Why I started using a shaving brush

Why I started using a shaving brush

Guides & Advice

Photos EON Productions

Words Sébastien de Turenne

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Our translator, Sébastien de Turenne, on why he started using a shaving brush. For many reasons, and the bonus style points.

I firmly believe that in terms of shaving, rap music, and breakfast cartoons, the old way is the best way. Regardless of the large array of unnecessarily complicated razors which seem to regularly grow new blades, this nostalgia is mostly related to an item that has become obsolete in most modern households: the best badger shave brush. Allow me to (re)introduce the many benefits of a tool I’ve happily been using for the past few months.

Improved shaving comfort

I’m assuming that - as is my case - you are a man. I’m also assuming that you regularly read the articles on Horace, as does yours truly. You are therefore very well placed to know that shaving can irritate the skin, and be close to torture for sensitive skins. Badger hair has natural water absorption qualities. This is particularly helpful to ensure the water and shaving cream (or soap) are perfectly mixed, creating a thick lather for maximum shaving comfort. In other words, quite the opposite of the thin and streaky lather you usually apply to your face manually.

Bonus exfoliation

As you apply the lather to your skin, the shaving brush will gently exfoliate your skin, removing the impurities and dead skin cells that might have accumulated over the course of the day. This exfoliation has two very important benefits. Firstly it will help your skin stay healthy and smooth, and secondly it will prevent your razor from getting clogged up, thus ensuring it will glide on your skin seamlessly. Also, if like me you are a little absent-minded (or downright lazy) when it comes to anything more than cleansing and moisturising your skin, old school shaving will guarantee it regularly gets a little extra love.

Precision is key

When you manually apply shaving cream (or soap), you flatten the whiskers against your skin, making your shave more complicated than it should be. A proper, close shave will then require multiple shaving passes, increasing the risk of irritation. On the other hand, a shaving brush will lift and soften the hair, enabling you to get the closest shave possible in a single pass. Quite the benefit, in particular for those like me who like to keep their beard long and thick.

Making a ritual out of it

Men who enjoy shaving are far and few between, despite what advertisers would like you to believe. A shaving brush and soap are the perfect combination to make this often painful moment about more than just looking clean. While using a shave brush is more time-consuming than you standard shave, its owner will be greatly rewarded for his patience. What used to be regular early-morning sessions of violence against my face has become an enjoyable moment during which lather is gently and softly applied against my skin and shaving doesn’t result in nasty scars but a refreshed, pleasant-smelling skin.

Shaving in style

While this last benefit is more complicated to quantify, it still bears importance. Nobody has ever been left in awe by a can of shaving foam. I can promise, however, that your shaving brush will garner quite the attention, even before you even get the chance to prove you know how to use it. It only makes sense that if you commit to grooming sessions on a daily basis in order to look better, you should use the best-looking (and most efficient) tools to assist you in this task.

You now have all the arguments you need to switch to using a shaving brush, and maybe also to start defending the cause of the badger. After all, there aren’t that many animals with coats so beneficial for your skin.