Brush with Greatness or "do bald badgers make for better wet shaves?"

By James Whittall
MenEssentials President
Published June 2003

Consider the humble shave brush. Almost every man knows what it is. Yet hardly any man in North America actually uses it. Which puts it in the same class of utility as a road map.

Too bad. Wet shaving is as much a tradition as it is a means of eliminating unwanted facial hair. In our zeal for the perfect, 30-second shave and our wholesale endorsement of the disposable razor, we have lost much of the custom — indeed, the masculine ritual — that is the morning shave.

So why should you care, especially when your time is at a premium?

Good question. There are some pretty sound reasons to include a brush in your daily shave regimen. And if you suffer from post-shave irritation, you'll probably want to know what those reasons are.

Origin of the Species
Very little is known about the invention of the shave brush, other than it first appeared in France in the 1750s. The original selection of materials is also a bit of a mystery. However, many of the more expensive household brushes of the day were made of badger hair, and the cheaper of stiff boar bristles. The choice, very likely, was obvious.

Badger hair is still used as a natural shave brush fiber, since it retains precisely enough water to provide a proper wet shave. It's also delicately tipped yet extremely resilient, so the brush remains soft and pliable throughout its many years of service

Badgers are a protected species in North America, the United Kingdom, and in many parts of northern Europe. Regardless, you need not concern yourself about the source of badger hair in any brush you want to purchase — unless you're shopping from the back of a truck with no license plates.

Most commercial badger hair comes from remote areas of China where badger populations are so vast that they endanger crops and livestock. The Chinese government controls badger culling by licensing tiny village cooperatives to conduct the hunts and process the hair. The sale of badger hair provides co-op members with an additional source of income to augment their meager earnings from the land.

Most fine shave brushes continue to be fabricated by small companies in Germany and England. Neither Canada nor the United States has its own reputable shave brush manufacturer — which most likely accounts for the fact that these items are as popular here as toques are in the Bahamas.

In Europe, however, the shave brush is considered an essential grooming tool and the only reliable solution to ingrown hairs, razor bumps, and post-shave irritation.

How the Shave Brush Works
Badger hair is very fibrous and retains a surprising volume of water, which it releases into the shave cream. As you work it onto your skin, the brush lays down a slick glide barrier of emulsified shave cream and water. This barrier significantly reduces razor dragging and skipping, the most common causes of post-shave irritation.

The crucial process here is the consistent release of water into the cream. It's not enough merely to slap a palm-full of water onto your face and then massage a layer of cream on top. The brush lifts the beard, which helps it to absorb more water, and so prepares it for the application of the emulsion barrier and, ultimately, the frictionless shave.

This is the essence of a traditional wet shave.

Brush Types
Until recently, shave brushes were available only as badger hair and bristle. Today, manufacturers use a variety of materials to produce brushes that suit everyone's taste and budget.

The Perfect Wet Shave

1.	Cleanse your face with warm water, or place steamed towels on your face for 30 seconds.

2.	Dip your shave brush in warm water, shake off excess, and apply shave cream to the badger trimming. For best results, squeeze the cream into an old coffee mug or specialized shaving mug and use the brush to work the cream into a rich lather.

3.	Apply the cream to your beard, using oblique brush strokes.

4.	For more lather, dip the tip of the brush in water and add more shave cream.

5.	Shave and finish with a moisturizing balm or astringent aftershave.

Care and Maintenance
Your new brush may smell of moth balls when you first use it. This is a harmless preservative that repels bacteria and micro organisms from the badger hair. It'll wash out after a few days.

Never press the brush onto your skin. This will break the badger hair. Instead, stroke it sideways like a painter's brush.

After use, rinse and shake out the brush to remove excess water. Leave it in a well-ventilated place to dry. Never seal a wet shave brush inside an airtight container.