The best step in shaving is applying shaving paste to create a lather on your face with the help of a shaving brush. This keeps your shave smooth and protects the skin from scratches and cuts.
A shaving brush helps the shaving cream to penetrate each hair and soften the hair for a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Shaving brushes are an integral part of your shaving kit but which shaving brush should be chosen depends upon the utility of the brush.
Various elements make a good shaving brush, and those that need to be considered while choosing a brush are described in today’s article.
There are two parts of a shaving brush: the knot having the bristles and the handle. Both need to be perfect and comfortable.
The knot of Shaving Brush
The knot is the upper part of the shaving brush containing the bristles and is the main part used to apply the shaving cream on the face.
In today’s article, different characteristics of shaving brush knots are shared that a good shaving brush must possess and are explained in the following:
Softness
The knots are designed to give a soft touch to your face for an enjoyable experience; that is why the bristles need to be soft enough that they should not itch your skin.
Some bristles create coarseness while they are new, and boar bristles are a perfect example of this, but over time, it gets soft, or you can dip it in water for a night, and positive results will be seen.
The most favorable bristles are the badger bristles due to their soft touch and good backbone, which is the shape-retaining ability of the bristle that keeps the bristles erect while applying shaving cream.
Water holding capacity
Another main characteristic of the shaving brush knot is its water-holding capacity. The greater the holding capacity, the better the lather will be produced and ultimately increase the shaving brush knot quality.
Synthetic bristles do not have much water-holding ability. Still, on the other hand, badger bristles knots have a much higher water-holding capacity, which is why they are the oldest bristles used in the knots of shaving brushes.
Produce good lather
The basic function of a shaving brush is to produce a good lather; this depends on the quality of the bristles, including their water-holding capacity that produces a good lather by the shaving cream.
In this case, the best shaving brushes are the best badger brushes due to their wonderful ability to produce a good lather on the face. It assists in softening the hair and shaving smoothly.
Backbone
The backbone of the knot is its ability to keep the bristles erect even after getting wet. It keeps the shape of the brush by showing resistance while using it on the face.
But in the case of a very hard backbone, a shaving brush may itch the skin due to the rigid bristles of the brush.
A good backbone keeps the knot of the shaving brush in perfect shape and proves best in applying shaving cream on the face. In addition to badger bristles, boar bristles also have a very good backbone.
Size of the knot
The diameter of the base of the knot is referred to as the size of the knot, and it is measured in millimeters. The most basic sizes are 21mm and 24mm, but it also comes in various other customization.
The size of the knot directly affects the cost in the case of natural hair brushes because more diameter leads to more hairs. More hairs will lead to more expensive shaving brushes.
Using a 24mm size knot is generally recommended, but it is your own custom identity.
The handle of the Shaving Brush
This is where you grab the shaving brush and is the second most important part of the shaving brush as it provides you with a comfortable grip and adds a beautiful look to the brush.
Many customizations could be found in the handles of the shaving brushes, which depend on various factors, as described below.
Material
The handle of shaving brushes comes in many materials, and you can choose any material according to your taste. The most favorable material for the handle of the shaving brush that is being used from the start is wood.
Wooden handles are the most popular and often used handles in shaving brushes. However, various other materials are also popular for making the handles of shaving brushes.
Other materials include metal, plastic, resin, ceramic, and stone. The use of these many materials is to provide a beautiful look to the brush. On the other hand, some handles are also customized in mixed materials.
Shape
The shape of the shaving brush handles is also a custom option by the customer, but the shape is designed to provide a perfect grip to the person holding the shaving brush.
However, you can customize it as per your wish, but it needs not to be too large or too small, so there would be difficulty in holding it.
The best shape of a shaving brush handle is easy to grasp and provides grip while applying it on the face. Companies intend to use cheap materials but the maximum utility to its customer. Some luxurious handles are also there, which are very expensive and come in innovative materials and shapes.
Handy
The handle of a shaving brush needs to be handy and easy to use; otherwise, it has no purpose. Proper shaping and gripping of the shaving brush handle make it handy for the user.
Several shaving brushes are available in the market and are not just handy but also available at a very reasonable price.
Texture
As discussed in this article, shaving brushes make the shaving experience worthwhile and enjoyable for the user.
The texture of the handle of the shaving brush is very important because it needs to be smooth and beautiful but not that smooth to make it difficult for the user to grasp it properly.
A slippery texture makes it difficult for the user to apply shaving cream on the face, while a good handle must be easy to keep in place.
Grip
Handles serve the purpose of a grip for the shaving brushes, and it is the main purpose of the handle of the brush.
A good grip is not slippery and must be handy, so the user can use it easily and apply the lather on the face.
Conclusion
Various characteristics need to be noticed while buying a good shaving brush, some of which are explained in this article. At the same time, the most important thing is to have an enjoyable experience while shaving.
The best shaving brushes nowadays are badger shaving brushes that not just have a good water-holding capacity and produce good lather on the face but also give an enjoyable experience. In comparison, other shaving brushes are not of that good quality, like boar brushes, synthetic brushes, and horses brushes.
