We’ve been using Shaving Brushes for a hundreds of years.
There has to be a good reason for this right?
I mean the invention of the canned shaving cream is incredibly useful and we aren’t denying that, but you don’t get the same benefits you do from using a Shaving Brush.
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Benefits of a shaving brush
Using a Shaving Brush when applying your Shaving Soap or Shaving Cream adds many more benefits than doing so without, we are going to cover a few of those benefits for you below:
- using a Shaving Brush allows you to evenly spread the lathered Shaving Soap or Shaving Cream. Your hand can do a good job, but it doesn’t compare to what the Shaving Brush will do. The shaving brush allows you to whip up the Shaving Soap or Shaving Cream to the optimal thickness and allows you to apply a much slicker coat.
- A shaving brush will raise your fail hair, this allows you a better angle of attack when shaving, resulting in a closer and longer lasting shave.
- The Shaving Brushes bristles exfoliate your skin. This also helps skin post shave; It helps keep your skin healthy and it fights thing like razor burn, ingrown hairs etc.
- A Shaving Brush will help you use less Shaving Soap or Shaving Cream. This happens for a few reasons. When using a Shaving Brush the amount of lather you use will go a longer way than when applied by hand. This is due to you applying it in a more effective manner. It also allows you to customize the thickness of your lather. If you happen to be using a shaving puck, it should last you at least twice as long as a shaving cream would have lasted you.
So in general, When you are using a Shaving Brush you have much more control of the application of the lather. It helps you get a closer shave, meaning you stay smoother for longer.
The Tools
- You should have a good quality Shaving Soap picked out. There are plenty of options out there, though we usually recommend Col. Conk
- You will need some sort of shaving bowl or shaving mug. There are different types and its important to keep in mind that ceramic will take longer to heat up, but then it will hold the heat for longer which may be ideal if you intend to take your time with your shave. Metal Shaving bowels will heat up faster but also loose their heat much quicker. It might be a good idea to keep both around so you have a few options about how you tackle your shave.
- A Shaving Stand is also a good investment. The Shaving Stand doesn’t have to hold all of your shaving items, but it will definitely need to hold your Shaving Brush properly. Proper storage of your Shaving Brush is absolutely necessary. A Shaving Brush is expensive and you will greatly extend the life of your brush if you store it correctly.
- Towels. You’re going to use a lot of them and you want them clean. so keep plenty around.
- There are several different types of Shaving Brushes. It seems people don’t usually know this and end up picking out a brush that just isn’t right for their skin. Although there are several different types, they all serve a purpose. It’s best to find the right one that works for you and your skin and then splurge on that brush. You can also keep a less expensive back-up/travel brush. Here are the different types of brushes:
- Synthetic bristles
Synthetics are good for entry level wet shavers and those who would like to avoid animal fur.
The bristles are a medium stiffness.
Although they won’t hold lather as well as one of the badgers, they’re still capable of giving you the wet shaving experience.
- Boar bristles
Boar bristles are the stiffest of all of the shaving brushes.
They are also the least expensive.
The good thing about boar bristles is they can easily reach under the beard and really open up your pores.
It might not be the most comfortable brush, but it is certainly effective.
- Pure badger bristles
Pure badger is the lowest grade of badger available, but even the fact that it is a badger makes it a higher quality shaving brush.
It’s a good mix of the badger and the boar because it’s a badger, but it comes with stiffer bristles.
It’s a very good median brush, and it won’t break the bank!
- Super Badger
The super badger is an upgrade from the pure badger, but it isn’t quite the best.
The bristles are slightly less stiff than the pure badger, but they are slightly more stiff than the silver tip badger, which we will get to in a minute.
It’s the mid-grade out of the badger brushes, and it can be identified by its distinct white tips.
- Silver tip badger
Again, it all comes down to your style of shaving and the tenderness of your face.
However, it is widely regarded that the silver tip badger is the best shaving brush available.
It is also the softest bristles that are available.
However, you’ll pay for the luxury.
If you take wet shaving serious, you’ll want to grab one of these eventually.
We just recommend keeping a backup for when your kids want to play with your brush or when you have
The Process
We will now walk you through the entire process of using your Shaving Brush.
Although you might not have all of the tools we use, you should be able to pick out what helps you the most.
Also, you may be in a hurry so you may not want to follow every step below, though you will shave time in the future if you follow this guide directly by not shaving as much.
The Shaving Brush will only work well if you use it with all the tools that it was made to work with.
So start off by blotting your face with a hot towel.
Giving yourself an entire hot towel treatment will work best.
But but don’t always have time for that.
You can also skip the hot towel if you’ve just come out of a hot shower.
Place your Shaving Soap Puck inside your shaving mug or bowl.
It should fit in there nice and snug, if its too big when you by it, try running it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up a bit.
Once you have it in the bottom of your mug/bowel, let it sit, dry and settle.
Start running some hot water into a bowl or sink and stick your Shaving Brush in there.
Let it sit until the Shaving Brush is fully submerged in water.
Once its been fully submerged, take the brush out tap it against the bowl to get rid of any excess water.
Now we’re ready to create the lather, you want to start whipping up the soap puck until you have a nice thick lather that you can use to shave with.
You can optimise the lather to fit your style.
The more water you add the thinner that lather will be.
Get a considerable amount on lather onto your Shaving Brush.
When you apply the lather, try going in small circles.
This will help you use the Shaving Brush to it’s fullest potential.
With each circle you will be simultaneously exfoliating your skin, raising your hair and applying a nice coat of the slick lather.
After your done with your shave, its crucial that you take case of your brush.
Start by using a towel to dry off your brush, you do not want to leave it soaking wet, however if it is damp that’s fine.
This is where your stand comes in.
Hang your shaving brush on you stand with the bristles facing down.
This will allow it to dry evenly and naturally without creating a curve or well ruining your brush.
If you store it properly you’re going to be maximising the investment you put into your Shaving Brush.
Which you want to do as these things are a costly investment
This video from shaveology shows you exactly how to apply your lather with a shaving brush
Finally
You’re done!
Now marvel in that awesome shave you’ve just given yourself!
Depending how you look at it, wet shaving can be very rewarding.
Sure its not as quick as some of us may want it to be, but I can guarantee that if you wet shave correctly you will shave time as you won’t have to shave as often.
A little lost time upfront is pulled back by shaving less later on.
Once you’ve gotten into the habit of wet shaving and you’ve figured out your own style, the whole process will move along a lot quicker.
Lastly, there is just something timeless and incredibly manly about pulling out that shaving brush and applying the lather the way its been applied for hundreds of years.
We think once you’ve given it a try, its unlikely that you’ll go back to using those shaving cans.
If you’ve any thoughts or tips, please email us or share them in the comments below we would love to hear from you.
Loved the article? Why not check out more of our shaving articles or if you want, you can see more from shaving brushes and shaving mugs
