Sly Bald Guys Forum
Head Shaving, Grooming & Care => Head Shaving => Topic started by: Daven on June 19, 2013, 04:12:53 PM
-
I see that many people use a brush to apply their shaving lotion. What is the advantage to using a brush instead of just using your hand?
-
Well besides the fact that it feels great!!!........... a brush is a natural exfoliator and you will use less product with a brush. Additionally you get a nice even layer of your shaving cream, soap, etc. with a brush.
-
I see that many people use a brush to apply their shaving lotion. What is the advantage to using a brush instead of just using your hand?
Hi Daven: All I gotta say is that a shaving brush will boost up your face and head shaving routine big time. I always use a shaving brush when I use my shave soaps or creams. It generates thick lather and consistent lather that will provide excellent protection when you shave.
Most especially if you use quality shave soap such as Mike's Natural Soaps, Cella, RazoRock, Mystic Water Soap. Or shaving creams such as Taylor of Old Bond Street, AoS, or Nancy Boy.
Here is a link on more information. You might also want to check out www.badgerandblade.com. It is an excellent site for the wet shaving community.
http://www.getholistichealth.com/2698/why-use-a-shaving-brush/
WARHAWK O0
-
I'll second both of Mike's point. I've found that I use much less product when I use a brush. I usually have enough left ton my brush after head shaving that I can use it to shave my face.
-
I use a brush because I can lather up the head slick/shave secret combo nicely. Then re-apply, then re-apply if I want. Just add a dab more water to the brush. i.e. spreads the shave cream out further without having to get more out of the dispenser.
I think the lather goes further with a brush. And it does feel good.
-
All of the below!!!
-
I agree with all of the posts above.....but ever since using a brush, I get a BBS shave that lasts 36 hours or more depending on what razor I use....Most importantly, I think I have nicked myself only once since using a shaving brush....Further, it's harder to miss spots with a brush as opposed to a hand...my 0.02
-
You guys sold me! Just ordered a brush and soap based on the recommendations here and your glowing reviews
-
Been using both boar and badger brushes for some years now. There's nothing quite like the results you get. Even an inexpensive brush will give you a new shaving experience. I highly recommend using one.
-
Question. What price would you guys say is reasonable to pay for a brush? I went to the Art of Shaving website (we have a store near my home) and saw prices from $50 bucks up to several hundred bucks! YIKES! I then busted out the Google Fu and saw badger brushes starting at around $13 bucks.
-
I only started to use a brush when I shaved my head and now use it for around my beard. Wouldn't do it any other way now. Mine was a very cheap brush.
-
Question. What price would you guys say is reasonable to pay for a brush? I went to the Art of Shaving website (we have a store near my home) and saw prices from $50 bucks up to several hundred bucks! YIKES! I then busted out the Google Fu and saw badger brushes starting at around $13 bucks.
I went into an Art of Shaving store recently and ran right out of that after seeing that a "royal" shave was $55!
-
Art of Shaving is an enigma to me. Does any man REALLY need a $200 silver handle for his Gillette razor?
The best brush I bought was a $9 boar with a plastic handle from a grocery store. It has firm but not prickly bristles that feel good on the skin. My kids gave me a much more expensive, wood-handled badger for Fathers' Day. I use it because of them, but keep the boar close by.
-
After I posted my question above I did some more searching on the forum.
I think the phrase I'm looking for is that "The Art of Shaving store is whack, yo." :/O
-
I bought a Vulfix brush from italianbarber.com a while back. I think it was about $22.... and it's very nice.
-
I agree with all the above comments. A good shaving brush is a must. It does a great job of spreading the shaving lather all over the head. It is very refreshing on the head and face as well. i highly recommend using a brush. It does not to be an expensive one.
-
Once you start using one, the real question becomes why wouldn't you use a brush?
Don't go for an expensive brush, all brushes shed no matter how much you pay for them so pick a price range you're comfortable with. I suggest getting cheap to midrange badger and boar brushes to determine which type you prefer.
-
Well, I stopped by the local Bed, Bath & Beyond and picked up a Van Der Hagen boar brush for $6.50 and a Van Der Hagen shave bowl & soap set for another $6.00. That a starting price point that I can live with.
-
Hi Roger: Congrats on getting a shave brush. It will definitely improve your shaves. Keep us posted on your progress. How are your DE shaves?
WARHAWK O0
-
No DE shaves for me. I'm not man enough for that. Maybe someday but not right now.
Not to sidetrack this thread but I bought a headblade ATX, a Conair Conehead, a Panasonic Arc Shaver, a Skull Shaver and some Shick Xtreme 3's trying to figure out what I was coordinated enough to use. I've returned all of the electrically powered devices and tossed the headblade. Right now my weapon of choice is the Shick Xtreme 3's and the brush that I will be bringing to battle tomorrow morning.
-
Okay, I busted out the youtube last night before I went to bed and watched a couple of videos about using the shave brush and this morning I busted my shave brush cherry. What was funny was that one series of videos that I watched actually used the same Van Der Hagen shave bowl, soap and brush that I purchased.
I gotta say that I get it. Although I'm sure I didn't use it the way most of you do, I get it, even after only one use. The brush just adds a new dimension to the head shaving experience and although I want to get my shave over and done with as quickly as possible, I enjoyed using the brush and would recommend giving it a try.
Now, as to my shaving routine, I used the brush to lather my head in sections so that I could use my free hand to pull the skin taught while I shaved the lathered section. My right hand is my dominant hand. I first lathered and shaved the right side of my head. Second I lathered and shaved the back right of my head. Third was the back left of my head. Fourth was the left side of my head and lastly was the top of the head. After the shave, I was rocking an awesome baby butt and only had one small strip on the back top of the head to touch up. I shave against the grain.
Full routine:
hop in the shower
shampoo
exfoliate with apricot scrub
finish shower
shave the melon in 5 sections
Refrigerated witch hazel on the melon (damn that feels good)
Total time: 30 minutes
-
Roger - I never thought of lathering my head in sections. Also like the refrigerated witch hazel idea. I wonder if it would freeze in the freezer. I could keep it next to my vodka! I like using a brush, but only use it when I have time.
-
I think it was Warhawk that mentioned the refrigerated witch hazel. Feels damn nice after a hot shower and a shave.
-
Just make sure to suspend your brush upside down after rinsing it. If you didn't buy a stand for it, you can Macguyver a way to hang it with yarn a leather chord or two twist ties. Basically put enough around the base of the brush and create a loop to hang it. I still would recommend getting a stand but in a pinch, making a way to hang it will do.
-
I have a couple of old plastic canning cups that I don't use and cut one of those up to use until I get off my lazy ass and run down to the store to buy a stand.
-
Hmmmmmmmmmm.... Must think about getting a brush set now after reading this thread. :-\
-
Need a decent stand myself
-
Need a decent stand myself
Much like the brushes, the price range for stands run from cheap to "what the hell are they smoking?"
I'll be getting something from the cheap end of the scale.
-
Yea, i will prob get a plastic stand
-
Cheap? Try 2 nails in the wall above the sink ;D
-
Cheap? Try 2 nails in the wall above the sink ;D
That'll work. I was thinking of getting a couple of small, round magnets. Glue one to the end of the brush and one under the medicine cabinet.
-
Somewhere I read some guy's post describing putting a wood screw in the handle of the brush and hanging it from the bottom of the medicine cabinet with a magnet.
I paid all of $4.50 for a plastic brush stand that has an adhesive to stick it onto the wall of my medicine cabinet. The mug fits nicely just under it.
-
I tried a badger brush, and I ended up being allergic to the badger hairs and broke out in hives and had to shave over them. It turned into a massacre on my face. Healing ointments, benadryl, and a nap fixed it though!
However, I don't feel they are necessary. I've done all the recommended steps to prevent razorburn and it still never goes away. My neck always has it kinda bad when I'm done shaving but I just don't let it bother me. Goes away by the end of the day by about 70%. But to think the brush will make the shave closer is something I don't buy into. Even if people *swear* by it. To each his/her own though.
-
I agree with everyone else on why use a brush. For me, it also makes my shave experience more pleasant and personal.
I also use a boar brush I paid around $10-20 (est) at Christmas Tree Shops. I almost went to get my yes checked after reading AoS's prices for badger brushes on their website. The boar works fine for me. I stand it on my bathroom shelf and let it air out.
Happy shaving!
-
Not much to add....a brush is a must if using a soap or cream, my first brush was £5 my brother in law gave me a £50 one....not much difference...both apply the lather...both shed....whatever you spend...its a win win
-
My whole life my grandaddy used a DE (69 Gillette black beauty) soap and brush, and would then splash on aqua velva, pinaud clubman, and if he was taking grandma out he would use the old spice original..I would watch him when I was little amazed at his routine, since my dad just used the can stuff and scraped it off ...he passed away when I was 21and I asked my grandma a few months later what she was going to do with his shave set,I put his brush and mug away cleaned the Gillette back up and got some blades...so when I shave with my set sometimes I will break out his razor and one of the aftershave brands he used and it's like having a little part of him with me through out that day, especially with the aftershave smelling like he always did..so that got me into traditional shaving and from there it just grew and I was amazed at how much better it felt to use the brush, and a nice heavy DE feels like a tool in your hand it just makes shaving fell more manly....although I don't use the DE on my head because the first time on my face was like shaving with a chainsaw as I didn't know about holding it at an angle etc.
-
wow, I just ran across this thread and now I'm motivated to try the brush. But as a real beginner, I think I need to get the basics down first. My first bottle of Head Slick just arrived today to replace the Gillette gel I bought when I got my razor. Maybe start as a weekend thing. Great thread though guys.
-
Djones.... That's an awesome story about your Grandfather and how you flash back to him when you use his DE. Pinaud is my daily after shave. I love that stuff and it's about the best bargain out there.
-
Hey DC.... a good badger brush doesn't have to be expensive\. I have a VERY nice Vulfix brush that cost about $25. It rocks.
Guys remember....... never store you brush resting on the flat part of the handle with the bristles pointing up. The water in the brush can gather in the handle/knot area and deteriorate your brush. Always hang the brush with the bristles pointing down to dry if possible.
-
I have a Semoque 2,000 it's pretty awesome. I also have a cheap Tweezerman badger brush that's okay but sheds bristles like it's a fire sale.
Awesome story DJ.
Drew, that sucks you had a bad experience with the brush you tried.