23rd March. Silicon Face.

I can never quite get a 100% seal with swimming goggles even yet (see earlier), due to being very bony or just plain deformed about the face, maybe if I was a bit more fat and puffy about the eyes they would seal ok.

After giving some thought to the matter a solution presented itself in the guise of that trusted and indispensible product, silicon rubber. The instructions always say "Ensure surface is dry and free from grease" , so logically if the surface was very greasy it wouldn't stick at all?

What better way to form a perfect mating surface with one's face, simply, pre-oil face, apply silicon rubber to the goggles, put on goggles, tighten strap, wait until the curing process is finished then remove to observe a custom shaped soft rubber seal that can only fit the one visage.

I selected a bottle of skin care lotion from the many in the bathroom and rubbed well into the forehead and around the necassary contours. The Clear Silicon Rubber was a small tube provided with Selkirk Chimney products which must be good stuff, I applied a liberal quantity and positioned the goggles. Sorted.

After about two seconds the Acetic acid released during the curing process began to cause my eyes to water, so I shut them. After a minute had elapsed there was a noticeable burning sensation in the skin in contact with the silicon. I prised the goggles off, reasoning that my face would still leave an impression but the suction was so high the moulding effect was compromised. The burning continued unchecked.

Keeping my eyes shut I made my way to the bathroom via the porch fumbling around for abrasive hand cleaner, all that stuff about not sticking to oil isn't strictly true. The abrasive action of the cleaner made some impression, well, enough to be safe to reopen my eyes.

The rest of it I was able to pick off like peeling skin whilst watching some drama on BBC1.