I've used them.

Well worth the money and results that would take months in the gym. 

Body shaping for blokes - massive result.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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Uomo by Valentino

Uomo by Valentino is the final purchase made on holiday this year and was a fragrance I had been dying to get my hands on since receiving a small tester earlier in the year. 

While the tester was quite bland from a visual perspective the same cannot be said of the fragrance that to me comes across as completely unique - both in terms of the fragrance but also the blingtastic look of the bottle that is soooo cool.

At £91 for 100ml and £46 for a 50ml bottle this has to be put into the luxury aftershave category in my book. Had I seen the price before becoming completely hooked on the fragrance I probably would have backed away from it in the shop. Instead I just had to pick up a 50ml bottle and I haven't regretted it since.

My only previous experience of Valentino was forking out £200 for a shirt back in 1996 - yes, that long ago, wearing it once, loving it and then proceeding to spill kebab juice down it after a night out thoroughly ruining it forevermore.

Everything about the bottle oozes class, in fact put it in sunlight and you can marvel as it’s glass ridges reflect and refract light making it shine like some form of heavenly gift. OK, ok, a bit over the top but it is probably the best description you are going to get out of me!

Valentino market this with the stylish waffle you would expect from a leading fashion house, a sophisticated fragrance that is suppose to evoke thoughts of family lunch (what no beef and Yorkshire pudding notes) on the terrace of a Roman Palazzo with a series of notes that come from the dishes on the table. Hmmmm…..

The official notes to Uomo are:

• Head: Bergamot, Myrtle Liquor
• Heart: Crema Di Gianduia, Coffee
• Dry-down: White Leather, Cedar Wood

After removing the atomiser protector and giving this a few squirts the strength and sweetness are unleashed with aplomb. After a squirt there is no hiding from the fragrance and for me this is a good thing as it is instantly addictive.

While you can detect hints of bergamot, the liquor makes this incredibly sweet on the nose. The sweetness stays around for about 30 minutes steadily getting warmer and heavier as it starts to dry down. It actually becomes a little bit floral I find until it settles. I’d be lying if I said I knew what Crema Di Gianduia is or should smell like but it is obvious to my nose that this blended with the coffee provides depth to what could be a rival for Joop in the sweetness stakes.

It takes around an hour for the fragrance to really settle on the skin to a point where it doesn’t alter any further and boy you will be surprised by the results. It retains some sweetness but it stays subtle, the warmth really comes to the fore and the leather and cedar wood provide an earthy body and base to this wonderful fragrance that you will catch as you go about your day to day business.

While Uomo has a price tag to make you weep a little goes a long way and the strength makes this a fragrance where only a few squirts are needed to leave you smelling awesome all day long. I’ve had my bottle for two months and after fairly frequent use I am yet to have used a third of the bottle.

Perfect for daywear thanks to the hardwearing nature of the fragrance this is one that ticks every possible occasion be it special occasions, romantic nights out, nights down the pub or office wear. You can’t go wrong if you like strong yet sweet fragrances. Still being evident after 10 hours you would be foolish to dismiss Uomo and negligent not to give it at least a good solid sniff at the aftershave counter.

Try it, you will like it.

FORGET THE REST, TRY THE BEST

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A lesson in re-writing poker rules

There was a time when playing poker was a huge part of my life, I would play for fun with friends, enter small competitions and occasionally play online. At first it was a bit of fun but then I realised that it wasn’t about the luck of the draw, the game involved a combination of skill, luck and the ability to keep a straight face when bluffing like there was no tomorrow.

I mastered how to work out the odds of winning based upon the hand I was dealt but always struggled to keep a straight face if I was dealt pocket Aces or Kings (that’s the poker lingo for a pair). When I was asked if I would take a look at a video of the Greatest Poker Hands from Pokerstars.com where a player, Benny Spindler was re-writing the gamebook when facing off against other players I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

Source

When I get a good hand I get a twitch or I become very aware that my eyes are darting around the table - in the video Benny has an average hand and then uses his chips to bet his opponents out of the game. Players with fairly reasonable hands bet and then fold as he stays ice cool through the process before finally having the stones to go all in (that’s bet all your chips) and steal the entire pot.

As the video progresses it’s strange that you can actually feel the tension - even the commentators are at a loss as to how he is playing. 

For me, watching made me realise three things:

• I’m not cut out to be a professional poker player
• I should grow my hair longer to hide my darting eyes when I play face to face in a tournament
• I get really nervous watching other people play!

After being asked to take a look at this video I’ve been watching more of the series on Youtube to try and get a better feeling for how to read players and I would strongly recommend watching the series to anyone who has an interest in poker as a recreational activity.

You can watch the video here - it is unbelievable:

*This post contains a sponsored link

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LightStim for Wrinkles

I’m a frowner, I just can’t help it and as I have a forehead similar in size to the actors in the old Tefal adverts* this had resulted in quite deep wrinkles as old father time batters my face. So bad are the trenches in my forehead I actually call them trenches, not wrinkles. I have to avoid the countryside as every time I pass a farmer they try and plant a row of potatoes in my forehead. You think I’m kidding but I do actually refer to myself as having a Gordon Ramsey forehead (you'll have to Google for that image to avoid me being sued for copyright infringement).

With this in mind I was delighted to find that a LightStim for wrinkles device found its way into our home.

Could there be a product that will eliminate my forehead trenches and banish the crows feet from around my eyes without the need to use an industrial strength bulldog clip to pull back folds of skin on the back of my neck?!?!? 

Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, the LED device is designed to be used as a treatment to combat wrinkles and lines across the face. With 72 therapeutic LED lights on the head of the wand you power the baby up and hold the light to the area you want to treat. Easy, so easy even I can use it!! 

The wand emits a soothing warmth, which you would expect given the number of lights in the wand. Having once used abdominal stimulators back in my youth which gave mild discomfort I was pleased when I first used the wand that the lights give off no excessive heat and there is no pain. Result!

LightStim claim in the marketing blurb that the wand will:

• Reduce and eliminate fine lines and wrinkles;
• Restore your skin's youthful appearance;
• Stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.

At £250 this is a luxury device in my opinion but it has to be cheaper than plastic surgery or regular botox treatments. Will it get the thumbs up or the thumbs down from me? Now that’s the question…..watch this space for a future post with before and after pictures!

*This is what the Tefal professors looked like in their adverts! 

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