Luxury vs. Everyday

[roboboticus]

I've heard a few people say, when describing a brush, that they love it's luxurious feel, though they wouldn't turn to it as their everyday brush. So what qualities do make a brush good for everyday use?

I'm still working on my technique, finding my blade, and contending with a little irritation here and there, so I would think something soft and luxurious would be exactly what you'd want for everyday use. Can someone enlighten me?

 

[Klarion]

I care little for "luxurious" brushes - the ultra, ultra soft silvertips; loose, nearly floppy knots; that sort of thing. All i really want is backbone for face lathering and loading soap, but soft, relatively gentle tips to keep my face from feeling scratched up. My Semogue 830 is testament to this, having been broken in well over the past few months. I can face lather several times in succession without scrubbing my face raw.

What more could I want that that?

 

[dpm802]

For example, I currently have two brushes in my rotation ... my "Luxury" brush is the B&B-LE '09, and I break this out on my days off, when I can put a lot of time into shaving. Since it was so expensive, I feel it deserves special handling, and I don't like to have it knocking around in my toiletries kit that I carry back and forth to the bathroom.

My everyday brush is a Vulfix Super Travel Brush. It has its own little screw-top tube, and it can get banged around much easier than the LE '09. Besides, if I damage the Vulfix, it can be replaced easily, so I don't worry about it as much.

Another reason why someone wouldn't want to use a Luxury brush every day is if its developed a reputation as a shedder. With something that loses a hair every time you use it, you'd want to reserve it for use on special occasions.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Luxurious is the nice way I say floppy. I just got a vintage Silvertip brush that blooms to about 4 inches diameter (see my SOTD). It's jokishly soft and really high quality hair... but the hair has absolutely zero backbone, so if I splay it on my face and press with even moderate force I can feel the handle pressing into my face. However if I don't do that, it still lathers well and if feels like a soft breeze is painting lather onto my cheek. That's what I call luxurious.

 

[spanx]

Everyday is a luxury when using a brush instead of aerosol lather.

 

[drumana]

A luxurious brush is one that works best for you - one you enjoy using all the time and makes a great lather, feels good on the face, provides for excellent shaves. If that's a $20 dollar boar brush, then so be it. If that's a $150 Simpson badger brush, then so be it.

I think that overly soft and floppy brushes are more annoying than luxurious.

 

[johnmrson]

I've got lots of brushes and they all get a run in the rotation. The only distinction I make is that some of the stiffer ones are used more for soap. Life's too short to not use the best brush you can everyday.

 

[DrLongandStrong]

splurge on yourself. brushes last a lifetime if taken care correctly so why not buy the best one you can afford?

 

[Uncle Erik]

The good brushes hold up; use them. I rotate a Chubby 2, large Rooney Beehive and a Plisson 14 in HMW. All of them feel luxurious and I plan to use them forever. I'm not saving anything for later - you have to enjoy what you have today.

Not to be morbid, but you never know when you'll punch your ticket. Have some fun and enjoy yourself while you still can.

 

[Drubbing]

I started with a budget pure badger. It was good but too soft for soaps, although quite usuable. I got a T&H Rooney, which is probably in the luxury realm, but it's anything but floppy. But regardless of price, I treat it like a brush, because that's its job. I see little point in babying good tools that are built for a specific purpose.

I got a Semogue 620 boar as a back up, as the T&H won't dry overnight during winter here. I'm struggling to get enough product on it consistantly for enough passes, but it's got excellent backbone and, dare I say it, there could be a bit of a knack with boars to get them working well.

There's probably twice the bristles in the Rooney compared to my budget badger. It picks up soap better, holds water better, builds lather quicker and better, with no mess or white flying schrapnel, and feels soft, but firm on the face. Easy as, and superb results from the first use.

If that's luxury, then IMO, it's a neccessity.

 

[Wil Dorenbos]

I've heard a few people say, when describing a brush, that they love it's luxurious feel, though they wouldn't turn to it as their everyday brush. So what qualities do make a brush good for everyday use?

I'm still working on my technique, finding my blade, and contending with a little irritation here and there, so I would think something soft and luxurious would be exactly what you'd want for everyday use. Can someone enlighten me?

I only use one brush, a professional horse brush. For me that is luxurious.

 

[ssultan]

Some brushes are daily drivers...and you keep that 'special' one in your rotation for days that just 'feel' right for some pampering. For me it's my CH2 in 2-band...a little large for daily use thought it's seeing some regular counter-time lately...what a luxurious knot on that guy!