All shaving brushes form a vital part of a shaving kit. They enable the hairs to stand up making it easier for a clean close shave. There are four main types depending on the material of the bristles: the badger hair, the horse hair, boar and synthetic hair:
Badger hair brushes – They have the ability to absorb a lot of water as they whip up a lot of hot water, soap and shaving cream into a beautiful lather that gives a fantastic shave. They gently exfoliate the skin and cleanse it too through the tips of the bristles. They come in different textures of softness.
Boar or hog hair brushes – Also called pure bristle, and are known to be coarse and stiff. They go well with triple milled shaving soaps.
Horse hair brushes – These are actually genuine horse tail hair. They are neither soft nor hard and are popular in the Middle East.
Synthetic hair brushes – Do not retain water but are good with shaving soaps. They are the cheapest of the brushes.
Brush handles play an interesting role in the decision making of purchasing a brush. They come in various materials: metal, wood and synthetic. In the past, you could get handles in ivory, crystal, horn, precious metals and bejeweled. Thus, handles made statements that lured buyers. Today’s handles are more synthetic and come in fascinating designs too. The wood handle’s durability may be affected by water causing them to split halfway. This can be avoided by letting the brush dry completely in a bristle down position. Below are the tips on how to take care of the brushes.
The best are badger brushes and caring for them gives them a long lifespan. To do so, you can follow the following suggestions:
1. Select the kind of badger brush you want; it may be pure badger and the fur is from the neck and shoulders of the badger. It is very dark and coarse. The grey badger is taken from the tail and is lighter while the premium badger is taken from the back and has fine tips.
2. Wash the brush gently in soapy water before using it.
3. Allow it to dry thoroughly with the bristles facing down. Damp bristles can damage the brush.
4. Before using it, wet it first, then work up the lather then use it.
5. When done shaving, rinse it well and allow it to dry thoroughly.