Soak your brush during shower or after you get out?

[drknigt9]

Hey all!

I shave after I shower, and I use a Vulfix 1000a brush. I wanted to know if it would be wiser to soak the brush during the shower; as opposed to after I shower for a minute or two.

I have read that even pure badger brushes retain a lot of water so a quick soak will suffice. But, I am used to soaking my prior brush (Van der Hagen from Target) during the entire shower, and immediately beginning to lather once I get out out of the shower.

I just don't want to ruin my new brush, so advice or tips on this topic or on your personal routine are more than welcome!

thanks in advance!!

 

[yellafella321]

Unless you're using an ultra dense brush like a Chubby, I don't think there is any need to soak it. I typically just run my brushes under hot water for 10 seconds before proceeding to lather.

 

[Danricgro]

I soak mine while I shower. Have not had any problems so far.

 

[ackvil]

I soak mine for just a few minutes. It does not matter for me whether they are boar, badger, or synthetic, a few minutes is all I need with my brushes.

 

[Useless shaver]

While filling the washbasin with warm water, 1.- I (carefully) splash my face with water and 2.- My brush is soaking in there.

 

[Pebcak]

I soak mine in the shaving bowl while I have the daily internal debate of which razor, soar or cream it will be today.

 

[jwilock]

No need to soak it at all. Hold it under running water for a few seconds, or fill your sink and just hold it in there for a few seconds. In just a few seconds you'll have so much water in there you'll have to shake some out of it.

 

[AABCDS]

I soak my brushes during the shower.

 

[ButtermilkJones]

I soak during, which also gives my mug a chance to warm up. I don't see why I couldn't do it afterwards though, but it's just the routine I have.

 

[MFNEWYEARAMDG]

I've read that one reason you soak a natural hair brush is that the hairs of the brush are able to expand and retain water. When you soak your brush for a minute or longer, it allows the hairs to absorb some water, and expand. If the hairs are "full" of water and you shake out the brush... it releases the excess water between the hairs, but the hairs still have the water they soaked up. This allows for the hairs to keep the lather moist through the shave, yet also allowing good "flow through" which means that the brush will release lather to your face more than it will hold onto the lather (why? Because the hairs are not trying to soak up moisture from the soap, because they are thoroughly moistened themselves. This means the brush will be more willing to release the soap than it will be to soak it up).
Keep in mind this is from reading various posts and coming to a conclusion based on how hair works. In practice? I'm not sure if soaking the brush for 1 minute is better than getting it wet for 10 seconds... I do know that if I allow my brush to soak for a minute or two, it performs better than if I just get it wet by running it under the faucet.

This is why I soak mine after the shower, while I apply pre-shave, work it in, fill the sink, and get my razor loaded with a blade (all of that takes about 2 minutes).

 

[jasonb8736]

I've read that one reason you soak a natural hair brush is that the hairs of the brush are able to expand and retain water. When you soak your brush for a minute or longer, it allows the hairs to absorb some water, and expand. If the hairs are "full" of water and you shake out the brush... it releases the excess water between the hairs, but the hairs still have the water they soaked up. This allows for the hairs to keep the lather moist through the shave, yet also allowing good "flow through" which means that the brush will release lather to your face more than it will hold onto the lather (why? Because the hairs are not trying to soak up moisture from the soap, because they are thoroughly moistened themselves. This means the brush will be more willing to release the soap than it will be to soak it up).
Keep in mind this is from reading various posts and coming to a conclusion based on how hair works. In practice? I'm not sure if soaking the brush for 1 minute is better than getting it wet for 10 seconds... I do know that if I allow my brush to soak for a minute or two, it performs better than if I just get it wet by running it under the faucet.

This is why I soak mine after the shower, while I apply pre-shave, work it in, fill the sink, and get my razor loaded with a blade (all of that takes about 2 minutes).

You just can't argue with science...

 

[Emanon]

I've read that one reason you soak a natural hair brush is that the hairs of the brush are able to expand and retain water. When you soak your brush for a minute or longer, it allows the hairs to absorb some water, and expand. If the hairs are "full" of water and you shake out the brush... it releases the excess water between the hairs, but the hairs still have the water they soaked up. This allows for the hairs to keep the lather moist through the shave, yet also allowing good "flow through" which means that the brush will release lather to your face more than it will hold onto the lather (why? Because the hairs are not trying to soak up moisture from the soap, because they are thoroughly moistened themselves. This means the brush will be more willing to release the soap than it will be to soak it up).
Keep in mind this is from reading various posts and coming to a conclusion based on how hair works. In practice? I'm not sure if soaking the brush for 1 minute is better than getting it wet for 10 seconds... I do know that if I allow my brush to soak for a minute or two, it performs better than if I just get it wet by running it under the faucet.

This is why I soak mine after the shower, while I apply pre-shave, work it in, fill the sink, and get my razor loaded with a blade (all of that takes about 2 minutes).

Thanks for that. I had another thread going here where I was questioning the purpose of soaking the brush and the whole water retention thing. This makes sense to me.

 

[Larsson_Power]

I soak my brushes while i shower, and when using my Chubby i give it a nice rinse before soaking since its so dense!

 

[Mick]

Welcome to B&B

There is no "brush law" when it comes to how long to soak.

A badger brush I will soak first thing when I am getting ready to shave. Brush goes into a mug with water while I get everything together.

this would be maybe a 3-4 minute soak, more or less

If you have not already done so, stop into the Hall of Fame and tell everyone a little about yourself

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/forumdisplay.php/30-Hall-of-Fame

 

[SteveWY]

I almost always shave after showering. If I am using a boar a place it in a small glass with warm water about 3/4 of the way up the knot and let it soak for the 5-7 minutes I am in the shower. that seems to do it for me. If I am using a badger, I just run it under warm water for a short time (30 secs?). Boar hair absorbs water more, badger hair holds water between the hairs.

 

[Emanon]

I soak mine before getting in the shower but that's a pretty long time since I shave my head in the shower. So my brush is soaking for 15-20 minutes. Actually I have always done it that way because it is what I was told when I started. To soak it while showering. But I never inquired about time or time limits etc. I didn't even know why I was soaking it...lol. But it soaks pretty long. I used to fill up the sink and throw it in or stand it brush side down in a couple inches of water. Now I soak it in my bowl. Since starting with soaps I now also have a bit of water on my soap for the same amount of time.

Yea.....that's how I roll.

 

[Netzer]

+1

I soak mine while I shower. Have not had any problems so far.

 

[Yuritau]

I soak mine while I shower. Have not had any problems so far.

I'm +1 on this as well.

 

[Galhatz]

I rarely use a mug or bowl. I give the brush a good rinse and leave it wet while i take my shower.

 

[celestino]

i just run my brush under running tap water for 10 seconds and start loading my soap; i have never had an issue.