Burning face? It just might be your brush.

[Gafer]

So, I've been at this wet shaving deal for a few years now and made a discovery of sorts that I wanted to share with you noobs.

You see, when I started wet shaving I was using a cheap "best badger" brush with trimmed ends that was really scratchy. After shaving, my face would often burn all day long. I attributed this to poor technique. Perhaps some of it was. I upgraded to a better super badger brush without trimmed ends, my razor technique improved, and the burning went away as did the nicks and other issues. I never really gave it much thought.

Well, this morning I dug out my "starter" brush just for fun. Wow was it scratchy on my face - like sand paper. After my typical four pass shave my face has been on fire all day long. So, it seems one of my major issues starting out was that damn brush!

My advice then to you noobs out there - don't discount the idea that part of your issue with "razor burn" just might be "brush burn". Make sure you're using a top quality soft tipped brush before you blame "bad technique" for all your issues.

My 2 cents

 

[TMH478]

Very nice points! I never thought of this. Good work!

 

[flight567]

yea, i noticed that... it's kinda anoying.... especially when using the blade just makes the problem worse...

 

[malocchio]

that scenario IS possible,but it is also possible your scratchy brush was improperly dried over a period of time,or left often in a moist bathroom,and has developed a fungus...I would use mar-v-cide in the proper dilution and disinfect both of those brushes,throw your razor in there as well,can't hurt ....

 

[ltjaw]

I agree with the brush burn hypothesis. I noticed this burn with a first or second use of my Semogue Owners Club boar and my first use of La Toja shave stick. I erroneously attributed the facial stinging to the La Toja.

Now with a month on the SOC, I went back to La Toja, and I no longer encounter any stinging after the shave. In fact, La Toja has moved into my regular rotation, it makes my face feel so good.

And yes, even with the first few uses of my SOC, I was soaking the brush in hot water for over 5 minutes to soften the bristles. Poor brush prep cannot account for what I consider to have been brush burn.

 

[flight567]

i definately need to prep my brush better lol

 

[jtrops]

This is interesting, and it supports something that I thought since I got my TGN synthetic. I really liked my best badger, and got the synthetic just to see what it would be like. I lathered up with the badger after a month or so of using only the synthetic, and wow it was scratchy. I couldn't believe it. I may try it again one of these days, but maybe not. It's too bad I turned a nice cocobolo handle for it. I guess I could always drill out the knot, and put something a bit nicer in.

 

[Luc]

My best badger is not that scratchy but my silvertip is smoother!

 

[Kentos]

I also noticed that my brush was over exfoliating. I guess my skin is overly sensitive, as the tweezerman brush feels like needles on my skin compared to my shavemac silvertip. When I first started the tweezerman was fine, but now it's the worst. YYMV of course.

 

[Jethro1984]

I never considered this either. I can't wait to get a nice brush (hopefully silvertip) as a Christmas gift to myself. My tweezerman is great but it's starting to fall apart after 2 years and I think it also really needs a good cleaning and disinfecting.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

I occasionly noticed that 'burn' too while using my Parker Black Badger, even after all the prep (soaking, leaving lather on the brush overnight, ect...), in softening the brush.

While a plus in exfoliating (I do have sensitive skin), it does a little feel 'scratchy' on my face. I don't have these issues when using my C-M Pure Badger, FS Silvertip or Restored Ever Ready 150 (TGN Silvertip Knot), brush.

I guess at the end of the day...Black Badger is not for me.

Christopher

 

[spindlecone]

All of the above posts point to one thing,cheap badger and or boar brushes cause burning face syndrome.
Is a reason high grade pure silvertip badger knots are costly.

 

[_MementoMori_]

All of the above posts point to one thing,cheap badger and or boar brushes cause burning face syndrome.
Is a reason high grade pure silvertip badger knots are costly.

Someone mentioned a Semogue Owner's Club up there though. Those things are boar Cadillacs.

 

[Pkrankow]

My new Omega boar (#10098) is softer and more comfortable than my tweezerman badger. I am talking unbelievably softer. I have only had 2 shaves on the boar so it is not broken in yet, just shampooed and conditioned.

Phil

 

[nrdoty]

I just got a a cheaper pure "black" badger brush. I know know pure, best, and silvertip but is there is any significants to it being predominantly black hair?

Either way I have noticed it is a bit scratchy, but overall softer than my VDH boar. I do have some irritation but I only notice it on trouble areas, so I doubt it's the brush. I have had two shaves with it now but how long before it's broken in enough to tell if I will like this type of brush?

 

[ace43]

It's nice to know I can now grow a full beard but brush on shaving soap every day and get a razor burn without using those nasty razors and such!

 

[nav]

Oh man! 2 years ago my "pure badger burn" was horrible. I thought I was allergic to the soaps etc but I changed my brush and it was all good!

I would never recommend pure badger to anyone, they are just horrible. I now use a Super silvertip, 2 band finest silvertip and a Semogue boar in my rotation...no burn at all, just luxury!

 

[baquah]

All of the above posts point to one thing,cheap badger and or boar brushes cause burning face syndrome.
Is a reason high grade pure silvertip badger knots are costly.

...and an Omega 81052 costs $15 and breaks-in to a super soft brush within a week or two. Some days it wins over the pricey "awesome" brushes.

 

[ltjaw]

All of the above posts point to one thing,cheap badger and or boar brushes cause burning face syndrome.
Is a reason high grade pure silvertip badger knots are costly.

This is too much of a generalization. I'm certain the majority of boar brushes implicated in the burning face syndrome in this thread were still in their break in period. After the week or so it took to break in my SOC, the brush has become quite soft to the face.

 

[vitaman]

This is too much of a generalization. I'm certain the majority of boar brushes implicated in the burning face syndrome in this thread were still in their break in period. After the week or so it took to break in my SOC, the brush has become quite soft to the face.

You will be happy to know your SOC will continue to get even softer. I have 4 Semogue boars and they all took a month or longer of everyday use to break in.