For many years, my shaving routine has been the same–hop in the shower, grab a disposable razor, shave, nick myself three or four times, rinse and repeat the next day. Unfortunately for me, I also have extra sensitive skin. If I so much as look at a dull razor, little red bumps will appear all over my legs. So those disposable razors are not so cheap when I only use them once or twice. Do I love it? No, but it’s also more affordable (and a lot less effort) than waxing or lasering.
Lucky for me (and you too, if your routine is similar), a lot has changed in the world of shaving and at-home beauty care. Online startups like Dollar Shave Club and Harry’s brought changes to the shaving industry by introducing high-quality razors that could be shipped to your door, for a super affordable price, but they focused on men’s grooming. Soon after, subscription services with razor designs and skin-care products specifically tailored to women’s needs hit the market.
Always on the hunt for products to make my life easier (and more affordable), I decided to try two razor subscription services. The TL;DR is this ladies– there is absolutely no reason to mask up, put on real pants, and head to store to pay more for razors or at home waxing products. You need a razor subscription in your life.
Billie Razors Overview
Billie, founded in 2017, has created a women’s razor priced in line with affordable men’s razors. They’ve been vocal about taking a stand on the “pink tax” and offer realistic portrayals of body hair in their ads and on their website. Billie also donates 1% of all revenue to women’s causes around the world.
I’d seen Billie a lot on Instagram. Their logo is cute and colorful, and every Instagram influencer seems to be “obsessed” with their razors. I decided to order their $9 Billie Starter Kit and even added a $14 bottle of dry shampoo. Some other add ons include shaving cream, lip balm, and face wipes.
My kit arrived in a few days and included a Billie handle (I chose the coral, though there are six color options), a magnetic holder, and two five-blade cartridges.
Athena Club Overview
While I had heard only good things about Billie, I was also skeptical because I had only heard good things. I decided to try another razor subscription brand so that I could compare the two services. I chose Athena Club.
Athena Club is known for offering DTC subscription tampons, pads, period cups, and liners. But the brand has recently expanded and now also carries razors and other personal care and wellness products. I ordered the $9 Razor Kit subscription and added the $12 body wash and $14 body lotion.
The razor kit arrived in a sleek, colorful box, and everything from the packaging to the non-slip handle feels like it cost more than just $9. The kit comes with two five-blade cartridges and a magnetic hook for hanging it in your shower.
How The Subscription Models Work
Billie
After getting the Billie Starter Kit, you’ll receive four replacement cartridges for $9 on an ongoing basis. When you sign up for the kit, you select your favorite color handle and how often you shave. If you shave every day, Billie will deliver cartridges once a month, a few times a week: every two months, and once a week: every three months. You can change frequency at any point, and also include any add on like shaving cream, body lotion, body wash, travel accessories, and more.
Athena
With the Athena Starter Kit, you have your choice between six different color options, and can also customize your deliveries based on your personal shaving needs. Opt to receive replacement blades every three months at just $3 per blade, eight blades every six months at $2.50 per blade, or 12 blades every nine months at $2.25 per blade. Whichever delivery option you choose, your initial box will cost just $9 to start. Athena also offers shaving cream, body wash, body lotion as well as tons of other body care, period care, and women’s wellness products.
Now For The Real World Test
I used the Billie razor without the shaving cream. I’ve never been a fan of shaving cream, but the Billie razor also has a thick, silky aloe-and-charcoal bar that surrounds its blades (though I would not recommend shaving without water). The razor felt comfortable in my hand, and the cartridge has a hinge, which made it easier to tackle my knees and armpits. The blades are super sharp, and the shave was very smooth, without razor burn.
The razor comes with a magnetic holder that you can stick to the side of your shower wall.
I also used the Athena razor without shaving cream or gel. The Athena razor has a metal handle, and I really liked the weight in my hand. The razor has an aloe strip, but it’s not as thick as Billie’s. The blades are sharp! I have thick hair, and often need to run my razor twice over an area, but didn’t need to with Athena.
I hardly had to press down at all and still got a silky, close shave. The Athena razor also comes with a matching magnetic holder that attaches to the wall of your shower or bathroom wall.
And The Winner Is…
Overall both of these razors were far superior to anything I’ve ever purchased at the drugstore, and I will never go back to the cheap disposable razors I used to buy. I really like that they both have magnetic holders that can attach to the side of your shower wall, and you don’t need to worry about goopy or rusty razor blades.
I liked the Billie razor, and am a fan of the brand as a whole, however, I am going to continue my subscription with Athena Club. The aloe strip on the Billie razor is a bit too intense for me and gets slimy and sticky fast. I also really liked the metal handle that Athena Club offers. It’s not too heavy but has more weight than Billie’s plastic handle. However, at $9 for a starter kit, you really can’t go wrong trying either of these!