I hate synthetic brushes

[Salty_Shaver]

I personally love either using a badger or boar hair brush in that order. I have two synthetic brushes both in my opinion suck. They are great for the chin but on the cheeks they act like a paint brush. Where as my natural fiber brushes don’t act that way. Am I the only person who feels that way?

 

[willk93]

Username checks out haha

 

[blade08]

Brushes. If there's one YMMV subject it would be brushes.

Unlike you I take a synthetic over any natural hair brush any day of the week. I think they're a godsend.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

My boars and badgers set in the back of the cabinet gathering dust, I much prefer synthetic.

 

[blade08]

My boars and badgers set in the back of the cabinet gathering dust, I much prefer synthetic.

The difference is night and day. Even the very cheap ones outperform the most expensive ultra rare high white mountain blablabla badger.

 

[Shaveprentice]

I love synthetic brushes! They are soft, work great, no soaking, no shedding, last forever and are inexpensive. I also love my boar and badger brushes but in terms of performance and ease of use vs. cost synthetic wins in my opinion.

 

[blade08]

I still remember my first synthetic from around 2015 or so and how I just couldn't believe how fast that thing dried compared to what I was used to with my badgers.

 

[Salty_Shaver]

Brushes. If there's one YMMV subject it would be brushes.

Unlike you I take a synthetic over any natural hair brush any day of the week. I think they're a godsend.

I understand but they just don’t scrub my skin like natural bristles do and the knot doesn’t open up like a badger does

 

[blade08]

I understand but they just don’t scrub my skin like natural bristles do and the knot doesn’t open up like a badger does

I think the 'scrub' with natural bristles is overrated. After a couple of minutes the 'scrub' with a badger always ended with brush rash because even the softest badger hair was harsh compared to what synthetics offer these days.

 

[blade08]

The 'wet dog' smell on the first couple of shaves, the sometimes insane amount of shedding, brush rash when you got a little too enthusiastic, the still wet brush after half a day and the outrages pricing on some of these natural hair brushes. Synthetic does away with all of that.

 

[abies]

I understand but they just don’t scrub my skin like natural bristles do and the knot doesn’t open up like a badger does

What do you have?

Maybe you need a G5B knot:

Ultimate Synthetic Knot Properties Quick Guide

Welcome to AP Shave Co! We specialize in synthetic shaving brushes and synthetic shaving brush knots, with affordable product pricing and shipping everywhere in the world. Visit our site today!

apshaveco.com

Someone must make a scrubby synthetic.

Maybe you could take a belt sander to the tips of one of yours (I'm only half joking).

 

[abies]

For what it's worth I'm solidly in the synthetic camp but I do understand why people like natural brushes. They bloom and are more spongy, in a good way.

 

[rsp1202]

I honestly couldn't find much difference at all in face lathering an STF XL knot and a Semogue Finest. There are at least a couple more synthetics that come close to badger, but the STF was right there. And unlike other synthetics, the XL knot has a decent bloom to it.

 

[SharpieB]

I can’t stand synthetic brushes and I sold/gave away most of mine.

But to each their own thought. Use what you like.

 

[gdawg55]

A Rudy STF might change your mind. I was not a fan of synthetic either until I happened onto the 2022 Contributor brush and picked up a STF set by Rudy in one of his custom handles. Had him set it lower than the standard Muhle knot and it beats all my natural brushes.

 

[Little Joe from Mexico]

@Salty I'm one of the few who totally agree with you. Been using boar and badger brushes for almost 20 years. Have tried synthetic brushes here and there and they've ended up in the trash bin since I couldn't find any other use for them. They dry faster alright, but I have 16 brushes so I worry very little about drying time.

 

[brucered]

They are definitely the future of brushes for all the reasons listed above (cost, dry time, soft) as well as the whole animal rights ethical aspect (not opening the can, just mentioning it). My understanding is, some Natural hair brushes are becoming difficult to acquire and ship across borders too, so there's that.

Both my kids prefer Synthetic Brushes. They have access to all my brushes, from old stock Kent, Rooney, M&F, Paladin, Simpson etc. They both settled on $15 Synthetics.

As for me, I enjoy Synthetics and spent almost a year with one exclusively and had no regrets. I swapped it out one day for a Simpson Manchurian and couldn't understand why I would use anything else. Then I swapped in a Semogue Boar and wondered why anyone would use badger. My next brush will likely be a higher end synthetic to see what that fuss is about.

Enjoy them all for what they offer, variety.

 

[Lockback]

I definitely prefer synthetics but can understand the other point of view too.
I really have grown to like my badger brush but I like the ease of maintenance with my synthetics.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I like them all. Synths, badger, boar, horse. They all bring something different to the table.

I've also had examples of each of those fibers that I didn't like.

 

[Salty_Shaver]

@Salty I'm one of the few who totally agree with you. Been using boar and badger brushes for almost 20 years. Have tried synthetic brushes here and there and they've ended up in the trash bin since I couldn't find any other use for them. They dry faster alright, but I have 16 brushes so I worry very little about drying time.

I have three and I don’t worry about them either.