New insights into shaving that you learned in 2023

[BobbyB]

Learned: Bic Chrome Platinum blades and my King C Gillette razor, along with a good soap, give me a great shave each day.

 

[Wgg2017]

One lesson from 2023. Expensive synthetic brushes are a waste of money (unless you're specifically looking to buy an 'old world' brand name brush).

In 2023 I owned and sold synthetic brushes from respectable European brands that were no better than what comes from China these days. Neither the knots nor the handles. In 2024, it's my intention to no longer pay for a brand name only.

Just curious what your top Chinese brands/knots are and your top European brands/knots are. I only ask because I haven't purchased any new synthetics in ~3 years or so and I'm not familiar with the current best offerings.

My favorite is a Muhle STF and when I purchased it there were no others that had the same characteristics, European, Chinese, or anywhere else. It's my favorite synthetic and my daily brush 98% of the time. Works well with everything from creams to hard, triple milled soaps.

 

[blade08]

Just curious what your top Chinese brands/knots are and your top European brands/knots are. I only ask because I haven't purchased any new synthetics in ~3 years or so and I'm not familiar with the current best offerings.

My favorite is a Muhle STF and when I purchased it there were no others that had the same characteristics, European, Chinese, or anywhere else. It's my favorite synthetic and my daily brush 98% of the time. Works well with everything from creams to hard, triple milled soaps.

From China I like Plissoft used in Razorock brushes. It's really just as good as anything from Plisson out of France. Then there's the overlooked Good Fellas Smile brand from Italy that have their brushes made in China. They claim to use fibers developed by BASF. In my opinion they're just as good as Mühle or Simpson Sovereign Fibre. I even have gotten great and very cheap no-name synthetic brushes that were made in China. Again, great knots.

I did some research and it shouldn't be a surprise really. China is by far the world leader in development and production of synthetic brushes for the beauty industry. Their makeup brushes are made for large, expensive and well-known beauty brands you can find on the high streets in large cities. Surely they can develop great knots for a shave brush and put them in a nice resin handle and sell them for not much money.

I'm a convert.