Dollar Shave Club Review: A Convenient Way For Monthly Razor Needs

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In shaving with a blade, there have been many options throughout the years, whether it be old-school with a safety razor or going high tech with five-bladed razors attached to vibrating handles. Men were at the mercy of what these options cost in the store, money begrudgingly spent on throwaway cartridges that cost their weight in gold. In the past decade, new options have cropped up like Dollar Shave Club, offering a box of shaving supplies sent directly to you at a lower cost than traditional blades found at the local store. In this Dollar Shave Club review, we will look specifically at how the Dollar Shave Club can supplant your old razor buying habits, and compare it with a few other companies offering similar services.

What Is the Dollar Shave Club?

The Dollar Shave Club is a razor subscription service started in 2011 that delivers directly to your address regularly. You determine what your needs are for the frequency of delivery, from once a month to once every four months. You also choose exactly what they send, whether it is just a new set of razor cartridges or everything from shave creams, shampoos, facial scrubs, deodorant, and toothpaste. Billing is automatic and the whole service is convenient.

Dollar Shave Club Review Specs

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For shaving, there are three components to look at: the handle, the blades, the shaving cream. A hard-to-grip handle might lead to unwanted razor nicks. Blades that dull quickly or clog with hair lead to quick disposal. Shaving cream that dries out your skin or doesn't assist in a smooth shave is only slightly better than shaving with hot water only.

The Dollar Shave Club Handle

There are different handles depending on what blade is chosen. The top-of-the-line handle, known as The Executive, has a good heft to it, being made of heavyweight aluminum with rubber grips. Finding a comfortable way to hold it while getting to those troublesome areas, especially if being used to shave a head, is like second nature. The rubber grip at your fingertips never slips, even with the razor wet.

A step below is The 4X handle, using a lightweight aluminum construction and a slightly narrower shape. It also sports rubber grips to prevent slips and dropping.

The entry-level handle is called The Humble Twin and is a plastic handle with hard, molded ridges for grip. The head has a shallow pivot compared to the other two which feature a much larger movement.

The Dollar Shave Club Blades

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay 

The Executive is a six-bladed cartridge with a lubrication strip at the top containing aloe, vitamin E, and lavender. Below the blades there is a rubber strip for raising the hairs of your face. While six blades might seem excessive, even to those coming from five-blade razors, the result is fewer strokes needed and smooth skin. On the back side of the cartridge, there is a single blade that can be used for precision trimming. The Executive can be used on any part of the body and rinses clean with ease. It comes with 4 cartridges per box.

The 4X is a four-bladed cartridge with a chamomile and olive oil lubrication strip. It also features a rubber strip below the blades. For the daily shaver, this option offers the best bang for the buck, but it struggles with longer stubble (for those of you who forgot to shave 3 days in a row). This blade is also good for being used on any part of the body. It comes with four cartridges per box.

The Humble Twin is a two-bladed razor with a chamomile and olive oil lubrication strip. It is recommended for facial use only. Essentially, if you were previously fine using a disposable razor daily, this is your new blade. It comes with 5 cartridges per box.

Doctor Carver's Shave Butter

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If there is one point to take away from this Dollar Shave Club review, it is that they have the best shave cream ever. Shaving cream and gel foam up, obscure the face, and make a huge mess of your razor and your sink. Doctor Carver's Shave Butter goes on clear, leaves no mess, and allows the blade of the razor to glide over the face with utter ease. A nickel-size dollop from the tube is all that's needed, and you rub it onto your skin as you would a lotion.

The first time you put the razor to your face after applying the butter, you may be hesitant because there seems to be nothing there. But there is no need to worry—it works like a dream! Most feel there is no need for aftershave, but that is a matter of preference.

Pricing

As the name implies, it is possible to pay around a dollar per cartridge with Dollar Shave Club if picking the Humble Twin. However, through our Dollar Shave Club review, we have learned it is worth it to pay slightly more for the 4X or Executive. With 4 blades per month, you can change a blade each week and never worry about if it's dull. At most, this will set you back just under $20 per month, but discounts are available, depending on how many items you include in your box.

If you are not a daily shaver, or you are the type who will shave with a blade until it is dull, go bi-monthly and cut the price in half. The shave butter is about $8 for a full size tube, and we have found adding it to every other box is about right—or at least once you realize how little you need for a shave!

For those wanting to try other male grooming products that the Dollar Shave Club offers, prices will be slightly higher than the typical national brands, but still economical compared to their boutique counterparts. Your mileage may vary, especially once the convenience factor of delivery is included. However, our Dollar Shave Club review reveals that these prices can't be beaten!

How It Compares

We picked a few worthy competitors for the Dollar Shave Club review.

Dollar Shave Club

Harry's

The first contender in our Dollar Shave Club review is Harry's. Harry's is as close to Dollar Shave Club as you can get in terms of services and price, and the company is known for the quality of their blades.

Bevel

Bevel is geared toward people that suffer from razor bumps and irritation because of coarse or curly stubble. More than just a razor, Bevel is a complete end-to-end shaving system. However, it is important to note that Bevel provides a safety razor.

Birchbox Man

Birchbox Man is the last subscription service in our Dollar Shave Club review. Birchbox Man is a monthly subscription box that features a different collection of samples in each delivery for products that are fresh ideas or the best on the market. This is not a shaving kit.

Conclusion

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We are big fans of Dollar Shave Club, if for no other reason than their Doctor Carver's Shave Butter. The blades offer a fantastic shave and last longer than advertised. The Executive handle feels good in the hand, whether shaving your face, head, or elsewhere. Shipping is free with your subscription and setting up what comes with each box could not be easier, whether using the app or website. At the very least you owe it to yourself to try the starter kit and see for yourself.