I've been looking for a travel brush that didn't cost a fortune and was small enough that it didn't take up a lot of room in my dopp kit while traveling. I really didn't care whether it was natural or synthetic, just a small size that got the job done. I received this brush today, and I was very impressed by the size and build quality, and the synthetic bristles are easily as soft as my badger hair brushes, a testament to how far the synthetic brushes have come!
I tested it with Van Der Hagen deluxe shave soap (the only one I have on hand, as I use creams), and Proraso Red Shave cream. Lathering with the Proraso was easy, but I had to work somewhat to use it with the soap. Van Der Hagen is easy to lather, so harder soaps might require more work. The bristles are so soft that I was afraid I would have trouble face lathering, but it was fine. The brush dried after only an hour or so, I was really impressed with that!
There is one thing that struck me right away that concerns me somewhat: when packed, the bristles of the brush are still open at the top of the cylinder, which means that debris or other items in the kit could rub against the bristles, possibly deforming them over time. I would have liked to have seen some sort of cover over the bristles with air holes, like my old Parker travel shave brush. Afterward, I discovered that I can place it in the other way, but it involves finessing the knot into the cylinder and then it’s fine, but it’s a bit of a pain. I suppose only time will tell, but it is an overarching concern of mine.
On the other hand, given the affordable price, and superb build quality, it's a concession I'm willing to make in the short term.
I tested it with Van Der Hagen deluxe shave soap (the only one I have on hand, as I use creams), and Proraso Red Shave cream. Lathering with the Proraso was easy, but I had to work somewhat to use it with the soap. Van Der Hagen is easy to lather, so harder soaps might require more work. The bristles are so soft that I was afraid I would have trouble face lathering, but it was fine. The brush dried after only an hour or so, I was really impressed with that!
There is one thing that struck me right away that concerns me somewhat: when packed, the bristles of the brush are still open at the top of the cylinder, which means that debris or other items in the kit could rub against the bristles, possibly deforming them over time. I would have liked to have seen some sort of cover over the bristles with air holes, like my old Parker travel shave brush. Afterward, I discovered that I can place it in the other way, but it involves finessing the knot into the cylinder and then it’s fine, but it’s a bit of a pain. I suppose only time will tell, but it is an overarching concern of mine.
On the other hand, given the affordable price, and superb build quality, it's a concession I'm willing to make in the short term.
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