Item Description
Price: Picked up for a steal from Lee at LeesRazors.com. He even threw in the travel tube. Very, very pleased with the price. (I got it considerably cheaper than the ~$50 list, but it was an unpublished price, so you'll have to ask Lee for the same deal personally)
Quality: I docked the brush 2 points for losing the damn label after being used 3 times (and during this review!). The gold label that says "Simpsons - Made in England - Sterilized" appears stuck on in a fashion similar to how you put decals on a plastic model kit as a kid. Underneath, it says Simpson in bold letters similar to the ones in which the style and badger grade are stamped. Here's hoping that hangs around for a little while. Regardless, I don't mind how it looks without the little label, in fact, I kind of like it. I'd have bought it anyway. And there's another label on the travel tube. Otherwise, the brush screams quality, as you'd expect with the acclaimed Simpson line.
Density: This is a really small brush, as you can see. I don't know how they packed so much badger in such a small space. The density feels great, but it doesn't really "bloom." See the pics for a comparison with my other C&E best badger. The higher density is obvious.
Stiffness/Softness: This brush is stiff and soft in all the right places. I find it a little stiff towards the center, and nice and soft on the periphery. Just how I like it. Not floppy, of course, because the loft is so short, but a great balance between soft enough to feel a tad luxurious (even for a small brush), and stiff enough to massage your face and provide a little exfoliation with your lather.
Ergonomics: Eh, it's a small brush. And if you hold your brush like I do, the label will probably come off because that's where your fingers are. The ridge and ribs toward the bottom provide a nice placement guide for a curled ring or middle finger. Otherwise, this brush has all the pros and cons of a small brush. The weight feels great -- very solid and well-balanced.
Latherability: But this little sucker lathers like a hog. I wanted a small brush to use as a travel unit, as well as something small enough I could use for lathering directly in my small Moss Scuttle. See the pics for how well the brush fits, and how much room you get to swirl it around. People complain about how difficult it is to really get a good lather in the large Moss Scuttle, but I did quite well in the small version with my Case mini monster. The cream used in the photographs is Taylor's Almond, and as you can see, the brush sucks it up like a champ with plenty left to spare. It only took one test drive with the Case to alleviate my concerns about the lather. You also get the clear advantage of enhanced maneuverability and exfoliation once you bring it to your face.
Verdict: Charming little brush for home and travel.
Vitals:
Label: Simpson - Made in England - Sterilized (for when it stays on)
Stamping: Case, Best Badger ("Simpson" in large block slant underneath label)
Size:
Overall height: 8.4cm
Height of handle: 4.2cm
Width of handle: 3.1cm (base), 2.7 cm (narrow spot), 3.0cm (thick spot towards knot)
Width of bristles at base (knot): 1.8cm
Height of bristles: 4.2cm
Width of "bloomed" bristles: 5.5cm
Photos:
Next to the C&E Best Badger and my last paycheck
Top view of bristles (left, Simpson Case, Right C&E Best Badger)
Comparison (Left, Simpson Case; Right, C&E Best Badger)
A badger in the hand is worth two in the bush
Wet badger I
Wet Badger II
Simpson Case in empty small Moss Scuttle
~20 swirls in the scuttle after adding some Taylor's Almond
Taylor's all good-and-ready, lathered only in the scuttle
Loaded brush. The beginnings of label loss is evident.
Top of the loaded brush, and the scuttled leftovers
Squeeze your badger!
Bloomed brush, immediately after use and label loss, next to the handy travel tube
Quality: I docked the brush 2 points for losing the damn label after being used 3 times (and during this review!). The gold label that says "Simpsons - Made in England - Sterilized" appears stuck on in a fashion similar to how you put decals on a plastic model kit as a kid. Underneath, it says Simpson in bold letters similar to the ones in which the style and badger grade are stamped. Here's hoping that hangs around for a little while. Regardless, I don't mind how it looks without the little label, in fact, I kind of like it. I'd have bought it anyway. And there's another label on the travel tube. Otherwise, the brush screams quality, as you'd expect with the acclaimed Simpson line.
Density: This is a really small brush, as you can see. I don't know how they packed so much badger in such a small space. The density feels great, but it doesn't really "bloom." See the pics for a comparison with my other C&E best badger. The higher density is obvious.
Stiffness/Softness: This brush is stiff and soft in all the right places. I find it a little stiff towards the center, and nice and soft on the periphery. Just how I like it. Not floppy, of course, because the loft is so short, but a great balance between soft enough to feel a tad luxurious (even for a small brush), and stiff enough to massage your face and provide a little exfoliation with your lather.
Ergonomics: Eh, it's a small brush. And if you hold your brush like I do, the label will probably come off because that's where your fingers are. The ridge and ribs toward the bottom provide a nice placement guide for a curled ring or middle finger. Otherwise, this brush has all the pros and cons of a small brush. The weight feels great -- very solid and well-balanced.
Latherability: But this little sucker lathers like a hog. I wanted a small brush to use as a travel unit, as well as something small enough I could use for lathering directly in my small Moss Scuttle. See the pics for how well the brush fits, and how much room you get to swirl it around. People complain about how difficult it is to really get a good lather in the large Moss Scuttle, but I did quite well in the small version with my Case mini monster. The cream used in the photographs is Taylor's Almond, and as you can see, the brush sucks it up like a champ with plenty left to spare. It only took one test drive with the Case to alleviate my concerns about the lather. You also get the clear advantage of enhanced maneuverability and exfoliation once you bring it to your face.
Verdict: Charming little brush for home and travel.
Vitals:
Label: Simpson - Made in England - Sterilized (for when it stays on)
Stamping: Case, Best Badger ("Simpson" in large block slant underneath label)
Size:
Overall height: 8.4cm
Height of handle: 4.2cm
Width of handle: 3.1cm (base), 2.7 cm (narrow spot), 3.0cm (thick spot towards knot)
Width of bristles at base (knot): 1.8cm
Height of bristles: 4.2cm
Width of "bloomed" bristles: 5.5cm
Photos:
Next to the C&E Best Badger and my last paycheck
Top view of bristles (left, Simpson Case, Right C&E Best Badger)
Comparison (Left, Simpson Case; Right, C&E Best Badger)
A badger in the hand is worth two in the bush
Wet badger I
Wet Badger II
Simpson Case in empty small Moss Scuttle
~20 swirls in the scuttle after adding some Taylor's Almond
Taylor's all good-and-ready, lathered only in the scuttle
Loaded brush. The beginnings of label loss is evident.
Top of the loaded brush, and the scuttled leftovers
Squeeze your badger!
Bloomed brush, immediately after use and label loss, next to the handy travel tube
