How to use a shaving brush for your traditional shaving?

When you're new to traditional shaving, you might wonder how to use a shaving brush? Indeed, its use can be tedious to have a beautiful and uniform foam, so we will give you the little tips to use a shaving brush, prepare your shave, and finally, not to disregard, maintain it.

But before you start, it might be worth knowing which shaving brush to choose. Because there are many different sizes, compositions and hardnesses of shaving brushes, and some of them will not suit your skin or your desires. The advantage of our hog bristle shaving brush is the suppleness of the bristles, their softness, and above all its size, neither too big nor too small, totally adapted to lather up enough shaving soap for one person, going from one to 3 passes for the whole face! With a good shaving brush in hand, and a quality soap, you'll have everything you need for a good old-fashioned shave.

How to prepare your skin for shaving?

First of all, before lathering up your shaving soap, you should remember how to prepare your skin for shaving. Indeed, a few steps are essential for an efficient, comfortable, and irritation-free shave. To do this, start by taking a hot shower to dilate the pores of your skin and soften the hairs to be shaved. This works just as well with a warm, damp towel, as the aim is to allow the blades to glide smoothly and reach the hairs as close to the root as possible when shaving. In addition, this is also an opportunity to cleanse your skin, to prevent impurities from getting lodged in the still dilated pores. You can also apply our pre-shave oil, to make it even easier for the blades to pass through, but also to soothe and moisturise the shaved skin by preserving the hydrolipidic film, notably thanks to the omega 6 and antioxidants contained in it. The warm towel will help the oil to penetrate, for an optimal shave!

You will then need to prepare your blade. A safety or mechanical razor, a shavette or a straight razor, it all depends on your preferences, but you should know that you need a sharp and clean blade to avoid snags during the various passes. Aftershave is also an essential part of a great shave. Our alcohol-free aftershave also acts as a facial treatment, and the Aloe Vera in it will soothe irritations and micro-cuts caused by any mistakes made during shaving. Finally, the cold-water shaving towel can be used after the post-shave rinse to tighten the skin's pores and finalise your shave. But the cold-water can also be used on its own to rinse!

Now that you have soap, shaving brush, bowl, aftershave, towel, shaving aid and skin ready to be shaved, all you need to do is use your shaving brush and shaving soap to lather and apply, and you're ready to shave! To find out more, click here to see all our shaving products that are made in France!

How to use the shaving brush?

Once our skin is ready, and the shaving tools are laid out, it's time to explain how to use the shaving brush. You can just as easily use a shaving cream as a shaving soap, but for a cream it's much easier. The point of using a shaving brush is to lift the hair to make shaving easier, to massage and exfoliate the skin, and to distribute the freshly made lather evenly. To do this, start by filling your shaving bowl with hot water and soaking your shaving brush for a few minutes. This will allow the bristles of the shaving brush to soften and become well soaked to help the soap rise. Only dip the bristles into the water, not the handle, as over time this can damage the glue that holds all the bristles in place. Once your shaving brush is well soaked, empty your bowl, place the soap at the bottom of the bowl, and use rapid circular movements directly on the soap with your shaving brush. Make sure there is not too much water, as this may not produce a very creamy lather. You can add a little hot water to the bowl if it doesn't lather up enough but be careful not to add too much so that the soap is not diluted and remains in a liquid state.

Now your lather is well set up with your brush for shaving, simply apply it to the areas you want to shave, using circular motions to lift the hair. Start with your chin, then your neck, then finish with your cheeks and moustache! (The same goes for your skull, or other areas). Don't be afraid to use more for multiple passes, or if an area seems to be lacking. For tips on shaving, check out our other article, "Shaving in 3 steps".

How to maintain a shaving brush?

Once the shave is over, like any accessory, your shaving brush needs to be cared for, but how do you maintain a shaving brush? First, forget all detergents, cleaning products, etc. Prefer lukewarm water, with a good rinse followed by a wringing out of the hair, and above all: dry it upside down! Indeed, if you don't want to damage the base of your shaving brush, it's better to avoid the water staying between the hairs, hence the stickable support supplied with all our brushes! By doing this, you will extend the life of your shaving brush and prevent the hairs from becoming brittle, the glue from wearing off and the foam residue from sticking. For rinsing, there is nothing like doing the same as for lathering soap: circular movements in warm water. When it comes to wringing out, remember that the less water in the hair, the longer your shaving brush will last! You can use a soft towel to lightly absorb the water, but it is best to let it air dry. From time to time, a thorough cleaning may be necessary, especially if you have very hard water.

Now you know everything about the use and care of a shaving brush. Don't hesitate to follow us on social networks for more information on traditional shaving and beard care. You can also read our other blog posts, and if you have any questions, send us a message on our networks!