So...Always use a brush?

[Bengal Tiger]

The brush is the most important part of the shave. It lifts up the whiskers and exfoliates the skin. If I were starting out again, I would check out the Van der hagen badger they sell at Target for $10. It looks much nicer than the tweezerman. There's also a nice kit they sell too with a soap and apothecary mug and stand but it comes with a cheaper boar brush.

I started with a kit from Art of Shaving, but its very pricey. It looks nice though depending on your budget.

[Icebear]

That'll be next. First I'll have to get him off the canned stuff.

Right on M, this has to be priority.
That stuff is EVIL .

[TonyBrown]

The brush is the most important part of the shave. It lifts up the whiskers and exfoliates the skin. If I were starting out again, I would check out the Van der hagen badger they sell at Target for $10. It looks much nicer than the tweezerman.

great beginner brush imho

bought one for my dad a month or so ago and was pif'd one when i was a noob

[pipskicks]

Sorry for you Mr. Mad Man. I think "grooming as a hobby" should be encourage oraged. Although, I'm sure some of you guys are nuts!

It's the nuts part...

[Synthetic Badger]

The brush is the most important part of the shave. It lifts up the whiskers and exfoliates the skin.

Of course, this is not true. (Expect the exofiliation, perhaps). I never face lather, so obviously my shave should fail according to this logic.

The most important part of the shave is the technique involved in using a razor. Everything else is secondary at best.

[Bengal Tiger]

Of course, this is not true. (Expect the exofiliation, perhaps). I never face lather, so obviously my shave should fail according to this logic.

The most important part of the shave is the technique involved in using a razor. Everything else is secondary at best.

For me, learning proper prep made all the difference in the world.

[Synthetic Badger]

For me, learning proper prep made all the difference in the world.

For me, the difference came with learning proper razor use with the right razor. This combination is the only factor that really affects my shave result, unless I over prep or use a completely wrong kind of a blade. Brush? I could go with a foam or goo if I had to, no problem.

[Icebear]

... I could go with a foam or goo if I had to, no problem....

This smells of heresy , this guy needs to be watched .

[N2theBreech]

@FaintlyM--

Getting him started by switching from mass market foam/gel is a good way to go. That's how I started.

Also, you know him fairly well (presumably!) and there are several things about traditional shaving that draw and keep guys. Different things appeal to different personalities. You could pick an aspect or two based on what you know about him, and use that to pique his interest.

Here are some possibilities.

• Cheaper (well, initially anyway:-)
• Better shave - Close shave with less irritation
• Healthier looking skin - Commercial stuff is hard on our skin, plus things like Witch Hazel are just plain good for your skin
• Products that are more natural - Most hard soaps have no parabens, etc. Proraso just revamped their line to make it more natural
• Pleasant - most guy who've made the switch actually look forward to shaving. Bet he can't say that now.
• A skill - if he's the sort that likes doing stuff with his hands - wood carving, fly-tying, whatever, he'll probably take to it, whether the other aspects appeal or not.
• Way more choice - Choices in razors, brushes, blades, soaps, creams and so on. Boredom isn't a factor
• The Zen factor - Quiet time alone, focused.
• Link to the past - when men created their own shaves, didn't buy them off the shelf at Wal-Mart.
• Trendy - A younger classmate of mine saw my brush and razor when our class was on a trip. Slightly embarrassed I mentioned it to her later. She was like, "Why are you embarrassed? It's trendy now. I bought my husband a set-up for Christmas!"

I'm sure others can add to the list...

[Silver Badger]

Technically you don't "NEED" a brush as you can use a latherless cream like Alba which is something I've done for travel on occassion when I wanted to travel really light.

However, in reality you really really DO "NEED" a brush. Why? It makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable. It's a great feeling way to apply lather to face (or legs), the brush builds a much better lather with a high quality cream or soap and it's just a nice part of the ritual.

[Go West Young Man]

The brush is the most important part of the shave. It lifts up the whiskers and exfoliates the skin. If I were starting out again, I would check out the Van der hagen badger they sell at Target for $10. It looks much nicer than the tweezerman. There's also a nice kit they sell too with a soap and apothecary mug and stand but it comes with a cheaper boar brush.

I started with a kit from Art of Shaving, but its very pricey. It looks nice though depending on your budget.

A brush 'lifts up the whiskers'? How long and floppy is your beard anyways????

[FaintlyM]

This smells of heresy , this guy needs to be watched .

+1

[FaintlyM]

Also, you know him fairly well (presumably!) and there are several things about traditional shaving that draw and keep guys. Different things appeal to different personalities. You could pick an aspect or two based on what you know about him, and use that to pique his interest.

You're exactly right that 1) I do know him and I know I need to "plant seeds" to get him thinking about something. Hence, starting him off with a soap instead of throwing a whole kit at him. And 2) There are few things on that list that will appeal to him, I'll refer back for reference as needed.

Thanks.

[marshall dylan]

i always use a brush,i feel im cheating my self on a good shave if i use an inferior canned shave cream. the razor of choice of the day dictates if i use a cream or a soap tho.

[Synthetic Badger]

@FaintlyM

• Healthier looking skin - Commercial stuff is hard on our skin, plus things like Witch Hazel are just plain good for your skin.

This sentence doesn't make sense. How on earth is commercial stuff hard on our skin for being commercial? Witch hazel, of course, is also commercial, unless you extract your own.

[N2theBreech]

Sorry, I took some linguistic shortcuts.

By commercial stuff, I mean mass-market shaving gels and foams, Edge, Gillette, etc. They aren't hard on your skin because they are commercial, They are hard on the skin because of what the manufacturers put in them so they make lather right from the can. Shaving soaps, on the other hand, give us the functions we need without the need to use ingredients that are as hard on your skin.

Yes, WH is commercially produced, but the ingredients are natural, not synthesized from petroleum distillates, or whatever.

Bottom line-- since I stopped using canned lather, and started using witch hazel, Lucky Tiger, Tabac, MWF, and so on, my skin looks a lot healthier.

[sp514]

It's the best part of your shave!

[pipskicks]

Of course, this is not true. (Expect the exofiliation, perhaps). I never face lather, so obviously my shave should fail according to this logic.

The most important part of the shave is the technique involved in using a razor. Everything else is secondary at best.

I think that the brush probably is not as important except for making the lather as I also paint it on. At the same time though, I think good lather is VERY important, I think if you make poor lather and have a good razor you will have a sore face.