Boar user has questions about badger B&B Essential

[Slade xTekno]

Since switching from a clipped pure bristle badger brush, I have been a boar fan for quite some time. I like working lather into my face, and I used Tabac shave soap exclusively. I then started venturing into creams, first with Speick, then a Godrej haul at an Indian supermarket. One drawback of boar is that it takes longer to lather creams with, so I wanted something faster.

Enter the B&B Essential. I read that it was a great deal and was on par with more expensive brushes, so I decided it would be my first "good" badger brush. I contributed and bought it, and after waiting two weeks for it to ship, it finally arrived in the mail last week, so I played with it for a bit.

This thing lathers like a champ. It whips it up quickly, and holds a lot more than my smaller Vulfix 2233 boar. However, it feels "prickly" on my face, and that's after I soaked it in warm water for five minutes. Even before it was broken in, my boar brush was never prickly after soaking.

So yeah, does badger have a break-in period?
Do I have to use a different technique? I found that wringing the bristles for the thick lather before painting onto my face works, but I'd like to be able to work it into my face without discomfort.

 

[richmondesi]

Since switching from a clipped pure bristle badger brush, I have been a boar fan for quite some time. I like working lather into my face, and I used Tabac shave soap exclusively. I then started venturing into creams, first with Speick, then a Godrej haul at an Indian supermarket. One drawback of boar is that it takes longer to lather creams with, so I wanted something faster.

Enter the B&B Essential. I read that it was a great deal and was on par with more expensive brushes, so I decided it would be my first "good" badger brush. I contributed and bought it, and after waiting two weeks for it to ship, it finally arrived in the mail last week, so I played with it for a bit.

This thing lathers like a champ. It whips it up quickly, and holds a lot more than my smaller Vulfix 2233 boar. However, it feels "prickly" on my face, and that's after I soaked it in warm water for five minutes. Even before it was broken in, my boar brush was never prickly after soaking.

So yeah, does badger have a break-in period?
Do I have to use a different technique? I found that wringing the bristles for the thick lather before painting onto my face works, but I'd like to be able to work it into my face without discomfort.

That is strange that you are experiencing more of a prickly sensation from the badger. If you didn't already use the other badger, I'd almost say that you might have an allergy to badger. There is a bit of a break in period, but it shouldn't be painful.

 

[Slade xTekno]

That is strange that you are experiencing more of a prickly sensation from the badger. If you didn't already use the other badger, I'd almost say that you might have an allergy to badger. There is a bit of a break in period, but it shouldn't be painful.

I don't believe it is allergies, as there is no reaction; my skin isn't more red than when I use my boar, and it isn't more irritated after the shave. Plus, animal allergies are due to dander, saliva, and urine, not hair. I cleaned the brush using the instructions shown here before using it for the first time, so it should have been free of all of those.

It's not painful, but it's still noticeable. Is it wrong for a boar to be softer?

 

[Ignatius]

After using a brush as soft as a Vulfix boar, almost any badger brush, even the softest silvertips, will feel prickly. Well used boar brushes are softer at the tips than badger brushes. The Vulfix especially.

 

[gollum83]

After using a brush as soft as a Vulfix boar, almost any badger brush, even the softest silvertips, will feel prickly. Well used boar brushes are softer at the tips than badger brushes. The Vulfix especially.

True, but I was under the impression that the tips on a clipped boar brush will not be a soft as an unclipped brush. This wrong?

 

[richmondesi]

I don't believe it is allergies, as there is no reaction; my skin isn't more red than when I use my boar, and it isn't more irritated after the shave. Plus, animal allergies are due to dander, saliva, and urine, not hair. I cleaned the brush using the instructions shown here before using it for the first time, so it should have been free of all of those.

It's not painful, but it's still noticeable. Is it wrong for a boar to be softer?

No there's nothing wrong with it. It is just unusual from my experience. BTW, this quote

We have vegan synthetic brush sets for allergy free application, Italian badger sets for tried and true quality

is concerning cosmetic brushes (the brush company dot com), but illustrates that brushes sans dander, saliva, and urine can cause allergic reactions. There are others who mention being allergic to them as well (may have something to do with what they are treated with). Also, some claim (though I've not experienced it) that well broken in boar has softer tips than silvertip badger.

After using a brush as soft as a Vulfix boar, almost any badger brush, even the softest silvertips, will feel prickly. Well used boar brushes are softer at the tips than badger brushes. The Vulfix especially.

See

True, but I was under the impression that the tips on a clipped boar brush will not be a soft as an unclipped brush. This wrong?

I'd guess that after it was well broken in, as in his reference, that it would be (assuming the assumption is true that a well used boar is softer than silvertip). It's definitely not something that I'd like to test. I'm moving more and more back towards my badger and away from boar, personally.

 

[SavantStrike]

I'm of the opinion that badger brushes benefit from a break in period, so it makes sense that boar brushes would benefit as well. This almost makes me want to get a nice Omega boar, although now that I know Vulfix makes boar brushes, It would be a tough call. Dang! Fortunately, my finances will keep me from buying either .

I noticed my Tweezerman got pretty dang soft over the months of daily use that it graced my bathroom. My Rooney 3/1 felt a bit softer from the start, but still more prickly than my Tweezerman. I'd swear though that the Rooney is a bit less prickly after a couple of shaves than it was when I first got it, and I fully expect it to get nice and soft in due time.

 

[gollum83]

I'd guess that after it was well broken in, as in his reference, that it would be (assuming the assumption is true that a well used boar is softer than silvertip). It's definitely not something that I'd like to test. I'm moving more and more back towards my badger and away from boar, personally.

Well the thing though is that I know clipped boar is more exfoliating than non-clipped boar to begin with. I also know that boar brushes do become softer, but the thing is I'm not sure if clipped boar bristles ever becomes as soft as unclipped and softer than badger. Does anyone know?

 

[Slade xTekno]

True, but I was under the impression that the tips on a clipped boar brush will not be a soft as an unclipped brush. This wrong?

Well the thing though is that I know clipped boar is more exfoliating than non-clipped boar to begin with. I also know that boar brushes do become softer, but the thing is I'm not sure if clipped boar bristles ever becomes as soft as unclipped and softer than badger. Does anyone know?

In my experience, clipped boar will not become as soft as unclipped boar. The difference between the two is obvious before the ends splitting and even after soaking. Clipped bristles won't split, so unclipped will be softer after being broken in.

 

[gollum83]

In my experience, clipped boar will not become as soft as unclipped boar. The difference between the two is obvious before the ends splitting and even after soaking. Clipped bristles won't split, so unclipped will be softer after being broken in.

Well that clears that up. Thanks.

 

[ncshaver]

I used mine daily up until a few weeks ago when I left it at the gym and the cleaning crew threw it out. I do recall that it took a few weeks to soften the tips. Its replacement was a Rooney 1/1 and it hasn't required any breakin nor did the Shavemac that I have, but the BBE definately did. Also, it stunk like heck at first.