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The Discerning Gent Guide To Shaving Brushes

Shaving for the discerning gent today is now helped by the latest cutting-edge science. From razor blades cut by space-age equipment to shaving serums featuring the latest anti-friction technology to help those blades guide over your skin. But shaving is an age-old task for men since the dawn of man and the need to keep those scraggly caveman beards in check. Even with the evolution, some things remain a timeless tradition: the cut throat razor as an example and also the shaving brush.

Having stood the test of time, the shaving brush is a tool every man should have in his skincare armoury. Having evolved in its own right – principally created from badger hair – the brushes can now be found in animal or synthetic haired variants. Whatever the material – the key use is to make a shave easier. Let’s look at why.

Skin Preparation

Firstly, a good shave is all about the right preparation. Whilst the shaving creams and gels are designed to give you a smooth shave, they do not lift the hairs away from the skin. Think about it – if you’re the type to dab cream or gel directly onto the skin with a hand, all that is going to do is ensure hairs remain matted to the face. A shaving brush with enough cream or gel and applied to the face in a scrubbing circular motion helps to lift hairs away from the face so they can be cut away with a razor or electric shaver.

Lathering Up

Secondly, it’s about creating a thick lather of foam, so a razor can glide over the skin. Poor foaming action means more drag and irritation from friction. Use a shaving brush to get the best from your shaving cream or gel by whipping it up into a rich thick lather with little aeration (bubbles) as a brush will add extra moisture and thicken up the lather which is then applied to the face and neck.

Gentle Exfoliation

Lastly, the positive side effect of all the circular-motioned scrubbing mentioned in the first factor, is the secondary benefit of exfoliation. Brushing the skin with bristle hairs will help to remove dirt, dust and dead skin cells. This will reduce the risk of spots or in-grown hairs causing havoc from the strokes of your blades.

So now the discerning gent knows why he needs a shaving brush, let’s look at what brushes DiscerningGent.com recommends.

Men-U Pro Black Shaving Brush

Made from synthetic bristles to generate a richer, thicker lather. Why? Because animal hair bristles will often absorb moisture – from both the shaving cream or gel and water – before it reaches your skin whilst also suffering from split ends. With this synthetic-haired brush, the non-absorbent bristles are ready to go when you need. This brush comes with its own drip-dry stand and 15ml of shaving cream. RRP £26.95 from Men-U

The Bluebeards Revenge Vanguard Brush

This synthetic haired brush develops a rich luxurious lather for the discerning gent to swirl over the face and neck. Modelled on traditional badger hairs but with none of the moisture absorbent issues that nature hair poses, this brush feels good in the hand. RRP £21.99 from Bluebeards Revenge

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