Rockface makes "first shave butter"

To shaving, and I've been sent samples of Rockface's new shaving butter and body spray. I'm going to declare quite openly that I'm not a fan of scented deodorants; they have a scent (there's a clue in the word 'scented') - I'd rather my own sweaty aroma was masked leaving me free to chose my own cologne, thanks. The smell of this one is not offensive at all and if you're OK with these products it's a good one.

More interesting is the shave butter (pictured). It claims to be the first of its kind and I've no doubt it's the first to be called 'butter' - a spillover from the female cosmetics industry is that stuff has to be called butter rather than cream sometimes and other such naming jollities.

I don't care about that. I also don't care that it does substantially the same job as a shave oil - lubricates the skin a bit so your razor doesn't stick and cut you and achieves a smoother and indeed closer shave - or the Proraso shave preparations about which I've spoken on here before.

No, I care that it does the job equally well if not better, doesn't leave a residue like shave oil, has a light scent that fades very quickly, doubles up as a post-shave balm and does it for just under a fiver (I've been paying over twice that for the Proraso stuff). The same company offers its own balm but I find this calms the skin down just as well.

I shall certainly be buying it again and would recommend it to anyone wanting to improve their shave - although not as much as I'd recommend using a good cleanser on your face first and keeping the razor clean with hot water. That and not pressing too hard will get you over a lot of shaving rash issues, but this makes a good addition.

Great weather for...er...

I've been playing with gadgets again. This time it's the Netatmo Weather Station, a handy little gizmo - or pair of gizmos - which turn your iPad and/or iPhone into a weather station. They use an app, they talk to your phone and tell you when it's raining.

OK, the last bit was an oversimplification.

As I write in the formerly sunny Norwood it has started pelting down. Obviously I don't need a piece of technology to tell me this. Last week, however, a family member was suffering a little with breathing issues due to pollen - we live opposite a microscopic park (already my home sounds posher than it is) and if you have hay fever this can become very difficult, particularly combined with an unkempt (read 'completely neglected for years) garden next door.

Air quality

So an indoor and outdoor gadget that tells you what the air quality is like is something of a help. You can monitor temperatures and air quality through the apps, which are of course free, and set alerts when they reach a certain level.

For £139 it could be an expensive way of seeing whether it's raining or not if you're not all that worried by the temperature. In the current heatwave, however, if you're prone to breathing issues it could be a very good investment - and you can buy extra modules to monitor different rooms if, say, you have kids.

DocuSign Challenge 3: Getting used to it

As regular readers will know I've taken up the challenge to go three months without signing a wet signature. DocuSign issued the challenge.

I'm over half way through and the position is much as I thought it was last time I wrote about it. Basically if you're doing anything for businesses it's terrific. Nobody has questioned my right to sign electronically, contracts have been accepted without any issues, it's been great. This coming Friday I should receive my first payment based on a contract I signed using the iPad App. All good stuff and as an added benefit all of my contracts are stored securely offsite in electronic form.

This is all excellent. Meanwhile when there's anything personal involved - hospital visits to pick up a blood pressure machine, pharmacists for the odd prescription, ordinary stuff like that - signing electronically isn't an option.

I certainly feel my business life is easier with this technology - but suspect that costs will prohibit the business stuff for a fair while yet.

Watches without borders

Regular readers (hi Mum) will be aware that I'm quite fond of nice watches. And by 'nice' I generally mean uncomplicated, a classic design, something that looks as if it tells the time rather than plays music, acts as a video phone and goodness knows what else.

(Note: I reserve the right to change my mind if Apple ever produces the long-rumoured iWatch).

If it can be sold raising money for a good cause that is of course a bonus. So the only thing holding me back from acquiring a Special Edition Tagente (pictured) from Nomos Glashütte is the absence of a spare £1350. Or £1200 for a slightly smaller model, the Special Edition Tagente 33.

Design

As you can see they are simplicity itself, and better still they're mechanical. I'm fond of well-engineered products and an old-fashioned wind-up watch is something I don't actually possess, although my automatic is a good substitute.

These models are distinguished by the red '12' which is a way of reminding yourself that when you spent all that money £100 went to Doctors Without Borders (or if you're an old git like me Médecins Sans Frontières). Meanwhile you'll have a watch with galvanised white silver-plated dials, black oxidised polished hands and an a (alpha) Nomos caliber movement with manual winding, for people who know about movements.

I think they look excellent and are a discreet way of supporting an excellent cause. I may consider making a donation and telling them Nomos gave me the idea. Meanwhile if you're in the market for a watch and can withstand the price, the two models are limited to 1000 pieces each.

Losing weight: an update

OK, it's a while since I adopted this 5x2 diet and promised I'd keep people updated - the original post from September is here.

There has been some qualified success. The first thing I'd have to say is: do not assume that if your jeans are more or less spray-on, really ought to get the next size up, that you're going to shrink two waist sizes within three months. This, if it's going to be sustainable, is not going to happen.

However, there has been progress. I'm still wearing the same jeans but I need, really need, a belt. And I've lost (FX: DRUMROLL) just over two stone. The shape would probably have changed more if I hadn't managed to develop an ingrowing toenail, which has limited some of the exercise possibilities (this has been treated, is improving and I was back in the gym yesterday).

But here are a couple of pics of me from BBC appearances - before the diet:

And after:

Now, nobody should kid themselves I'm an oil painting, obviously. And it's been gradual (and will continue to be). Having had the cysts removed from my scalp I can have a shorter haircut, which helps.

But there's definitely a difference. I can recommend this diet to anyone who's serious about losing weight permanently.

Heaven is the first haircut in weeks

A handful of you may be aware that I had minor surgery at the end of April - just the removal of a few cysts from my scalp. It was all supposed to be over very quickly, better in a couple of weeks.

Hah.

We pause here for a quick wallow in self-pity and snarling about stitches and wounds going infectious. Tell you what, let's just put a quick picture in:

That's me, the day before a major stage presentation, a week or so after I was supposed to be 100%. The bandage pinged off during the presentation.

I was not delighted.

Later the head bandage shrunk to a plaster and people kept asking whether I'd been in a fight. Nobody had accused me of looking hard for...actually, no, it's never happened. Until now. Oh, and of course you can't have a hair cut with all this going on.

Yesterday - finally - the plaster came off and I went to the barber. Almost flew. Frankly they could have cut my head off and got a good review.

Towel shave

But I do feel I must recommend all blokes have a hot towel shave every now and then, and if at all possible do it at The Valet in Addiscombe or one of its concessions at local hotels. I had the "Casino Royal" (yes I know the book and film have an 'e' on the end of 'Royale', it's a barber, you think they care?) which costs £45 but honestly, it's worth it.

You start off with a pre-coating of Proraso Eucalyptus undercoat. This refreshes and stimulates the skin, and then they put a hot towel over you. You then get a close shave (or three; the trick they use is to take a little hair off often, which is gentler and less prone to provoking a rash).

There's a clay mask for extra cleaning. There is cleanser. There is a total of five hot towels. Nobody, repeat nobody, is allowed to disturb you during this hour of completely indulgent time.

Then I switched to the other chair for my first haircut in months. I spent £29.50 on a decent re-style, after all that growth it needed it; I asked them to model it on Jose Mourinho, and when they'd picked themselves up off the floor they did their best (Lucky I didn't ask for George Clooney). It looks unusually good - for me anyway:

No doubt I'm biased by this being my first fully de-bandaged day since 30 April, and this being the first picture I've seen of me from that angle without a large visible cyst on the side of my head. But I feel genuinely refreshed, the attention to my wants from the guys at the salon was superb as always and I'd certainly recommend it.

(And yes, good of you to ask, I have indeed lost a little weight).

Pop-up shop this weekend

Anyone who fancies looking at some of the socks I highlighted earlier this week (see this post) and who's in the Spitalfields area might want to know it and a few other menswear brands have a pop-up shop from Sunday until Tuesday at 52 Artillery Lane, E1.

As well as Richmond Socks there will be bow ties from Charles Olive, 'preppy; clothes from Coeur (a bit young for this blog's target market frankly), underwear from Hamilton and Hare and various luxury items from Monsieur London.

I'm hoping to pop in on the last day, Tuesday - when, with a bit of luck, they'll be reducing the stock rather than carting it all back. Dream on...