Which Semogue??

[Gaznix]

Hi all,

I currently use a Semigue 1250 Boar. I love it but do understand it’s a cheap brush.
I’ve been DE shaving a year and think I might be getting a little irritation from the natural hair so am looking for an alternative.
I think I’m looking for an equivalent to an artificial 1250 if that makes sense but am open to further advice. I’m not very technical with lofts and knots, I just like the brush, this could be purely because I am familiar with it though if that makes sense.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Synthetics typically have less scrub than your boar. The 1250 is a nice brush, BTW. And by now it has become pretty soft.

By all means try an inexpensive Yaqi synthetic to see how you like it. You must use much less water than with a boar. A wet synthetic will fling lather!

Mac

PS, see Synthetic Brush Pass Around

 

[VerbaVolant]

...Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

In my opinion, one cannot get irritation from the correct use of a shaving brush, boar or badger (higher grade).
The 1250, which I have in use now as well, is not the softest boar brush. I find the 1305 (treated bristles) being much softer, silky soft actually.
I also find the synthetic brush offering a much different experience than natural bristle brush. I would like to say that again, much different.
If you are curious about synthetic brushes, go ahead and get one. Never had yaqi but I have and used Muhle, Edwin Jagger, RazoRock and others I cannot remember now. I still have the RazoRock in rotation, ready for use but, never very keen on using synthetic again.
If you want a better brush, get a badger, a higher grade badger. Finest, Best (from some manufacturers like Simpsons), Silvertip, or higher.
If you want to stay in the same price/value range, get a 1305 or an Omega.

 

[toma.honfoglalo]

It's not a cheap brush. It's an affordable one.

Sent from my RNE-L01 using Tapatalk

 

[Pat Puma]

I usually use badgers, but I have a Semogue Owners Club boar and it is great. It took a few lathers to soften up and then was really soft and fluffy after about 20 to 25. I've used a few synths and didn't love any of them, but they sure were soft.

 

[Gaznix]

Some good advice thank you, I’m getting red blotches on my cheeks, I have a load of different soaps, 2 razors but only use Russian green 7 o’clocks as I find them smooth. I thought I might be getting a reaction from the brush as my skin is quite dry on my face. I use the rich Cetaphil as a moisturiser and love it.

Not sure what to do, I’ll keep researching and look at the 1305

 

[Gaznix]

1305 ordered. That took a good 10 minutes deliberation!! I found a threat on here about the 1305 and it received rave reviews. My thought process is, I don’t want a synthetic ideally but felt that I had to as I was getting a reaction from the boar hair. However a better grade boar may due the trick, I’m still finding my feet and what products suit me after a year of shaving. If this doesn’t sort it 100% I’ll try a good synthetic. I have a crappy body shop synthetic which I don’t get any blotchyness from but it’s got less back bone than our Prime Minister and that takes some doing!

 

[Tonysco]

You dont need to use too heavy a pressure on the brush when lathering on the face, just enough to splay the bristles is fine.

Just to rule out the soaps, lather one in a bowl and apply that lather with your hand, shave and if you still have irritation you know its either the razor & blade or the soap.

 

[Gaznix]

Cheers tony, the only soap I know for sure has given me grief is TOBS. It nearly set my face on fire.

I could well be using too much pressure, I face lather with arko more often than not

 

[musicman1951]

I’m getting red blotches on my cheeks

Sounds like you're a good candidate for bowl lathering. I'd recommend a nice scuttle for the warm lather.

SOC is a fabulous brush for bowl lathering - one of the best.

 

[Gaznix]

Possibly, I just prefer to face lather as it makes my skin feel cleaner. Perhaps I need to accept defeat.

 

[VerbaVolant]

...Perhaps I need to accept defeat.

Now you sound like our Prime Minister.

 

[Boar Fighter]

Hi all,

I currently use a Semigue 1250 Boar. I love it but do understand it’s a cheap brush.
I’ve been DE shaving a year and think I might be getting a little irritation from the natural hair so am looking for an alternative.
I think I’m looking for an equivalent to an artificial 1250 if that makes sense but am open to further advice. I’m not very technical with lofts and knots, I just like the brush, this could be purely because I am familiar with it though if that makes sense.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.

It's a cheap brush, not because it isn't excellent, but because PIGS ARE EVERYWHERE, so their bristles cost only a little. They use your ordinary, plain pig for brushes. Not even wild hogs or anything. Just your butcher's, friendly pig.

 

[Gaznix]

I’m looking forward to using the 1305 once broken in. A few people have slated my 1250 before but I think it’s brilliant, hence I want to stick with Semogue

 

[Tonysco]

Cheers tony, the only soap I know for sure has given me grief is TOBS. It nearly set my face on fire.

I could well be using too much pressure, I face lather with arko more often than not

TOBS soaps are often loaded with "essential" oils to give them their well-known scents. Loads of people have issues with some or pretty much all of them.

You may well find that the cheaper soaps, being a bit more basic, work better for you.

Palmolive is one that works very well for me. LEA cream, Nivea sensitive in a tube is another. Arko works very well for me even although its got a strong scent. White proraso is another, however it has more menthol in it then you would expect for a product billed as sensitive. Kent or Mitchell's wool fat is also good, however it has lanolin which a few people have a reaction too.

Try not washing your face before shaving, i just have a shower and get plenty of hot water on my stubble. If i use a soap on my face before shaving i'm pretty much guaranteed irritation for some reason. Also, try shaving every 2 or 3 days to give your skin time to recover. Lucky Tiger face tonic is a great aftershave that doesn't have alcohol, and isn't too oily.

 

[Gaznix]

I love Palmolive shaving sticks and they’re so cheap here, 49p from Tesco. I do use the Nivea tube cream also but prefer sticks. You’re advice re washing my face pre shave might do the trick, I always shower and thoroughly wash my face with either the Cetaphil gentle or Clinique charcoal, obv the charcoal one is much harsher so it depends how I feel before choosing the face wash. After a work out I love the scrub, I won’t use it pre shave anymore, any soap on my forehead makes my skin really dry also, even a water only face wash drys my forehead out.

 

[Danjo312]

Cheap or expensive doesn’t mean anything. A cheap HMW from Yaqi might be just as good as the Simpsons equivalent.
And as already posted: go for a Yaqi with a Black Wolf knot or something similar. It has backbone enough, is soft and not scruffy from the start, doesn’t need to be broken in, doesn’t need to soak before lathering and will dry much faster. I like synthies a lot and have them from 20-120$ and differences are little to none...


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[Gaznix]

Well my new Semogue 1305 was delivered from Portugal today and I used it this evening for my shave, wow! I left it in warm water for an hour, then lathered it and left the brush hanging full of lather for half an hour, I washed it out again and then lathered my face with it. Given that it was the brushes first outing I am very impressed and it’s definately not as scrubby as my 1250. I love both brushes but feel the 1305 is going to be great in the winter whilst my skin is a bit more sensitive. I now have 2 brushes I can work with and hopefully have years of enjoyment from. I highly recommend both brushes.