Ode to a Shaving Brush Written by Mike Sandoval Monday, September 13, 2010 The shaving brush is the single biggest factor in achieving an outstanding shave. You can use a safety razor, straight razor, or cartridge razor; lather on soap or shaving cream. However, the one aspect of wet shaving that cannot be overlooked is the use of a shaving brush. This article explains the benefits of shaving brushes and offers some tips on choosing the right brush for your shaving style and your budget. Benefits Badger hair is the ideal material for a shaving brush because of its natural water absorbing capability. The primary goal of the shaving brush is to absorb hot water and then infuse it into the shaving soap or cream. The bristles mix them together to create a dense and cushioning lather needed for a comfortable shave. Attempting to lather a soap or cream by hand without a brush would not accomplish this task and likely result in a thin and runny lather. By swirling the brush across the skin, the brush produces a thicker, richer, more cushioning lather than one can create by hand. Second, when applying the lather to your face, the shaving brush is gently exfoliating your skin and removing dry cells so that your face is healthy and soft. The brush removes any dead skin from your face before shaving so that there is no dry skin to clog the razor and prevent it from gliding smoothly across the skin. In addition, the exfoliation is an important skin care treatment that will help young men with acne, and it will help mature men keep their skin hydrated and soft. Finally, a shaving brush helps to lift and soften the hair so that you can get the closest shave possible. The bristles of the shaving brush lift the whiskers into the thick lather. This suspends the hair away from the skin allowing the blade to cut the hairs close along the skin line. Without the use of a shaving brush, whiskers may lay flat against the skin and will require more shaving passes to expose them and cut them away. 1/2 Ode to a Shaving Brush Written by Mike Sandoval Monday, September 13, 2010 Materials The were Century, allowed became made modern forged of men status the men from finest shaving to visited symbols. shave materials a brush at barber ivory, Members home. goes and silver, for The craftsmanship. back ais of shave; porcelain, market the as aristocracy far however, as crystal, shaving 18th the purchased Century ivory, accessories production or Europe, tortoise expensive of grew where the shell. and folding brushes Up brush shaving straight handles that the brushes were 19th razor Today, range. usually the On shaving mass badger the end produced low brushes hair of the bristles. consumers spectrum, wooden are not For or generally more some plastic can find on brushes handles flaunted the shaving hierarchy exceed filled for brushes status, with of $300 badger boar for but for under they hair the hair, hand-lathed or do $5. see synthetic cover These aaddition, brushes wide bristles. handles price are At and Grades of Badger Brushes Understanding .premium T ips IfHair best likely too on beginner you aopposite gate. much grade brush to are damage brushes, Most pressure new badger that to starter is the wet aend, such hair. can little brush shaving, shaving cause Avoid as more because the the durable high-end brushes you 660 tips don't or 2233. to and his fall brushes have break inexperience. somewhere can to or take invest because hairs a beating. in to Lathering a the they split, premium $30-50 are Vulfix so it's a delicate high-end shaving range manufactures more and appropriate comprising brush new several right brush shaver pure to out learn good with or of is Seasoned grade, collections Proponents Rooney You can size, or that learn veterans Simpsons, with of or hold more shaving brand. large, lot upgrade about For soft since of soaps water example, shaving the those their may performance and shaving really turn brushes shavers do a to excel great denser brushes from of who at selected job Vulfix efficiently enjoy shaving at based generating or shaving brushes Kent, brushes on building atrying number since creams in lather from the lather those with of manufacturers, may off factors, abrands expand a cream. including offer of their soap. such brush hair as Reviews Shaving 101 Brush any shaving and .until Of course, the lathering technique ,with it's possible to create the perfect lather for afor comfortable shave. 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