Gillette subscription: we review the Shave Club
EVEN if you only wet shave once a week, that’s still over 50 times a year you’ll be lathering up and scraping away at your face fuzz. And for those who shave daily, having a quality razor can transform your morning routine.
To see if Gillette's subscription could take some of the sting out of our early mornings, we gave two Shave Club starter kits a go to see if their performance matches their convenience.
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What is Gillette’s shave club?
- Shop Gillette's Shave Club
Gillette’s shave club is a subscription service that allows you to pick the Gillette razor blade that’s the best fit for you and have fresh cartridges arrive at your doorstep whenever you need a refill. No more last-minute trips to the shops or unruly beards when you’re running low.
What starter kits can I choose from?
At the moment there are two starter packs for you to choose from when you’re signing up for Gillette’s shave club: the ProGlide kit and the SkinGuard kit.
The ProGlide Razor is all about providing an effortlessly smooth shave. It’s got five anti-friction blades to catch virtually every hair and FlexBall technology that ensures your razor follows the contours of your face. It’s also got a precision edging blade for those hard to reach areas.
On our first use of the ProGlide razor, we loved the control the razor gave us. As the name might suggest, it gives you a smooth shave, but the addition of the FlexBall meant that we were able to get an amazingly smooth result after a couple of short passes.
We also tried the SkinGuard Razor, which is designed for sensitive skin and has two blades spread further apart, to help minimize shaving irritation. This razor is also great for first-time shavers. Like the ProGlide, it’s also got a precision edging blade to finish off the edges of your shave.
This ended up being the best razor we’ve tried in years. While sensitive skin wasn’t an issue for the tester, the placement of the blades and the SkinGuard meant that this razor gave us one of the most comfortable shaves we’ve ever had.
We definitely recommend anyone give this razor a try, especially if you shave frequently and have sensitive skin, as it really reduces the pressure of the blades on your face and we have noticeably less irritation afterwards when compared to our regular razor.
For those of you that don’t have to worry about sensitive skin, we found Gillette’s ProGlide is the best at removing hair for that really smooth, close shave.
Both kits come with a 75ml bottle of Gillette’s shave gel and a travel case, which is a convenient perk. Gillette’s shave gel is fantastic, helping to provide a smooth glide with a menthol kick that leaves you feeling fresh long after you’ve finished shaving.
How do Gillette subscriptions work?
Firstly you pick which suits you, then you select how often you shave. The subscription allows you to not only get the best razor blades for you, but also to tailor how often they’re delivered, so you’ve always got fresh razor blades ready to go.
Your ongoing blade refills will always be 15% off plus free delivery to your door. Another great bonus is you will get a free mystery gift with your first blade refills.
What razor blades can I choose from?
There are two plans here: If you begin with the starter kit then you can choose between ProGlide and SkinGuard blades; meanwhile, if you want to go straight for the blades subscription plan then you can choose between five types.
The good news is that with either plan you still get 15% off your blades, ongoing free delivery and a free mystery gift with your first blades.
SkinGuard
- Shop Gillette SkinGuard razors
The SkinGuard razors are designed for those with sensitive skin. There are just two blades spread further apart to help reduce shaving irritation and the SkinGuard technology reduces razor contact with the skin.
ProGlide
- Shop Gillette ProGlide razors
The ProGlide razors have five blades, with blades 1 – 4 being the sharpest to aid a smooth shave. There’s a precision edging blade too and the cartridges will fit all Fusion5 and Fusion5 Power razors.
Fusion 5
- Shop Gillette Fusion 5 razors
Similar to the ProGlide razor (but without the flexball handle), the Fusion 5 also has five blades to reduce pressure on your skin. These blades are incorporated into a more simplified razor cartridge than ProGlide and give you long-lasting closeness at a more affordable price.
Mach3
- Shop Mach3 razors
The Mach3 razors are Gillette’s most affordable option, fitted with three stronger-than-steel blades that stay sharp. They’ve also got an advanced microfin skin guard to help stretch your skin, better preparing it for shaving.
Heated razor carts
- Shop Gillette heated razor carts
Used exclusively with the Gillette’s heated razor which promises the feel of a hot towel shave at the push of a button. These razors are fitted with Gillette’s thinnest, most advanced blades for an elite shave.
Gillette razors: how to get the best shave
Gillette recommends following eight steps for shaving with all its razors.
- Hydrate. Washing your face thoroughly before you shave helps hydrate your skin and soften your facial hair which means you’re more likely to get a smoother shave and less likely to nick your skin. Gillette recommends shaving right after your shower.
- Apply shaving cream or gel. This helps to ensure your hairs are softened and can help to reduce razor burn.
- Check your razor. If your razor has got any dull blades or the hydration strip is fading, it’s a good idea to switch to a fresh cartridge to improve comfort.
- Use light strokes. Using too much pressure as you shave or going over the same area of your face too many times is one of the biggest causes of shave irritation.
- Rinse your blades. Make sure to keep your blades clean as you shave to make sure your blades are at their most effective. Gillette also recommends NEVER tapping your razor against your sink as you shave, or using anything to mechanically clean between the blades as that can damage the delicate parts of the cartridge.
- Shave both ways. If you want to get really close, use strokes both with and against the grain. If you suffer from lots of shave irritation, you may want to limit the against the grain strokes, favouring a more downward approach.
- Use the precision edging blade. The area under your nose and your sideburns benefit from a careful approach that the precision edging blade on the back of your razor can provide.
- Apply moisturiser or aftershave. To help your face deal with any unwanted shave irritation and your skin remains hydrated, apply an after-shave moisturizer or balm.
How to change your blades
Changing Gillette blades are pretty straightforward. All you have to do is press the button on the back of the razor where the cartridge attaches to the razor handle, which will release the used razor blade. To attach a new razor, simply push the handle into your cartridge holder, containing your fresh blades, and the two components should easily slot together with a satisfying click
What are the benefits of a Gillette subscription?
There’s a number of benefits to getting a Gillette subscription. To begin with, you can trial which product works for you with a free starter kit(you just need to pay £3.95 post & packaging)). That gets you a free razor, a free shave gel and a free travel case.
Next, on top of the free starter kit, you’ll also get a mystery gift (up to the value of £6) included with your first refill of razor blades.
Besides these two perks, you’ll also save 15 per cent on the price of new blades for your razors long term, versus buying them at full price from the website.
The final bonus and benefit is you get free delivery of your blades to your door with your subscription
What are Gillette razor blades made of?
Gillette’s blades are made of premium stainless steel which is hardened, sharpened and enhanced with multiple coatings to provide strength, durability and skin comfort to create a quality razor that you trust.
Can I shave my head using a Gillette razor?
If you’re looking to wet shave your head, a Gillette razor is as good an option. However, you’ll want to clip or cut your hair very short ahead of a wet shave rather than just attacking your mop with a razor when it’s at full length.
If you’re looking for a device to get your hair down to wet shave length, it could be worth having a look at the .
How much is the delivery of your subscription?
The delivery for your Gillette starter kit costs a fairly standard £3.95 — and it’s a veritable bargain when you remember that the trial itself is free. Gillette asks to allow 2-4 days for delivery, although at peak times such as Christmas, it may be slightly longer.
Delivery for your ongoing blade refill is completely free, if you opt in to the subscription through the starter kit or go straight to the blade subscription.
Can I postpone my razor blade delivery?
If you’ve not gone through your razors as fast as you expected, you can pause your razor subscription for up to two months.
How do I cancel my subscription to Gillette?
There are no strings attached to the Gillette Shave Club so you can cancel your subscription at any time by visiting the ‘My Account’ section of the website.
Gillette subscription: the verdict
As we mentioned earlier, Gillette’s razors are the best we’ve used in a long, long time. They’re comfortable, suitable for sensitive skin (if you choose the ProGuard), and left us with no irritation once we were finished.
We also loved the coverage offered thanks to the FlexBall, which made it easier to get to those hard-to-reach areas that usually have you pulling funny faces in the mirror.
The subscription itself is flexible, and with free delivery for your blade refill, we think signing up is a no brainer — especially considering you save 15 per cent on the price of your new blades in the long run.
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