Shaving Brushes for Creams and soaps.

[madmedic]

I have noticed that wetshavers have a tendency to "move up" in brush quality Boar to pure to best to silvertip. I will confess that I fell into the same trap so I now have a brush collection. However I have found myself moving backwards in quality with regard to what I actually use. I realise that lathering technique plays a big part in this. I for one prefer to lather on my face, and I only use a bowl for some of my creams. I have found that I prefer boar or pure badger for soaps, and only use the higher grades with creams. I get better shaves with soaps.....so I have to ask.....is this due to a difference in lather....or my brush choice?

[Scorpio]

I think brush quality plays big part. I mostly shave with creams so out of my 3 brushes 2 have soft bristles,a super and a silvertip, which I think facilitates lathering with creams. I also have a best whose bristles are stiffer. This brush can be use with both creams and soaps. When I use soaps this is the brush I use and it works very well.

Raf

[PalmettoB]

I think a pure badger is better with soaps. I have a T&H one that is sorta scrubby, and a small Taylor's brush that is a bit scrubby also. I have a super badger Vulfix that seems to work well with either, but goes better with creams.

There are a lot of variables with a lather mix. But the "scrubbier" brushes do seem to pick up the soaps better, whether you lather on your face, or in a bowl. I think that might be because more of the soap stays on the tips of a stiffer, scrubbier brush, whereas a lot of it goes down inside the core of a floppier brush, where it doesn't do you much good. And with soaps, you have to swirl around some to get up a bit of the product, but creams will "immerse" your brush right off. Is that making any sense?

As always, YMMV.

[PottyDoctor]

I like to lather direct from the soap tub onto my face when using soaps. I've tried my Savile Row 3120 Silvertip and my C&E Best during the same shave, using the same soap, and it is clearly evident that the C&E Best produces more lather in a shorter time than the SR Silvertip. I actually prefer the feel of the SR on my face, but I still use the C&E much of the time with soaps, simply because it is much more efficient at producing the thick, rich soap lather that I love.

[TraderJoe]

I have noticed that, for me - floppier and/or softer brushes work better with creams, and firmer and/or denser brushes work better with soaps.......in general, and with a few exceptions:

1) The SR 3xxx range works extremely well with no matter what you are using
2) Olivia Creams lather best with a Boar

:whacky098

[Mottern Man]

I have noticed that, for me - floppier and/or softer brushes work better with creams, and firmer and/or denser brushes work better with soaps.......in general, and with a few exceptions:

1) The SR 3xxx range works extremely well with no matter what you are using
2) Olivia Creams lather best with a Boar

:whacky098

I can totaly agree with number 2. Olivia's will just not take a badger.

[crackstar]

well, some badger brushes work well on Olivia's creams, at least with my badger brushes. I find an Edwin Jagger best badger is fine with the Olivia creams I had.

Jeff

[Stubble]

I've used a Omega boar brush for years, and found it really worked well. But, I'm a soap guy, just don't like creams. So, the boar always worked well, and actually think the stiffer bristles put more air into the lather. Recently bought a EJ Best, and it also seems to work well on soaps. But, I think the boar is better, especially after the brush has been used for a couple of months. It will get very soft, yet still have enough scrubbness to it.

[Jay_Panda]

What are your guys experience in Synthetic. Im a noob and im looking at getting one. Advice?

[sparky5693]

While I haven't used a synthetic myself, I hear lots of good thing about the omega Sintetico, and Syntex brushes.

[mastermute]

Welcome Jay_Panda!

[PalmettoB]

Jay_Panda, there is also this (http://www.men-uusa.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=30) brush from men-u. I haven't tried it, but it is another option you might look at. Probably similar to Omega's.

[Padron]

Jay_Panda, you can always PM Bjorn (http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showpost.php?p=76912&postcount=15), he is pretty knowledgeable with synthetic brushes :D

[DragonBoy]

What are your guys experience in Synthetic. Im a noob and im looking at getting one. Advice?

I have an Omega Syntex and only have good things to say about it.. It creates good lather and is very useable.. It has a "strange" feel when lathering compared to a badger..

I do on the other hand also have a "The Body Shop Shaving Brush" which also is synthetic - that one is very, very bad..

As far as my experiences with synthetics go...

Syntex - Good.. Body shop - BAD!

Hope this helps..

[soopercat]

I have one of each synthetic, boar, badger..silvertip..., and find that stiffer brush's work great with soaps and softer/floppy work best with creams. The only caveat to that is I also shave my head and prefer a stiffer brush for all round shaving than the floppy badger-silvertip.

kind regards

[bjrn]

Jay_Panda, you can always PM Bjorn (http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showpost.php?p=76912&postcount=15), he is pretty knowledgeable with synthetic brushes :DI'll gladly try to answer any questions about synthetic brushes anyone else might have as well. :)


The Body Shop brush is a bit interesting, I personally kind of like it (not my favourite though). It's definitely an experience very different from a badger brush, and I think that might be putting people off. It seems like those who don't like the Body Shop brush really don't like it.

[Gurthang]

"1) The SR 3xxx range works extremely well with no matter what you are using"

Absolutely correct. You can't go wrong with any SR3xxx.

[Htownmmm]

For face lathering, I follow the herd(boar and pure) and stay with the herd when using creams(finest and silvertip). In fact, I only use a bowl with creams-soaps go directly to the 'grill'.:D


marty