Help! What should a boars brush feel like?

[CajunMike]

My wife and kids bought me a "Shea Moisture" Ultimate Shave Brush for my birthday (from Target). The package says 100% Badge Hair. I have readsome posts questioning if this brush is real or not. How do I tell? If it issynthetic what is that suppose to feel like? If it is synthetic, I have read that it can be used for travel because it dries faster, right? I love that they are supporting me in DE shaving; I just need help to use their gift wisely.

Thanks
Mike

 

[celestino]

Do you have any pictures of the brush?

 

[GDCarrington]

The newer ones are synthetic even though the package is marked 100% Pure Badger. I have gone in and checked them out at the store.

Take a look at this brush knot and see if yours resembles it. If it does it is a synthetic.

Here is the current brush with a wood handle in a kit.

If it looks like this, it is the old style badge brush which I have not seen in Target in some time.

 

[Matt_Bloodletter]

One other thing I'd add - the Sheas that were "real" didn't even say it on the box in my case! The ones that do say badger feel too "perfect". There should be some texture to the hair. Think scritch. Rub it on your face. Does it feel real smooth? The "real" Shea has very little backbone and is real scratchy on the face while the one that actual says badger but isn't feels too perfect (from a smoothness perspective but doesn't at all seem like that good a brush). BTW, my local Tarjay has both the VDH and the Shea. The VDH is actually quite decent. It costs all of $1 more. I'd say that would be well worth it, even if you happen to have the real pure badger. Incidentally, my local Target does have the real ones off and on, as recently as a few weeks back.

 

[BC1]

I have one in the black handle pictured above and it is synthetic. Says badger on the box though. It works well however, and would be a good travel brush as it does dry quickly. I like it better than the cheap boar brushes iv'e had. It hasn't shed, never loses it's shape, and you can abuse it without worry.

 

[takeshi]

If it is synthetic, I have read that it can be used for travel because it dries faster, right?

You don't have to use synthetic for travel. I travel with badgers.

 

[jpakstis]

This doesn't help at all, but I think its really sweet that your family got you a shaving brush for your birthday.

 

[Slyko]

I have that exact brush! The black Shea in the picture. I'm quite the newbie with only a couple of months under my belt, but synthetic is what I've been thinking too. No smell, no backbone, very floppy.

I'm also a bowl latherer & have been having much better luck with cream vs. soap as a result. Uberlather is quite the luxury. I want something stiffer but it must hold a lot of water.

Any suggestions?

 

[JHCC]

You don't have to use synthetic for travel. I travel with badgers.

I have small children; I travel with honey badgers.