Sometimes a brush is just better!

[CzechCzar]

I have heard much talk of brushes being optional when it comes to shaving cream. You can spread it on with your hands, and although it may not be as luxurious, it will get the job done just as well.

I am here to say that this is wrong, at least with regards to a couple of creams. Case in point - JM Fraser's. I could not for the life of me get a good shave out of it. I was about to toss it in the trash, when I got out my scuttle and brush and gave it a go.

Voila! Overflowing volumes of thick, luxurious shave lather. Great protection, great shave, great cream.

Don't believe the hype - sometimes a brush is just better!

 

[Timeclo]

Agreed. Brush makes the shave so much more enjoyable.

 

[razorhead63]

The brush is better.
It works the lather deeper into the whiskers and softens them more.
It provides for an easier shave.

 

[Invicta]

I would not consider a brush optional except if using brushless creams or I forgot the brush at home when travelling. It just is an essential part of the tools which makes preparation of the stubble so much easier for shaving. Using gels may be different but I have not had that experience yet.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

I'm not sure I've seen much talk on B&B about brushes being optional with all creams. Some members have certainly said a few creams can be used without brushes, but I think most would agree that brushes are usually by far the better option.

 

[BigJ]

I ‘need’ a brush! (Possibly another two or three!!)

(What can you expect from an addict with BAD? )

 

[weekly]

I have heard much talk of brushes being optional when it comes to shaving cream. You can spread it on with your hands, and although it may not be as luxurious, it will get the job done just as well.

I am here to say that this is wrong, at least with regards to a couple of creams. Case in point - JM Fraser's. I could not for the life of me get a good shave out of it. I was about to toss it in the trash, when I got out my scuttle and brush and gave it a go.

Voila! Overflowing volumes of thick, luxurious shave lather. Great protection, great shave, great cream.

Don't believe the hype - sometimes a brush is just better!

For me it's not just sometimes, I consider
A brush to always be better than the no
Brush sub-par lather.

 

[Billy T.]

Sometimes? Always

 

[tube_guy]

I went through a period of time where I tried to save as much time in my shaving routine as I could. One of the big time-savers I came up with was to lather my shave soap using my fingers instead of using a brush. The shave was OK, but over time my skin looked worse and I'd also get shave bumps on my neck and chin. When I went back to a brush, the bumps went away and my skin looked, and felt, much better again. The shave was nicer and more comfortable too. I concluded that using a brush was well worth the extra time it adds to my shaving routine.

 

[Macduff]

Now for the real question: Does a brush make CANNED foam better?!

 

[Ed Gcom]

Now for the real question: Does a brush make CANNED foam better?!

I don’t even want to try.

 

[Macduff]

I don’t even want to try.

Hahahahaha. I have a can of Proraso i’m using up over the summer so i’ll give it a go. For science!

 

[bkatbamna]

Now for the real question: Does a brush make CANNED foam better?!

It definitely worked with Shaving gel in a can(like Edge gel).

 

[GaryTha]

In my opinion, the brush is the most important member of the shaving team.

 

[Chandu]

For me, no. Not because the brush didn't move the foam around properly, but because when I went from the foam to a soap, it was like the foam coated the bristles with something that made the soap not lather as well. I basically lathered my brush a few times and it started lathering better. This was a natural brush. Synthetics may not care. I think it was a boar brush used with Edge gel if I recall that had this issue.

Also if I'm using canned product, it's for the speed and convenience. Using a brush only detracts from that and makes one more thing to clean up when I'm done.

If I'm shaving with canned product, I often use @Razorcan's technique of doing a small area in all pass directions you plan on doing using the residual slickness rather than relathering.

 

[Macduff]

For me, no. Not because the brush didn't move the foam around properly, but because when I went from the foam to a soap, it was like the foam coated the bristles with something that made the soap not lather as well. I basically lathered my brush a few times and it started lathering better. This was a natural brush. Synthetics may not care. I think it was a boar brush used with Edge gel if I recall that had this issue.

Also if I'm using canned product, it's for the speed and convenience. Using a brush only detracts from that and makes one more thing to clean up when I'm done.

If I'm shaving with canned product, I often use @Razorcan's technique of doing a small area in all pass directions you plan on doing using the residual slickness rather than relathering.

Good to know. Since my brushes are cheap i’ll still try it and report back whether i experience the same thing.

 

[IMightBeWrong]

In my opinion, the brush is the most important member of the shaving team.

Without a good soap or cream the brush doesn’t do much, but I would say a good brush and good software are tied for most important.

I can absolutely get a good shave with a cartridge razor now that I’ve learned how to shave properly, but I’ll get a much better shave with a nice, slick, warm lather from a quality brush - preferably badger so it stays warm.

 

[dmshaver]

I prefer not to think of a shave without all of my tools. A brush is one of my tools. Therefore, a brush is an essential part of my shaving team.

 

[Desmodromic]

Agree that a brush is almost always better. I started using a brush before I started using a DE, and even with tube creams like Proraso, I was pleasantly impressed when I started face lathering a dab of Proraso on each cheek with a brush. I don't so much care about mountains of lather but my shaves seem smoother and closer when brushing/massaging the cream into the whiskers and even with a cartridge, I was getting really nice shaves with brush-lathered cream vs. hand applied.

I'm sold!