Please Help Me Find The Softest Synthetic Brush

[tjsgarden]

Hello Guys

I have really sensitive skin. I own a few silvertips from Simpson, Shavemac and others. None of them are as soft as the synthetics.

I have 3 synthetics, a Simpson Traflagar, Razorock Silvertip Plissoft and a Fendrahan synthetic.
I am mostly a face painter and don't need a lot of backbone. I am thinking about a 24-26 mm width and a medium height. I enjoy a fan or bloom shaped head.

I read that there are a new generation of synthetic fibers that may be softer than what I own. Any leads, suggestions or information would be appriciated!

 

[APBinNCA]

Excuse the self promotion, but also check out @thombrogan's new G5

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www.badgerandblade.com

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I'm really coming around on the G5A. Previously, I said its "...not my favorite brush..." but that it's still great. I've been using my G5A every shave for the last 4 or 5 shaves. It's just lovely! I think I didn't have the water:soap ratio quite right before. It whips up a great, slick...

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[RobD57]

I Love my Razorock Keyhole at Italian Barber.

The Plissoft synthetic is super soft but stiff enough to face lather.
They have a few different handles to pick from and great prices.

YMMV

 

[SgtCrppls]

Get Rudy Vey to make a handle and put a 25mm Muhle STF knot in it.

Doug

 

[Phoenixkh]

I don’t know your price range but I’d buy an Omega Evo Original or a 2.0. I started out with a ESC Ultimate G4 brush that I still love, btw but got in a bit of a panic when I tried 4 other synthetic brushes recommended here and disliked everyone of them.

Finally Jim @Chan Eil Whiskers recommended the Evo. I absolutely love it. I realize YMMV and all that, but it really is an excellent brush. They aren’t inexpensive though.

 

[Messygoon]

I don’t know your price range but I’d buy an Omega Evo Original or a 2.0. I started out with a ESC Ultimate G4 brush that I still love, btw but got in a bit of a panic when I tried 4 other synthetic brushes recommended here and disliked everyone of them.

Finally Jim @Chan Eil Whiskers recommended the Evo. I absolutely love it. I realize YMMV and all that, but it really is an excellent brush. They aren’t inexpensive though.

Ditto.

Full disclosure: I have a strong preference for Zenith boars and Shavemac 2-band silvertip bulb badgers. But for travel, I have two synthetics: an Omega Evo original and a Simpson Trafalgar. The Evo is superior - thick, soft and floppy. You could paint a picket fence with it. But I usually pack the Simpson - less dense so it dries more quickly.

Best wishes, and please share your ultimate decision!

 

[Phoenixkh]

Ditto.

Full disclosure: I have a strong preference for Zenith boars and Shavemac 2-band silvertip bulb badgers. But for travel, I have two synthetics: an Omega Evo original and a Simpson Trafalgar. The Evo is superior - thick, soft and floppy. You could paint a picket fence with it. But I usually pack the Simpson - less dense so it dries more quickly.

Best wishes, and please share your ultimate decision!

I couldn't agree more. I had no idea how good natural bristle brushes are until I got my Misturas.... then I bought a small collection of boars, including 3 Zeniths... they are my favorites. I got a Zenith Manchurian badger with the 506 copper handle... very, very nice... then 5 more badgers. LOL... I started the brush search back in the middle of May. I'm very content now.

 

[Big_T]

I didn't see a price range stated, so I'll suggest two; the Omega Hi-Brush 0140652 ($25) and the Omega Evo E-1890 ($98).

 

[NorthernSoul]

Hello Guys

I have really sensitive skin. I own a few silvertips from Simpson, Shavemac and others. None of them are as soft as the synthetics.

I have 3 synthetics, a Simpson Traflagar, Razorock Silvertip Plissoft and a Fendrahan synthetic.
I am mostly a face painter and don't need a lot of backbone. I am thinking about a 24-26 mm width and a medium height. I enjoy a fan or bloom shaped head.

I read that there are a new generation of synthetic fibers that may be softer than what I own. Any leads, suggestions or information would be appriciated!

If you want something softer than a Plissoft, you would probably like the Phoenix Solar Flare brush.

 

[Ron R]

One of the fellows on this forum PIFed this RazoRock MOKASOFT 24mm knot bee hive brush because it was to soft & he needed more backbone for scrubbing I believe he was after. I have some Yaqi knots that are great painters and heavenly cloud like soft tips of luxury feeling.

have some great shaves!

 

[tjsgarden]

Guys,

THANKS for the quick replies!
I am in the July GRUME group so I won't be making any purchases for a few more days.
The Omega Evo 2.0 is looking good. From what I have read, the fibers are more crooked than the original Evo.
I have already tried the plisoft fiber and found it too stiff and springy. Same for the Simpson Traflagar.
I have done some reading about the G5 brushes and looked at the AP line.
Decisions! Decisions!
My budget is $100-150 US.

 

[samballat]

The softest I have come across is definitely the motherlode knot.

It is softer tips and less backbone than the "gentle breeze":

Check this site for a reference on knots too:

Understanding Synthetic Knots

While synthetic shaving knots are still relatively new in the grand scheme of things, they've seen massive innovation and offer a lot of benefits. They're here to stay, and this should help you understand the differences.

dailylather.com

"Recent new additions include the Motherlode, Synbad, Ghost and SilkSmoke. The Motherlode knot is the densest, plushest, softest knot out there, bar none - but... It is actually a modified makeup brush knot rather than a purpose-built shaving knot."

 

[Happy Jack]

I don't have much to compare it with, but my ESC Medium Jock synthetic seems incredibly soft. It's certainly much softer than my Yaqi Evil Zebra.

 

[thombrogan]

AP ShaveCo Cashmere is the softest knot I’ve used. Maybe the Mother Lode is softer?

I’ve used/use the following synthetics and list them here starting with the softest and getting progressively rougher and then will add a “yeah, but” as @APBinNCA was kind enough to summon me:

AP ShaveCo Cashmere
AP ShaveCo Silksmoke
Ω Ξvo V1
AP ShaveCo G5A
RazoRock Plissoft Noir
Maggards Tuxedo

Now the “yeah, but…”

With the brushes’ bristles bone dry, the tips of the Ω Ξvo V1 feel softer than those of the AP ShaveCo G5A. Covered in lather, they feel equally soft, but the G5A is denser and feels gentle even when mashed into the face while overdoing the lathering ritual. The Ξvo V1 doesn’t. No idea about the V2.

The Plissoft Noir and Maggards Tuxedo are both very soft and excellent, but not as soft as the other four and I can give myself brush burn with them without excessive amounts of excessive effort.

 

[fast shaver]

The softest I have come across is definitely the motherlode knot.

View attachment 1495726


It is softer tips and less backbone than the "gentle breeze":

View attachment 1495728

Check this site for a reference on knots too:

Understanding Synthetic Knots

While synthetic shaving knots are still relatively new in the grand scheme of things, they've seen massive innovation and offer a lot of benefits. They're here to stay, and this should help you understand the differences.

dailylather.com

"Recent new additions include the Motherlode, Synbad, Ghost and SilkSmoke. The Motherlode knot is the densest, plushest, softest knot out there, bar none - but... It is actually a modified makeup brush knot rather than a purpose-built shaving knot."

I have the Motherload brush & it lathers a lot of different soaps with ease including PdP triple milled soaps.!

 

[Rudy Vey]

Muehle STF.

 

[Hu3ir0 Hu3Hu3]

Muhle Silvertip Fibre

 

[Mike M]

I have a Muhle STF and it is absolutely the best and softest brush I own. I wanted a brush for face lathering and although mine is only a 21mm it is an absolute pleasure.
For something a bit cheaper try the Yaqi Purple Haze with the brown mew knot, it is a bit floppy, but still very soft.

 

[DarkMatter]

PAA Green Ray. Trust me. That brush is my ”rehab brush”. I mostly use soft synthetics, some of them mentioned above but nothing I’ve tried comes close to the softness of the Green Ray in my humble opinion.

 

[JCarr]

I'd get an AP Shave Co Cashmere. For a soft knot with a bit more backbone, try their Silksmoke knot. After those two, for me, it's kind of a tossup between a Synbad knot or a Timberwolf knot. But that Cashmere is super soft. I have two.