Raphaël Softaqua brushes are as lush and absorbent as the best squirrel hair brushes, but they're made of a synthetic fiber that's vegan and cruelty-free. Look closely and you'll see that Raphaël has replicated the wavy texture of squirrel hair, its coarseness, and its remarkably soft touch when wet. When dipped in watercolor, the Softaqua fibers cling together in a perfect shape, and when you touch them to the paper, they spread out evenly and allow for smooth transitions between thin and thick marks.

These lovely travel brushes, part of Raphaël's Le Voyageur series, combine the advanced Softaqua fiber tip with a collapsible metal handle that protects the point from damage. That means you can toss this brush in your backpack or watercolor kit and head out; don't worry, your brush will be in perfect condition when you arrive. (Pro tip: get your travel brush wet and shape the tip with your fingers before closing it. That way, you won't bend the hairs out of place.)

As you'd expect from a legendary French manufacturer, Raphaël has given the Softaqua Travel series an excellent fit and finish. The Softaqua brush tip is firmly secured inside the ferrule, so you won't see stray hairs in your watercolor even with strong scrubbing. The metal handle is perfectly machined to fit straight when extended and slide together smoothly when collapsed. Finally, the Raphaël name is stamped in gold foil on the natural wood part of the handle.

Available in two shapes: the versatile #6 Round and the unique Pointed Quill Mop. The quill shape is quite hard to find in a travel brush, and this one is really special. In our tests, we were so impressed with its color retention and incredible softness, and several staff members here took one home on their first day in stock.

Made in France.

View our collection of travel brushes, including more options from Raphaël.

About Raphaël:

Founded in Paris in 1793, Raphaël is the oldest fine art brush maker in Europe. Following the time honored tradition of master and apprentice, the highly skilled craftswomen of Raphaël must train for years before they are ready to produce a Raphaël brush. The finest hairs and bristles are imported from all over the world and hand-sorted to ensure the highest quality.