Is Your New Shaving Brush Not
Performing Up To Expectations?
So you just bought a new shaving brush and are super pumped about using it. You take it out of the box and it looks so nice and pretty and you just know it’s going to deliver that great lather you’re looking for. But then you actually use it and it’s just a little underwhelming.
What’s wrong with it? Well probably nothing. You just need to be a little patient and let it break in a little before it really starts working like it should.
You need to remember that shaving brushes are essentially delivered to you straight from the factory floor when bought brand new. And they are manufactured to be strong and durable so they are going to feel a little stiff. The hair bristles are not broken in during the manufacturing and assembly process because that would just add unnecessary steps, and cost, to the manufacturing process.
Shaving brush manufacturers are also not worried about the smell either. So when you get a new shaving brush, you can expect it to smell a little. It won’t smell bad, but it will have some odor to it. Don’t worry though, I’m going to teach you a technique to get rid of that smell later in this article.
Alright, back to why the shaving brush isn’t quite living up to it’s billing though. Remember how I said it’s like breaking in a new pair of shoes and how they get more comfy and start molding to your feet as they soften up? Well we want to do the same thing with your new shaving brush -- we want to soften up the bristles. Why?
Because when the bristles are stiff, they don’t absorb enough water to mix with your shaving soap or shaving cream and create a nice rich lather. Instead, you get a flat lather that doesn’t lubricate or protect your face as well as it should.
But when they are soft, they absorb much more water and allow you to work your soap or cream into a nice rich lather.
How Long Does It Take To Break
In A New Shaving Brush?
The bristles on shaving brushes will soften up and expand over time with more use. Each time you use a new shaving brush, it gets broken in just a little bit more and will keep expanding which allows it to hold a little more water. And this it what will then translate into a more luxurious and thicker lather.
It usually takes at least a couple of weeks to a month to really get a new shaving brush fully broken in, but this depends on a lot of factors.
- How often do you shave and load your brush? The more frequently you use it, the quicker it will soften up.
- Is it a boar brush, badger brush or synthetic brush? Synthetic don’t change properties too much but will get much more comfy with time. Badger and boar hair brushes though get noticeably better. I recommend spending a little extra money for a quality badger or boar brush if you can. Badger brushes are usually a little quicker to break in. Boar hair brushes, like human hair, do absorb water though. They eventually dry out and gets split ends and this improves it’s performance as a brush.
- What kind of shaving soap or cream are you using? Quality shaving soaps that contain potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide will help soften up the bristles. Those cheap aerosol can creams won’t add any value.
While the break in process is going on, the hairs on the brush will begin to loosen and a few may even fall out. Don’t be alarmed as this is perfectly normal. During this time, the bristles will begin to feel noticeably softer when they are dry.
So how long should it take to really get it in mint working condition? Just be patient and eventually, hopefully within 2 to 4 weeks, it will be a well-oiled lathering machine.
Forget that though -- this is the 21st century. I don’t have time to be patient and wait around. I want results NOW!
How to Speed Up the Amount of
Time it Takes to Break in Your New Shaving Brush
If you are patient and keep using your shaving brush on a regular basis, it will get broken in over time. Trust me. But there are some things you can do to get it broken in a little more quickly and get rid of that new brush smell at the same time.
**Warning** Make Sure You Won't Damage the Handle
In order to speed up the break in process, you are going to expose your shaving brush bristles to hot water and lather for an extended period of time. You do not want to expose the handle to these same elements though because it could damage the handle.
Basically, just don’t try to break in your brush if the handle is made from a material that could be damaged by extended exposure to hot water and lather. If you have an expensive shaving brush with an exotic handle or something that could be damaged, it’s not worth the risk. Just take your time and gradually break it in.
Alright, if you’ve determined your brush handle is sturdy enough to handle the elements and won’t get damaged, let’s get started.
Step 1: Clean The Brush
The first thing we want to do is remove any odor that is still on the brush. Think about it -- your shaving brush essentially went straight from the manufacturing line to being boxed up and shipped to you. Yes, it is “clean”, but we want to freshen it up and remove any remaining smells.
To do this, you will need some dish detergent, hot water and a small cup or mug.
I recommend using a small cup or mug, not a bowl, because it will allow the brush to stand upright with the bristles facing down. This allows the bristles to soak in the water-detergent solution but the handle will stay outside of the water so it won’t get damaged.
Go ahead and mix some hot water with a few squirts of dish detergent in the mug. Place the brush in the water with the bristles facing down. The bristles should be pretty much completely covered but the handle should not be under water.
Step 2: Let The Bristles Soak For 10 to 20 Minutes
Just let your shaving brush soak in the solution for a good 10 to 20 minutes.
Step 3: Rinse The Bristles Off With Hot Water
Take the brush out of the water and rinse it off with hot water. Make sure you really get out all of the soapy water and residue out that may be deep down in the bristles.
Step 4: Lather The Brush Up Like You’re About To Shave
Alright, now your shaving brush should be clean and hopefully fragrance-free. Now it’s time to start breaking it in.
Since the best way to break in a new shaving brush is to use it, we are going to replicate that process. But instead of spreading it out over several weeks, we are going to pack all of that into 1 night. What does that mean?
It’s simple. Just take out your shaving soap or shaving cream and lather up the brush like you’re preparing to shave. Make sure you are really getting all of the bristles lathered up from top to bottom. Be very liberal with the lather. If anything, overdo it. Once you’re done, just wipe off the handle so there’s nothing on the handle that could damage it.
Step 5: Leave The Lather On The Bristles And Let It Sit Out Overnight
This next step is easy: just set the lathered brush on your bathroom countertop and let it sit out overnight. Go to bed and dream a sweet dream of that nicely broken in shaving brush you will have in the morning.
While you are busy sleeping, the alkali in your shaving soap or cream are going to work on all the bristles and softening them up.
Step 6: Rinse The Lather Off And Let The Bristles Dry
The following morning, simply rinse off all the lather and then let the shaving brush dry. It’s still going to take some time to really get your shaving brush up to optimal standards, but this should noticeably improve the softness, texture, smell and lather-ability of your brush.
Show Your Shaving Brush Some Patience
A good shaving brush is an integral part of wet shaving. So when you splash some money on a fancy new shaving brush, it’s disappointing when it doesn’t quite deliver the results you were expecting.
But just stay patient because if it’s a quality brush, it will improve over time. So have faith and keep using it on a daily basis and you will see a significant improvement eventually.
In the meantime though, take advantage of the process I laid out to help speed up that break in process. Your brush still probably won’t quite be at peak performance, but you will see a noticeable improvement and that distinct smell will be gone at least.
