Mutiny Vegan Shaving Brush Review

Our Rating: 2 / 5 (See: How Leaf Score is calculated)

Product Highlights

• Bristles are soft, making it a good option for beginner shavers and those with finer, softer hair
• Squared off wooden handle is sourced and crafted from sustainable, ethical suppliers from the Scottish Highlands
• Shipped in plastic-free packaging

Overview

My communications with the company suggest that they use the Liberon Superior Danish Oil that doesn’t contain varnish, but does seem to be made of tung and linseed oil processed with chemicals such as 2-Ethylhexanoic acid, which is a reproductive toxin, and which contains aromatic hydrocarbons, which can be an airway irritant.

The brush is also sometimes marketed as plastic-free, but I’m pretty sure synthetic fiber bristles are made with plastic, last I checked. That said, this brush, which costs £12.00 (around $15 USD) has a lovely square-edged look and is shipped in plastic-free packaging. The bristles are soft, so a good option for beginner shavers, those with finer, softer hair, and those who experience skin irritation with animal hair brushes. Unfortunately, there are no details on the diameter of the brush. 

Because it’s unclear as to the exact oil used on this brush handle, my recommendation would be to buy the brush, clean it, and let it air out for a few weeks before use. Oil-based varnishes take longer to off-gas than water-based varnishes which only take a few days to off-gas most of their volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 

Mutiny Shaving was established in an effort to rail against the wasteful conventional shaving industry and the toxic chemicals in shaving products. They’re an eco-friendly, vegan-friendly company who aim to never use animal-based products, nor plastic in their packaging. They also strive to use recyclable products where possible and donate a percentage of profits to environmental organizations to offset their carbon footprint. 

Mutiny vs. Mühle vs. RazoRock

Ah, Mutiny, how I wish you didn’t use Danish Oil on your wooden handles. I would have loved to give both Mutiny and Paragon Shaving a much higher Leaf Score, if not for that darned finish that may contain toxic chemicals. As such, Mutiny get a lower Leaf Score than The Body Shop’s brush at 3 because The Body Shop at least use FSC certified wood for their handle and Paragon are at least somewhat transparent about their wood sourcing. 

EcoTools and Wild Sage & Co are in a similar range to Mutiny, because their brushes also likely contain toxic chemicals in their handles, and they all use knots made with synthetic plastic fibers of unknown quality and provenance. As such, there’s no telling how long these brushes will last and if it is a once in a lifetime type of purchase or destined for landfill in a few years. With Paragon, you know you’re getting a better quality synthetic fiber, especially if you buy the Plissoft knots.

For those with a thicker beard, coarser hair, and a rougher approach to shaving, the softer Plissoft and Black Fiber brushes likely won’t cut it. The softness of the bristles means the brush won’t exfoliate or lift thicker, coarser hair, which makes it harder to shave. For that, you’d probably want a Synth-Firm type of synthetic fiber brush, such as the Mimik Badger ‘Turnback’ Shaving Brush. Or, go for a Mühle synthetic brush that has a much higher quality knot. 

If the wooden handle is calling to you and a softer brush tip with some decent backbone is in order, the Mühle Black Fibre Thermo Wood might be just the thing. This wood is heat treated to make it durable and able to resist water even without a chemical coating. Your better option, though, is to get any of the metal handle brushes with a quality knot, such as those from RazoRock or Mühle.