by James Gallichio
Shaving brushes are an important part of the shaving process. Sure, you could just slather your shaving creme onto your face with your hands, but this does not produce a nice lather and can rub much of the creme into your face – which is not good news if you have sensitive skin.
It’s preferable to have a nice lather on your face for two reasons. One, it makes shaving a much more comfortable and enjoyable affair, as the fluffy foam feels great against your skin. Second, it gives an easy visual cue as to where you’ve shaved and where you haven’t.
Shaving brushes are used to form the creme into a lather, which is then applied evenly to your face. The bristles are made from hair fibres that absorb water, rather than repel it. There are three main types of shaving brush:
- Synthetic: Synthetic brushes attempt replicate the properties of Boar and Badger hair brushes in an animal-friendly manner. They create similar results to natural fibres, but vary dramatically in quality.
- Boar Hair: Generally the cheapest of the brush fibres, boar hair shaving brushes absorb less water than badger and synthetic hair fibres. They do, however, have a nice firm feel to them and are recommended when using shaving soaps.
- Badger Hair: The top-of-the-line shaving brushes are made from badger hair, which absorbs an extraordinary amount of water and produces the fullest, cremiest lather. Aside from being the most luxurious shaving brushes available, badger hair brushes are also the most expensive.
Choose a quality brush that suits your needs and budget, pair it with a good creme, soak it in water before using and swirl the creme around in a bowl until a fluffy, marshmallow-esque lather is formed. You will be well on your way to shaving like a man.
Questions? Ideas? Comments? Join in the discussion on the Harrison Fjord Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter.