Beauty Strokes H.I.S 1794 Brush

When I saw this brush I thought that it would be similar to the Franks Synthetic (FS) that had enjoyed. I noted that it had more of a whiteness at the where the FS had black tips. So I went on to order the brush.So I received the brush and was surprised at the size. I normally like brushes with knots in the 20-25 mm range. This brush was large compared to what I was used to using at 28 mm on the knot size.The second thing I noticed was that is looked more like a Silvertip Badger than the other synthetics. The brush is dense in fact it is much denser than any other brush I have. Now that I have this brush, it is time to see how it performs.Once I got use to the size, I found this to be a very good brush in terms of application. I was able to negotiate the ears and quickly apply lather to the back of my head for the head shave.Here were some areas that I observed about the H.I.S. brush.Water retention: Does it hold water sufficiently enough?Yes - In fact you need to shake it lightly about 3 times or you could have too much water. This holds water exceptionally well due to the density and quantity of fibers.Loading: Does it pick up soaps and creams easily?Yes - It is very efficient. A little soap or cream goes a long way.Lather: Does it built and apply lather well?Yes - It is a real lather monster.I used it with Fitness Soap in a mug. It made enough lather for 4 1/2 thick face passes (2 of them I simply wiped off because I had finished face shaving). Then it made 2 full head shave passes with thick lather. Afterwards, I was able to squeeze the brush and get a larger wad of lather at the finger and thumb. This amount of lather was made with one dip into water with a three shake to reduce moisture and only 2 swirls to pick up the soap. No additional water or soap was used. I also used it with a nickel sized drop of C.O. Bigelow cream and got the same results. I think the density of the brush fibers is so high that it creates a very strong lather production due to the fibers moving against each other.Application: Does it allow for a soft/smooth/effective application of lather to the skin.Yes - The lather went on smooth and easy every time.Quality feel: Does the synthetic brush have the "quality" feel against the skin?It has a soft quality feel against the skin.Appearance: Is the look of the brush attractive? Yes.One additional thing about synthetics is that you can be a little more rough with them versus natural hairs and not have a problem with them. They will not bloom or change shape. In my experience I have found is, what you get with a synthetic is a uniform product that does not change over time. That has pluses and minuses which each user must determine for themselves if a synthetic is right for them.In conclusion, would I recommend this brush to others.Yes! In fact, I have ordered a backup brush because I like this one so well. You might just want to give this brush some consideration if you are looking for a nice synthetic brush in the mid price range.

I have only had this beauty for a couple of days but it is magnificent, there is plenty of backbone and the softness is unbelievable..it feels very similar to my Rooney 3/1 Super but with more backbone. My favorite feature of this brush however, is how efficient it is, this thing only uses 1/4 to 1/2 of the normal amount of product to produce gobs of rich lather. Example..Mitchell's Wool Fat, I've never been a big fan because even after loading my brush for 1 minute I'd barely have enough lather for 3 passes (I do 4) and the 3rd pass was thin and watery, so MWF had been demoted to the back of my shaving cabinet. I brought it out first thing when I received this brush and with only THIRTY seconds of loading the H.I.S Brush produced enough THICK lather for my 4 passes and there was probably enough left in the brush for 2 more passes. It is still early but I am tempted to thin out and sell much of my brush herd in the future and order a couple more of these bad boys for backup!

This has some potential, but the manufacturer apparently doesn't pay much attention to loft. They left these bristles so long I get the impression it was built for lathering someone's back or legs, not their face. Unless they have a really really scary big face. I have several badger brushes 3-5 mm bigger than this, and they are at least 15 mm less loft. This thing splays out big.On positive side, very soft tips, and get the impression it would have decent backbone if you remounted it in a custom handle and took away 15 mm loft.

The synthetic hairs on this are awesome and I am glad that I got into wet shaving when I did. From what I've read, synthetic hairs have come a long way for brushes and for me personally, I prefer them to traditional boar or badger brushes. The only reason I am giving this 3 stars is because of the practicality of the brush. It is too big. Granted, I have small hands, but the length of the handle and the hairs itself are all big compared to any other brush that I own. Other than that, the synthetic hairs are great and lather up soap/creams really well.

Purchased this brush not too long ago and loved it for the most part. The knot size and loft are perfect for me and this baby is a Lather Beast. What prevents me from giving it a better rating is that although the brush is silky soft on my skin but is a little too "springy" for me. I prefer the synthetic knots from Plisson and Ubersoft which many manufacturers use and are near perfect. I love the handle on this beast. It is a very good brush.

I travel frequently and wanted a synthetic brush for travel purpose since it would dry faster than a badger brush. I currently have quite a few brushes and have been wet shaving for more than 50 years. My other foray into a synthetic shaving brush was not successful. I found that brush to be less than desirable.The brush arrived in record time and I was surprised by its density and soft feel. I washed the brush and put it to its initial test. First, the brush loaded soap fast and retained sufficient soap to make a superlative lather. The brush feels great when you shave with it. I retained more than enough lather for my usual four pass shave. After my shave the brush cleaned up and dried fast.In conclusion, this will make a great travel brush (it is larger than most travel brushes but worth the extra size) and well as regular brush.

I have used this brush for about 3 months. Previously, I thought badger was the only brush to have and was ready to buy a $150 brush. This H.I.S brush lathers great, the bristles are longer than a typical badger brush, it cleans easily. Way outperforms my prior brush, which I actually thought was very good.If you like wet shaving, this brush is a terrific return on investment because it makes any shaving cream lather up quickly and fully.

This product is better than I expected. The feel is almost as soft as a silvertip badger with a bit more splaying resistance. The synthetic material is great for travel or in very humid environments.