So today I have something a little different for you guys. The folks at Wet Shave Club graciously sent me a box to review. It’s a shaving subscription for men. I don’t often get a chance to review men’s subscriptions so it’ll be fun to see what’s inside.
First a little info on what this sub is all about:
“WetShaveClub is about bringing back the manly ritual of traditional shaving. A warm lather, a sharp blade, and 10 minutes of bliss. Experience the joy of wet shaving, with a monthly box filled with different soaps, blades, aftershaves, and more from around the world.”
The box I received is the same first box subscribers would so this is not a special blogger perk. Everyone who signs up will get this box (or something very similar).
Now let’s jump right in.
Great packaging and we get two cards. One is a membership card and the other is a 10 step description on how to do an “Awesome Wet Shave.” I have to say that I don’t envy guys having to run a blade over their face. I manage to injure myself just on my legs and those are easy enough to cover up.
Because some of the items don’t have specific brands and seem unique to this box, I will find as close an item as I can for comparison.
Wet Shave Razor & Cover
(Suggested Retail: $31.49)
I spent some time googling razors (and scrutinizing the handles) to find one that seemed the closest to the one included in this box. This razor feels very heavy and seems excellent quality. It comes with a leather cover and has “Wet Shave Club” etched on the top.
Shave Brush
(Suggested Retail: $10.98)
This brush doesn’t feel quite as heavy duty as the razor, but I’m sure it would do an adequate job and the retail price seems accurate.
The Legends London – Alum Matchsticks Aftershave Astringent
(Suggested Retail: $2.59)
At first glance this is the item that confused me the most. I was like why are there matches in here? But apparently they are just called matchsticks and are some type of after shave paraphernalia. On the back it says you use after shaving “to calm razor burn, soothe and help keep recently shaved skin in good condition.” It includes 20 matchsticks.
Blades
Gillette Silver Blue (5): Suggested Retail: $1.80
Gillette 7’o Clock SharpEdge (5): Suggested Retail: $1.07
Obviously if we have a shave box we need razors. According to the card included they suggest changing your razor every 3 days, so this is a one month supply. The cost of these is negligible so I think it would have been nicer if they’d thrown in a couple other types of blades. If you happen to dislike this brand or style you’re going to need to buy others on your own since there is exactly enough for one month. Since they only cost around $1, an extra package of a different brand would have been nice.
Whiskey Ink & Lace Cedarwood Aftershave 30 mL
(Suggested Retail: $4.80; Retail for 50mL: $8.00)
This aftershave is described as “Woodsy cedarwood paired with notes of eucalyptus and a touch of aloe help soothe a freshly shaven face, leaving it smelling clean and manly.” Clean & Manly? That sounds just perfect for an aftershave. The size included in this box is not available on the website so I did a little math and scaled the price for a 30mL, but you’d have to buy the larger size if you want to pick this up. I really like that they included a handcrafted toiletry and if your guy likes to try new products this would probably appeal to him.
Red Leaf Shaving Soap in “English Coast” & “Oatmeal, Milk & Honey”
(Suggested Retail: $3.25; Retail for 8: $12.99)
These soaps both smell great. They are clean, fresh & not too feminine. I really love the “English Coast” scent. Again I didn’t see this size for sale so I’ve scaled the retail price down based on the cost for a set of 8. This is another cool find for the guy who likes to try new products. I’ve never heard of the Red Leaf Bath & Body company but they have a great variety of products including vegan soap bars so I’ll definitely spend some time checking out their site.
OVERALL
According to my googling skills, I get an approximate retail value on this box of $55.98. If you’d opted for the monthly sub you’d have paid $29 for this box. So you know I can’t actually use these items myself, so I’m just looking at this from a gift perspective. When I give toiletry & beauty type gifts I really love including unusual brands and high quality items. To me the razor seemed very sturdy and I really liked the handcrafted and interesting brands included. If your guy wants to expand his toiletry horizons this would be a fun gift. Your best bet would be to go with at least the 3 month option which will save you $5 a month.
For my guy readers – what would you think of this box? Would you want to pick it up for yourself?
And for the ladies, what do you think of this as a gift? Would you consider signing up that favorite guy in your life?
BACKSTORY
There are different prices based on how many months you prepay:
Pricing:
1 Month Subscription = $29 per month (Free Shipping)
3 Month Plan = $24.00 per month (Free Shipping)
6 Month Plan = $22.00 per month (Free Shipping)
1 year = 19.00 per month (Free Shipping)
Plans automatically renew on the 1st of every month you may cancel at any time *$7.99/month shipping applies outside the contiguous 48 states and Canada
Lisa Preziosi 