I've heard a few people talk about the adverse affects of overly mentholated products. Any ideas?
Is menthol really bad for brushes?
- Thread starter krevo
- Start date
ive never heard about that
Same here.
Me three.
Four
Five
Get an Omega boar brush and pass the Proraso...I need my menthol.
I've never heard of that. I clean my brushes after each shave, and I've never had a problem with any soaps/creams I've used. I give a good wash with hot water followed by a good wash/soak with cold water, shake the brush and allow it to dry on its base or in a brush stand. 
B.S. The only thing that will hurt a brush is not taking care of it.
- Thread starter
- #11
Yah, I have a feeling this might've been a salespitch. I was talking to the guy in TBS and he was telling me I should definitely use a synth/nylon shave brush if I'm using mentholated creams and soaps. He claimed it could stiffen the hairs of my good silvertip brush / dry them up more so than usual.
He also said it's not good for regular use on your skin to use overly mentholated products. I saw this mentioned in another thread as well on either TSD or SRP.
He also said it's not good for regular use on your skin to use overly mentholated products. I saw this mentioned in another thread as well on either TSD or SRP.
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I can't speak for the effect on brushes, but the dermatologists I know all agree that too much menthol is not good for the skin, although I think some people can tolerate it wonderfully and others not so much.
I have Proraso in my rotation, but I probably only use it about once a week at the most.
I saw some posts a while ago where joel mentioned this - I can try to find them. Something along the lines of the fact that the menthol in soaps (don't recall if it applied to creams) is in crystal form and that it does do something to more aggressively wear out brushes.
So if I use more mentholated soaps then I can justify buying another brush sooner...
Got it!
I had read that also and avoided menthol products for quite a while. I asked and was told it is untrue. I'll see if I can find the old post.
Sue
Sue
I'm not an expert in this realm, but it sounds like the guy was mixing up his theories. I've heard it said a number of times that menthol can make the skin tighten up during the shave, thus making the whiskers less pliant (i.e., stiffer) and can have a drying effect on the skin. I swear, if I had a nickel for every incorrect piece of information I've been fed by a grooming-products salesperson...well, I still wouldn't have that much money because I avoid them as much as possible, but you get the idea.
Now that sounds more plausible to me, although I still had never heard that before.
- Thread starter
- #17
Yah, it's been mentioned here before as well, that's why I was trying to get definitive info. Thanks for all the help guys!
Basically you're telling me I need to buy a new brush? Perhaps a Rooney, Style 1 Size 2, in Finest? I shall defer to a senior member on this one, I think.
But seriously; tons of guys seem to use Proraso a lot and there is no deluge of 'Proraso killed my brush' threads.
Its fine.
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You know what? Proraso just killed my brush. Today. Apparently it happens after you've used it for four years, seven months and two days. Don't say you haven't been warned.
