Shaving is one of the definitive rights of masculine passage. At some point in every man’s life, there comes a day when he makes that first trim and rids himself of that horrific adolescent ‘stache, whether it’s a voluntary decision or at the urging of others. From then on, it’s a lifetime of facial hair maintenance — a club you gain membership to no matter if it’s daily, weekly, or somewhere in between. Thus, a razor is one tool that no man can do without, for even if you’re giving that beard a good grow, it’s pretty much unavoidable that you’ll need one to clean up around the edges, eventually.
Adhering to such a regular practice requires a frequent replenishing of your supplies — be they blades, gels, creams, soaps, or brushes. Because if there’s one thing that’s guaranteed about shaving, it’s that your blades will soon dull and your cream will one day run dry. And when they do, the quality of your shaves is soon to follow, leading to ingrown hairs, razor burn, or bumpy skin. As such, it’s all-too-important that you stay on top of your supplies if you want to continue looking your best. Although a trip to the store here and there isn’t much of an ask, it’s far more convenient to opt-in to a shave club subscription and get your goods delivered straight to your door. Furthermore, shave clubs have the benefit of being highly customizable, meaning you can customize the frequency of the service and the contents of the package specifically to your needs. As is the nature of most subscriptions, shave clubs are typically billed and shipped on a monthly basis. However, some do things a little differently, opting instead for quarterly or even annual plans. For the purposes of this guide, each option will be priced and organized at its entry point rather than by its monthly rate. Have a read to see our picks for the best men’s shave clubs.
Public Goods
Formerly known as Morgans, Public Goods offers a variety of sustainable personal grooming and hygiene products at incredibly affordable prices. Their direct to consumer subscription model cuts out the middleman, keeping prices low and also proving more environmentally responsible than traditional retail services. For just $59 annually, you gain access to a host of products, from personal care and household items to groceries and supplements. When it comes to shaving gear, their sustainably-constructed bamboo razor handle will run you just $11. What’s more is that their razor refill packs are actually only $1, unlike some other misnomered options on this list. With your first purchase, you receive a two-week trial, after which a Public Goods Membership will be automatically added to your cart. This is a great option if you want to build out your subscription service beyond your shaving supplies.
Harry’s
Another one of the bigger names on this list, Harry’s products are available at most major retailers. The main benefit of Harry’s Shave Club lies in its simplicity. For instance, there are just two handles for you to choose from — the premium, metal-bodied Winston or the rubber-coated Truman — and only one type of cartridge. Depending on the frequency of your shaves, Harry’s blades can be shipped in 2-, 3-, and 5-month increments. With each refill pack, you can also choose how many blades to purchase. In addition to being German-engineered, they’re by men, for men. As part of their social mission, Harry’s sets aside a portion of its sales each year to work with charities working towards the improvement of men’s mental health.
Dollar Shave Club
The OG of the shave club model, Dollar Shave Club is one of the biggest names in the subscription-based grooming industry. When you’re first getting started, they offer a risk-free trial pack so that you can get a taste of the action. Assuming you then opt-in for a membership, DSC will start delivering full-size versions of your selected products several times a year. It’s a highly customizable service in that it allows you to choose both the frequency of delivery as well as which products you receive. Furthermore, Dollar Shave Club sticks to the multi-blade cartridge-style of razors, meaning they’re a much more approachable option than some of the safety razor services featured on this list. Like many of these other subscription services, you can cancel at any time.
Bevel
Designed specifically with men of color in mind, Bevel’s shave club is built around razors optimized for kinky or curly hair. To put it another way — it can handle even the coarsest of beards. To handle such a task, the Bevel Shave Club shave kit features many of the same products you’d find at a barbershop, including a shave brush, priming oil, restoring balm, and — of course — a safety razor. Above all, Bevel offers the perfect option for those wanting more out of their razor subscription service. Although you can stay pretty minimalist with your selections, there are tons of high-quality options available to customize the subscription boxes to your needs.
BirchBox
Offering monthly, 6-month, and 12-month plans, BirchBox is effectively a subscription service that cherry-picks the best in grooming products for you to sample. In other words, each month you’ll receive five different grooming staples to try, whether they’re facial moisturizers or beard care supplies. When signing up for BirchBox, you begin by completing a personalized grooming profile that gives their team a picture of your unique wants and needs. Additionally, you have the option to pick and choose which samples you’d like to try, along with perks like full-size add-ons from the month prior. But that’s not all — for an additional $10 per month, BirchBox offers a BirchBox Grooming Plus service that includes a lifestyle item (like a grooming accessory or tool) in the subscription box.
Wet Shave Club
Wet Shave Club differs from some other shave clubs on this list in that it focuses solely on a safety razor subscription service. Safety razors have the benefit of being both cheaper and more environmentally responsible, but they’re also capable of providing a cleaner shave with less irritation. Rather than paying a monthly fee for your subscription, Wet Shave Club’s One Year Safety Razor deal starts at $18 annually — broken down, that comes to just $1.50/month. Should you decide that you need more in the way of grooming cream and shave soap, they also offer Quarterly Shave Club options — just $15 every three months for the Sampler Kit or $30 every three months for the Enthusiast Kit. As an added bonus, each of their products is assigned a human liberty index, meaning you can make informed decisions based on an in-depth picture of what goes into the manufacturing process.
Gillette
Gillette’s shave club service has the benefit of offering a free starter kit when you subscribe. You can choose between two handles: the 5-blade ProGlide Shield for an especially close shave or the 2-blade SkinGuard for more sensitive skin. Afterward, Gillette gives you three shaving frequency options to choose from, either every day, a few times a week, or once a week. Refill boxes include a set of blades and a full-size cream. Each subscription order ships free, with every fourth being complimentary.
Supply
Founded by husband and wife duo Patrick and Jennifer Coddou, Supply offers a modern take on the classic single-blade safety razor. Backed by an impressive 100-year warranty, their elegantly-styled single-blade razors also come with a unique adjustability feature. With sensitive, comfortable, and ultra-close settings, you can perfectly dial in your trim without the need for multiple passes, meaning less irritation and fewer ingrown hairs. Their razors start at $75 for the matte or polished alloy models, but there’s also a premium stainless-steel version available for $145. Each handle ships with a three month supply of replacement blades, after which it’ll cost you about $24 annually for refills. As part of their exclusive product guaranty, all of Supply’s skin creams and grooming essentials are made from exclusively natural ingredients — no additives and no harmful chemicals.
Primer: How To Shave With A Straight Razor
Looking to upgrade your shaving experience even more? Check out our guide on how to shave with a straight razor and learn a valuable skill that every man should know.
