SMF

Rooney Manchurian

Thater 4376/5 silvertip

Rooney Manchurian

Rooney Manchurian

SilkSmoke

SilkSmoke synthetic

Semogue boar

SilkSmoke

Erskine in full bloom.

My original choice this morning for the Castle Forbes Cedarwood Sandalwood cream was the large silvertip badger brush. For some reason it just didn't work. Usually something I call operator error, but it was a no go. Rinsed out the badger and picked up the SilkSmoke synthetic. You guessed it - worked like a magic wand.

I decided to try my Muhle STF brush this morning; i usually only use a synthetic when travelling. I didn’t like it: just too springy which meant I had to mash the brush on my face to lather in a circular motion, which is my preferred way of lathering.

Today was a bit more successful with the silvertip. I think I'm beginning to get the hang of it. Switching from a hard soap to a slightly rigid cream and from a synthetic to a badger at the same time calls for some thoughtful adjustments. Just adds a bit of adventure to the morning ritual.

SilkSmoke synthetic rules! I got the CF C&S cream dialed in!

Yaqi White synthetic

My new Fendrihan Classic Silvertip shaving brush. I’ve used it 3 times now and I’m impressed. Although it cost just CAD$69 it is much more dense and firm than I expected. The knot measures 22X49 and is bulb-shaped. The badger has very soft tips and just the right amount of backbone for me, ie, not too much, but more than a Kent BK4, and flow through is very good. I bought it as my travel brush, as I’ve not found a synthetic that can match the face feel of a good badger or boar. At the price I thought it was worth the punt and so far I’m pleased. I’ll use it the rest of the week and a few more times before my trip at the end of August.

WCS Tuxedo synthetic

Simpson Chubby 2 Super Badger

Yaqi Tuxedo synthetic

Rooney Manchurian badger brush