Simpson Shaving Brushes Berkeley 46 B Best Badger Handmade British Shaving Brush

This is my first Simpson brush. I also have a pair of Semogue and Yaqi brushes. I mostly enjoy two band badger brushes since they offer a nice balance of backbone & comfort. This simpson best badger brush is certainly one of my favourite brushes now because it is fantastic for face lathering, especially with a shave stick such as Arko or Tabac (both are among my favorites). I had not planned this in advance but I now decided to make this brush my travel brush and got the matching simpson travel case (small). The brush fits perfectly in the case but this is certainly a premium brush so I won't be using it exclusively away from home. Such a nice performer to use in rotation and enjoy the simpson quality. This brush will give you the most luxurious lather on the road while exfoliating your skin to prepare for the fantastic shaves ahead! There's been some shedding with the first few shaves but I expect it to drop soon. I only used this brush a few times and am already in love with it. Tiny little monster of a performer! Will not disappoint!

So far after about 15 shaves, just one stray bristle has fallen out. No odd smell as sometimes happens with natural bristles, and the brush is soft and comfortable right out of the box. I didn't know this until reading the included user's guide that this brush is not recommended for face lathering. I don't do that so no big deal for me, but maybe for others. Highly recommended!

Recommended, but somewhat overpriced.

I kept my old brush for nearly twenty years. I didn't realize what a difference a new brush would make. Now I know. The Berkeley 46 is an ideal mid-range brush. Lathers quickly, spreads evenly, feels good, cleans quickly.

Simpsons gets hyped up in every shaving forum when people ask for a brush recommendation. I gave it a try. They have a lot of options, but in the end it's still badger hair. For the money this was no different from my cheaper Parker brush, also with silver tip badger hair. I will never understand why any of these Simpsons brushes can cost hundreds of dollars.