If there’s an art to shaving, then a badger shaving brush is obviously your best tool. But why badger when there’s also boar or even synthetic shaving brushes? For starters, badger bristles are softer on the skin. They also hold the most water, meaning a quicker, richer lather.
Finally, its natural stiffness doesn’t bend when wet, meaning it provides an excellent backbone. Basically, if you need this natural fiber in your shaving ritual, then the best badger shaving brushes are a must.
There are plenty of skin benefits to incorporating a badger hair shaving brush into your routine. These fibers massage the skin, stimulate beard hair, and cleanse dirt and oil from the skin by gently opening the pores.
Without the best badger shaving brushes, your morning shave is just a shave. Why not turn it into an elegant, hygienic hobby?
As you might suspect, not all badger brushes are created equal. There are several different types depending on where and how the hair is gathered, which I’ve outlined below. Understanding the differences between them is crucial to setting up your ideal shaving experience.
Types of Badger Hair Brushes
Pure: These hairs come from the back section of a badger. They are dark in color and often uneven, so the hair is cut, which removes the fine, natural tips. Because of this, they are slightly scratchy and rough in the first uses but will soften over time.
But that also intensifies its exfoliating aspect. Pure badger shaving brushes are more durable, last longer, and require less maintenance. Rightly so, this makes them inexpensive.
Best: Hair for badger shaving brushes is found on the belly and is light brown in color. Best is scarcer, softer, and more pliable, providing greater quality and comfort than pure but making it more expensive. Because it’s made with denser knots, it possesses greater water-holding abilities for a richer lather.
The tips aren’t trimmed, making them softer with only a slight scratch. They boast a performance closer to silvertip but are usually cheaper, so many times they’re of better value. An excellent choice for beginners.
Silvertip: Made from the soft, silvery tips of the neck and jowl area, this type of badger shaving brush has the best water retention for a quicker, richer lather. The bristles are fine and delicate, so more are required to fill the knot.
They are hand-selected and never trimmed, making them more expensive. Their softness provides a luxurious feeling on the face, but that also means they don’t exfoliate in the same manner as the others. You also risk breakage if you use it too roughly, thus requiring more care and experience.
Super: Supers look similar to best, but they’re noticeably softer. Light brown in color with a distinctive dark section in the middle of the loft, they come from the back of the badger. They are more luxurious and smoother than pure or best.
Sometimes manufacturers mix them with silvertip hair, but they aren’t as rare as silvertip, although they do require similar care and maintenance. There is a difference between super badger hair and Simpson super badger hair, which is in a league of its own.
The hand-selected bristles are even softer than silvertips; they are essentially super high quality silvertips.
Now let’s take a peek at the best badger shaving brushes your hard-earned money can buy.
Key Takeaways
For this list of the best badger shaving brushes, I began by poring over hundreds of photos, customer reviews, and even my husband’s bathroom cabinet until I whittled it down to the 8 finalists you see on this list.
Overall, the very best of the best badger shaving brushes is the WCS Tortoiseshell Collection Torch Shaving Brush. It has a thick, comfortable handle, soft silvertips, and excellent lather, all for incredible value.
A great pure badger option that provides excellent for beginners is Vulfix 1000A Pure Badger Shaving Brush.
Simpsons Chubby Super Badger Shaving Brush at Amazon
MUHLE Vivo Pure Badger Shaving Brush at Amazon
Semogue S.O.C. Cherry Wood Shaving Brush at Amazon
Simpson Colonel X2L Best Badger Shaving Brush at Maggard Razors
Vulfix 1000A Pure Badger Shaving Brush at West Coast Shaving
Best Overall: WCS Tortoiseshell Collection Torch Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: If you’re looking for the best badger hair shaving brushes, West Coast Shave is the perfect place to start. This elegant, high-quality brush makes for an excellent silvertip for the price. It has a thick, beefy handle that is comfortable in the hand and easy to hold.
The hairs are super dense with superb backbone and pillow-soft tips for a sumptuous feeling on the face. They whip into a beautiful, peaky lather. Compared to the Simpson’s chubby, which I’ll get to in a minute, it’s a steal. Expect to lose maybe one hair a year.
Who is this for? A great everyday choice if you have sensitive skin or don’t want tons of exfoliation. It’s also great for beginners thanks to the approachable price point, but it can also easily become your sole brush for the next fifteen years.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Some reviewers have noted an initial wet fur smell, which is common with real animal hair shaving brushes, but that it fades after a few uses.
Handle: Acrylic tortoiseshell | Height/Knot: 115mm/26mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Best Budget: Parker Premium Three Band Pure Badger Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: Parker comes up on a lot of best shaving brush lists, but I like the three band pure badger brush from looks to lather (plus, it doesn’t hurt that it comes with a stand).
This is easily the softest natural hair you’ll get for the price, which you’ll notice when swirling and pressing the gorgeous lather. Reviewers love that it’s easy to load, and the heavyweight handle is perfect to grip.
Who is this for? If your beard hair is coarse and thick, you’ll appreciate the rougher feel of the pure bristles.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Sure, the bristles could be a bit softer, but this brush provides great value for the price.
Handle: Resin and metal | Height/Knot: 115mm/22mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Best Luxury: Simpsons Chubby Super Badger Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: The Simpsons Chubby Super Cadgers 1, 2 and 3 have somewhat of a cult following, and that comes down to quality. It can easily become your sole brush for life—for that price, it better be. The cost is steep, especially as you move through the variations, which go up in price according to knot size, but they’re worth it.
These super-powered brushes hold a ton of gorgeous lather on densely packed, extravagantly soft tips. But they’re not without moderate to firm resiliency. As one would expect from a chubby, it has a shorter handle height, a feature that often shakes down to preference.
Who is this for? Soft bristles and shorter handle height require some experience and definitely extra care. I would say this badger shaving brush is for the more experienced shaver.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: There aren’t many downsides to a brush of this caliber, but I will say that it does take more than 24 hours to dry because it’s so densely packed.
Handle: Faux ivory | Height/Knot: 85mm/23mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Best on Amazon: MUHLE Vivo Pure Badger Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: Muhle is a reliable German brand with quality you can feel in your hand. You can tell this brush is made from premium parts. Not everyone likes a heavy-handed brush, but this one feels nice and sturdy. It’s going to last you a long time.
The hair is soft yet springy, giving a slightly stronger massage, which is great for a stiffer beard. It’s going to produce that rich, dense lather that you want and is very easy to apply.
Who is this for? A solid medium-stiff brush for a stiff beard. Great if you like a bit of scratchy exfoliation and you want your brush to last you for years.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This may not be the best brush if you’re looking for an ultra-soft feel.
Handle: Black/brown horn resin | Height/Knot: 113mm/21mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Best Everyday: Semogue S.O.C. Cherry Wood Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: This is the only two-band shaving brush on this list, and the distinction is worth noting. This hair is dark on the bottom and light on the top. Unlike pure badger hair, the bristles are not trimmed, making them finer and giving them a softer feel.
This brush uses thick, springy bristles that soften beautifully with time while still maintaining a great backbone. It has decent splay, is smooth on the face, and produces enormous lather.
Reviewers say it’s the perfect loft height for face and bowl lathering. Don’t worry about shedding, either. This high-quality brush rarely loses hair.
Who is this for? This is a great choice if you need a dependable, reliable badger shaving brush of medium size that is softer than pure but still has decent push back to massage your face.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: If you’re dead-set on the gorgeous cherry wood handle, beware. Some reviewers who purchased on Amazon received the ash-colored handle instead.
Handle: Cherry wood | Height/Knot: 110mm/24mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Best Silvertip: RazoRock Chubby Extra Silvertip Badger Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: Another beautiful and weighty wooden handled brush, RazoRock’s chubby provides delightfully soft silvertip bristles at another jaw-dropping price point. I could have highlighted pricier silvertips, but this feels like a steal worth mentioning.
This badger hair shaving brush provides tremendous value for its composition and size. The larger knot size is extra stuffed and hand-tied in Italy, so you’ve got a feeling of exclusivity. It’s also going to help you cover areas of your face more quickly.
Who is this for? A large knot size is ideal if you use your brush for shaving your head. Even with a beautiful splay, it has a bit of scrub—the kind of thing any guy looking to shave can appreciate.
Flaws but not dea-breakers: I’ll admit, this knot size is rather large. It may not be the best for guys who prefer a tighter knot.
Handle: Olive wood | Height/Knot: Not listed/27.5mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Best for Beginners: Simpson Colonel X2L Best Badger Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: Ah, another Simpson. Unlike the Super Chubby, the Colonel 2XL is a great entry-level option that is truly amazing value for the money. The knot is nice and dense, and the bristles are deliciously soft, giving you gorgeous whipped peaks from your soap.
This badger shaving brush may be soft, but it still has plenty of backbone, so you still feel like it’s exfoliating your skin. Finally, the body of the handle is ergonomic, and many reviewers have noted the comfortable hand feel.
Who is this for? Best badger hair is great for beginners, but I think anyone can appreciate the soft bristles and a richly dense knot. If you prefer a robust lather, then this just may be your tool to get you there.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: It was hard to find a negative here, but I think if you prefer a long handle, you might be a little disappointed.
Handle: Faux ivory | Height/Knot: 98mm/22mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Best Small Knot: Vulfix 1000A Pure Badger Shaving Brush
Why it’s great: You might find that you prefer a smaller brush; many guys do. If that’s the case, this lil Vulfix is worth a gander. It’s a great starter brush with a body that’s easy to wield and great for travel.
The fluffy natural bristles in this badger shaving brush retain plenty of moisture and work up into a good lather rather quickly. Lots of exfoliation, if you’re into that, and a very easy break-in with minimal hair loss. An overall win.
Who is this for? Need a brush for your travel kit? The small size is perfect for that. Or, if you prefer a smaller brush in general, this is a great choice.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: These brushes are well-made, but some users find them to be too floppy.
Handle: Faux ivory | Height/Knot: 100mm/20mm | Recommended Razor to use: All
Buying Considerations for The Best Badger Shaving Brushes
Bristle Type
As previously outlined, there are several different types of badger hair brushes: pure, best, silvertip, and super. It’s important to understand the distinctions between them so you aren’t disappointed when your purchase arrives.
If you like stronger scratch and exfoliation, then pure is great and affordable. The others grow softer by grade but are also more expensive.
Knot Size
Much like bristle type, knot size is critical to pay attention to when buying a badger hair shaving brush. They typically range from 20mm up to 30mm. A larger knot size means a thicker, wider loft.
Larger sizes are usually for more skilled shavers. They cover large swathes of your face more quickly than smaller knots, which are great for beginners.
Most of the time, it comes down to preference, but knot size is one of the most important features to note when shopping for the best badger shaving brushes.
Handle
Like knot size, the length, weight, and shape of the handle are also important. Luckily, all of the handles on this list have been vetted for their ergonomics, but the length and weight come down to preference.
A weighty handle feels solid and luxe, but some find it cumbersome. Trial and error is the only way to determine your personal hand feel. As for length, it’s similar to knot size in that a longer handle is easier to wield and best for beginners. A shorter length requires a bit more deftness.
How We Chose
Company reputation: Without a doubt, the cache a company carries is one of the most important features I considered when choosing the best badger shaving brushes. Are there products of consistent quality? What is their customer service like? I always make sure that a company’s practices are up to par when doing my research.
Customer Reviews: Next to trying a product myself, my best bet is combing through customer reviews. Are they pleased with the badger shaving brush? How does it exfoliate, lather, and load? What the people are saying is one of my top priorities.
Value: Even more than price, I like to pay attention to the value a product brings. Compared to the cost, does it do an exceptional job? This will help me determine if it’s really worth the price that’s being asked.
Why trust us?
When it comes to the fine art of grooming, particularly in choosing the right badger shaving brush, Rachel Cascella stands out as an authority. With a wealth of experience in the fashion and grooming industry, Rachel’s insights are not just opinions but well-researched recommendations.
Take, for instance, her detailed analyses of colognes, where she breaks down the essence of each fragrance, from the top notes to the base, ensuring you know exactly what you’re getting and how it aligns with your personal style.
Her articles on Dolce and Gabbana colognes and Calvin Klein fragrances showcase her ability to dissect complex scent profiles and articulate their appeal in a manner that resonates with readers.
Whether it’s highlighting the balanced blend of tobacco and citrus in Dolce and Gabbana’s Pour Homme or the classic allure of Calvin Klein’s Eternity, Rachel’s expertise shines through.
In this article about the best badger shaving brushes, Rachel employs the same meticulous approach, ensuring that every recommendation is backed by thorough research and a deep understanding of grooming essentials.
Trust in her expertise, not just for her knowledge but also for her commitment to quality and authenticity in every piece she crafts.
Final Verdict
The best badger shaving brushes should have soft tips, good splay, and backbone and ishould be able to whip your cream or soap into a fluffy lather. My top pick is easily the silvertip bristles of the WCS Torch Shaving Brush because it’s got a great price point, a beautiful, beefy handle, and rarely seems to lose hairs.
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- Are badger hair shaving brushes worth it?
Badger hair shaving brushes are worth it if you desire a brush that holds a lot of water and works up into a good lather. The natural bristles will exfoliate better than synthetic ones.
- What is the best badger hair for shaving?
This comes down to preference. Pure is the best for exfoliating, but it’s scratchier. Silvertip is considered the most ‘premium’ because it’s soft and hand-selected, but they don’t massage the skin as well.
- Are badger shaving brushes better?
That all depends on your needs. Badger brushes are made from natural animal hair, they have the highest water retention of any brush, and they provide good exfoliation.
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