First shave with Body Shop synthetic brush

[kwbarrett]

I'm new to DE shaving and have been shaving for a month or two with a boar brush. Not bad, but I know I can do better. I've been mulling a badger brush or a synthetic brush recently. I decided to go for the synthetic at Body Shop in part due to reviews I've read on here and also due to it's price.

This morning was my first shave with the new brush and I guess I have some practicing to do. I let the brush soak in my mug while I washed my face. then I emptied the mug and squeezed a nickel sized amount of Bigelow into it. Gave my brush one shake to remove excess water and proceeded to lather up in the mug. It took longer than I thought it would to build up a lather. It seemed very watery at first. Not sure if that's me not adding enough cream or my inexperience. Once I got a fair amount of lather, I started on my face. I love that cool feeling of the Bigelow. Here's where things got interesting. I got a pretty good lather. Not thick, but not thin. I could not see my skin through it, but it wasn't the foamy lather I've seen in some of the videos by mantic et al. As I continued to brush, I thought it felt almost a bit sticky as if I didn't have enough water in my brush. I think I even added a touch more water to my brush at one point.

2 pass shave both WTG with no irritation and no nicks. My face looks and feels good save one spot on each side of my chin where I could have gone closer. Overall a good shave. I'm gonna keep working on my lather, but would like to know is this characteristic of this brush? This cream? Or do I just need to work on my technique some more?

[SRA7594]

Sounds like the brush may have had too much water.

I follow the same procedure as you. I found the same results. But if you, try to squeeze the brush dry before making the lather than it works wonders.

My only issue is I cant keep the lather warm between passes! So I've started face lathering for my first pass, and using a non-brush cream for the second.

[theinternot]

Sounds like the brush may have had too much water.

I follow the same procedure as you. I found the same results. But if you, try to squeeze the brush dry before making the lather than it works wonders.

My only issue is I cant keep the lather warm between passes! So I've started face lathering for my first pass, and using a non-brush cream for the second.

You can pick up a scuttle to keep your brush and lather warm between passes. There are several vendors that members have used. Do a search for scuttle and you will find that no matter which you pick, you can't go wrong. As for me, I use a Dirty Bird scuttle, size 1.5 and its awesome!

[masonjarjar]

Sounds like the brush may have had too much water.

I follow the same procedure as you. I found the same results. But if you, try to squeeze the brush dry before making the lather than it works wonders.

My only issue is I cant keep the lather warm between passes! So I've started face lathering for my first pass, and using a non-brush cream for the second.


a QUICK and easy solution is to fill your sink with hot water (about half the depth of your bowl) and let your bowl sit in there while you shower. Then after you make your lather, set the bowl back in the hot water. The lather always stays warm enough for me using this technique, though I will say the Body Shop Synthetic is not known for holding heat. Well, I don't know it to hold heat.

I actually prefer my Van Der Hagen Boar to the Synthetic. I like mashing and swirling the brush and lather into my face. The BS Synthetic is more like a paint brush you use after you've already built the lather.

But try putting the bowl in the hot water. It really works.

[wedwards]

I started with a body shop synthetic and always found that it was too prickly on my face and never really got a good lather going. Recently I had to travel for a week and didnt want to take my nice handmade silvertip, so I took the body shop brush.

Whilst doing nothing but sitting around in a hotel room watching TV, I worked out that if you soak the entire brush in a basin of hot water for at least 15 minutes or more, the results are amazingly better. Up to that point, I had only soaked the brush for 5 mins or so while I got everything else ready - it seems 5 mins just isnt enough time to soften the bristles to an acceptable level for my face and also to make good lather.

You will still need to watch how much water you add, as it does seem to require a slightly different amount than badger, but I have been pleasantly surprised with this brush after figuring out how to actually use it!! :001_smile

[kwbarrett]

Follow up. First, thanks for all the feedback. It proved helpful today. Soaked the brush for at least 15 mins this morning while I showered. From some other reading I gather that I may not have been holding the brush properly. Using thumb and first finger to gently squeeze the brush while lathering yielded better results today. I completed a two pass shave (NTS, then ETW) with one nick on the neck. I'm not brave enough yet to try an ETW pass under my chin so it's not at smooth as the rest of my face, but it's not visible. Overall, I'm satisfied with the brush so far as well as the C.O. Bigelow cream. When I bought the Body Shop brush, I received a sample of their Maca Root Shave Cream. I'm thinking I might give it a shot next week. Thanks again for the feedback.

[kwbarrett]

I actually prefer my Van Der Hagen Boar to the Synthetic. I like mashing and swirling the brush and lather into my face. The BS Synthetic is more like a paint brush you use after you've already built the lather.
For me the jury is still out. My VDH boar brush is ok, but prickly, but it does a good job lathering. When I first felt the Bodyshop brush, I was amazed at how soft it felt. It is smaller than the VDH so maybe that's explains the "paintbrush" effect you describe.

[guitarslinger]

hmm, I love the TBS synth. It's my favorite brush.

IMO, it's NOT prickley. It's actually the least prickley brush I've used that hasn't been like a floppy mop. It holds its shape. It doesn't lose bristles. It works really well on soaps, IME.

Great brush, and the price is right. I don't need to worry about it getting bent on the way to the locker room in my gym bag.

[kwbarrett]

hmm, I love the TBS synth. It's my favorite brush.

IMO, it's NOT prickley. It's actually the least prickley brush I've used that hasn't been like a floppy mop. It holds its shape. It doesn't lose bristles. It works really well on soaps, IME.

Great brush, and the price is right. I don't need to worry about it getting bent on the way to the locker room in my gym bag.
While not nearly as many bristles have come off either in the sink or on my face as the VDH boar brush, a few have come off on the Body Shop brush. I've only been using it for a week, so I'm chalking it up to being new and part of the break in process.

[guru]

I have the Body Shop syn and the EJ synthetic fibre. I've had mixed results with the synthetic brushes. I use a best badger mostly now. I do like TBS for my travel kit as it does dry out quicker for packing.

[HIT]

Although the Body Shop cream performs perfectly the brush is the quite opposite.

When I started wet shaving, I begun with this brush but it was too stiff for my face. Also it didnt perform well.

After a wk or so I ordered my VULFIX brush and a week after it arrived, I put an ending to this nightmare.