How to transform your daily shave into a first-class experience. Master the art of the traditional wet shave with our step-by-step instructions on loading your soap, rinsing your brush, and extending its life.

In wet shaving, geometry isn't a detail — it's everything. A minuscule shift in blade angle separates a mediocre shave from one you'll be thinking about at dinner. We obsessed over that shift. Then we obsessed some more.

With more than a century of company history, we design our products to appeal for generations to come.

2.5 years of development, numerous prototypes, and over 100 years of experience in razor manufacturing.

Most razors look ugly. PRIMO is made to be seen. Leave it on the sink for everyone to see.

A shaving brush is a grooming tool designed to lift facial hair, gently exfoliate the skin, and build a structured lather that protects your face from the razor. You use it by wetting the bristles, loading them with soap using circular motions, and massaging the resulting foam directly onto your skin.

Pull up a chair. Let's talk about the mechanics of your wet shave.

The "Which One to Buy?" Question

Synthetics are the obvious starting point for beginners. They do not require soaking, and they perform at maximum capacity straight out of the box. Badger requires more upkeep and technique to maintain the natural fibers.

Boar bristles are highly effective at agitating hard soap surfaces and providing serious exfoliation. Badger hair is softer and absorbs water directly into the hair shaft, whereas boar retains less water but offers a firmer backbone.

Horsehair sits right between the backbone of boar and the softness of badger. New animal hair brushes often carry a wet-animal odor, and horse hair specifically can smell very musky for the first few days. They also have a unique tendency to tangle, which requires you to comb the knot periodically.

A larger knot feels fuller against the skin and holds more product. The standard knot diameter ranges from 20mm to 28mm. A 24mm knot builds lather efficiently and handles daily use without overwhelming your face.A larger knot feels fuller against the skin and holds more product. The standard knot diameter ranges from 20mm to 28mm. A 24mm knot builds lather efficiently and handles daily use without overwhelming your face.

Loft is the length of the hair from the base handle to the tips, and the industry average sits around 55mm. Higher lofts feel softer and paint lather easily, while lower lofts provide more resistance and better exfoliation. A 22mm width paired with a 55mm loft creates an excellent setup for building lather directly on the face.

Silvertip is harvested from the neck area of the badger and offers the highest water retention of any natural grade. Pure badger uses hair from the underbelly, which is often mechanically trimmed to shape and results in a blunt, scratchy tip. If your skin is easily irritated, the naturally tapered, unbleached ends of a silvertip knot offer a non-irritating cushion.

Your handle choice impacts the weight and balance of the tool. Hand-turned solid timbers like Teak and Huon Pine are water-resistant and durable. Resin and metal handles are also common, but you simply need a shape that allows you to maintain control when your fingers are covered in soap.

Mass-produced brushes provide consistent performance at a lower cost, but artisanal makers often source rare grades like two-band badger. Artisan knots can be densely packed to increase backbone, delivering a specific face-feel that standard factory grades may not match.

Usage and Performance

Face Lathering vs. Bowl Lathering: Which technique produces the best cushion?

Bowl lathering lets you monitor the hydration process and guarantees you do not apply under-hydrated soap to your face. Face lathering mechanically lifts the whiskers and scrubs away dead skin cells to prepare the beard for the blade. Both work, but face lathering offers superior skin preparation.

•    The Soak: Submerge the bristles of boar brushes for 5 to 10 minutes in lukewarm water. Badger and horsehair only require 1 to 3 minutes of soaking. Synthetics just need a quick rinse under the tap.
•    The Load: Shake out excess moisture so the brush is damp but not dripping. Swirl the bristles over your soap puck for 30 to 60 seconds to pick up a concentrated paste.
•    The Lather: Use circular motions on your face or in a bowl to aerate the soap. Add water a few drops at a time until you reach a dense, glossy consistency.
•    The Rinse: Run the knot under warm water while gently separating the bristles with your fingers to flush out the soap.

Barber's Note: Mashing the brush into your face flattens the bristles and permanently damages the knot. You will eventually create a donut-shaped hole in the center of the fibers.

Lather needs water mixing deep inside the knot in an area known as the breech. If you squeeze out too much water initially, the breech remains dry and cannot properly hydrate the lather for your second or third pass. Synthetic solid fibers hold moisture through capillary action and surface tension rather than absorbing it directly into the shaft, which means they lose heat and water faster than natural protein fibers.

Start with circular motions to lift the hairs away from the skin. Once the lather reaches the correct consistency, switch to smooth, back-and-forth painting strokes to level the lather for even coverage.

The mechanical action of the bristles sweeps away environmental debris and dead skin cells. Clearing this buildup stops the razor from clogging and reduces the risk of ingrown hairs.

Natural brushes carry a noticeable wet-animal scent right out of the box. You can expedite the removal of this odor by washing the knot with pet shampoo. Alternatively, build a lather with shaving soap and let the brush sit upright overnight to neutralize the smell.

Maintenance and Longevity

A new brush commonly loses 1 to 5 bristles per shave during the first few weeks. This happens because short hairs work their way out of the glue bump after the manufacturing process.

Store the brush bristles-down in a stand. Gravity pulls the remaining moisture away from the base, which stops the glue from breaking down and prevents rot.

Hard water minerals eventually form a stiff film over the fibers. Soak the bristles in a solution of 1 part distilled white vinegar to 9 parts warm water for 10 to 20 minutes.

Barber's Note: Keep the water temperature under 40-50°C (104-122°F). Boiling water damages the natural keratin in animal hair and weakens the epoxy holding the knot together.

Boar bristles feel scratchy at first, but the tips naturally split over the first 20 to 50 shaves. This process, called flagging, increases the surface area and significantly softens the face feel.

Do not throw a damp brush into a closed toiletry bag. Synthetics are the optimal choice for travel because they dry in roughly 30 minutes with a firm shake.

A well-built brush that is properly rinsed and dried will serve you reliably for 5 to 10 years. Premium silvertip brushes can last more than a decade with precise maintenance.

Ethics and Comparisons

Badger and boar brushes require harvesting hair from the animals, which involves killing them. If ethical sourcing is a priority, choose a synthetic knot.

Generation 4 (G4) and Generation 5 (G5) synthetic fibers rival the performance of natural badger hair. Engineered fibers like the Silvertip Fibre (STF) feature crimped lengths and tapered ends that mimic natural hair. They create lather rapidly and do not degrade from product calcification.

High prices often reflect the scarcity of the materials. Silvertip badger hair is restricted to the neck of the animal, making it the most expensive option. An $8 to $25 boar brush from a manufacturer like Omega whips up lather just as effectively as a premium badger brush.

Boar bristles handle triple-milled hard soaps exceptionally well due to their high stiffness. Synthetic and badger brushes easily emulsify soft creams because they do not require heavy mechanical agitation to load the product.

Animal protein fibers can trigger reactions in some users. Synthetic brushes are hypoallergenic and completely avoid the issue.

• Rinse the knot thoroughly with warm water until it runs clear.
• Squeeze the moisture out with light pressure.
• Flick the handle gently to remove residual water.
• Store the brush bristles-down on a stand in an open-air environment.
• Deep clean with a 1:9 vinegar solution every 3 to 6 months to dissolve mineral buildup.

We don't want to shower ourselves with self-praise, but it would certainly be appropriate.

We prefer to let our happy users speak for themselves.

Here is a small excerpt:

A NEW BEGINNING. THE LAST RAZOR YOU WILL EVER NEED.

6 Reasons you'll love the PRIMO razor

We set out to build the most satisfying safety razor ever made.

A painful number of prototypes later — and to the quiet regret of every other razor on the market — we did.

The PRIMO isn't an improvement.

It's a conclusion.

1. The Design

The PRIMO razor stands for luxury and quality in a modern design. State-of-the-art manufacturing technologies and masterful workmanship ensure unique comfort and flawless precision with every shave.

2. The Performance

Our endeavor was to develop a blade geometry that caters to the diverse shaving needs of both women and men – safe, thorough, and comfortable. Whether it's a 3-day beard, body hair, or daily shaving, the PRIMO delivers an exceptional shaving experience. Unsatisfied? Get your money back + a gift.

3. Your Skin

When using only one blade, for every stroke with the razor, you silghtly irritate the skin one. When using razors with 2, 3, 4, or even 5 blades, guess how much more the skin will be damaged? You guess correctly. A lot more. Using one blade ensures minimal irritation of the skin and prevents razor burn, spots, and pimples.

4. Your Wallet

Double edge blades are the worst enemy of cartridge razor manufacturers (like the one rhyming with Wilkerson and Gazette). They only cost a fraction of cartridge razors. The average man will spend up to 28 times more using cartridge razor blades compared to double edge blades. While having a worse experience. Great marketing stunt the large companies pulled off, you have to give them credit for that.

5. The Environment

The PRIMO safety razor is one of the first worldwide to feature the new eco-friendly Chrome 3 coating, which not only provides a mirror-smooth surface but also reflects the latest in environmental protection technology. It sets new standards in sustainability and quality.

6. The Environment, continued

Depending on how often you shave, you will save 50-150 kg of composite waste in your lifetime by using a double edge razor. Easy to do, especially while getting a far superior shave. No brainer.

Perfect balance of timelessness, simplicity, and perfect engineering. The PRIMO I has a fine knurling structure on the handle.

Perfect balance of timelessness, simplicity, and perfect engineering. The PRIMO II has a medium knurling structure on the handle.

Perfect balance of timelessness, simplicity, and perfect engineering. The PRIMO I has a fine knurling structure on the handle.

Perfect balance of timelessness, simplicity, and perfect engineering. The PRIMO II has a medium knurling structure on the handle.