Can a brush affect a shave?

[Ron Scott]

Assuming you're using brushes of some minimal adequacy, do you believe the choice of brush affects the shave?

...and by "the shave" above I mean what happens after the lather is on...

 

[KindestCutofAll]

I say this at the risk of being branded a HERETIC. At one time I have owned a dozen different brushes.

Assuming proper lather creation, and application, NO! It's up to you to prep your own lather.

Given that different shave soaps / creams have their own idiosyncrasies, needing more or less water or brushwork to get the right consistancy.

Additionally, different brushes perform better for lather creation in some situations (i.e. Boar brushed and hard soap). Some brushes are stiffer or hold water better. Other brushes are softer or have varying degrees of scritch. Then you factor in handle weight, design and material types.

The bottom line comes down to technique and personal preference. You like what you like. Some people like a greater variety and end up owning a plethera of brushes.

Just my $0.02 (YMMV)

 

[Lockedin]

I say this at the risk of being branded a HERETIC. At one time I have owned a dozen different brushes.

Assuming proper lather creation, and application, NO! It's up to you to prep your own lather.

Given that different shave soaps / creams have their own idiosyncrasies, needing more or less water or brushwork to get the right consistancy.

Additionally, different brushes perform better for lather creation in some situations (i.e. Boar brushed and hard soap). Some brushes are stiffer or hold water better. Other brushes are softer or have varying degrees of scritch. Then you factor in handle weight, design and material types.

The bottom line comes down to technique and personal preference. You like what you like. Some people like a greater variety and end up owning a plethera of brushes.

Just my $0.02 (YMMV)

I do think that brush selection, while not making or breaking a shave, can affect the overall result.

While I can lather most any soap proficiently with either of the brushes I own (thanks to you guys here at B&B!) - I find that some soaps / creams are easier with one brush over the other.

One cream in particular springs to mind - I get good lather with one brush if I work at it; but effortless, SPECTACULAR lather with the other.

Of course, YMMV

 

[Absolute Mustard]

Some brushes can be harsh and cause "brush burn"

So in that case, yes it can irritate your face and destroy your shave

 

[dpmtherrien]

IMHO any brush in super or better should give about the same results. I would say that the floppiness of the brush will probably effect how the lather goes on, and that a floppy brush is going to require a bit more work on the lather.

 

[NCJack]

I'm going with "no", as if it can make a decent lather at all, even with too much fuss and effort, it's the lather itself and the blade (and good technique) that make the shave.

Caveat: I seem to have no skin sensitivity issues, and all but the softest silvertips feel nearly the same to me

 

[dparish1952]

IMHO,
If you are not allergic to the brush hair/bristles, and
If you don't have ingrown hairs,
Then I doubt the brush's effect on the amount of air mixed in the lather
Makes any difference to the chemistry and physics of the razor's gliding on the soap covered skin and cutting the soap covered beard hair.

That's why shavers report success with shave oil and brushless creams.

YMMV.

Dennis

 

[buca3152]

If you have sensitive skin and a pokey brush you have a problem. I have 1 best 2 pure and 1 silvertip. Every shave is good and bbs.

 

[The Dean]

Absolutely it can affect "your shaves", IMO. If the brush isn't a great latherer, it may make your shave take longer--that is affecting the shave, IMO. If it sheds on your face, and your blade has to pass over the loose hair, it affects your shave. If it scratches your face and irritates your face, it affects your shave. If it is ultra floppy and doesn't help pick up any ingrown hair, it can affect the shave. Etc.

It may not affect everyone's shave and may not affect any particular shave, but it CAN affect a shave, IMO.

 

[seanusa]

Absolutely it can affect "your shaves", IMO. If the brush isn't a great latherer, it may make your shave take longer--that is affecting the shave, IMO. If it sheds on your face, and your blade has to pass over the loose hair, it affects your shave. If it scratches your face and irritates your face, it affects your shave. If it is ultra floppy and doesn't help pick up any ingrown hair, it can affect the shave. Etc.

It may not affect everyone's shave and may not affect any particular shave, but it CAN affect a shave, IMO.

My thoughts exactly

 

[bhorsoft]

Based on your definition, "after the lather goes on", I don't really think it affects the shave. Your choice of brush will certainly affect how "the lather goes on", which does affect the shave.

 

[dparish1952]

+1 bhorsoft

Assuming you're using brushes of some minimal adequacy, do you believe the choice of brush affects the shave?

...and by "the shave" above I mean what happens after the lather is on...

 

[Ron Scott]

OK, tomorrow I do the test; join me if you will.

I'm lathering up a lowly $8 Omega boar and a Simsons Duke with Colonel Conk's finest. The right side of my face gets the boar and the left the badger.

We'll see how it goes...

 

[The Dean]

Based on your definition, "after the lather goes on", I don't really think it affects the shave. Your choice of brush will certainly affect how "the lather goes on", which does affect the shave.

I missed the edit above, even though I posted after it was added.

So, what are you really asking here? Can the brush be a factor if we discount everything a brush is used for? The exfoliation (if any) happens before and while lathering. Any stray brush hairs would be deposited while lathering. Any irritation would be caused by the brush while lathering.

So since the brush does nothing after lathering, how could affect anything after it has done it's job? I stick by my initial answer above, for practical reasons. But by a strict definition of your question, a brush isn't involved after lathering so nothing it does afterwards can affect the shave. Comprende?

 

[InHotWater]

Some brushes are more suited to bowl lathering. Some are more suited to face lathering. Some like badger, some like boar, some like horsehair. I voted yes.

 

[Mick]

No....

Even the worst brush I have ever used worked to build and apply lather.

Once it is on my face it is the same to shave it off no matter what brush, or even my hand applied it.

Now with that said, I do have preferences as far as the brushes I enjoy using for face or bowl lathering.

 

[Ron Scott]

OK, tomorrow I do the test; join me if you will.

I'm lathering up a lowly $8 Omega boar and a Simsons Duke with Colonel Conk's finest. The right side of my face gets the boar and the left the badger.

We'll see how it goes...

First test completed!


After building up a reasonable amount of soap on each brush I face lathered as usual, right side cheap boar, left side Simpsons best badger. Shaved with an EJ long and Personna Med.

Results:

1. Immediately following the shave I detected NO DIFFERENCE.

2. Now, 2 hours later, the right side neck area does feel noticeably smoother than the left! And I usually don't notice this with my daily shaves...

I know there could be many explanations for this beside the brushes used, but I'm being as honest as I can and its just kind of interesting.

Could the stiffer boar be exfoliating better? Stimulating the hairs and skin better?

 

[dparish1952]

Are you right handed?

 

[takeshi]

Assuming you're using brushes of some minimal adequacy, do you believe the choice of brush affects the shave?

Definitely. Now, the extent of "affects" will vary depending on the brushes as well as the person in question. Some people have strong preferences one way or another. Either way, I wouldn't just dismiss benefits that enhance the shaving experience whether or not they lead to measurable improvements in the shave (for those that it matters to). I mean, my M&F blonde may not yield a drastically better shave than my Rooney 2/1 but I still strongly prefer the M&F because of its feel. It's not something easily quantifiable but it matters to me and it does affect my shave experience. The next person may not care at all about such things and may have much more utilitarian preferences.

There are other more "practical" reasons why I prefer that brush including that I find that it seems to more easily build lather than other brushes even with the same soap and water.

"Minimal adequacy" is also something that's going to vary by person. While I can use just about any brush for a decent shave my bar for "minimal adequacy" is higher than it is for some while lower than it is for others. Some find minimal acceptable. Some do not. It's like anything else in life. Look at cars, for example. "Assuming you're using cars of some minimal adequacy, do you believe the choice of car affects the driving experience?". It definitely does for me and I look for much more from a car than just getting me from point A to point B. That said, there are plenty that are just looking for an appliance to get them around.

You could insert anything into that question and you will get a range of answers.

 

[phillylion]

I say this at the risk of being branded a HERETIC. At one time I have owned a dozen different brushes.

Assuming proper lather creation, and application, NO! It's up to you to prep your own lather.

Given that different shave soaps / creams have their own idiosyncrasies, needing more or less water or brushwork to get the right consistancy.

Additionally, different brushes perform better for lather creation in some situations (i.e. Boar brushed and hard soap). Some brushes are stiffer or hold water better. Other brushes are softer or have varying degrees of scritch. Then you factor in handle weight, design and material types.

The bottom line comes down to technique and personal preference. You like what you like. Some people like a greater variety and end up owning a plethera of brushes.

Just my $0.02 (YMMV)

+1 I agree.