Choosing a shaving brush

Shaving brushes make a big difference to the quality of your shave. But how do you go about choosing a shaving brush?

Top things to look for when choosing a shaving brush: Bristles

The main event of the shaving brush is the bristles. You’ve got plenty of choice here, from the rugged boar hair, the softest badger hair and horsehair somewhere in between. Don’t discount synthetics either! They are better than ever and cruelty-free.

Badger hair bristles are the most common for shaving brushes, especially for men that are just starting out. Within badger hair there are four different types:

• Pure badger
• Best badger
• Super badger
• Silver tip – the softest bristles

A good synthetic shaving brush can be indistinguishable from a badger brush. Out of concern for animal cruelty and unethical practices a lot of people choose synthetic bristles instead. They also tend to be cheaper and longer lasting than animal hair brushes.

Boar bristles are tough and vigorous. They get the soap into a good lather but can feel a bit too coarse for many people.

Horsehair isn’t so popular nowadays. It is softer than boar hair but tougher than badger.

Shaving brush handles

Brushes differ by their “loft” – the length of the brushes – and the “knot” – the diameter. This affects the size and shape of the handle. This is mostly a matter of personal preference. The handle should be easy to hold and maneuver. It should feel good in your hand.

The handles are made out of various materials, commonly horn, wood, metal or synthetic.

Shaving brush prices

Prices for a shaving brush can range from a few pounds to the hundreds. A silver tip badger brush will command the highest prices as a high luxury item. But you don’t have to shell out over a hundred pounds to get a great shaving experience.

A synthetic shaving brush from Clear Confidence combines a great price with quality and durability.