Caring For Your Shaving Brush
Transcription
Caring For Your Shaving Brush
The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ www.MensShaving.co.uk Copyright © Men’s Shaving Company All rights reserved. This eBook contains proprietary content and must not be duplicated, distributed, or trained from without written permission. No portion of this material maybe shared or reproduced in any manner under any circumstances whatsoever without advance written permission from Men’s Shaving Company. For permission requests, contact: Men’s Shaving Company 95 Briarcroft Drive Glasgow G33 1RD Scotland United Kingdom ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 2 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ “How a man shaves is essential to achieving smooth and healthy looking skin. It is the most important aspect of a mans grooming routine” ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 3 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Who Is Robert Gillespie? In case we haven’t met, my name is Robert Gillespie and I’m the founder of Men’s Shaving and The Perfect Shave. I’m a men’s shaving expert, and I’ve been helping men transform their shaving experience and results from one of pain to one of pleasure since 2005. I’ve been on quite a journey over the past 12 years…and you can read my full story by clicking here. This journey includes suffering from horrendous and unsightly ingrown hairs in my teens…to opening my own successful shaving business called ‘The Perfect Shave’ in 2005. The Perfect Shave was the first retail business of its kind in the UK solely dedicated to sourcing and retailing the world’s finest shaving products and accessories under one roof. And…as a result of my success with The Perfect Shave, I was nominated as a ‘UK Entrepreneur of The Year’ finalist…and have been featured in some of the world’s leading magazines including Arena and GQ. The great thing about The Perfect Shave was it gave me an amazing opportunity and platform to speak face to face with over 5000 customers…who suffered one way or another when it came to shaving. I listened as they told me all about their personal shaving problems… ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 4 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ …problems that caused their personal lives and career’s to suffer due to the lack of confidence it brought with it. No matter your skin type…I’ve spoken with someone who suffered from the same shaving problems as you may do now. I’d like to think I’ve passed on the best shaving tips…advice…and product recommendations over the years… …helping customers to have a pain free, comfortable shave…whilst transforming their lives. What You’ll Learn Inside This Special Report: One of the most frequently asked questions during my time at The Perfect Shave was this… “What’s the purpose and benefits of using a shaving brush during my shaving routine?” Shaving brushes attracted a lot of interest at The Perfect Shave…and not just because they looked good and came in all kinds of shapes…sizes and design… …but older men were delighted to see that Shaving Brushes were “making a comeback” so to speak. There’s no denying, that in the 90’s and early 00’s, the demand for shaving brushes dropped dramatically. With the invention and growth of the modern shaving gel and foam from a pressurized can…the need for a shaving brush had apparently been eliminated for good. Thankfully that’s not the case anymore. ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 5 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Younger men on the other hand, were generally more intrigued when seeing a shaving brush up close for the first time. Most of them had never been shown how to use a shaving brush before, but secretly wanted to know more about them…what the benefits were…and how to use one. They also thought it would be pretty ‘cool’ to own one. So…once I’d taken some time to answer their key questions about shaving brushes, many men were hooked on the idea of using a shaving brush for the very first time. And I used to receive positive feedback from first time shaving brush users all the time…especially from younger men who had bought their very first shaving brush and shaving cream. Many couldn’t believe the transformation in their shaving results and reduction in shaving discomforts. They couldn’t believe how more ‘enjoyable’ their shaving routine was…and as an added bonus…the shaving brush actually saved them money as they were using far less shaving cream per shave. And inside this special report, I’m going to reveal everything you need to know for getting the most from your shaving brush, from understanding the benefits of using a shaving brush…right through to knowing what to look out for when buying one. I hope you learn a lot from this special report, take appropriate action and get the most from your shaving brush for many years to come. Shave Great. Feel Amazing. Robert Gillespie Creator, Men’s Shaving – http://www.MensShaving.co.uk ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 6 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 1: 5 Key Shaving Brush Benefits The Shaving Brush is essential for achieving The Perfect Shave. A badger hair shaving brush plays an important aspect in preparing and protecting the skin for a close and comfortable shave. Whilst there are many different hair options to choose from when it comes to selecting your shaving brush…such as boar hair...natural hair…horses hair and synthetic hair… …I recommend that you stick to badger hair for a number of reasons, some of which I will discuss throughout this report. In the meantime, let’s looks at the 5 key benefits to be found when using a badger hair shaving brush. A badger hair shaving brush will help you to: Generate a rich warm, protective lather Soften the hair shaft and lift the beard Open the skins pores Bring sufficient water to the face Gently exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells Now, let’s explore these points in a little more detail. ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 7 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ #1 - Generating A Rich, Warm, Protective Lather: Running a shaving brush under hot water for a minute, and then combining it with a glycerin based shaving cream or shaving soap, helps to generate a rich, warm, protective lather that offers the ultimate in protection for your upcoming shave. This isn’t the same kind of ‘fake lather’ you would get from a pressurised can of shaving gel or foam. Later on in this report, I’ll touch a little on the the types of products you should be using in combination with your shaving brush, so you can achieve the perfect shave every time. But for now, back to the key benefits of using a shaving brush. #2 - Softens And Lifts The Beard: Men who use a shaving brush on a daily basis swear by its benefits and would never go back to applying shaving cream with their fingers. ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 8 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ A shaving brush is ideal for helping to soften and lift the beard. When you apply any type of shaving cream using just your fingers, you naturally ‘press down’ or ‘pat down’ on the hair shaft…pushing the hair back down flat onto the skins surface. This makes it very hard for the razor blade to get a clean cut when it passes over the hair, as very little of the hair shaft is exposed for the blade to cut. On the other hand, when you apply shaving cream using a shaving brush, this application process naturally ‘lifts’ the hair shaft up from the skins surface, and into a position where the razor blade can get a nice, clean cut when passing over. The rich, warm lather also helps to soften the hair shaft, making it easier for your razor blade to cut…which helps to prevent razor bumps and rashes. #3 - Opens The Skins Pores: Warm water is essential when it comes to achieving the perfect shave using a shaving brush…and a badger hair brush holds and retains water unlike any other types of hair. ___________________________________________________________ © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk 9 The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ This is one of the unique reasons why you should choose badger hair over any other type of hair. It’s also a well known fact, that applying warm water to your face helps to open your skins pores… …and, because a badger hair brush retains the warm water, the brush helps to open the skins pores at the same time as applying shaving cream to your face. This is a very important part of the pre-shave routine, as opening your skins pores ensures your hair shaft is completely free to be cut by your razor blade, and not trapped under the skins surface. If your pores remain closed, and the hair shaft remains trapped under the skins surface, continuing to ‘shave over the top of the hair’, will lead to one of the biggest shaving problems known to men…ingrown hairs. Quick Tip: Avoid menthol based shaving products during your shaving routine, as they close the skins pores. #4 - Brings Sufficient Water To The Face: As discussed previously, a bader hair shaving brush is the only type of hair that retains water. Try using a synthetic hair brush, or a boar hair brush and you will notice how much water naturally drips of the brush compared to a badger hair brush. Because of this unique benefit, the badger hair shaving brush brings just the right amount of water to the skins surface, ensuring the face remains nice and moist throughout the duration of your shave. ___________________________________________________________ 10 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ #5 - Gently Exfoliates The Skins Surface: When luxuriously rich warm lather is applied to the skins surface using a shaving brush, the circular motion of the brush exfoliates the skin, helping to remove any dead skin cells or dirt on the skins surface. Just like opening the skins pores, this process allows the hair shaft to be free from any blockages that might prevent the razor blade from getting a nice clean cut. Now that I’ve explained the 5 key reasons why a shaving brush is essential for achieving the perfect shave… …we’re now going to look at the different types of badger hair shaving brushes you can choose from, and what to look out for before you buy one. ___________________________________________________________ 11 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 2: How To Choose The Right Shaving Brush We’ve touched on this point previously, but just in case you’re jumping through the sections…I’m going to say it again. When purchasing a good quality shaving brush it’s extremely important that you select a shaving brush made from Badger Hair. Many shaving brushes are made from horse’s hair, boar’s hair and some from synthetic hair. However, one of the main reason for selecting a badger hair shaving brush is that it’s the only animal hair that retains water when wet. The more water the brush can hold, the thicker and richer the lather created…resulting in a more protective shave offering less razor ‘drag’ and ‘friction’. Therefore, selecting a shaving brush made from any other type of hair would prove to be a bad investment and result in a poorer shave in terms of quality. And one more thing…badger hair is also very soft, unlike horse’s hair and boar’s hair…and this leads to a more comfortable lathering process. ___________________________________________________________ 12 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Shaving Brush Features To Look Out For: Badger hair shaving brushes vary in their quality, density and durability. Density for clarification purposes refers to the number of hairs making up the overall bundle. A shaving brush with a higher level of density will offer the following benefits: Retain more water Be softer to the touch Generate a thicker, richer lather…and Retain it’s shape better after each shave. The best way to judge a shaving brushes density, is to look down on it from a birds eye point of view like the image below. ___________________________________________________________ 13 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ The density of the hair bundle also has a large part to play in terms of how long the shaving brush should last before you’ll need to buy a new one. However, as there’s no official industry standard classification on the varying brush grades, it’s hard to say exactly how long each shaving brush grade should last. But…from experience…and speaking to many shaving experts across the world, I will offer some guidance as to how long each grade of shaving brush should last…before it’s level of performance starts to deterioate. My personal guidelines may not please all of the shaving brush manufacturers… but… …using this information, and weighing up the cost of each type of brush, you should be able to make a logical decision as to which grade of brush is right for you…whether it’s your first brush or you’re looking to buy a new brush. So without further ado, lets take a closer look at the 4 main grades of badger hair shaving brushes available today. ___________________________________________________________ 14 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Badger Hair Brush Grades: #1 - Pure Badger: Pure badger hair shaving brushes have the darkest hair of all the shaving brush grades, with the length of the hair short to medium. This hair grade covers around 60% of the badgers body, making it the most readily available hair in terms of supply. This also explains why it’s the least expensive of all badger hair shaving brushes. Pure badger hair is the stiffest of all badger brushes, which makes it very popular for men looking to gently exfoliate the skin during the lathering up process. With its flatter, manually trimmed shaped head, and offering the least level of density when compared to other brush grades…this shaving brush should offer approx. two years worth of shaving pleasure. Image: Art of Shaving Pure Badger Brush ___________________________________________________________ 15 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ In my opinion, the pure badger is an excellent choice for those looking to try a badger hair brush for the first time. It’s pretty inexpensive, and even if you decide to upgrade your brush grade pretty quickly, it will still make an excellent spare brush, or can be used as a travel brush in your washbag. #2 - Best/Fine Badger: Depending on where you live, some countries refer to this next grade of badger brush as Best or Fine badger. In reality, they are just the same. This hair grade covers around 25% of the badgers body, making it more exclusive than pure badger. Again, this explains why the cost of the brush will be more expensive. It’s visually lighter in appearance to the Pure Badger brush, and much softer to the touch. With its medium level of density, this grade of brush is noticeably different to that of the pure badger, especially from a birds eye point of view. Image: Art of Shaving Fine Badger Brush ___________________________________________________________ 16 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ And, in addition to its superior density, the hair is medium in length and as a result offers excellent water retention, ensuring a rich warm lather. The natural dome shape of the brush ensures that it retains its shape well after each shave, and should offer approx. 5 years of shaving pleasure. #3 - Super Badger: Super Badger is an extremelly high quality grade of shaving brush, and is more expensive than pure and best badger due to the scarcer supply of the hair type. Visually, it has an appearance similar to the highest grade of shaving brush, the silvertip, but displays a distinctive black band around the middle of the bundle. Image: Edwin Jagger Super Badger Brush The hair length is medium to long, and very flexible and soft to the touch. ___________________________________________________________ 17 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ One of the main noticeable differences between super badger and silvertip badger hair however…is the length of the white tips at the top of the bundle. They are often very short on a super badger brush, and make up the smallest part of the overall hair length. However, the super badger brush offers a very high level of density…providing excellent water retention…and will offer approx. 8 years worth of shaving pleasure. #4 - Silvertip Badger: The Silvertip Badger brush offers the highest grade of badger hair available. Found on the neck area of the badger, it’s the scarcist in terms of supply, with only 5% of the badgers body producing this type of hair. This explains why it’s the most expensive brush to buy. However, putting cost to the side for a moment, with it’s extremely soft and distinctive silver tips, the brush offers extremely high levels of density, ensuring the highest levels of water retention and the richest lather possible. The hairs chosen to make up the silvertip shaving brush are very carefully chosen…usually based on it’s colouring and softness. And, just like the super badger brush, it has a distinct black colour banding. However, the white tips on the silvertip brush are much longer than the super badger, and much more noticeable. Overall, the length of hair used in this grade of brush are very long, which helps to generate an amazingly rich, protective lather. ___________________________________________________________ 18 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Image: Art of Shaving Silvertip Badger Brush And in my opinion, the silvertip shaving brush should offer you at least 10 years worth of shaving pleasure. Ok, so now you know what the four different grades of shaving brushes are…what’s the best way to use to use this information. Which Brush Should I Choose: Well, when the time comes to select your own badger brush, use the above information as a reference guide. First of all, ask yourself… Am I serious about using a badger brush in my shaving routine…or am I just a little curious as to what all the fuss is about? If it’s your first brush, I’d stick to a pure badger or a best badger brush until you know for sure you’re commited to using one on a regular basis. You can pick one up for around £25/$35, so it won’t break the bank. ___________________________________________________________ 19 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ If you then decide that a shaving brush is for you, and you really want to get a super badger or silvertip brush, you can always use your original brush as a back up or as a travel brush. Another thing to consider is the cost of your preferred shaving brush, and how long it’s expected to last. For example, if a pure badger brush is going to cost £35, and is expected to last around 2 years, the cost per year is £17.50. However, a silvertip shaving brush may cost around £100 to buy initially, but will last around 10 years, working out at an average cost of £10 per year. So, does it make financial sense to pay more for a better brush from the outset, and get an extra 8 years worth of shaving use, and a better shave from day 1? There’s a lot to consider when buying a shaving brush, but the above guide should really help…as it gives you everything you need to make a sound buying decision. We’ve now looked at the different grades of hair used within shaving brushes and there associated benefits, but there’s one more thing to consider when buying a shaving brush… …handle design. ___________________________________________________________ 20 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Shaving Brush Handle Design: In addition to selecting a suitable grade of badger hair, you’ll also find a very wide choice of handle designs and sizes. Handle selection is a personal choice…but a shaving brush should be comfortable to hold, offer the correct balance and be durable. It’s really as simple as that. Handles designed in ‘Thuja Wood’ for example, may appeal to the classic wet shaver, as would a brush made with a ‘Faux Ivory’ handle…whereas a handle designed with nickel or chrome may appeal more to the modern wet shaver. Image: Muhle Thuja Wood Handle Image: Muhle High Grade Resin Black I used to speak to a lot of customers at The Perfect Shave who simply picked the brush handle or shaving set that best matched their bathroom design and colours. It really is a personal choice, and I hope the information provided so far will help you to make the best possible buying decision based on your current circumstances. ___________________________________________________________ 21 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 3: How To Generate A Rich Lather Using A Shaving Brush In this section, I’m going to explain the two most common ways to use a shaving brush in conjunction with shaving cream and shaving soaps to generate a rich, protective lather. Clearly there’s more than two ways to generate lather with a brush, but I think you’ll find these two are the most popular and easiest to implement. If you want to see a pretty good visual demonstration showing how to generate a lather using a shaving brush, please click on the image below. ___________________________________________________________ 22 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Method 1: Shaving Brush + Shaving Cream (No bowl) Step 1: The shaving brush should initially be held under a basin filled with warm water for 15 – 30 seconds, or held under running warm water until the shaving brush is completely soaked. Step 2: Then, apply 1 or 2 fingertips worth of shaving cream to the top of the shaving brush, or preferably try and nestle the cream just inside the tip of the shaving brush. Step 3: To allow the shaving cream to soften inside the brush, making it easier to apply to the skin…it’s recommended that the shaving brush and cream be held back inside the basin of warm water for a further 5 - 10 seconds. Step 4: Next, lather up by applying a circular/upward (against the grain) motion on the face and neck. The shaving brush will now lift the hair up from the face and generate a rich, protective lather at the same time. Step 5 (Optional): If you want an even thicker lather after your face is completely lathered up for the first time, the shaving brush can be dipped back into your basin of hot water for one more second in order to bring more hot water to the brush. Then repeat step 4. By doing this the lather that is currently on the face will be thickened further offering a very rich, hot lather. After shaving with the grain on the first pass, if you feel like a closer shave, lather up once more using the remaining cream on your shaving brush, and proceed to shave against or across the grain. ___________________________________________________________ 23 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Method 2: Shaving Brush + Shaving Cream/Shaving Soap Using a Bowl Many men like to use a traditional shaving bowl or mug when looking to generate the best possible lather for their daily shave. Using a shaving bowl or mug allows you to generate a rich protective lather BEFORE you start applying the shaving brush to your face. In it’s simplest form, that’s the only real difference in the two methods outlined in this report. Step1: The shaving brush should initially be held under a basin filled with hot water for 15 – 30 seconds, or held under running hot water until the shaving brush is completely soaked. Quick Tip: When using a shaving mug or a bowl, you could fill this with hot water - instead of filling your basin - and place the brush inside in order to get properly wet. Step2: If you did use your shaving bowl or mug to get the brush wet…empty any remaining water from the bowl before continuing. Now, place 1 or 2 fingers worth of shaving cream into the base of your shaving bowl…and start generating a thick lather by following a ‘whisking’ type action until a rich lather has been whipped up inside the bowl. If you’re using a shaving soap, simply whisk the hard soap until it starts to generate a nice lather. Step 3: Apply the lather you’ve whipped up inside your bowl in a circular/upward (against the grain) motion onto the face. The shaving brush will now lift the hair from the face and generate a rich warm lather at the same time. ___________________________________________________________ 24 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Step 4 (Optional): Once your face is completely lathered up for the first time, the shaving brush can be dipped back into your basin of hot water for one more second in order to bring more hot water to the brush. Then repeat step 3. By doing this the lather that is currently on the face will be thickened further offering an extremely rich, hot lather. ___________________________________________________________ 25 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 4: Caring For Your Shaving Brush: A badger hair shaving brush should be viewed as an investment. Therefore, by following a couple of simple steps you’ll help to prolong the lifespan of your brush, whilst ensuring you get the maximum benefits on a daily basis. Before using your shaving brush for the very first time, it should be washed gently, but thouroughly, using warm soapy water. Note: Some hairs will fall out of the brush in its early days. This is nothing to worry about. Usually these are just shorter length hairs, that didn’t quite reach the bottom of the base…and weren’t glued and tied together with the rest of the hairs. As a result, they simply come loose during the early stages of it’s life span. In terms of keeping your shaving brush in tip top condition on a daily basis, it’s a quick and easy two step process: Step1: After shaving, rinse your shaving brush under warm water, and then gently squeeze the excess shaving cream from the shaving brush. Step2: Shake off the excess water and then hang the shaving brush upside down on a shaving brush stand to help it dry properly. And…make sure the brush has plenty of air to dry. Try and resist placing it inside a bathroom cupboard for example. If you don’t hang your shaving brush upside down to dry properly after each use, any remaining water inside the brush will slowly seep through into the handle base where the hairs are glued and tied together… ___________________________________________________________ 26 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ and… …over time, the excess water will slowly weaken the glue, resulting in the brush hairs coming loose, and falling out. You also run the risk of mildew forming around the neck area of the brush if you don’t hang the shaving brush upside down. Not a pleasant site at all. Why does this happen you may ask? Remember…one of the badger hairs unique benefits is that it holds and retains water better than any other type of hair…therefore, no matter how much water you shake of your brush, some will remain inside. And, the only way to remove this water is by hanging it upside down on a stand. There’s really no excuse for these problems to happen though. A basic shaving brush stand can be bought for as little as £3/$5. Image: Edwin Jagger Shaving Brush Stand - £3 ___________________________________________________________ 27 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Finally, if over time your brush does suffer from mildew, or a build up of shaving cream, then simply soak it in a solution of Borax. Borax can easily be obtained from your local chemist. If you want a few more unique ways to take care of your shaving brush, watch MANTIC59’s excellent video below. By clicking on the video image it will take you straight to the video on YouTube. Click above image to watch the video right now. ___________________________________________________________ 28 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Part 5: Shaving Products To Use With A Shaving Brush: Now that you we’ve covered everything you need to know about shaving brushes, I’m going to finish of by touching on a few of the best products to use with your brush. If you want the best results from your shaving brush, then you must use the right products. Don’t just rely on the shaving brush to transform your shave from average to excellent on its own. Now, the topic of shaving creams or shaving soaps could be a whole book on it’s own, so for now I’m only going to focus on shaving creams that I would personally recommend and have used in the past to keep things simple… …and to give you a head start for achieving that perfect shave with your brush. First of all, any shaving cream or shaving soap you buy must contain two very important ingredients…Glycerin and Coconut oil. Glycerin serves quite a few purposes. The two key ones are that it helps to soften the beard and lock in water…ensuring the skin is kept wet during the shaving process…and it also acts as an excellent moisturiser. Coconut oil is high in fatty content, ensuring a rich protective lather and excellent lubrication…which helps to prevent discomforts such as razor burn, nicks and cuts. Overall, my personal preference is shaving creams over shaving soap. I tend to find that the lather created from shaving creams is significantly richer, thicker and more protective than that of many soaps. ___________________________________________________________ 29 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ However, one of the main reasons I choose shaving creams over shaving soaps is because they are much more hygienic. Soaps usually last a lot longer than creams, but that is actually one of their main downfalls. They tend to get dirty and grubby in a very short period of time, especially if there not looked after. I just don’t like generating a lather directly from a hard based shaving soap, when I can simply take a small scoop of shaving cream from a nice clean jar or tube, and place it directly onto the shaving brush meaning the jar never gets wet or dirty. In saying all of that, I know many men who like the traditional aspect of a shaving soap and bowl, and are not keen on the modern shaving creams. The choice at the end of the day is up to you. Experiment with both options and see what works best for you. But you know which side of the fence I stand on! So, based on what I have just said, here are my top 3 shaving creams: #1 – The Gentlemen’s Refinery – ‘The Standard’ Shave Cream ___________________________________________________________ 30 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ The Gentlemen’s Refinery was created by Perry Gastis, who was previously the Master Barber at The Art of Shaving, and also worked for Truefitt & Hill in North America as an Executive Barber. As you can probably tell, Perry knows a thing or two about shaving. The ‘Standard’ Shaving Cream is rich in Glycerin, Coconut Oil, Lavender Oil, Sandalwood Oil and Ylang Ylang oil. It contains no alcohol, and is also free from parabens and synthetic dyes, which make it a great product if you suffer from very sensitive skin. I highly recommend you give this product a try with your shaving brush. #2 - The Art of Shaving – Lavender Shaving Cream This was the very first premium shaving cream I ever tried with a shaving brush back in the year 2000. And to this day it’s still one of my personal favourites. As with the Gentlemen’s Refinery shaving cream, it’s rich in Glycerin and Coconut Oil, but focuses mainly on Lavender Essential Oil to deliver the key benefits during and after your shave. ___________________________________________________________ 31 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Now, don’t worry guys…this is not Lavender smelling perfume or anything like that…you won’t end up smelling like your granny after using this product. This product uses Lavender Essential Oil, which really helps those with sensitive skin, especially those that suffer from redness or slight razor burn after their shave. Lavender Oil helps reduce inflammation, and because it’s an essential oil, it evaporates slowly over time, leaving no lingering lavender smell afterwards. It is one of the most expensive shaving creams you can buy, but in my opinion it’s worth every single penny or cent. #3 – Geo F Trumper – Extract of Limes Shaving Cream During my time at The Perfect Shave, Geo F Trumper products were consistently amongst the best sellers…and Extract of Limes was the most popular shaving cream from the Trumper range. Again, packed with Glycerin and Coconut Oil, this cream has the foundations required for a great shave, providing a very protective lather, and amazing moisturizing qualities. ___________________________________________________________ 32 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ It smells amazing too, with its light and fresh limes scent, making it a great choice for a nice refreshing shave in the morning. However, please note that the lime scent is not completely natural like the essential oils found in the Gentlemen’s Refinery and The Art of Shaving products. Fragrances have been added to the product to create the lime smell, and it also contains colourings to create the green lime effect. So if you suffer from severe shaving problems or any skin irritations, I wouldn’t use the Trumper range of shaving creams. ___________________________________________________________ 33 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Conclusion: As indicated earlier in this report, the demand for shaving brushes declined in the late 90’s and early 00’s due to the mass production and marketing of shaving gels and foams from a pressurized can… …that didn’t require the need for a shaving brush. However, around the mid 00’s, the ‘male grooming’ industry really started to take off, and men started to take more pride in their appearance than ever before. Men started to spend serious money on products like moisturisers and aftershave balms…and even tanning products in their quest to look and feel as good as they possibly could. Remember the term…”Metrosexual” anyone? However, no matter what grooming routine you follow… “Shaving will always have the greatest impact on how your skin looks and feels on a day-to-day basis.” If you have a poor shave, you can end up with nicks and cuts, unsightly ingrown hairs and razor burn. Alternatively, if you have a smooth and comfortable shave, your skin will look great, and you will feel amazing as a result. Thankfully with the growth of the Internet in the 00’s, and with shaving shops like my own popping up… ___________________________________________________________ 34 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ …men had the opportunity to better educate themselves on all things to do with shaving, and re-discover the lost art of shaving. This lost art included the many benefits to be gained from using ‘old school’ shaving tools such as a shaving brush and a safety razor. And with this newfound education, the demand for shaving brushes began to grow, and has continued to this very day. In fact, the demand for shaving brushes has never been greater. And the reason for this is simple… …for over 200 years, shaving brushes have been used as part of the shaving process to help get the best results possible. And just like many other products and services, shaving brushes from time to time have gone out of fashion. However, the benefits from using a shaving brush don’t go out of fashion for too long. No matter what the latest craze is when it comes to shaving, whether it’s shaving oils, or razors with 10 blades (thinking ahead), the shaving brush will always have its part to play when looking for the ultimate shaving experience. So, if you were sitting on the fence, and undecided about using a shaving brush before reading this report, I hope this report has accelerated your learning curve, whilst helping to guide you in the right direction. That was my single aim when writing this report. ___________________________________________________________ 35 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ But, like many things, I am always looking to update and improve my reports...so if you still have some unanswered questions about shaving brushes, or would like me to explore some existing content in more detail… …please get in touch with me at www.MensShaving.co.uk or email me at robert@mensshaving.co.uk. I’d love to hear from you, as feedback is always appreciated. Until then, I wish you the very best with your shaving journey and experience, and I hope to see you at www.MensShaving.co.uk soon. Shave Great. Feel Amazing. Robert Gillespie Creator, Men’s Shaving – www.MensShaving.co.uk PS: Remember to join our email list to get instant access to future free reports. ___________________________________________________________ 36 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Helpful Resources: Shaving Brushes: Simpsons Brushes - http://www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com Rooney Shaving Brushes http://www.classicshaving.com/Rooney_Shaving_Brushes.html Vulfix - http://www.vulfixoldoriginal.com Kent Brushes - http://www.kentbrushes.com Edwin Jagger - http://www.edwinjagger.com Art of Shaving - http://www.theartofshaving.com Videos: Mantic59 YouTube Channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59 Chicago Shaving YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/ChicagoShaving?feature=watch Shaving Creams: The Gentlemen’s Refinery – http://www.thegr.com The Art of Shaving – http://www.theartofshaving.com Geo F Trumper – http://www.trumpers.com ___________________________________________________________ 37 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk The Complete Beginners Guide To Shaving Brushes by Robert Gillespie _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 38 © Men’s Shaving Company www.MensShaving.co.uk