In our fast paced world of convenience, the wet shave has become somewhat of a lost art. As I’ve mentioned before some of my favorite memories of my father took place in the barbershop where he would get a professional shave. While I love the idea of an old school close shave, I’m not that fond of having to go out of my way to see a barber. I prefer to be able to give myself a wet shave in the comfort of my own home. In order to do this, I needed to shop around and attain all the equipment that a professional barbershop would have to keep up with Facial hair trends.

Of course, I wasn’t trying to break the bank, so research needed to be done to ensure that I was buying high-quality products for a good value. One of the first purchases I made when I delved into the world of wet shaving was my shaving brush and shaving cream for the ultimate shave.

Shaving Brush Use

For novices to the art of wet shaving, the shape of their shaving lather brush is the most important factor as a guide to the perfect shave. There are traditionally two shapes of brushes on the market- the bulb shape or the fan shape. Each shape differentiates in the way they feel on the face and lather your shaving soap or cream, but both can help you achieve an outstanding, luxurious shave.

Bulb-shaped or European Style brushes have knotted or trimmed bristles with shorter hairs on the outside. This construction makes for a more compact center so that the bristles do not spread apart when attempting to lather or spread the shaving cream or soap. This provides the user with more control and allows for better precision. Bulb-shaped brushes also do not push the cream around, making it easier to lather in a bowl or mug. If you’re like me and you prefer the silky lather of a denser shaving cream, this may be your best option. Because these brushes offer more control this might be the best option for beginner shavers.

Longer hair

Fan Shaped or English Style brushes have flatter bristles with longer hairs all throughout the brush. This gives the brush a softer, fuller feel against your face. Because this type of brush hair retains and absorbs water better than the Bulb Shaped brushes. Fan Shaped brushes help you to achieve a richer lather directly on the face. This helps to facilitate the removal of dead skin cells, while also providing a massaging sensation. Both of which adds to the pampering experience of a wet shave.

The trick to finding the perfect shaving brush is to determine what your shaving preferences are. Think about the amount of time you want to spend shaving. Consider how much money you want to spend. Think where you’d like to lather, and whether you like shaving soap or cream. Personally, I love and use The Gentlemen’s Shaving Brush which is made from 100% badger hair. The rugged yet soft bristles create a generous lather helping to exfoliate the most stubborn beard hair. It's perfect alongside the Gentlemen's Shaving Cream, which includes charcoal for men's skin.  If you have a long beard or cool mustache style, be sure to use our beard conditioner. If you become an avid wet shaver, it isn’t a bad idea to shop around and pick out several different types of brushes.