Face lathering with Simpsons Duke is not "correct use"?

[bleb]

I just replaced a Duke 2 (best) that I got last year (shedding issues). I face lather, and I noticed the box includes a sheet with instructions for "correct use":

• The brush should be soaped up by wetting in hot water and lightly stroking the soap or cream - it is the tops of the hair that produce the lather.
• When applying lather use light to-and-fro strokes, like a paint brush (a heavy circular motion damages the hair of the brush).

The "heavy circular motion" is how I learned to face lather from YouTube videos and sites like this one. Should I expect more shedding problems if I do it that way? Am I supposed to be able to work up a lather by "lightly stroking" the soap or cream and only using "light to-and-for strokes"? I thought even bowl lathering would involve a circular motion, though it is a bit more gentle on the bristles than face lathering.

 

[thombrogan]

Just thoroughly rinse the lather out if your brush between uses and you should be good to go no matter how you lather.

 

[Merchant Seaman Z]

I’ve had the Duke 2 since ’13. And all is do is face lather. First Simpsons brush I owned. Would lose 1 hair every few months. Now it’s in storage, got the T-2 last year.

 

[bonbon]

I think you might get similar instructions from any producer. It's more passing the buck in my opinion.
If a brush sheds when you load it or face lather, then it's not a good brush imho
You should be careful when loading a hard soap though, I managed to break quite a few bristles that way.

 

[gpjoe]

Simpson does not reccomend splaying their brushes and does reccomend "painting" on the lather. Some members here believe that instruction is meant to mitigate damage to the brushes from heavy-handed mashing of the brush, which may cause damage to the bristles, or cause the brush to develope a permanent "doughnut hole".

It makes sense, though I still splay my synthetic Trafalgar T3 gently when I face lather.

Just use your brush sensibly, rinse it thoroughly, and enjoy it.

 

[Deutschland]

face-lathering is the reason to get a badger brush in the first place because synthetics can cause a burning of the skin while rubbing the plastic bristles against the face. even the most cheap synthetics and boar brushes can make a lather in a bowl so you just paint it on afterwards. that is not why anyone gets a good badger brush. we want to enjoy the thing and work up a lather on the face with it. if a brush maker explicitly says not to make a circular motion with his badger brush on the face, so basically not to face-lather, it goes against all logic and i would immediately send it back to get another one from a different brand.

 

[SharpieB]

Blah, blah, blah. Simpsons is just trying to cover their butt for potential future warranty issues.

I have 20+ Simpsons and bowl lather and puck lather like a madman. Always circular as well. Never had an issue.

 

[luvmysuper]

Risk mitigation.
Like the sheet that comes with your shower curtain that says "Do not expose to water".
I have a brush I'm selling and the instructions say "bring this brush into the same room as your soap and water, then use another brush to lather with so this one stays nice during the warranty period".

 

[Slock]

Don’t forget to load the soap like you hate it.

 

[SharpieB]

Don’t forget to load the soap like you hate it.

100%. ESPECIALLY for the warranty period. If it starts shedding, tell them you followed their directions to the letter.

I am not into scamming anyone, but these are shaving brushes we are taking about… not Ming dynasty vases. They should be designed for reasonable use.

in any case, I have owned over 100 brushes over the years and only had one bad shedder. I rinse and dry them well after each use which IMO is the main reason my brushes are still in great shape.

 

[BigJ]

So long as you take care to rinse your brush well after each use, you should be just fine!!

 

[Barbarian80]

I have a Duke 3 in Best. It does shed a hair most shaves and hairs break off. Usually the hairs that break are those tough dark buggers which you don't want anyway. These are nice brushes but if your expectation is to pass them down after heavy use to your next of kin, well that ain't happening. I don't particularly care and just use the brush the way I want to and if the hairs fall out and break so be it. It's just a tool and everyone uses theirs in specific ways- some brushes are able to withstand more splay and toque and others not so much. Ultimately you get to decide how you want to use your brush- don't pay attention to what Simpson has to say. And if YOUR way is damaging your brushes then you know Simpson brushes aren't for you.

 

[ivan_101]

Yes, yes. The most ridiculous thing. Many brush manufacturers will write that. Not to use circular moves and to not push too much to splay on your face. So, obviously the best thing is just to let the brush stay in the original packaging.

 

[Theodore]

Why conflate circular brushing with face lathering?

I exclusively face lather, and I only do linear brush strokes - up and down, side to side etc.

There is no reason to see circular motions as the sine qua non of face lathering technique.

 

[Raz0rboy]

In the morning I don't remember my name let alone remember the instructions on proper use of the brush.
Since 25 years circular with Simpson are my favourite movement for face lathering
I pay and use as I please.
if one day they get ruined that's fine.
Life is short ! Enjoy your stuffs
Spoon for the soaps , brushes , razors that need to be dried, cleaned … no thanks I pass

 

[NorthernSoul]

I'm not sure what's the British equivalent of "CYA", but this is a good example of it.

They seem to be worried mainly about people mashing the brush hard against the face, which they feel is improper use. Gentle circular movements with a bit of splay should not cause harm to any decent brush, though. Lather is generated from the tips, as they say.

 

[ivan_101]

Why conflate circular brushing with face lathering?

I exclusively face lather, and I only do linear brush strokes - up and down, side to side etc.

There is no reason to see circular motions as the sine qua non of face lathering technique.

I concur with you 100%!

 

[Brutus]

Simpson does not reccomend splaying their brushes and does reccomend "painting" on the lather. Some members here believe that instruction is meant to mitigate damage to the brushes from heavy-handed mashing of the brush, which may cause damage to the bristles, or cause the brush to develope a permanent "doughnut hole".

It makes sense, though I still splay my synthetic Trafalgar T3 gently when I face lather.

Just use your brush sensibly, rinse it thoroughly, and enjoy it.

I agree with all of the above.

Mark Watterson, Managing Director of Progress Shaving Brush (Vulfix) Ltd., which also owns Simpsons, stated a while ago on a shaving forum (maybe even here) that light circular motions are acceptable.

Heavy-handed use combined with circular motion, however, will damage hairs, but it is difficult to find a concise definition what “light” circular motion is and where it becomes “heavy”. So suggesting “light to-and-fro strokes” seems to be one solution for a manufacturer.


I have six Simpsons and they all behave impeccably.



B.

 

[pierrelortie44]

I replaced my worn badgers with Simpsons synthetics this winter. Circular didn’t work as well, so following the recommendation I quickly got used to only painting motions. Works and feels as well as anything with badgers.

 

[JPO]

face-lathering is the reason to get a badger brush in the first place because synthetics can cause a burning of the skin while rubbing the plastic bristles against the face.

I have the same experience. Every time i splay and do extensive face lathering with a synthetic brush i get a little brush burn/irritation. I noticed this when i started shaving daily. When i used to shave every second day i did not notice this. Daily shaving requires a little more gentle scrub. I don't get brush burn/irritation when i face lather with boar or badger brushes.

When i use a synthetic i actually use them as the instruction and only splay the brush carefully. I also prefer bowl lathering with synthetic, or a hybrid solution.
I don't think this is the rational behind Simpsons instruction. I used to work my synthetics quite hard without any problems. So if your skin can tolerate scrubbing with a synthetic brush, a good brush should be able to take the "abuse".

I though i was the only one having issues with face lathering synthetics.

I can shave daily with a straight razor, but those synthetic fibers do not like to be splayed on my skin.