Is that really necessary such a shaving brush? To make your own shaving foam from a shaving soap or shaving cream , you do indeed need a shaving brush . Such a shaving cream ensures that your beard hairs absorb moisture and become softer. They also stand up more, making the hair easier to shave. The foam ensures that there is a protective layer on the skin, making it easier for the knife to slide over the skin. Together, this results in a better shaving result. Shaving brushes feel very comfortable and distribute the moisture and foam well between the beard hairs.
Hairs used in a shaving brush
The hairs used in a shaving brush can be divided into three types:
- Pig bristles
- Synthetic hair
- Badger hair
These are generally the three most important types of hair used for shaving brushes. Pig bristles are the cheapest and badger hair the most expensive. The difference is mainly in the softness and thickness of the hair and how much moisture the hair retains. The amount of moisture affects how rich the foam is that you whip with a shaving brush.
Pig bristle shaving brushes
Shaving brushes with boar bristles are a lot cheaper than badger hair. In terms of price, a lot cheaper than other brushes. Pig hairs are a lot stronger, thicker and harder than badger hairs. It gives a harder feeling with shaving, but it absorbs hard shaving soap more easily because the hairs are a lot harder. Some men just like those hard massaging movements. After frequent use of the shaving brush, the bristles will become a bit softer because the points split. The boar bristles hold enough moisture to make a rich lather. The brushes are often yellow to white and available for an affordable price.
Synthetic hair shaving brushes
If you do not want to use animal products, you can use a shaving brush with synthetic bristles. These shaving brushes are between badger hair and boar bristle in terms of price, but nowadays have the same softness as that of badger hair. They retain enough moisture for a good shaving cream. Another advantage is that the hair dries faster, which is convenient when you are traveling. The synthetic bristles are ideal for people with acne or allergies because of the hygiene of the brush.
The Plisssoft bristles from RazoRock are the best synthetic brushes at the moment in terms of price/quality.
Badger hair shaving brushes
Badger hairs are generally the most popular among wet shaving men. The bristles hold a lot of moisture so that a rich foam can easily be made and are incredibly soft. This makes shaving very comfortable and the brushes also last a very long time. The hairs are more difficult to obtain and therefore a lot more expensive than pig hairs and synthetic hairs. Badger hairs can be divided into different categories.
Silver tip
The Silvertip is of the best quality badger hair. The selection of these hairs is very strict and only a small number of hairs of the badger meet this quality. The silvertip owes its name to the white tips of the hairs. These badger hairs give the most comfortable shaving result thanks to the softness of the bristles and the great ability to retain moisture. Shop a Silvertip at, for example, Mühle or Merkur !
Super Badger
Top quality bristles that are slightly thicker than the silver tip. The hair comes from the badger's back. Shop a Super Badger at Simpsons or Taylor or Old Bond Street !
Dear Badger
From the belly of the badger and still top quality. Slightly thicker than the hairs of the super badger and the silvertip. Also produces a rich lather. Shop a Best Badger at, for example , Captain Fawcett or NOM !
Tips for shaving brushes
Pig bristle
The goodfellas' Smile - The Wild Hog
Synthetic hair
The shaving brushes from RazoRock
Rockwell Synthetic Shave Brush
badger hair