Bath & Body

Archive for July, 2010

All You Need to Know About Shaving Brushes, Sort of

Shaving brushes are essential for a complete shaving experience. A brush is the best way to apply the shaving cream or any other shaving product onto the face prior to the actual shaving. To ensure that you get only the highest quality shaving brushes, you need to familiarize yourself first with the types out in the market. The experience will be much more enjoyable with the right type of brush for your needs and preferences.

Exactly how does a shaving brush work? Think of it as a sponge that absorbs water, which would then blend with the shaving cream before it is put on your face. The amount of water the brush absorbs would greatly depend on the type of bristles used, so choosing the material the bristles are made of will be one of the most important decisions you will make. The types of brushes are also divided into the material used for the bristles.

Types of Shaving Brushes & the Hair Used Shaving brushes made of badger hair are some of the finest ones available in the market; shaving enthusiasts also claim that these brushes are an absolute luxury to use. The badger hair bristles are extremely soft to the touch, which is important for use on sensitive facial skin. These are also the most durable brushes, superior to the ones using synthetic materials for their bristles. Higher priced than brushes made of other materials, these brushes are still the best ones considered by wet shaving enthusiasts. Brushes made from Boar’s hair have a lower water-retention capacity, less than the ones made of badger hair; the smaller amount of water retained by the bristles results in a less effective lather. Boar’s hair bristles often feel prickly and stiff, a far cry from the soft and fine badger hair bristles.

Synthetic fiber brushes are available in varying prices and quality, mostly depending on the specific synthetic material used and the durability. Some of these brushes are made purely from nylon; some are mixed with boar hair in hopes of making the brush more usable (which sort of defies the logic of having a synthetic brush in the first place, if you were looking for a vegan option, for example). These brushes are the least expensive kind, although they are also known to be the stiffest and prickliest; they also hold the least amount of water. Users who are allergic to animal hairs would benefit the most from using synthetic fibers. After establishing the different shaving brush types and the various materials used to make them, we can concentrate on the material most preferred by most wet shaving enthusiasts – brushes made with badger hair. These high quality brushes are further classified into the kind of badger hair used.

Types of Badger Hair Used for Shaving Brushes

Silver Tip – these are the hairs from the badger’s neck, considered to be the softest and most luxurious. It is the most expensive kind of badger hair, because of its limited availability. During the colder winter months, the neck hair becomes very light-tipped. Brushes made from silver-tip hair are mostly hand-assembled or handmade. Some manufacturers are known to produce brushes made of a high-end variety, carefully selected two-band, silver-tip hairs: the now defunct Simpsons Manchurian and Plisson High Mountain White.

Super Badger – these hairs are almost like the silver tips, with the super badger brush tips having a silver, almost off-white color. The material is also very soft, almost as luxurious as the silver-tip.

Best Badger – these are made from the badger hairs that are found in 20-25% of the animal’s body. The hairs are lighter in color and longer compared to the pure badger hair.

Pure Badger – these are dark brown or black in color and are made from a more inferior grade of badger hair, which are from the badger’s underbelly. It is also more identifiable with its darker hair. Some shaving enthusiasts prefer this material for its stiffer qualities. Generally, most of the pure badger brushes are machine-made (i.e. Muhle pure badger shaving brushes). One notable exception is Vulfix, who still make their pure badger brushes by hand. After deciding on the material that you would like for your shaving brush bristles, it is time to look for the brush handle that would work best for you. Before discussing the different materials used for the handle, you should first consider the knot size, which is the diameter of the bristles at the end of the handle; this would give you a clear idea of how big the brush would be against your face. Brushes with a larger knot size would be able to produce more lather, but might pose problems for those with smaller faces. With everything considered, determining the best knot size would still depend on your personal requirements and preferences.

Shave Brush Handles

Brush handles should be closely considered to make sure you are getting the perfect shaving brush (at least for your personal use). Regardless of the material, the handle should feel perfectly comfortable in your hand, to eliminate or minimize any difficulties when you are maneuvering the brush prior to shaving.

Plastic handles are very common nowadays, even in the most expensive shaving brushes. Aside from being a sturdy material which can withstand even the roughest handling, plastic also feels very comfortable when held. Users also encounter fewer problems with plastic handles in the slippery and wet environment of the bathroom, where the shaving is mostly done.

Wooden handle brushes are also very versatile, and are also water-resistant. These handles give a more classic look to the shaving brushes, and if cared for properly, can give years of service to the owner. Those who opt to go for wooden handles should be diligent in taking care of them, as wood will weather over time; this process can accelerate if proper maintenance is not done.

Metal handle brushes are very sleek and classic-looking. Some of the materials that can be used for shaving brush handles are gold, brass, chrome and nickel. Just like handles made of wood, those made of metal should be properly cleaned and taken care of to maintain their distinctive finish. Metal handles are great for those who want to have a brush with a unique statement; they can also be personalized and given out as presents. The drawback of metal handles is their weight; heavy brushes tend to be more difficult to maneuver.

Other unique and exotic handle materials include tortoise shell and ivory, which give the brush a distinctive feel. However, it should be noted that the handle’s material does not affect the quality of the brush when used. You can turn to a number of reliable manufacturers to help you in your quest for the perfect shaving brush. Some of the industry’s most trusted brands include Edwin Jagger, Kent, Simpsons, Shavemac, Omega, Muhle, Plisson and Vulfix; these are the brands most known to wet-shaving enthusiasts from all parts of the globe. Most of these brands can be bought online at their respective manufacturers’ websites, or through merchant sites; both options provide clients with convenient shopping and delivery processes. If you are unsure of what brands to purchase, it would be best to look at the product reviews and testimonials from clients who want to share their views. This is a good way to start weighing the options, as you will get unbiased and straight-to-the-point comments from people who have actually used the products (compared to advertisements that, naturally, just focus on a brand’s positive features). Searching for the shaving brush that answers all your needs may require a considerable amount of time and effort; you may have to try a number of brushes first before discovering what brand or kind fits your requirements perfectly. When you finally find the ultimate shaving brush, expect your wet-shaving experience to be much more fulfilling.

About the Author

Wet-shaving has transformed a dreaded routine into a ritual I look forward to every day. Through my blog I would like to bring this experience to more classic shaving enthusiasts around the world.
Check out our wet shaving supplies at http://fendrihan.com

Shaving with a Gillette Mach 3 with a Edwin Jagger Handle

Stainless Steel Bowl Shave Shaving with Badger Brush $39.00 Enjoy your shave once again with this Badger Shaving Brush. Made from real badger hair, this shaving kit includes both the shave brush and a silver shaving bowl. Ideal as an authentic gift for someone very special, or as a classic grooming accessory for yourself. This is a high quality badger hair shaving brush with a silver chrome handle. Only the finest quality materials are used in its construc…

Mach 3 Foldable Razor $11.95 Mach 3 Foldable Razor…

Edwin Jagger 1ej946sds Traditional English Best Badger Hair Shaving Brush Faux Ebony Medium With Drip Stand, Black, Medium $38.99 This brush is from the Traditional English Handmade Shaving Brushes: Best Badger: This is an excellent quality badger hair. It is normally regarded as the benchmark standard of shaving brush manufacturers. The hair is harvested from the majority of the pelt, including the belly. It is generally darker in colour although the colours of individual hairs vary from grey and brown to black. This qualit…

Edwin Jagger 1ej947sds Traditional English Best Badger Hair Shaving Brush Faux Ivory Medium With Drip Stand, Ivory, Medium $38.99 This brush is from the Traditional English Handmade Shaving Brushes: Best Badger: This is an excellent quality badger hair. It is normally regarded as the benchmark standard of shaving brush manufacturers. The hair is harvested from the majority of the pelt, including the belly. It is generally darker in colour although the colours of individual hairs vary from grey and brown to black. This qualit…

Edwin Jagger 99.9% Natural Traditional Shaving Soap Refill – Sandalwood, 2.3-Ounce $7.49 Premium quality shaving soap is lightly scented with soothing, woody and masculine sandalwood. Lather feels rich and velvety and softens the beard for the razor blade and a super close shave. A small amount goes a long way. Specially formulated with organic ingredients….

Edwin Jagger Pure Badger Shaving Shave Brush & Stand This is an excellent quality badger hair. It is normally regarded as the benchmark standard of shaving brush manufacturers. The hair is harvested from the majority of the pelt, including the belly. It is generally darker in colour although the colours of individual hairs vary from grey and brown to black. This quality creates lather far superior to that resulting from the use of a bristle brush….

Edwin Jagger New Technology Medium Synthetic Fibre Bristle Shaving Shave Brush Edwin Jagger Acrylic Handle Synthetic Fibre Bristle Shaving Brush-Brand New Technogy Eco Friendly-No Animal Products Used in the Brush This brush is so soft to the skin feel like no other on the market! Overall Brush is 4″ H and bristles are 2″ of the brush This smart shaving brush was created by Edwin Jagger for Crabtree & Evelyn and has become very popular.The shaving brush is filled with …

Italy’s Omega 100% Synthetic Fiber Shaving Shave Brush Italy’s Omega Plastic Handled Synthetic Bristle Shaving Brush Omega… Italys finest shave products Omega’s high quality shaving brushes provide 100% pure bristles for a clean, close shave. A real treat for your face. The nice plastic handle makes it easy and comfortable to hold. Overall size is 4″ long, bristles extend 2″ from the handle, 2″ wide at the head….

Edwin Jagger Tube Shaving Cream Edwin Jagger places great emphasis on selecting the very best natural ingredients for this natural shaving cream. This product comprises 99.9% natural ingredients, many derived from organically cultivated plants, replacing synthetic substances and mineral oils. Tube size: 2.5 oz. Available in 3 scents: Sandalwood: all skin types woody aroma; subtle, it is a combination of exotic peppery wood and s…