Death, Taxes, and Buying the Wrong Replacement Razor Blades at CVS.
These are the three givens in life. Although another could be forgetting to buy replacement razor blades altogether and resorting to the rusty blade in the medicine cabinet that’s been there so long it should be helping out with the rent. When it came to my shaving routine, it just wasn’t cutting it. Literally.
But can you blame me? It seems like every time I go to the store there’s some new “ground-breaking” razor with a name out of a Fast and Furious movie. It’s disorienting and confusing, and it’s not cheap either. So when my buddy recommended switching to Dollar Shave Club, a subscription service that sends affordable but quality razors right to your door, I was interested.
But when I went on their website and saw that you can get the Starter Set for just $5, I was all but sold. When I saw this incredible, viral video ad that got Dollar Shave Club off the ground 12 years ago, I was sold.
Fast forward a few months… and my face is just as smiley as it is smooth because I’m getting great razors from good people at an even better price. Let me explain.
A Brief Background on Dollar Shave Club
Michael Dubin and Mark Levine had the brilliant idea to ship razors right to your door each month after frustration with “Big Shave’s” expensive pricing and the struggle of going to the store for replacements (or, in my case, forgetting to go at all). Dubin invested his entire savings into the website and started trying to get the word out.
But everything changed when that video ad went viral. It was (and remains) so easy to connect to a brand that gives it to you as straight as its razor blades. Within the first 10 seconds, Dubin tells you what Dollar Shave Club is and why you should be interested: “For a dollar a month, we send high-quality razors right to your door.”
Over 12,000 customers subscribed in the first 3 days after that video. Now, Dollar Shave Club has racked up over four million subscribers, millions of rave reviews, and press love from The New York Times, CNBC, and the Wall Street Journal.
Dollar Shave Club Struck a Chord, and the Music Is Oh So Sweet
When I first saw the name—Dollar Shave Club—I was skeptical. Are they really sending me razors for a single dollar a month? Sort of. DSC offers a “Humble Twin” tier with 5 blades for $4, but it seems most people opt for their $10 plan (named Oprah’s Editor’s Choice in 2023) which comes with four 6-Blade replacements.
The $5 Starter Set they offer is a (very) nice touch to welcome you to the brand and comes with their standard Diamond Grip Handle, four of the 6-Blade razors, a sample size of their sensitive skin Shave Butter, and a Razor Cover to protect the blades. The Starter Set also ships for free, comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, and lets you pause or cancel the subscription at any time.
After years of trying to remember which version of the MachWhatever I had in my bathroom while wincing at the price tags in the Whole Foods razor section, the straightforward, no-BS approach was like a breath of fresh air. And I could get behind always having fresh, sharp blades. I had to learn the hard way that dull razors don’t bode too well for skincare.
My Experience With Dollar Shave Club’s Starter Set
The box shipped to me fairly quickly, and I was excited to get to shaving. The first thing I noticed was how weighty the Diamond Grip Handle was. It felt nothing like the flimsy, plastic razors I’d been used to. Plus I loved the feel of the textured, rubber grip.
The Shave Butter that came in the kit uses a translucent formula so you can actually see what you’re cutting off, and ingredients like Macadamia Nut Oil, Grapeseed Oil, and Aloe to help prevent ingrown hairs. It felt nice and smooth on my face, with a pleasant kind of tingle.
Then, the fun part. I just inserted the handle into one of the razors in the sleeve and it popped right in. And let me tell you: this sh*t absolutely glides. I have to admit that I was expecting somewhat of a hack job with razors this affordable. But these puppies cut so close, so smooth, and so sharp… I was a little amazed. Dollar Shave Club says they make their own razors with high-quality stainless steel, and at that moment I understood why.
Fast Forward a Few Months…
And my shaving routine is more dialed in than the ‘96 Bulls. The best part? I don’t even have to think about it. Dollar Shave Club’s ingenious subscription model has me running on autopilot with best-in-class razors shipped right to my door. It’s like my face shaves itself.
I signed up for the 6-Blade, $10 monthly subscription (+ $2 shipping) when I got the Starter Set, but I eventually updated that to ship every other month, as I wasn’t shaving every single day. I’ve also now become obsessed with their Post Shave Dew, a soothing and hydrating serum that works wonders after shaving.
All in all, I’m getting barber-quality shaves from the comfort of my own bathroom with top-tier products that magically show up on my doorstep, and my face has never felt so smooth and clean. Everything has also come full circle: whereas I used to steal my girlfriend’s razors, now she steals mine. So I got her her own Dollar Shave Club subscription, and we’re both obsessed.
I’m Shaving Money & Time With This Million Dollar Idea, and You Can Too.
Since we started using Dollar Shave Club, our medicine cabinet is tidy, our faces (and legs) are clean and smooth, and our wallets are full. The thing is, nobody likes shaving with a dull razor, but there I was doing it for years. Why? Because I was lazy. Dollar Shave Club takes the effort out of the equation and gets you real results—fast and easy.
It’s worth mentioning that Dollar Shave Club has expanded to include all kinds of grooming products, from body wash to ball spray. If this trial run with their razor subscription is any indication, their other products are bound to impress. You can take their personalized quiz to get tailored recommendations, as well. (Yet another thoughtful service from what’s quickly becoming one of my favorite brands to support.)