Some chatter here https://www.theshavingroom.co.uk/community/threads/newbie-to-shaving-brushes-need-help-please.54329 with a confusing set of claims that the Wilkinson Sword shaving brush is synthetic and has been for about a decade, while others have never seen such a thing and have only seen (and even bought) boar bristle brushes.

Animals forbidden as food can be used for other purposes ... except pig. Pig is forbidden. Indeed, talk to your Imam for full guidance on this. A mistake is a mistake. Don't worry about that, but ... that Erasmic brush will also be boar hair. As will the Wilkinson Sword. so i assume that the shaving brush that comes in horse hair would be way too soft too, or maybe im wrong assuming that? i dont know...My favourite brush though has been around the forum a bit, it’s. a Mervyn Cadman shaped tuxedo knot, set in a carbon fibre handle, it suits me perfectly and I love it. We strongly recommend the following aftercare for your brush; When finished always rinse the brush under hot water (especially at the base of the bristles) to remove any remaining soap residue which can result in damage to the bristle and cause early shedding of the loft. The brush should then be stored loft facing down to dry. This can be achieved by using a shaving brush stand and prevents the bristles rotting at the base due to moisture. Recommended for They are made from two pieces, the handle and the hairs on the brush. In the old days handles were either made from wood or from ivory. Ivory is of course not allowed to be used for obvious reasons, so many manufacturers now use imitation ivory, which works perfectly well and offers a very nice style. That is a step too far for some people, and we understand that. We would recommend if you find that as being too cruel, that you can still get a very good synthetic shaving brush. Those are created from man made fibres, and they are also very good quality. I also found a discussion around whether the fur of a non Halal animal is acceptable to use as apparently there is a Hadith where it’s stated that the fur of any animal other than pig becomes Halal after the tanning process? I think you’d have to speak to your Imam about that to be certain.

Don't spend a fortune - This is true when starting out as a beginner. Any of the brushes on our list above will get you started. When you have had some experience then you can try out more expensive brushes. Our take on this is really simple. Larger brushes create more lather and cover the face faster. If you like to be more precise then opt for a smaller head. The fan style also covers the face faster, whereas the bulb style gives you more precise control of the lather, and where it goes (or doesn't go) i did ask a scholar i know in regards to using boar hair brushes and he said its impure so we arent allowed to use is at all and tbh i was kinda gutted as i really liked my kent brushes for my beard tbh, ill have to ask him about badger hair shaving brushes now or i might just avoid them all as yea i think im just going to stay away from any animal related shaving brushes, just better and safer option to use synthetic and by the sounds of it im not going to be missing out on much as apparently from what i understand synthetic brushes have come a long way from what they once were Size of Brush - You will hear some fancy terms when it comes to describing the size of a brush (loft, knot and overall height). We explain those later but for now, you simply want the handle of the brush to fit snugly in your hand. The simple rule to follow is the bigger the brush the easier it is to use and the better lather you can make The Wilkinson Sword shaving brush is manufactured to a traditional style and features a fine pure bristle loft. Great ergonomic shape,tapering to a wide base which fits perfectly into the palm of your hand. Suitable for hard & semi-soft shaving soaps and also shaving creams. How to useThink Hair Type - Boar and badger do mean killing the animal which some people will not like. If that is the case then horse hair (taken from the tail) or a synthetic brush work perfectly well. The handle is important as it greatly impacts on the overall appearance of the brush. The two things worth noting though are the actual size and the weight of the handle. The number one thing to consider though is that the size of your hand should be a key factor in your decision making process.