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Traditional shaving is making a comeback. And I for one am thrilled about it.
Sure I love my electric razor. It’s convenient, easy and means I can keep a semblance of something that could be considered a beard.
But there’s nothing like a close, old school wet shave. And a high quality, synthetic shaving brush is the key part of the whole process. As is a vegan shaving cream.
If you want to go the whole hog you can look through the best vegan, cruelty-free shaving kits for men too.
The Best Synthetic Shaving Brush
Aesop’s Synthetic Shaving Brush
Aesop Synthetic Shaving Brush is a high quality product from one of our favourite brands, Aesop. This boar hair alternative brush is so good in fact, it is our favourite vegan, synthetic shaving brush.
You can read the full review of the product below.
The 9 Best Synthetic, Vegan Shaving Brushes
Our favourite vegan alternatives to boar hair bristles.
Hawkins & Brimble Synthetic Shaving Brush
Hawkins & Brimble’s Synthetic Shaving Brush is arguably my favourite shaving brush on the list. Certainly for the price.
Soft, firm synthetic bristles make for a gloriously smooth shave. And the black handle is almost obsidian-esque. Which is a feature that forces this brush to stand out,
Sleek, soft and effective. This shaving brush is well worth the money.
- £12.48
- Cruelty-free and vegan
- Made in the UK
- Free-from parabens, colourants, SLS and mineral oils
Read our cruelty-free review of Hawkins & Brimble here.
Aesop Synthetic Shaving Brush
Aesop Synthetic Shaving Brush is another high quality product from one of our favourite brands, Aesop.
This synthetic shaving brush is soft and supple, mimicking the feel of natural hair fibres. If you’re tired of the scrapes and nicks associated with lower quality synthetic brushes, then you can’t go wrong with Aesop’s offering.
- £43
- Certified vegan and cruelty-free
- Bristles made from the highest quality synthetic fibres
- Handmade in England
Read our cruelty-free review of Aesop and its ethics here.
Bulldog Synthetic Shaving Brush
Bulldog Synthetic Shaving Brush is one of the best value shaving brushes in the cruelty-free market.
And that’s arguably what Bulldog has become famed for. Quality products at a reasonable price.
The synthetic hairs are – of course – vegan suitable. And they create a soft, supple shave that doesn’t irritate your face at all.
- £8
- Certified vegan and cruelty-free
- Bristles made from high quality, soft material
- Brush made from bamboo
Read our cruelty-free review of Bulldog here.
The Body Shop Synthetic Shaving Brush
The Body Shop Synthetic Shaving Brush is another high quality, great value shaving brush.
The darker wood feels like a more luxurious option. and the bristles themselves might be the softest on the list. Certainly the softest for the price.
The fact the wood is Forestry Commission certified is a pleasant environmentally conscious touch.
- £8
- Certified vegan and cruelty-free
- Bristles made from high quality, soft material
- Brush made from FSC-certified wood
Read our cruelty-free review of The Body Shop here.
Now read: The Best Vegan & Cruelty-Free Beard Waxes
Gentlemen’s Face Care Club Synthetic Shaving Brush
Gentlemen’s Face Care Club Synthetic Shaving Brush is a premium, vegan-friendly brush. One so good in fact, that if the hairs ever fall out, you can order a new one. Free of charge.
Where else can you get a lifetime warranty?
One of my more recent, favourite brands, Gentlemen’s Face Care Club is totally against using badger hair in its brushes. It’s also a huge advocate of planting trees and sustainability.
What’s not to love.
- £13.49
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Bristles made from synthetic fibres
A brand that also features in the best vegan and cruelty-free beard brushes.
Anbbas Shaving Brush Set
Anbbas’ Shaving Brush Set comes in a number of different colourways and is made from faux badger-hair bristles. Otherwise known as nylon.
Great value – the steel bowl and stand are shaving brush essentials – and it makes it a really lovely gift. Although you can just buy the brush alone.
- £12.99 +
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Comes with a shaving brush, bowl and stand
Hadenmade Whiskey Barrel Oak Shaving Brush
Definitively the best cruelty-free, synthetic shaving brush on the market. Hadenmade’s Whiskey (Sottish spelling, I know) Barrel Oak Shaving Brush is a vegan, eco-friendly alternative to traditional shaving brushes.
As it’s made from whiskey barrel oak, the weight and feel of the item is amazing.
You can still see the marks in the grain leftover from the whiskey-making process.
The synthetic brush hairs are excellent quality and hold moisture very well.
- £28
- Synthetic bristles
- Handle made from whiskey barrel oak – hence the superb weight afforded by the handle
- Plastic-free
- Handmade in Scotland
- Sustainably sourced Scottish wood
Beautifully, as each brush is made to order, no two are exactly the same. So the one you buy will be completely unique!
Synthetic Shaving Brush – Well Groomed Wizard
Synthetic bristles rarely sounds like an alluring prospect does it. Not that there’s another option, but there’s always an element of bristly concern when.
Fortunately Well Groomed Wizard’s Synthetic Shaving Brush has gloriously supple, soft hairs that don’t irritate your skin at all.
- £12.95
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Synthetic badger hair
- Handmade
- Manufactured in the UK
- Complete with travel case
If for whatever reason you don’t like the product, they do offer a money back guarantee. But that really shouldn’t be an issue.
My only criticism of the product is the brand name. I know it might seem a little kooky and intriguing. But I just can’t stand behind it.
Unfortunately we have as little idea about the brand name as you do!
Blackwood & Shelby Shaving Brush
An absolutely superb looking, synthetic shaving brush Blackwood & Shelby’s Shaving Brush is expertly crafted.
With a weighted resin handle, chrome base and premium looking synthetic bristles, it’s the weight that first gives away the quality.
- £17.95 – with free delivery, which is very unusual for Etsy products
- 96g
- Cruelty-free
- Vegan
- Synthetic bristles
- Chrome base
- Resin handle
- Manufactured in the UK – never a bad time to support a small UK business
As part of the ‘classic range’ you can create a really beautiful shaving kit with the other products.
FAQs
The best synthetic shaving brushes are made by Aesop, The Body Shop, Bulldog, Hawkins & Brimble and Gentlemen’s Face Care Club. These are some of the few brands that are truly vegan and cruelty-free too.
Yes synthetic shaving brushes are very good. As synthetic brushes tend to be made from nylon they’re much softer on skin than badger or boar hair. And – because the fibres are synthetic – synthetic brushes don’t tend to wear away like animal-based ones.
And there’s no animal cruelty when you buy from truly cruelty-free companies.
Yes badgers have been killed for shaving brushes. PETA released footage of Chinese manufacturers skinning and – in some cases – brutally killing badgers in 2018 to make them into paint and shaving brushes.
Soaking synthetic shaving brushes is recommended because the fibres absorb water, creating a smoother shaving experience.
