More On Shaving - Creams and Soaps

Well did I get a few emails about that Gillette Fusion piece!
Many asking for other tips and info about shaving. It seems like our fathers have been a bit lazy in passing on age old ways of getting a decent shave every single time, Shaving knowledge and technique is not instinctive, all men need to learn the art and unfortunately many learn it badly. Common problems such as razor burn, bloodspots, ingrown hairs and redness are more often than not caused by bad shaving technique.

Well here's the skinny on Gels, Foams, Creams and Soaps.

Gels and Foams -
Before I start I'll say up front I am no lover of shaving gels, I find them gunky, over reliant on chemicals and harsh on the skin, if you are going to use one grab something like Clinique’s M Shave Aloe Gel, I’d avoid store own brands and dodgy market stuff as many of them bear ingredients lists that have little resemblence to good quality products that you’d want to put on your face, if you are still using the thick white foam you get from an aerosol then stop now! Leave that stuff to the oldies who think Old Spice is a great cologne, nuff said.

Soaps -
Traditional soaps come in a wooden or pottery bowl that you can buy soap refills for, they produce a thick whipped creamy lather when used with a decent badger hair brush (we’ll talk about them next time) they contain oils, herbs and plant extracts that not only leave your skin smelling good enough to eat but give a smooth shave and can help with some skin conditions. My favorite, Limes from Geo Trumper contains extract of West Indian limes for normal to oily skin, many makers now produce unscented varieties. I would tend to avoid the stick type soaps (Palmolive being a big brand) as they tend to be hard to get a decent lather with.

Creams -
A cross between hard soaps and gels, creams contain glycerine which helps to make an exceptionally smooth and creamy lather that holds plenty of water and leaves the skin smooth and soft. You can use your fingers to apply it to your face and lather up with a brush if needed or use it with a shaving bowl/mug to produce a thick lather. Geo Trumper and Taylor’s of Old Bond Street make some top quality creams fragranced with essential oils and extracts and made with natural ingredients, they come in tubes, tubs and jars.

Other Gunk and Junk -
Oils, normal soap and other stuff should be avoided, they can clog pores, cause ingrown hairs or not provide enough lubrication for the blade.

Those not lucky enough to live in a big city where these products can be found easily have a friend in the internet, there are many online stores that stock good quality products and keen prices, one of the best is The Gentleman’s Shop, see the links section for other recommended stores.

Those Fancy Gourmet Coffees

In the past few years, coffee drinkers don’t pay much attention to finding the best in quality coffees. They drink coffee regardless of the name, the price and the taste. Although many of the coffees served and marketed in coffee shops are of poor quality, nobody even bothers to question it. Well, it’s a totally different story now. As more and more people have discovered and tasted gourmet coffees, the need for finding the best quality coffee products now topped the consumers’ list.

Gourmet coffees are available in a number of coffee shops nowadays. They are often marketed with a high price because of their great quality and taste. Being highly available, you can now buy and grind your own gourmet coffee and enjoy what it has to offer.

Finding gourmet coffee is very easy with a lot of choices available for you to take. However, there are several things to note when looking for it. One of the most important is to know where the gourmet coffee is grown. According to some experts, the origin of the coffee plays a vital role in choosing the best product. The idea behind this is that the flavor and taste of the gourmet coffee depend on the region where it is raised and harvested. So for a milder gourmet coffee is your favorite, then start shopping for coffee beans that originated from Latin America. Consider those that came from Colombia, Brazil and other coffee growing countries within Latin America. If your preference is a more exotic and subtle coffee taste, experts commonly suggest to try coffee beans that are harvested from Indonesia and African regions. And, to better distinguish the country of origin of the gourmet coffee you are considering, ask the baristas.

The degree of the roast also has a lot to do with the taste of your gourmet coffee. So before running to the market to buy a gourmet coffee, consider first how the coffee is roasted. Note that the amount of time invested for the roasting process can create differences from the flavor of your final cup. The gourmet coffee that is roasted at a medium roast degree often delivers a milder taste. The dark ones, on the other hand possess a stronger taste. Given this fact, it is then better to check the degree of the roast based on the strength you prefer.

Lastly, when looking for a gourmet coffee, consider the price and be careful with what you pick up. The gourmet coffee that is offered in the market nowadays come either ground or whole. If you prefer ground coffee, there’s a possibility that you’ll be purchasing a “gourmet” coffee that is blended with other kinds of coffee. The problem is some of these coffees are of poor quality. So when buying ground coffee, make sure that it is not blended with the poor-quality coffees. Check the label and ask the experts. And, make sure that you have the budget for it.

In the past few years, coffee drinkers don’t pay much attention to finding the best in quality coffees. They drink coffee regardless of the name, the price and the taste. Although many of the coffees served and marketed in coffee shops are of poor quality, nobody even bothers to question it. Well, it’s a totally different story now. As more and more people have discovered and tasted gourmet coffees, the need for finding the best quality coffee products now topped the consumers’ list.

Gourmet coffees are available in a number of coffee shops nowadays. They are often marketed with a high price because of their great quality and taste. Being highly available, you can now buy and grind your own gourmet coffee and enjoy what it has to offer.

Finding gourmet coffee is very easy with a lot of choices available for you to take. However, there are several things to note when looking for it. One of the most important is to know where the gourmet coffee is grown. According to some experts, the origin of the coffee plays a vital role in choosing the best product. The idea behind this is that the flavor and taste of the gourmet coffee depend on the region where it is raised and harvested. So for a milder gourmet coffee is your favorite, then start shopping for coffee beans that originated from Latin America. Consider those that came from Colombia, Brazil and other coffee growing countries within Latin America. If your preference is a more exotic and subtle coffee taste, experts commonly suggest to try coffee beans that are harvested from Indonesia and African regions. And, to better distinguish the country of origin of the gourmet coffee you are considering, ask the baristas.

The degree of the roast also has a lot to do with the taste of your gourmet coffee. So before running to the market to buy a gourmet coffee, consider first how the coffee is roasted. Note that the amount of time invested for the roasting process can create differences from the flavor of your final cup. The gourmet coffee that is roasted at a medium roast degree often delivers a milder taste. The dark ones, on the other hand possess a stronger taste. Given this fact, it is then better to check the degree of the roast based on the strength you prefer.

Lastly, when looking for a gourmet coffee, consider the price and be careful with what you pick up. The gourmet coffee that is offered in the market nowadays come either ground or whole. If you prefer ground coffee, there’s a possibility that you’ll be purchasing a “gourmet” coffee that is blended with other kinds of coffee. The problem is some of these coffees are of poor quality. So when buying ground coffee, make sure that it is not blended with the poor-quality coffees. Check the label and ask the experts. And, make sure that you have the budget for it.

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Just how may blades do you need on a razor?

Will 5 shave closer that 4?

Is a single blade razor something that should be in a museum?

These are all questions Gillette hope you answer yes to, with the introduction of the new Gillette Fusion^TM with a mighty 5 blades on the main shaving head and a single blade on the back to trim ya bits and if that wasn't enough there is a vibrating "Power" version too, now my hands shake enough most mornings so god knows what this does to improve the shave it may however boost the sale of loo roll.

Lets look at this honestly fellas, just how many more blades can these companies cram into a small bit of plastic? Even with one of Gillette's now inferior Mach 3 razors there is precious little room for stubble to pass through without clogging, use one of Lush's wonderful shaving cream's and you are forever unblocking the thing, turning what should be a two minute operation into a gungy battle of wills.

And why all this macho blade count rubbish? when the best shaves are from one of the babies on the left, a sharp straight razor, a good lather with real shaving soap and plenty of hot towels, OK so they are not for everyday use and I wouldn't attempt to use one after a night on the lash, but for smoothness and long lasting smoothness a straight is the way to go.


So, if one blade is better than 5 why go to all the bother? why not stop the BS and start introducing some decent features, like blades that last longer, or blades that don't cost a small fortune or how about making the razors invisible to the women in our lives...

A little note for search engines...

Some of you are getting confused, the title of this log is taken from a Stone Temple Pilots song called "Sex Type Thing" the lyrics

I know you want whats on my mind
I know you like whats on my mind
I know it eats you up inside
I know, you know, you know, you know

...have been an inspiration when things get tough.

This is not and never will be a blog about sex nor contain anything someone under the age of 13 shouldn't read. This blog is about being a person of the male sex in the Noughties and all the bunk that goes with it.

OK off my soapbox now, peace out - STT.

Coming to get you

Anyone who listened to BBC Five Live this this morning will have heard something very rare indeed, loudmouthed presenter Steve Nolan was left shocked and speechless, by one of his guests. but what left him in this state was something we blokes dream of...

Women approaching men and giving them their phone number, the gobby Irishman just couldn't handle women approaching men on a tube or a train and passing them notes with a number and maybe a message. When the guest (sorry the lady in questions name escapes me) defended herself she was accused of being of loose morals, she was asked what would happen if the guy thought she was after (shock horror) sex! our intrepid guest stated there was no reason why the invite for lunch or dinner couldn't be an offer of a hotel quickie instead.

Seems like that's all our presenter could take, throwing it open to the nation to comment, oh alright a couple of "Shocked of Tunbridge Wells" types who thought the idea abhorrent, like all topics that Five Live don't support we got one person who agreed, even calling our guest a pioneer! that was the last we hear of it.

Welcome to the 21st century BBC, a century where its OK for a woman to ask for things she wants, where men won't think any less of a woman for doing so and if I'm honest as a man I'm just happy that they do.