I think that is what she said that she used it for. However she did say that she has shaved some faces with it as well. It sounds like I would be smart to learn with the Safety Blade before jumping into the straight razor world. Since there is a learning curve in all....
I had a cheap boar hair brush that I got from CVS and Col conk badger hair that I got from the Knife Center and I preferr the badger.
Te real difference between boar brushes and badger brushes is just how it feels when you apply the lather to your face. A cheap boar brush will get the job done, but it will be scratchier on your face (some people like that), though they'll soften with use. A cheap badger brush (like the $13 Tweezerman I use) is slightly softer but still a little scratchy. The high end brushes can apparently be quite soft, though may lack a bit of backbone to pick up soap to lather. KMF is probably the best quality stuff you can find easily in mass-market stores. Williams soap and Van der Hagen soap are pretty easy to find in drugstores and have their fans. I find that they work decently and the price is nice and low. As far as blades go, I started with the Personna blades from Walmart (which should be the same as those at CVS, Walgreens, etc.) and they're not bad blades, but certainly not the best. I did get a bad blade in my pack from Walmart, so be aware that you'll find one like that from time to time. It's pretty obvious when you find one because it just doesn't feel right and hurts a bit.
