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A wonderful British shave - fast review Simpsons synthetic brush and cream

Yesterday the mailman graced me with my first synthetic brush, purchased for curiosity as my preferred go-tos are boars and badgers. And also because I’d fallen in love with that gorgeous faux sapphire handle :blush:

Along with the brush even came a branded shave cream that I immediately had to try also.

Superfast first findings: This brush is just plain awesome, extremely soft but with significant backbone, whipped up a perfect lather in no time flat and the application to face was equally fast. Nobody would need another brush than this. The cream is more a croap (which I prefer), very easy to lather and is veeery slick. And great postshave feel. Superb, only thing missing to me is a scent, it is almost scentless which I think that some may prefer but not me. I switch gear almost every day and scent is also an appreciated differentiator. I would love this with menthol or peppermint scent!

Closed out the theme with a classic British razor, one of my absolute favorites - and in conclusion a wonderful mild and efficient shave. Have a great day, fellas!

Gear:
1938 Gillette Aristocrat 1st generation OC w/ brand new Feather blade
Simpson Synthetic
Simpson shave cream
Thayers
Homebrew splash: My “Furaso 50” (50% Furaso Blu, 50% Aqua Velva Ice Blue, a touch of Reuzel for slickness and on top added menthol crystals and eucalyptus oil)
1940s Swedish Swing aftershave bottle

59BEE862-A2F0-48AE-8FF6-233A6A0A9A5E.jpeg
 
EDIT: The correct content of the Furaso 50 is 50% Furbo Blu and 50% Proraso Green! Shouldn’t write anything this early in the morning :bored:
 
R

romsitsa

Interesting brush, thanks for sharing. The wet knot looks pretty similar to a boar.

Adam
 
Great write up Peter. I mostly enjoy badgers and my one boar, but the synthetics really perform well.

I hope Simpson's includes a soap sample with my expected delivery today!
 
Great write up Peter. I mostly enjoy badgers and my one boar, but the synthetics really perform well.

I hope Simpson's includes a soap sample with my expected delivery today!

Thanks!

Hope they do, Thomas, mine was a freebie, that’s what I call enabling customer service. They must have found out that I keep coming back for more :thumbup:
 
CONGRATULATIONS!! :clap: :clap:

Looks like you are doing some great shopping during the ‘social distancing’ these days!!
 
Yesterday the mailman graced me with my first synthetic brush, purchased for curiosity as my preferred go-tos are boars and badgers. And also because I’d fallen in love with that gorgeous faux sapphire handle :blush:

Along with the brush even came a branded shave cream that I immediately had to try also.

Superfast first findings: This brush is just plain awesome, extremely soft but with significant backbone, whipped up a perfect lather in no time flat and the application to face was equally fast. Nobody would need another brush than this. The cream is more a croap (which I prefer), very easy to lather and is veeery slick. And great postshave feel. Superb, only thing missing to me is a scent, it is almost scentless which I think that some may prefer but not me. I switch gear almost every day and scent is also an appreciated differentiator. I would love this with menthol or peppermint scent!

Closed out the theme with a classic British razor, one of my absolute favorites - and in conclusion a wonderful mild and efficient shave. Have a great day, fellas!

Gear:
1938 Gillette Aristocrat 1st generation OC w/ brand new Feather blade
Simpson Synthetic
Simpson shave cream
Thayers
Homebrew splash: My “Furaso 50” (50% Furaso Blu, 50% Aqua Velva Ice Blue, a touch of Reuzel for slickness and on top added menthol crystals and eucalyptus oil)
1940s Swedish Swing aftershave bottle

View attachment 1093372
Which model brush did you get?
 
Which model brush did you get?

Thanks guys!

I got the Duke 3 synthetic, the only synthetic currently on offer with Simpson with the faux sapphire (dark blue) handle.

Well, after 3 uses with 3 different soaps I am blown away by this brush! - Day one was with the Simpson croap and yesterday with Speick soap. So today I thought I would take it up a notch and used my MWF. Again a blow-out in terms of superfast lathering. This brush takes it all.

Tomorrow the ultimate test: I’ll try it on my Meissner Tremonia soap, a soap I have otherwise all but given up on lathering. Challenge accepted!

I have a Chubby1 that I’ve like but I actually find the Duke handle more to my liking, slightly higher which makes the grip a lot better.

For a synthetic this is an expensive brush at 80 GBP however to me it is fully worth the price. And it is still half of what a high quality badger would set you back.

And then there is that handle...:001_wub:
 
Thanks guys!

I got the Duke 3 synthetic, the only synthetic currently on offer with Simpson with the faux sapphire (dark blue) handle.

Well, after 3 uses with 3 different soaps I am blown away by this brush! - Day one was with the Simpson croap and yesterday with Speick soap. So today I thought I would take it up a notch and used my MWF. Again a blow-out in terms of superfast lathering. This brush takes it all.

Tomorrow the ultimate test: I’ll try it on my Meissner Tremonia soap, a soap I have otherwise all but given up on lathering. Challenge accepted!

I have a Chubby1 that I’ve like but I actually find the Duke handle more to my liking, slightly higher which makes the grip a lot better.

For a synthetic this is an expensive brush at 80 GBP however to me it is fully worth the price. And it is still half of what a high quality badger would set you back.

And then there is that handle...:001_wub:
Thanks for the clarification, I thought it was a Duke 3 Sapphire - I have the very same brush and I love it. Yes, it does cost a bit more than other synthetics but you really get your money's worth. Simpsons does a really nice job with the quality of their synthetic bristles. I have gone through several other brands of synthetics but they just didn't work for me, though others like them. That's great, but for me, my money is once-and-done on Simpson synthetics!

I now have three Simpson synthetics that I rotate (Duke 3, and two Chubby 2). I also have several Simpson badgers but they are seeing less and less use these days. Quality synthetics are hard to beat: no funky smell, easy to load, little to no soak time, animal cruelty free, etc. I don't ever see myself purchasing another animal hair brush, though I will keep my current boars and badgers and use them occasionally. I have to admit though, an old school shave, once in a while, with a boar brush is a wonderful thing! :)

I used the Duke 3 synthetic sapphire this morning. Ah, yes, the world continues to rotate...

Peace,
Ike
 
Last edited:
Thanks guys!

I got the Duke 3 synthetic, the only synthetic currently on offer with Simpson with the faux sapphire (dark blue) handle.

Well, after 3 uses with 3 different soaps I am blown away by this brush! - Day one was with the Simpson croap and yesterday with Speick soap. So today I thought I would take it up a notch and used my MWF. Again a blow-out in terms of superfast lathering. This brush takes it all.

Tomorrow the ultimate test: I’ll try it on my Meissner Tremonia soap, a soap I have otherwise all but given up on lathering. Challenge accepted!

I have a Chubby1 that I’ve like but I actually find the Duke handle more to my liking, slightly higher which makes the grip a lot better.

For a synthetic this is an expensive brush at 80 GBP however to me it is fully worth the price. And it is still half of what a high quality badger would set you back.

And then there is that handle...:001_wub:
Here is my thread on my sapphire Duke 3 synthetic: Duke 3 Synthectic in Sapphire! - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/duke-3-synthectic-in-sapphire.580639/

Yes, that sapphire handle is a thing of beauty!
 
Thanks for the clarification, I thought it was a Duke 3 Sapphire - I have the very same brush and I love it. Yes, it does cost a bit more than other synthetics but you really get your money's worth. Simpsons does a really nice job with the quality of their synthetic bristles. I have gone through several other brands of synthetics but they just didn't work for me, though others like them. That's great, but for me, my money is once-and-done on Simpson synthetics!

I now have three Simpson synthetics that I rotate (Duke 3, and two Chubby 2). I also have several Simpson badgers but they are seeing less and less use these days. Quality synthetics are hard to beat: no funky smell, easy to load, little to no soak time, animal cruelty free, etc. I don't ever see myself purchasing another animal hair brush, though I will keep my current boars and badgers and use them occasionally. I have to admit though, an old school shave, once in a while, with a boar brush is a wonderful thing! :)

I used the Duke 3 synthetic sapphire this morning. Ah, yes, the world continues to rotate...

Peace,
Ike

Well spoken sir. Again, we are aligned!

Only thing where we differ though is that I actually emotionally had to convince myself to get a synthetic at all. I love leather, real wood and everything organic so to me I’ve always appreciated the fact that badger or boar came from real life animals. Still this has won me over!
 
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