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Dollar Shave Club Review: So Much More Than Just Shaving Products

A man shaving his face.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In decades past, men’s grooming was limited to, say, shaving and showering, without much thought beyond that. And finding a quality razor at an affordable price with easy access was difficult in and of itself. That’s what Dollar Shave Club was founded to address, and address it they’ve done quite handily for guys everywhere. The brand still focuses on shaving essentials for well-groomed guys everywhere, and it really is a club, complete with recurring product deliveries. However, there’s much more to Dollar Shave Club than meets the eye, including a wide range of grooming staples (more on these in a second) and even a series of clever original content posts designed to dive into grooming’s many mysteries. How does it all shake out? Read our Dollar Shave Club review to get the full scoop on a brand that’s much more than just shaving essentials.

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Ingredients

Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club

Dollar Shave Club is known first and foremost for its highly effective six-blade razors, plus its beloved Prep Scrub, Shave Butter, and Post Shave Dew, along with Shave Gel. Beyond the sharp, effective razors, the ingredients and formulas are where it counts. The well-known Shave Butter features softening and soothing ingredients like grapeseed oil and bark extract, while the high-quality Post Shave Dew uses cooling green tea extract, among other skin-friendly ingredients. The brand also recently introduced Ball Spray, made in part with cooling aloe (it’s exactly what it sounds like). Even the brand’s Rescue Serum, designed to combat irritated skin after shaving, is made with rejuvenating, calming extracts. Dollar Shave Club’s line includes an excellent Eye Savior, featuring caffeine (and a cooling ceramic applicator tip). The brand also recently launched a line of anti-dandruff products made with plant-based cleansers to caress your scalp. If it’s soothed and refreshed skin you seek, Dollar Shave Club’s products go all-out in their pursuit of a comfortable shave (or a comfortable, refreshed face in general).

Read more: Best Subscriptions for Men

Design

Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club

Dollar Shave Club’s product designs are recognizable, inviting, and friendly, almost beckoning you to take the plunge and try out a new grooming routine. The abbreviated DSC on each bottle makes it pop, while the orange, navy, and beige color scheme works nicely. Each label is easily readable and easy to use, with a brief amount of information beneath the product title outlining its purpose. I found the travel-size bottles easy to transport and useful right out of box, and the same can be said for the full-size offerings.  There are also icons that indicate the product “family” of each item, from shaving to skincare. It’s a nice system that ensures you don’t confuse the products in your morning grooming routine before rushing out the door.

Effectiveness

Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club

All the solid design and easy-to-use subscription services in the world don’t mean a thing if your products can’t pass muster, and here’s the good news: Dollar Shave Club’s entire line is highly effective, simple to use, and easy to transport. I’ve used both full-size offerings of Dollar Shave Club products, including the instantly refreshing, soothing Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, and I recently took some travel-size items on a trip for grooming on the go. The brand’s beard oil, a nice product for those who often sport a full mane, softened my facial hair and gave it a lustrous sheen right away, while the brand’s famed razor and Shave Butter provided a close, clean finish to tidy up stubble. Post-Shave Dew worked exactly as promised, with lightning-quick, irritation-fighting properties, and the Oil-Free Moisturizer (made with incredibly useful SPF 30 built right in) provided quick, deep nourishment to my face. Beyond shaving, I was equally impressed with the Eye Savior,  a cooling gel dispensed through a ceramic applicator tip and featuring caffeine for a proper jolt.

Consider Dollar Shave Club for a close shave and a soothing finish, but don’t count out the brand’s extremely useful product line for A-to-Z grooming care.

Read more: How to Shave

Value

Dollar Shave Club
Dollar Shave Club

Dollar Shave Club is all about affordability, with individual skincare products priced below $13 (the Suncare Set will run you $25 for four SPF-packed products, which is still a standout deal). It gets better from there, namely when you go through the process of taking Dollar Shave Club’s highly personalized grooming quiz. The quiz, which dives into the condition of your skin (dry or oily), plus other key indicators like how often you shave, determines the perfect routine for you, and then delivers it at the frequency of your choice. Oh, and it’s all delivered at a discount whenever you need it. A bundle with my preferred choices (deodorant, shampoo and body wash, among others) costs about $41 every two months. You can even try out the Dollar Shave Club Starter Set for just $5, then come back for more if you like what you see. Given the range and variety of Dollar Shave Club’s product line, the deals to be had are plentiful, as is the quality and performance.

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Beau Hayhoe
Beau Hayhoe is a freelance men's style writer, consultant and PR pro based in Brooklyn. Beau's menswear and gear writing has…
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