For many years now, the market for men’s grooming products has been churning out disposable products that perform poorly and don’t last very long. But the growing popularity of traditional wet-shaving has been bucking this trend, as more and more men upgrade their morning routine.
An old-school shaving brush is an iconic and eye-catching part of the traditional shaving kit. Standing proudly in your bathroom cabinet, it’ll earn approving nods and more than a little curiosity.
So, How Long Does a Shaving Brush Last?
Take care of your shaving brush and it will last at least 10-15 years. Follow our simple advice and maximize the lifespan of your brush. Be gentle with the brush when building a lather and applying it to your face. Rinse it thoroughly after your shave and hang it from a stand to help it to dry.
If you’ve been a traditional shaver for a while now, you’ll already know the advantage of using a brush to prepare your skin for a shave. But if not, you may be wondering what a brush can offer other than Hollywood chic.
Read on to find out why you need to add a brush to your dopp kit – and how with proper care it can serve you for a lifetime:
Taking care of your shaving brush
A premium synthetic shaving brush will retain water effectively while you’re preparing your lather and applying it to your face. And afterwards, it’ll dry quickly to minimize damage to the bristles.
Here are some additional points to keep in mind when caring for your brush:
Frequency
If you’re shaving daily and using the same brush on every occasion, you’re obviously going to stress the bristles more than if you shave less frequently or use more than one brush.
Your professional and social commitments may not allow you to take days off from shaving, but you may want to consider adding another brush to your rotation to avoid overusing one and lessening its useful lifespan.
Technique
One of the most important factors in determining the lifespan of your shaving brush is how you use it. And it stands to reason that if you’re in the habit of treating your brush aggressively, it’s going to fall apart sooner than if you’re more gentle with it.
Be careful to avoid pressing too firmly on the handle of the brush while building lather or applying it to your face, and don’t overload the bristles with excessive shaving cream. Finally, don’t flick the hairs after rinsing off the brush as this may loosen the bristles from their glue adhesive.
Cleaning And Storage
Once you’ve finished shaving, rinse your shaving brush under warm water (too hot and you may degrade the glue holding the bristles in place).
It’s fine to give the brush a light squeeze to remove as much moisture as you can, but be as gentle as possible and take care to avoid splaying the hairs out.
The hairs of your brush must be quickly dried to minimize damage, but don’t attempt to use direct heat from a hairdryer or anything similar.
Instead, hang your brush from a shaving stand in a location that’s well-ventilated. You can even put the stand beside an open window if your location and season permit it.
What is a shaving brush? And why do you need one?
If you’ve never been tutored in the art of traditional shaving, you’ll probably be applying shaving cream with your fingers directly onto the skin. Instead, with a shaving brush you’ll take a scoop of cream, work it into a lather in a shaving bowl or on your hand, and then apply it to your face and neck.
So why introduce the added complication of a brush when your fingers do the job just fine…? It’s because the bristles of a premium-quality shaving brush retain water very effectively and this means that it is much more efficient in creating a rich, hydrated lather.
The combination of water and air quickly churns out a lush, velvety cream that provides excellent lubrication and protection for your skin. What’s more, the circular motions of the brush on your face exfoliate dead skin cells and lift the hairs of your beard for a closer shave.
How much does a shaving brush cost?
It won’t take much research for you to discover the eye-watering prices of some shaving brushes. At the more modest end, you’ll be able to find low-quality models at around the $10-30 price-point.
But if you’re serious about your wet-shaving routine, you’ll want to invest a little more to get the best results. The good news is that there’s probably not much to gain from jumping in at the deep end of the range (where brushes can go for as much as $200).
Here’s why. Although past generations commonly used shaving brushes made from animal hair (most commonly badger, boar and horse), these varieties are becoming less popular nowadays as guys look for more humane options.
And fortunately, opting for a synthetic brush doesn’t mean sacrificing the quality of your shave. Modern synthetic fibers perform just as well as their badger-hair ancestors. These reasonably-priced alternatives (typically $30-70) retain water just as well and usually last much longer.
The lifespan of a shaving brush
Even if you’re investing in a more modestly-priced brush, you’ll want to know that you’re going to get a decent few years out of it. Rest assured that most men get at least 10-15 years from their brush.
In some cases, traditional shavers report that they’ve been using their trusty brushes for up to 30 years. This has led to the reputation of shaving brushes being regarded as heirloom items, passed from generation to generation.
Even if you don’t get this much use out of your brush, you can still be confident that this tool will continue to serve you for many years to come.
And if you’re keen to prolong the lifespan of your brush as much as possible, take the following simple advice:
Brush up on the basics
Just like your favorite razor and blade, a shaving brush is a key part of your grooming kit. Take care of it and it’ll take care of your face for many years to come.
Hi, I’m Theo, and I started Shaving Parlour to help men everywhere get the best shave of their lives. Check out my popular guides on Safety Razors, Shaving Cream, Shaving Brushes, Beard Oil, and more!