Shave Brush Cleaner & conditioner

So a couple of shaving friends of mine are quite the collector of high quality shaving brushes and in conversations over the phone I’ve heard them talk about issues with shaving brushes in general like some of them have a funky smell to them when they first get them. Also they’ve mentioned that some seem to have a coating on them so they don’t lather very well until their broken in. Also issues like they get a build up from shave soaps and even after a good rinsing the hairs seem to separate and the not doesn’t get as full after drying and again there’s separation. Hard water can also add build up on a brush which happens to human hair as well. In the hair industry which I’ve been a part of there’s what we call “ cosmetic weight build up “ that comes mostly from hair products an especially styling products. There’s also environmental build up that can come in many forms. A couple of examples are, let’s say you are working as a auto mechanic an working with grease a lot well that can do it or a chef especially a short order one who’s standing over a grill all day. I think you get the picture. Well in the hair business we have had for years what are called “  Clarifying shampoos “ which if formulated properly have chelating ingredients in them to deep clean the hair and remove the build up. Some work great while others rely on high PH and harsh surfactants which can dry the heck out of the hair. Also a lot of women and some men get their hair colored or bleached and get a permanent waves and hair straightening. All pretty harsh chemicals found in these products like ammonia and high volume peroxide and even admit formaldehyde vapors which is not healthy to breath in. Well some years back a very well known cosmetic chemist who I’ve worked with on many projects along with a well known hair and skin care ingredient company along with a large fragrance company came up with a formula that not only gets rid of cosmetic weight build up but chemical vapors and eliminates the odors that they give out. The formula is pretty awesome and it’s in my professional use only line and is way beyond what a common clarifying  shampoo can do. It is only sold to salon & spa licensed professionals. Here’s an example of what I do if I’m doing a class on using it. I take pure ammonia which if anyone has used it is pretty powerful aroma wise an enough so that if you try to smell it with your nose to the bottle I’ll guarantee you’ll back off as fast as you can! Lol So I take a few drops in a small glass condiment bowl and pass it around the class so that each person can get a whiff. Well like I said they usually don’t even get it near their nose before making a face like I ain’t getting that any closer to my nose! I then ask the last person to pass it back up. I then take about a teaspoon of the product and mix it in the ammonia and let it sit for about 10 to 15 seconds and then pass the bowl around the class again. They are shocked that they can’t smell the ammonia at all anymore and bring the bowl right up to their noses. I tell them hair color, bleach and perms only have between 4 to 6% ammonia in them and the product not only got rid of the smell but the vapors of 100% ammonia! That usually gets them onboard as chemicals and their  vaporous gasses are not only bad for hair & scalp but also to breath in day after day. 


I have thought about making a commercial version as like I mentioned it’s amazing at not only deep cleaning gently, neutralizing chemical vapors & gasses but the way it eliminates odors. Here’s a funny example of a potential use for it and you guys might get a kick out of it. Being Italian I cook with a lot and use a lot of garlic and onions so I keep a small pump bottle of it I made for myself right on the sink as it completely gets rid of the smell on my hands when I give myself a 20 second hand wash with it. 


Well after giving you the history of my hair product I decided to use the technology that’s in that product to create a shave brush cleaner only I modified and simplified the formula since we are not dealing with harsh chemicals on shave brushes but we are dealing with build up from the butters and oils found in shave soaps and creams. Also dealing with a build up of fragrances on our brushes and strong synthetic fragrance oils would be contribute to that more than mild or most natural essential oils would. The funky odor of a new brush or in some cases the oils that some brush brands/ makers use to protect the brushes in transit. I’ve gotten a couple of custom brushes from Europe that had the oil coating on them and they couldn’t build a good lather right out of the box. Also had that funky smell to them. Using dish detergent is not a good remedy as it’s high PH and some brands would definitely not be recommended to be used on any kind of hair be it human or animal as it could dry the heck out of the hair. I’ve used my professional cleaner on those brushes and honestly it’s a bit of overkill but it worked great but I never gave a thought to making a shave brush cleaner until my 2 friends brought it up. I see some brush cleaners out there out there but what I see is shave soap with butters and oils in them so to me that’s kind of counter productive in my humble opinion. I mean your trying to remove the build up of butters and oils. So maybe you can see my point. Odor alone can be removed using vinegar but it’s very acidic and the smell can linger for a while so not an option. At least for me. 

So anyway I just used these two new products on two new high end shave brush which didn’t feel quite right when I got them ( not naming names ) but after using both products on it the brushes the  knots feels amazing. Also had the build up problem on one of my synthetic brushes and the brush cleaner alone took care of the problem quickly. 

The bottles are filled and I’m just waiting for my graphic designer to create the label and then get them up on the site. 
I’d like to to thank my two shaving buddies for pushing me to create these products. I don’t have a large  brush collection but what I do have I’d like them to perform at their potential. So using these 2 products now and then to me would be good maintenance. 

Anyway here’s a photo of the unlabeled bottles. They are 4 oz with a dispensing cap on then for easy use. 

I’ll post up the finished product and usage information as soon as their ready to go up on the website. 

Great shaves all

So a couple of shaving friends of mine are quite the collector of high quality shaving brushes and in conversations over the phone I’ve heard them talk about issues with shaving brushes in general like some of them have a funky smell to them when they first get them. Also they’ve mentioned that some seem to have a coating on them so they don’t lather very well until their broken in. Also issues like they get a build up from shave soaps and even after a good rinsing the hairs seem to separate and the not doesn’t get as full after drying and again there’s separation. Hard water can also add build up on a brush which happens to human hair as well. In the hair industry which I’ve been a part of there’s what we call “ cosmetic weight build up “ that comes mostly from hair products an especially styling products. There’s also environmental build up that can come in many forms. A couple of examples are, let’s say you are working as a auto mechanic an working with grease a lot well that can do it or a chef especially a short order one who’s standing over a grill all day. I think you get the picture. Well in the hair business we have had for years what are called “  Clarifying shampoos “ which if formulated properly have chelating ingredients in them to deep clean the hair and remove the build up. Some work great while others rely on high PH and harsh surfactants which can dry the heck out of the hair. Also a lot of women and some men get their hair colored or bleached and get a permanent waves and hair straightening. All pretty harsh chemicals found in these products like ammonia and high volume peroxide and even admit formaldehyde vapors which is not healthy to breath in. Well some years back a very well known cosmetic chemist who I’ve worked with on many projects along with a well known hair and skin care ingredient company along with a large fragrance company came up with a formula that not only gets rid of cosmetic weight build up but chemical vapors and eliminates the odors that they give out. The formula is pretty awesome and it’s in my professional use only line and is way beyond what a common clarifying  shampoo can do. It is only sold to salon & spa licensed professionals. Here’s an example of what I do if I’m doing a class on using it. I take pure ammonia which if anyone has used it is pretty powerful aroma wise an enough so that if you try to smell it with your nose to the bottle I’ll guarantee you’ll back off as fast as you can! Lol So I take a few drops in a small glass condiment bowl and pass it around the class so that each person can get a whiff. Well like I said they usually don’t even get it near their nose before making a face like I ain’t getting that any closer to my nose! I then ask the last person to pass it back up. I then take about a teaspoon of the product and mix it in the ammonia and let it sit for about 10 to 15 seconds and then pass the bowl around the class again. They are shocked that they can’t smell the ammonia at all anymore and bring the bowl right up to their noses. I tell them hair color, bleach and perms only have between 4 to 6% ammonia in them and the product not only got rid of the smell but the vapors of 100% ammonia! That usually gets them onboard as chemicals and their  vaporous gasses are not only bad for hair & scalp but also to breath in day after day. 


I have thought about making a commercial version as like I mentioned it’s amazing at not only deep cleaning gently, neutralizing chemical vapors & gasses but the way it eliminates odors. Here’s a funny example of a potential use for it and you guys might get a kick out of it. Being Italian I cook with a lot and use a lot of garlic and onions so I keep a small pump bottle of it I made for myself right on the sink as it completely gets rid of the smell on my hands when I give myself a 20 second hand wash with it. 


Well after giving you the history of my hair product I decided to use the technology that’s in that product to create a shave brush cleaner only I modified and simplified the formula since we are not dealing with harsh chemicals on shave brushes but we are dealing with build up from the butters and oils found in shave soaps and creams. Also dealing with a build up of fragrances on our brushes and strong synthetic fragrance oils would be contribute to that more than mild or most natural essential oils would. The funky odor of a new brush or in some cases the oils that some brush brands/ makers use to protect the brushes in transit. I’ve gotten a couple of custom brushes from Europe that had the oil coating on them and they couldn’t build a good lather right out of the box. Also had that funky smell to them. Using dish detergent is not a good remedy as it’s high PH and some brands would definitely not be recommended to be used on any kind of hair be it human or animal as it could dry the heck out of the hair. I’ve used my professional cleaner on those brushes and honestly it’s a bit of overkill but it worked great but I never gave a thought to making a shave brush cleaner until my 2 friends brought it up. I see some brush cleaners out there out there but what I see is shave soap with butters and oils in them so to me that’s kind of counter productive in my humble opinion. I mean your trying to remove the build up of butters and oils. So maybe you can see my point. Odor alone can be removed using vinegar but it’s very acidic and the smell can linger for a while so not an option. At least for me. 

So anyway I just used these two new products on two new high end shave brush which didn’t feel quite right when I got them ( not naming names ) but after using both products on it the brushes the  knots feels amazing. Also had the build up problem on one of my synthetic brushes and the brush cleaner alone took care of the problem quickly. 

The bottles are filled and I’m just waiting for my graphic designer to create the label and then get them up on the site. 
I’d like to to thank my two shaving buddies for pushing me to create these products. I don’t have a large  brush collection but what I do have I’d like them to perform at their potential. So using these 2 products now and then to me would be good maintenance. 

Anyway here’s a photo of the unlabeled bottles. They are 4 oz with a dispensing cap on then for easy use. 

I’ll post up the finished product and usage information as soon as their ready to go up on the website. 

Great shaves all

Great product my friend Looking forward to getting a bottle

Very cool and useful product Frank. How do you recommend using it as is it sprayed on and you wait to rinse off with water or does one lather the brush like on ones head ? How often would this brush conditioner be used to maintain one’s brush ? And how would it be used with those gel tips ? Of course looking forward to this release. Best of luck buddy.

Great idea Frank.
How hard is it to completely rinse off the cleaner?

So a couple of shaving friends of mine are quite the collector of high quality shaving brushes and in conversations over the phone I’ve heard them talk about issues with shaving brushes in general like some of them have a funky smell to them when they first get them. Also they’ve mentioned that some seem to have a coating on them so they don’t lather very well until their broken in. Also issues like they get a build up from shave soaps and even after a good rinsing the hairs seem to separate and the not doesn’t get as full after drying and again there’s separation. Hard water can also add build up on a brush which happens to human hair as well. In the hair industry which I’ve been a part of there’s what we call “ cosmetic weight build up “ that comes mostly from hair products an especially styling products. There’s also environmental build up that can come in many forms. A couple of examples are, let’s say you are working as a auto mechanic an working with grease a lot well that can do it or a chef especially a short order one who’s standing over a grill all day. I think you get the picture. Well in the hair business we have had for years what are called “  Clarifying shampoos “ which if formulated properly have chelating ingredients in them to deep clean the hair and remove the build up. Some work great while others rely on high PH and harsh surfactants which can dry the heck out of the hair. Also a lot of women and some men get their hair colored or bleached and get a permanent waves and hair straightening. All pretty harsh chemicals found in these products like ammonia and high volume peroxide and even admit formaldehyde vapors which is not healthy to breath in. Well some years back a very well known cosmetic chemist who I’ve worked with on many projects along with a well known hair and skin care ingredient company along with a large fragrance company came up with a formula that not only gets rid of cosmetic weight build up but chemical vapors and eliminates the odors that they give out. The formula is pretty awesome and it’s in my professional use only line and is way beyond what a common clarifying  shampoo can do. It is only sold to salon & spa licensed professionals. Here’s an example of what I do if I’m doing a class on using it. I take pure ammonia which if anyone has used it is pretty powerful aroma wise an enough so that if you try to smell it with your nose to the bottle I’ll guarantee you’ll back off as fast as you can! Lol So I take a few drops in a small glass condiment bowl and pass it around the class so that each person can get a whiff. Well like I said they usually don’t even get it near their nose before making a face like I ain’t getting that any closer to my nose! I then ask the last person to pass it back up. I then take about a teaspoon of the product and mix it in the ammonia and let it sit for about 10 to 15 seconds and then pass the bowl around the class again. They are shocked that they can’t smell the ammonia at all anymore and bring the bowl right up to their noses. I tell them hair color, bleach and perms only have between 4 to 6% ammonia in them and the product not only got rid of the smell but the vapors of 100% ammonia! That usually gets them onboard as chemicals and their  vaporous gasses are not only bad for hair & scalp but also to breath in day after day. 


I have thought about making a commercial version as like I mentioned it’s amazing at not only deep cleaning gently, neutralizing chemical vapors & gasses but the way it eliminates odors. Here’s a funny example of a potential use for it and you guys might get a kick out of it. Being Italian I cook with a lot and use a lot of garlic and onions so I keep a small pump bottle of it I made for myself right on the sink as it completely gets rid of the smell on my hands when I give myself a 20 second hand wash with it. 


Well after giving you the history of my hair product I decided to use the technology that’s in that product to create a shave brush cleaner only I modified and simplified the formula since we are not dealing with harsh chemicals on shave brushes but we are dealing with build up from the butters and oils found in shave soaps and creams. Also dealing with a build up of fragrances on our brushes and strong synthetic fragrance oils would be contribute to that more than mild or most natural essential oils would. The funky odor of a new brush or in some cases the oils that some brush brands/ makers use to protect the brushes in transit. I’ve gotten a couple of custom brushes from Europe that had the oil coating on them and they couldn’t build a good lather right out of the box. Also had that funky smell to them. Using dish detergent is not a good remedy as it’s high PH and some brands would definitely not be recommended to be used on any kind of hair be it human or animal as it could dry the heck out of the hair. I’ve used my professional cleaner on those brushes and honestly it’s a bit of overkill but it worked great but I never gave a thought to making a shave brush cleaner until my 2 friends brought it up. I see some brush cleaners out there out there but what I see is shave soap with butters and oils in them so to me that’s kind of counter productive in my humble opinion. I mean your trying to remove the build up of butters and oils. So maybe you can see my point. Odor alone can be removed using vinegar but it’s very acidic and the smell can linger for a while so not an option. At least for me. 

So anyway I just used these two new products on two new high end shave brush which didn’t feel quite right when I got them ( not naming names ) but after using both products on it the brushes the  knots feels amazing. Also had the build up problem on one of my synthetic brushes and the brush cleaner alone took care of the problem quickly. 

The bottles are filled and I’m just waiting for my graphic designer to create the label and then get them up on the site. 
I’d like to to thank my two shaving buddies for pushing me to create these products. I don’t have a large  brush collection but what I do have I’d like them to perform at their potential. So using these 2 products now and then to me would be good maintenance. 

Anyway here’s a photo of the unlabeled bottles. They are 4 oz with a dispensing cap on then for easy use. 

I’ll post up the finished product and usage information as soon as their ready to go up on the website. 

Great shaves all

Nice. 
Clarifying shampoo has been mentioned by a number of people who are meticulous with their gear. This one sounds interesting.

Definitely interested in this, especially the basic cleaner you used on the synth (most of mine are synths).

Very exciting stuff, Frank!