What is a shaving brush used for?

Hair, hair, and more hair. Razor brands are plentiful, and it can be difficult to choose between a disposable razor or a more natural solution with a traditional razor and shaving brush made in France or another European country. The price isn't the same, but neither is the quality!

Whatever your hair type, thick or sparse, tuft of hair or sparse beard, the shaving brush made in France is a choice that will convince many men.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before making your choice:

• How much do I want to spend on my badger brush?
• What size should I use for my shaving brush (we are talking about the size of the tuft here)?
• Choice of brands: known worldwide (Plisson, Muhle are good references) or not?
• What type of hair? Natural hair or synthetic tuft?
• What color for the handle? Black or white? Noble, quality materials (horn handle, chrome handle, etc.) or natural materials like wood?
• What types of finishes?

These parameters are important and will help you make your choice! The most important thing is that your brush matches your beard, your skin, and your shaving habits. A larger brush size, and therefore a larger tuft of hair, will allow for a more abundant lather. But if you shave infrequently, a standard-sized brush will be perfectly sufficient!

At Caliquo you will find two types of shaving brushes with meticulous finishes , handcrafted in France. No chrome here, the handles are made of natural wood, oak or walnut handles, hand-turned by a cabinetmaker. Available without a stand, water does not penetrate the handle thanks to a protective varnish, guaranteeing an impeccably neat finish. The grip is ideal.

How to use a shaving brush?

Having first appeared in Europe in the 18th century, the shaving brush has long been an essential accessory for any barber and man with impeccable beards. Falling into disuse after the Second World War, it has made a significant comeback in recent years with the shaving brush, which goes hand in hand with the revival of professional barbers and beards in our culture. But how should you use this tool, and what are the pitfalls to avoid when purchasing one?

WHY IS A BEARD BRUSH CALL A "SHAVING BRUSH"?

Shaving brushes, as their name suggests, were historically made from tufts of real badger hair. Filled with authentic badger hair (or boar bristles, horsehair), shaving brushes allow shaving soap to lather more or less abundantly and evenly, thus allowing razors to be less aggressive on the skin.

As its name suggests, the badger brush is originally made of badger hair (not blerot). Indeed, these hairs have the particularity of being half-hard, half-soft, and therefore provide great comfort when applied to the skin. The soap is in a small bowl where the badger has just collected it with a circular movement. Here again, the hairs play a crucial role, because they allow to retain a maximum of water, and to create a creamy and homogeneous shaving foam. When applied, the skin is hydrated, massaged, and the beard hairs are softened which makes the shave more precise. You are then ready for a smooth and impeccable shave.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SHAVING BRUSH FOR A BETTER SHAVE?

The main difference between several badger brushes will be the material and the quality of its bristles. Indeed, we can find badgers made of boar bristles or horsehair, through brushes made of synthetic bristles. Among badger bristles, it is also important to know that there are several qualities, ranging from the shortest and thickest (pure badger ) corresponding to a hard bristle, to the longest and softest ( super badger ) corresponding to a more flexible and less aggressive bristle for the skin. Brushes made of boar bristles or horsehair are similar to pure badger , as are synthetic bristles. It is therefore necessary to know what type of shaving suits you in order to choose the brush accordingly, knowing that prices also vary greatly. You will thus benefit from a good shaving brush. Thanks to technological advances, today synthetic bristles offer real shaving comfort thanks to soft bristles, while being less expensive than animal hair. The handle of the badger brush is also important, and can be made of ivory, precious wood, or even porcelain.

Focus on synthetic shaving brushes, Caliquo's choice

There are several types of shaving brushes, and it's important to be able to choose by knowing the differences between the brands. All shaving brushes are used with a razor and shaving soap. They all allow you to shave! But shaving can become a pure moment of happiness (yes, it's possible!) if you choose a quality brush, made in France, with a tuft of superior-quality bristles while preserving our friends the badgers - the real ones, the animals!

Hair by hair, it's possible! A beautiful tuft of synthetic hair is also possible! Gone are the days when a quality badger brush was necessarily a Plisson, Lordson, or Muhle badger with a Pure Badger , or Silvertip Badger . Natural hair brushes are no longer the only ones to offer the skin unparalleled softness. The type of handle and the size of the tuft count for little in the shaving itself. What is essential is the quality of the brush and the hair.

Today, Caliquo offers two synthetic shaving brushes , made of synthetic fibers imitation silver tips for a shave combining softness, tradition and respect for the animal cause. Technological innovations allow high quality synthetic bristles. 100% vegan, our tufts of synthetic bristles are in three colored bands (a white band above the handle, a second black band and finally a gray band) and are comparable in quality and softness to silver tip badger. These tufts of synthetic bristles create a creamy and abundant lather, guaranteeing an easy and precise shave. Another advantage of synthetic brushes is that the bristles are not hollow (unlike tufts of natural bristles). Cleaning and drying the brushes are therefore easier and optimal hygiene for several years.

Click here to discover our range of shaving brushes made in France at affordable prices!

HOW TO PROPERLY PREPARE YOUR SKIN BEFORE SHAVING?

Before shaving, we recommend filling your sink with clean, cold water to rinse your razor blade. Hot water will cause the blade to swell, making it less sharp.

If you have a rather long beard, it's important to start by trimming it as short as possible with scissors or clippers before using your razor. Electric clippers are best for this purpose. Remove the guard and trim your beard completely. Never apply a large amount of lather to a long beard and shave it directly with your razor. Your shave will be painful and rather ineffective, and you'll wonder what the beard is for.

To prepare your skin for shaving, it is recommended to start by washing your skin as best as possible to avoid infections or irritation. Use a good natural exfoliant (a cosmetic product that removes dead skin cells to smooth the skin) and then wash your skin with soap and warm water. Finally, dry your skin with a clean towel.

Barbers typically heat men's faces with a hot towel to open their pores and soften their beard hair. This allows them to give their clients a closer, more comfortable shave. We recommend using the same technique to replicate this effect. The heat and moisture will soften your beard, raise the hairs, and open your pores.

Using a shaving brush is recommended for applying shaving cream to your skin. Applying shaving cream with a shaving brush will further soften your beard while gently exfoliating your skin. You can also use your brush to remove trimmed hairs from your blade while shaving, which can save time.

If you run out of shaving cream, avoid using a bar of soap, which could leave residue on your blade, dull it, and could even rust your blade, even if it is stainless.

How to maintain your shaving brush?

Investing in a shaving brush made in France or a European country is a guarantee of quality. But without regular maintenance, your bristles risk clogging and your handle losing its shine and strength. Whether your brush is made of natural bristles or synthetic fibers, here are the keys to maintaining it!

After each shave, soak your tuft of hair for a few moments in warm or hot water—but not hot water. You can also rinse your handle for a few moments in warm water. Run your fingers between the hairs to gently spread them apart and remove any shaving soap or foam residue.

Gently compress the hairs from the base of the clump towards the tips to remove as much water as possible - this will make drying easier

Wipe the handle and then the bristles with a cotton cloth. You can then run your fingers through the bristles again to allow air to circulate.

You can finally place your badger brush upside down so that the tiny water droplets still contained in the bristles do not accumulate at the base of the tuft but can evaporate little by little.

WHAT SERVICES DOES A BARBER PROVIDE?

For most barbers, three types of services are most commonly offered. A simple beard trim, performed with clippers and scissors, is a relatively quick service, taking about 10 minutes; a beard trim with a razor blade and finishing touches; and finally, a traditional shave, performed in about thirty minutes with a traditional hot towel and moisturizer.

What types of barbershops?

Traditional, modern, trendy, or vintage, there's something for everyone. With all the traditional equipment, shaving brush and shaving cream in hand, your barber will seat you in a cozy leather chair before taking care of you with his straight razor for an ultra-precise shave. Make no mistake, maintaining a manly look like this requires a lot of work. Who better than a professional to advise you?

For each Barber Shop, you will be able to find services that match the environment.
A rock cut style, for example, at "Alex's Haircut," inspired by the fifties, with a waxed-back style. You can adopt a very vintage style thanks to Alex.

At the "Shapier", the type of beard is more in the beard sculpted with a real traditional Japanese straight razor.
At "Les mauvais garçons", they will offer you a very high quality service and a very precise old-fashioned shave, but always in the dandy style, like Le Bon Marché.
At Alain's, tradition and experience are at the forefront, his style and performance in terms of mustache trimming will leave you speechless.
The “Barber’s Key” offers you a little excursion into the American barber shops, Times Square won’t seem very far away!

In any case, take advantage of the shaving brush to transform your shave into a pleasant moment.

Caliquo is a French brand that produces eco-responsible everyday items.

Our rechargeable toothbrushes , our children's toothbrushes , our razor and our shaving brush .