Thread: Brush Irritation

Good on deighaingeal for digging in and asking questions, and listening to the answers.

I too have sensitive skin. I used to be very skeptical that something as soft and luxurious as a badger brush could actually have exfoliating properties, but it definitely does. I love stiff brushes, but they don't love me back. I would get occasional irritation, and was never sure why.

Then one day, had just bought a new shaving brush (a stiff Rooney), and was lathering up multiple times using two other brushes and the Rooney, to compare them. No shave mind you, just lathering and rinsing multiple times. When I was done, my cheeks looked like they were sunburned! Very embarrassing.

I grudgingly switched to softer brushes (Kents mostly), and haven't had an issue since. In the process, I've honestly come to prefer softer brushes, especially the big Kents. The one "flier" I have is a Straight Razor Designs brush in super that is quite stiff in terms of backbone, but has the softest tips of any brush I've ever tried. Never an issue.

I have allergies and my 1st few uses of my boar brush seemed a little uncomfortable but I don't even notice it now and no irritation either.

FWIW, boar will soften up a LOT as you use it, and lots of my well-broken-in boar brushes are softer on the skin than some of my stiffer badger brushes. It's kind of a myth that boar=stiff and uncomfortable and badger=soft and luxurious, so if you find yourself having an allergic reaction to badger, by all means try a boar brush before you give up on brushes entirely. Most people don't stick with a boar brush long enough to break in the tips, so they miss out on how great a well-used boar brush is for lathering.