Shaving brush

So a few questions for you before offering some suggestions.

Have you ever used shaving brush before? If so, what type - badge, boar, horse, synthetic etc.

Would you have an aversions to animal hair or would you prefer synthetic?

Will it be used mainly for soaps or creams?

Will it be face lathered or bowl lathered?

Is there a general price point you wouldn't like to have suggestions above?

Answer those and we should be able to pull together a list of options.

There isn't really a 'best' hair for a brush. It's subjective really. Each you're if hair will have its pros and cons.

As a starting point, badger hair would easiest to get used to in my opinion.

I'll go through the rest of your post and try give a few suggestions by tomorrow evening.

Also, the body shop shave creams have a good reputation from memory.

This might surprise you, but brushes can easily be 10x more expensive than your average safety razor. It took me ages to talk myself into spending 30 quid for a razor and only afterward did I realise that was just the beginning.

Anyway, let's take a look at what's available: https://www.shaving.ie/shaving-brushes/

I'm looking in under 30 quid (what I consider gift territory). Omega and Semogue are well regarded brands. There's even a Simpson badger in that price range, but I'm not sure the knot size. I wouldn't recommend Muhle brushes unless you are only bowl lathering creams.

Just some terminology when talking brushes there:

knot size which is the diameter of the brush going into the handle
brush loft which is how long the bristles are (and obviously overall height of the whole brush + handle)
brush shapes: how the bristles are cut, but bulb is most popular.
brush density: People also talk about having some scrub or backbone to it. I personally don't like a floppy brush so avoid Muhle brushes. You need to have some backbone to dig into hard shaving soap and also to give your face a bit of a scrub while face lathering which many like.
brush material: Then there's how it feels, how coarse or soft, which is really where the price can shoot up

I won't bang on, there are links and videos about all this we can provide if interested. Just pointing out there's a certain amount to it especially when shopping online buying sight unseen. As you will be scrubbing this thing against your face possibly til you die, some people (like me) go mad and get one custom made for a small fortune. But you can do equally well lathering with a 10 quid brush. It's a matter of preference.

If it was me buying a gift for someone (applying my tastes) I would probably stretch for their store-brand silvertip:

https://www.shaving.ie/products/black-silvertip-special.html

Personally, I have never quite understood the price point of more expensive badger brushes, which to my mind represent poor value when compared with their boar, horse and synthetic brothers. I have 2 silvertip badger brushes but find I use them far less frequently than my boars and am starting to really enjoy synthetic brushes.

I feel you can get excellent brushes online for under €20 - for boars any of Omegas (I personally prefer them to Semogues); Vie Long horse hair brushes are very good; Yaqi synthetics represent the best brush value if you are willing to wait a bit longer for delivery

Seve OB wrote: »

thanks for the tips and info guys

is there any b&m shops around Dublin for this kind of stuff?

Knights barbershop in Stephens Green shopping centre will have brushes but likely with a decent mark up.

Honestly, the 35 quid badger brush above is great. If it was a brush from a known brand it would be selling for at least double its price - if not more.

Seve OB wrote: »

must be missing something because I cant see any 35quid badger brush linked

Apologies, I was looking at the before VAT price
- it's actually 45.

https://www.shaving.ie/products/black-silvertip-special.html

There are a few here who have experience with them.

I'm sure I've given a detailed post with advice on here before so I'll try dig that out some time this week.