Traveling and I forgot my brush!

**daverasi** · 11-12-2011, 09:49 PM

The title says it all...I am out of town visiting family and in the hurry to get organized and packed I forgot to pack a brush. On perivious trips I've used my Parker Safety Razor brush which is decent and does the job but is otherwise out of my rotation...

For this trip I have just used up a sample of Salters Almond...could not get a decent lather without a brush but I have managed to survive.

I return home tomorrow but I suppose my question is this...what are some alternatives you have used when you've forgotten your brush before a trip?

**xraygun** · 11-12-2011, 09:52 PM

go buy a brush works for me.

**stuart12dz** · 11-12-2011, 10:01 PM

I hate to say this and I'll probably get my mouth washed out with soap (MWF), but canned goo would be high on my list of alternatives.

**scipio** · 11-12-2011, 10:32 PM

I'd go with a simple, no-nonsense can or tube (if you can find it) of Barbasol. it's the only canned stuff that gives a decent shave.

**Watasha** · 11-12-2011, 10:33 PM

Barbasol.

**Go West Young Man** · 11-12-2011, 10:39 PM

Any cream can be used brushless, they don't NEED to be lathered like soaps do. Just spread it on by hand and it'll work fine.

**vitaman** · 11-12-2011, 10:46 PM

Find a Walgreens or a Rite aid and buy one.

**TheVez2** · 11-12-2011, 10:58 PM

As above, or use a brushless cream like Cremo or Kiehls. It is easy enough to get a small travel container and fill it up with one of these. Keep it in your travel kit and you always have a back up. They make for a decent preshave lotion if you're in a hurry too.

**GianquiMan** · 11-13-2011, 12:01 AM

+1 on the Barbasol. Or see if you can get a cheapo VDH brush at the pharmacy. It gets the job done.

**Frosty** · 11-13-2011, 05:25 AM

I know this doesn't strictly answer your question but I have a separate wash bag/travel shaving set which has a small puck of soap, a razor, blades and a Simpsons Wee Scot. If the travel involves a flight I substitute a Mach whatever for the DE, just to save the hassle if I'm going to carry on the luggage

I also find that just using ones hand is a good emergency brush. Not ideal but one can generate enough lubrication on the face if not necessarily all the soapy suds

**daverasi** · 11-13-2011, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Go West Young Man

Any cream can be used brushless, they don't NEED to be lathered like soaps do. Just spread it on by hand and it'll work fine.

This is what I did and I got okay results.

**daverasi** · 11-13-2011, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by vitaman

Find a Walgreens or a Rite aid and buy one.

Really? To me it makes no sense to buy a cheap a$$ brush that I will likely never use again with my Kent, Simpson, and Shavemacs @ home.

**Bearsfan** · 11-13-2011, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by daverasi

Really? To me it makes no sense to buy a cheap a$$ brush that I will likely never use again with my Kent, Simpson, and Shavemacs @ home.

+1
The VDH brush is a serious piece of junk. I bought one on a whim and it is downright terrible. The only reason I could see getting one is if you wanted to make a brush and had no skills to fashion a handle.

I think I would just use my hands to make as decent a lather as I could.

**daverasi** · 11-13-2011, 06:58 AM

Originally Posted by Frosty

I know this doesn't strictly answer your question but I have a separate wash bag/travel shaving set which has a small puck of soap, a razor, blades and a Simpsons Wee Scot. If the travel involves a flight I substitute a Mach whatever for the DE, just to save the hassle if I'm going to carry on the luggage

I also find that just using ones hand is a good emergency brush. Not ideal but one can generate enough lubrication on the face if not necessarily all the soapy suds

To me you had the best response. In the past I did have a separate bag set aside with my old Parker brush along with a number of sample size creams, balms, oils, etc. On this trip I just forgot the brush. As I said in the OP I used a sample of Salters Almond cream and it worked ok. I suppose the answer is to just not forget the brush...if I was gone for more than a week I would have likely just purchased a can of goo...and then given it away.

I just thought of this...I could have fed the AD and searched for local retailers that carry good brushes and just purchased a new one...

Thanks for all the responses to rather asinine question!

**Frosty** · 11-13-2011, 07:05 AM

Thanks Daverasi. It wasnt an asinine question- we've all done it. But as the old saying goes necessity is the mother of invention. There's always a work around

**Go West Young Man** · 11-13-2011, 08:48 AM

You can also make a decent lather using a washcloth - it's not optimal but it can done.

**jeffh2** · 11-13-2011, 08:57 AM

I travel quite a bit for work. When I first started traveling I used to always bring a couple of soaps, my EJ BBB, and my EJ89L with a pack of blades. All in my checked baggage of course. I've since purchased a large carry-on so I don't have to hassle checking in every flight.

I called the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to find out if my shave soap/cream would be considered a liquid or not and was unable to get a straight answer out of the operator. (She told me she would have to see the product in order to answer my question.)

So now my traveling shave kit consists of Bic Sensitive Skin disposables, Cromwell & Cruthers shave oil, and RazoRock Aftershave wax. While this is definitely a less than ideal shave kit, it does get the job done when I'm out of town for 2 or 3 days.

**daverasi** · 11-13-2011, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by Go West Young Man

You can also make a decent lather using a washcloth - it's not optimal but it can done.

This is a good idea I wish I had thought of...heading home today so this problem is behind me...I've learned my lesson.

**Lamb Root** · 11-13-2011, 08:57 AM

And if you forget a washcloth you can always use one of your socks. Just make sure that the cream is scented.

**vitaman** · 11-13-2011, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by daverasi

Really? To me it makes no sense to buy a cheap a$$ brush that I will likely never use again with my Kent, Simpson, and Shavemacs @ home.

Cool. Next time you go out of town bring one of your expensive a$$ brushes w/ you. When you lose or damage it, I'm sure you would be bummed you didn't bring the $8 brush w/ you. BTW many here find a VDH boar to be just fine. Me included. Have a great day.