Boar brush recommendations for face lathering

[Paulford]

I’ve found that my girlfriend’s clarifying shampoo is great for restoring brushes. Clarifying shampoo is for removing shampoo/conditioner residue from hair. I follow that up with a 1 minute soak in 50/50 white vinegar solution.

I have a hair brained theory, that dying brushes bristles up, causes them the wick back from the knot and that includes any yucky stuff that’s built up in there.

 

[Leverspro]

I've found when trying to face lather that unbleached hold water better and don't fling lather around.

 

[vsp]

Haven't read every reply to the OP question, but I always recommend the Omega 10051 and the Omega 40033 for face latherers (the other bigger brushes are excellent face lathering brushes too, but these smaller ones are an excellent introduction to the genre)

 

[Rivers23]

My recommendation would be to go with a brush with a short loft. I got the Proraso brush, used it for a month, it eats copious amounts of lather and feels like a wet mop on the face. I used a Wilkinson Sword premium boar brush for about 10 months and it was much much better.

 

[alin]

Yaqi 24 mm boar brush. Excelent brush.

 

[Frank Shaves]

I will add on to what I said earlier about the Semogue Mistura brushes.

The Semogue SOC boar, 1250 and 1800 are all great face latherers. For those who prefer the bristles on the Omega boars, you should try the 1800* which is tad softer than the 1250 and has more of what I will call that Omega feel.

The quality of the Semogue brushes is just so excellent, but you need to find the right one for your face.

*Or the 620 or the Toga-C3 - same knot.

 

[MostaccioMan]

If you can get over the initial break-in period, big boar brushes can be really worth your while for face lathering and lather retention. I've got a Goodfellas Smile King Hog, which has a ridiculous 70mm loft. It's seen a year of use and while the bristles are soft, it's still got a heck of a backbone, so it doesn't splay as much as a smaller Semogue.

It took me a good month or so to break it in, but now it holds so much lather I can re-lather with my eyes closed. It also eats a lot of soap and water, but if that's not a worry, a big brush like the Omega 48 is really good for face lathering.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Others

• Any Zenith with a nominal loft of 57 mm or lower.
• Any unbanded Mondial.
• Proraso Pro (by Omega).
• Omega Mighty Midget.

In my opinion as a face latherer all these are great, but nothing beats the unbleached brushes pictured or a broken in Proraso Pro or a broken in Mighty Midget.

Unbleached brushes take some time to break in. Bleached boars are soft from the get-go but still break in some over time.

The white handled unbleached Zenith pictured is "too tall" in its loft but that doesn't matter in this brush. It's a great brush and very inexpensive.

The Jade is #1 on my list.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Ron R]

These boar brushes work real well when they are broke in nicely, I personally like boar brushes & also my synthetic & badger brushes. Hard to beat a well broke in boar brush that has lots of split end bristle hairs that give brush tips that softness.
(L) Yaqi 24mm Viper boar.............................Yaqi 24mm orbital ring boar....................Omega 22mm 10005 boar...............

Have some great shaves!

 

[Bengal Tiger]

I didn't see this suggested yet. If you go through boar brushes fast, you could always set the knot yourself. Find a good handle you like then find boar knots that are the size you like. Then you can adjust the loft to your preference. If you set it with silicone, it's easy to remove when it's time to put in a new knot.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Another good one. This is the taller of the coppers imported by the Gentle Shave (eBay vendor).

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Akke]

Meny good ones out there, if you want bacbone, so go for 50mm loft, if you want more softer so pick upp some higher mm loft.

Whatever you choose is good when it is broken in. They all works, there is jus little differences in terms of preferences. Some prefer stiffer some more floppy.

 

[Dominic]

I have experience with one boar brush, the Omega 31064. I’ve had it for ten years and still use it. So I can’t say I’ve tried many and can say what’s better than what. I’m very happy with this one. Just used it today, in fact.

 

[Marcus52]

If the 10049 is a too big, think about the 10029, the "Baby Pro". I just got one to use as a face lathering brush, and the size seems good for me, and that use.