I purchased this brush about nine months ago, and I have used it well over 100 times. I purchased this because of the rave reviews that Semogue receives. I don't know if I just got a dud or what, but this brush had a terrible smell for about the first three weeks that I used it. That's forgivable enough, but ever since the brush was new it loses at least one, and sometimes as many as four bristles every time I shave. I have continued to use the brush hoping that an extended break-in period would help it somehow, but this one is just a dud. Most Semogue reviews are highly favorable, so it's possible that I got one that "slipped through", but it's the only Semogue brush I've bought so far. By contrast, I have an Omega 48 that loses maybe one bristle every five or six shaves and did not smell bad when new.