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10 Standout Shaving Brushes
Published 11/13/2026
A shaving brush whips soap or cream into a dense lather and lifts beard hair before the razor touches it. These ten brushes cost about $19 to $190, with badger, boar, and synthetic knots. They pair well with metal razors and face oils for shaving.
Our top picks
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Compare the best shaving brushes
The table compares each brush's knot, size and handle, and how it feels on the face. Badger hair holds the most water, boar bristles are stiffer and scrub harder, and synthetic knots dry fastest without any animal smell.
| Pick | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Rich lather with soap or cream | Wet shavers who want a classic | Vegan and fast-drying lather | Soft lather on sensitive skin | First badger brush on a budget | Trips and gym bags | Barbershop-style lather from hard soaps | Building lather in a bowl | A simple, low-cost first brush | Shaving prone to razor burn |
| Material | Best badger hair | High-density best badger | Silvertip synthetic fiber | Silver tip badger | Pure badger hair | Pure badger hair | Natural boar bristle | Vegan synthetic, steel | Natural bristle | Premium synthetic |
| Shape | Medium, flared handle | Chubby, faux ivory | Medium, resin handle | Ergonomic handle | 22 mm, chrome trim | 17 mm travel | Large professional | Brush and bowl | Black socket base | Acrylic handle |
| Feel | Dense, gentle scrub | Dense, soft | Soft tips, firm middle | Plush, very soft | Firm, scrubby | Compact, soft | Stiff, scrubby | Soft, warm lather | Firm, simple | Soft, foamy |
|
Edyt score
Methodology: The Edyt Score reflects a comprehensive analysis of ingredient profiles, concentration levels, and formulation standards. It is an objective technical evaluation of the product's composition, separate from crowd-sourced user reviews. | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| Notes | Best badger · Stand included | Best badger · Hand-made | Synthetic · Quick-dry | Silver tip · Badger hair | Pure badger · 22 mm | Travel case · 17 mm | Boar bristle · Large head | Bowl included · Vegan bristles | Since 1777 | Synthetic |
| $ / size | $53.63 | $189.95 | $42.70 | $95.00 | $36.99 | $59.99 | $19.00 | $55.30 | $19.99 | $48.05 |
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Our picks, explained
Best overall
Edwin Jagger Best Badger Shaving Brush with Stand
Over 18,000 hand-picked best badger fibers, made in Sheffield, with a drip stand.
Edwin Jagger fills this brush with more than 18,000 hand-picked best badger fibers, which hold warm water and whip soap or cream into a slick lather. The knot gently exfoliates as it works lather into the beard. It is made in Sheffield, England, and comes with a drip stand.
Why it makes the list
- Dense badger fibers build lather quickly from hard soaps.
- A drip stand comes in the box for proper drying.
- The flared imitation ebony handle sits securely in wet hands.
What to keep in mind
- Badger hair has a mild smell for the first few uses.
Best splurge
Simpson Chubby 2 Best Shaving Brush
A hand-made English brush with a high-density best badger knot and a faux ivory handle.
Simpson has made shaving brushes by hand in England since 1919, and the Chubby 2 is one of its most famous shapes. A high-density best badger knot sits in a short, hand-turned faux ivory handle, so it loads plenty of soap and holds a lot of warm water. Expect a soft, dense feel on the face.
Why it makes the list
- A dense, high-capacity knot loads soap and holds water well.
- It is made by hand in England by a brush maker dating to 1919.
What to keep in mind
- At about $190, it costs more than most razors.
- The short, chubby handle feels small in large hands.
Best synthetic
Mühle Classic Silvertip Fiber Shaving Brush
Synthetic silvertip fiber with soft tips and a stable middle, in a black resin handle.
Mühle makes this brush with silvertip fiber, a synthetic knot with very soft tips and a firmer middle that still builds lather with backbone. It dries faster than natural hair and has no animal smell. The black resin handle comes from a range that ships without plastic packaging.
Why it makes the list
- Synthetic fibers dry quickly and never smell like animal hair.
- Soft tips feel gentle while the middle keeps enough backbone.
What to keep in mind
- Synthetic knots hold less water than a dense badger brush.
Best silver tip badger
Baxter of California Silver Tip Badger Shaving Brush
Silver tip badger hair, the softest common grade, with an easy-grip handle.
Baxter of California uses silver tip badger, the softest and most prized grade of badger hair, for a knot that feels plush on the face. It holds warm water to build a rich lather and lifts facial hair before the blade. The ergonomic handle keeps a secure grip with wet hands.
Why it makes the list
- Silver tip hair feels the softest of the badger grades.
- The knot holds warm water for a rich, protective lather.
What to keep in mind
- At about $95, it costs nearly twice the brand's best badger brush.
Best badger under $40
Parker 3 Band Pure Badger Shaving Brush with Stand
Pure badger hair in a 22 mm knot, a chrome-trimmed handle, and a matching stand.
Parker sets a 22 mm pure badger knot in a black resin handle with polished chrome trim, and a matching stand holds it bristles down to dry. The knot retains water well, so it builds lather quickly from soaps, creams, and croaps. It costs less than most badger brushes.
Why it makes the list
- A matching stand comes included for bristles-down drying.
- The 22 mm knot suits both beginners and experienced wet shavers.
- Pure badger hair builds lather quickly from hard soaps.
What to keep in mind
- Pure badger feels scratchier than best or silver tip grades.
Best travel brush
Taylor of Old Bond Street Travel Pure Badger Shaving Brush in Case
A small 17 mm pure badger knot that stows inside its own protective case.
Taylor of Old Bond Street fits a 17 mm pure badger knot into a traditional travel design, and the brush stows inside its own case so the bristles stay dry and clean in a bag. At 3.75 inches tall, it slips into any dopp kit. The badger hair absorbs water well for a creamy lather.
Why it makes the list
- The case protects the knot in luggage and gym bags.
- Pure badger hair absorbs water for a creamy lather.
What to keep in mind
- A small 17 mm knot takes longer to lather a full beard.
- The case traps moisture if you pack the brush wet.
Best boar bristle
Proraso Professional Boar Bristle Shaving Brush
Natural boar bristles in a slightly larger professional brush with a big grip.
Proraso builds this barbershop brush with natural boar bristles, which are stiffer than badger and work hard soaps into lather quickly. The head runs slightly bigger than most brushes, and the large grip is easy to hold. Boar bristles soften and split at the tips over the first weeks of use.
Why it makes the list
- Stiff boar bristles lather hard soaps fast.
- The large handle stays easy to grip with soapy hands.
What to keep in mind
- New boar bristles feel prickly until they break in.
Best brush and bowl set
Leaf Shave Leaf Bowl and Brush Set
A stainless steel lather bowl with aeration fins and a vegan silver-tip brush.
Leaf Shave pairs a vegan silver-tip brush with a stainless steel bowl wrapped in silicone, and fins inside the bowl help aerate a thick, even lather. The bowl holds heat and has a recessed base that grips a soap bar. A measuring cup built into the handle helps balance soap and water.
Why it makes the list
- Aeration fins whip up thick lather in less time.
- The insulated bowl keeps lather warm through the shave.
- Vegan bristles suit shavers who avoid animal hair.
What to keep in mind
- The recessed base fits the brand's own 1.5 oz bars best.
Best under $20
Kent VS60 Black Socket Shaving Brush
Natural bristles set in a black socket base from a brush maker founded in 1777.
Kent has made brushes since 1777 and holds a Royal Warrant, and the VS60 is its simple everyday shaving brush. Two-inch natural bristles sit in a black socket base, holding lather evenly through a full shave. It is a sensible first brush to see whether brush lathering suits you.
Why it makes the list
- The low price makes it an easy way to try brush lathering.
- Two-inch bristles hold lather evenly across the face.
What to keep in mind
- The socket base is plain next to resin or wood handles.
- Natural bristles take a few shaves to soften.
Best for sensitive skin
The Art of Shaving Original Pure Black Shaving Brush
Premium synthetic fibers that hold warm water, with a black acrylic easy-grip handle.
The Art of Shaving fills its Pure Black brush with premium synthetic fibers that soak up warm water and build a foamy lather. That lather lifts and softens beard hair, which helps protect skin from irritation and razor burn. A black acrylic handle keeps the grip easy and the look clean.
Why it makes the list
- Synthetic fibers are cruelty-free and resist odor.
- Foamy lather helps cut down on razor burn.
What to keep in mind
- It costs a little more than the synthetic Mühle brush.
How we made this list
We kept shaving brushes with badger, boar, or synthetic knots and left out beard brushes, face cleansing brushes, razors, and soaps sold alone. Hair type, knot size, handle, extras like stands or cases, and price set the order, with one brush per brand and our splurge pick placed second for anyone shopping at the top. Rankings come from each brand's published details, not our own testing.
- Sorted by hair. Badger, boar, and synthetic knots each earned credit for the lather and feel they give.
- Checked knot size. Knots from 17 mm travel size up to full daily brushes cover every routine.
- Counted the extras. Stands, travel cases, and lather bowls added value where they came in the box.
FAQ
What is the best shaving brush?
The Edwin Jagger Best Badger brush is the best all-round pick, with more than 18,000 hand-picked badger fibers that whip soap or cream into a slick lather. It is made in Sheffield and comes with a drip stand. For a hand-made English splurge, the Simpson Chubby 2 is the classic upgrade.
Is a badger or synthetic shaving brush better?
Badger hair holds more warm water and feels dense and soft, which makes rich lather from hard soaps. Modern synthetic knots, like the Mühle silvertip fiber, come close in softness, dry faster, and never smell like animal hair. Boar bristles sit in between, stiffer and scrubbier, and they soften with use.
How do you dry a shaving brush?
Rinse all the soap out with warm water, gently squeeze the knot, and flick out the extra water. Then hang the brush bristles down on a stand or rest it upright in an open, airy spot so water drains away from the base. Never leave a wet brush in a closed case for long.
How did Edyt Beauty pick these?
We kept shaving brushes with badger, boar, or synthetic knots, then compared the hair type, knot size, handle, what comes with it, and price, with one brush per brand. The Edwin Jagger Best Badger brush leads because its dense knot, stand, and price suit both new and experienced wet shavers.
What else do you need for a traditional wet shave?
Start with a shaving soap or cream, a brush, and a safety razor, then add products for after the shave. If you get bumps along the neck, ingrown hair treatments with gentle exfoliating acids keep hair from curling back under the skin. Bearded shavers who only tidy the cheeks can finish with beard oils to soften the rest.
This is general beauty guidance, not medical advice. Patch-test new products if you have sensitive skin or known allergies.
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