Definitely need to soak the natural hair brushes is water for 5-10 before actually using for lathering product for a shave. I like the boar brushes because the are inexpensive relative to badger and I love the backbone of the knots overall. That brush pictured is a Semogue Owners Club it’s my second favorite boar at this point. I picked up a Zenith Boar brush in the last couple weeks and it’s exactly what I wanted. Bristles are already soft but he knot is insanely dense so it will retain good backbone. If you are interested in soaps, and moving away from creams, you will likely find you have the edge using a boar with harder soaps. You will read a lot on here about a soap called Mitchell’s wool fat MWF, and it give some folks problems with lathering. I don’t experience problems with it, but I can say that it’s harder to get a good dailies in lather with this soap if I’m not using a boar brush. They just possess the characteristics required to adequately load the soap. The other thing you will find with a boar brush, is they can be known for eating lather during their first few months of use. It’s only a negative if you are coming from a synthetic brush, otherwise, since you’re new to it all, you will actually just notice that the brush produces more lather as time goes on. What cream are you you currently using?
If you are getting irritation on your face from the brush you may want to try lathering from a bowl. I started with a bowl then moved to face lathering. Be patient all the way around and give your skin time to adjust. While in the long run this will all be better for your skin, the initial weeks and even months of adjusting to shaving this way can result in irritation and discomfort if you try to push it too much too fast. There is such a thing as badger burn from using the brush on your face too long when lathering. Happens more with badger than boar, but in time with experience and technique that stops being a concern. But also keep in mind that as a newbie, your skin is also adjusting to the razor at the same time.
Welcome to the rabbit hole. You are seeing there are ways that work better for you and you will now look to try and experience more to see what else works that much better. It’s enjoyable. May cost you a good bit, may not, that’s all about your personality.
Decide if you are a soap or cream guy primarily. And then if you like commercial products or do you have an interest in artisan soaps. There are great commercial products and there are great artisan products. There are duds in both those areas as well. Artisan soaps will almost guarantee you won’t save money with shaving. I use one artisan I have found and like and have tried a couple others but really just prefer the one and they are rather affordable in comparison to others. I also really enjoy trying commercial soaps from around the world, they are less pricy and last a ton longer.
If you are getting irritation on your face from the brush you may want to try lathering from a bowl. I started with a bowl then moved to face lathering. Be patient all the way around and give your skin time to adjust. While in the long run this will all be better for your skin, the initial weeks and even months of adjusting to shaving this way can result in irritation and discomfort if you try to push it too much too fast. There is such a thing as badger burn from using the brush on your face too long when lathering. Happens more with badger than boar, but in time with experience and technique that stops being a concern. But also keep in mind that as a newbie, your skin is also adjusting to the razor at the same time.
Welcome to the rabbit hole. You are seeing there are ways that work better for you and you will now look to try and experience more to see what else works that much better. It’s enjoyable. May cost you a good bit, may not, that’s all about your personality.
Decide if you are a soap or cream guy primarily. And then if you like commercial products or do you have an interest in artisan soaps. There are great commercial products and there are great artisan products. There are duds in both those areas as well. Artisan soaps will almost guarantee you won’t save money with shaving. I use one artisan I have found and like and have tried a couple others but really just prefer the one and they are rather affordable in comparison to others. I also really enjoy trying commercial soaps from around the world, they are less pricy and last a ton longer.