Vie-Long B0300921 (12601) Cream Handle Horse Hair Shaving Brush

This understated performer is my new favorite brush. First use out of the box was disappointing — limp and floppy like a cheap watercolor brush, and smelled rank. Two shaves later it came into its own — the smell was gone, and the knot developed a pleasing symmetrical shape. As for performance: this brush lathers beautifully with creams (Proraso and Taylor) and sticks (Arko and La Toja) and has the face feel I prefer, just firm enough with a bit of scritch. Some have complained of bristle shed — I lost a few the first time, and that’s been it. As a bonus, this brush dries very quickly, on a par with synthetic, but with much better performance. I highly recommend this brush.

This is my second Vie Long horsehair brush and I really like it. I found it went through a "break in" period after I left it in some lather overnight to deodorize it. For a few weeks I was losing quite a few hairs but that seems to have stopped. I find the bristles have just the right amount of backbone and scritchiness for me and the handle fits perfectly in my hand (which my last one did not) and it sits perfectly on the handle of my shaving mug too. I am able to whip up a good face lather in a matter of a minute or two and the price is certainly right. I love that the hair is ethically sourced as well.

This is my first, so I don't really have anything to compare it to, but performance wise it is great. I always have gotten a good lather. The handle fits nicely in your hand. Over all the brush looks nice and is very gentle on the skin.The reason I am giving this a mediocre review is for one reason and one reason only. It sheds like crazy. We've had this brush for 4 months now and it gets used anywhere from 3 - 7 times a week. At first we were only losing one or two hairs a shave, in the last week or so its just starting to lose hairs left right and center. Last shave I did I had 10 hairs in my lather. I hope this is just an issue with my particular brush and not a recurring one. Before you start belittling this review thinking I am being rough. I have never soaked it in hot water and I always lather gently in circles or "paintbrush strokes".

Vie-Long 12601 Horse Hair Shaving Brush, Cream Handle puts me back in the proverbial saddle again. I gave all my horses away as they were slightly floppy for face lathering. The 12601 is perfect for face lathering. This horse stays in my rotation.