Other reviews

Here are some other useful reviews of Dollar Shave Club:


http://www.dollarshaveclubreview.com
This one actually just changed their main page to explain some alternatives from Amazon.  However, there is still a link to the primary review, which is good.


http://www.lostinidaho.me/2012/06/my-unsolicited-review-of-dollar-shave.html
This is the review that got me to subscribe.  It is a good, non-biased, honest review.


http://www.businessinsider.com/dollar-shave-club-review-2012-4?op=1
Another great review, this one from a well known site.

AND HERE ARE SOME OTHER OPINIONS:

http://www.smartmoney.com/spend/family-money/does-dollar-shave-really-save-1334930885394/
This review shows that there are some FAR more affordable options, but they are not automated, so you'll have to place the orders yourself.

http://thegreatshavingripoff.com/main/
And this one is actually from the supplier of the razors that DSC is selling.

http://www.virtualsink.com/2012/06/review-of-dorco-razors.html
Another really great one, explains how you might want to consider buy from Amazon instead.

UPDATE:

http://www.razorpedia.com/submit-a-review.html
Another great razor review site (see the comment below for details)

I signed up

On July 24th, 2012 I signed up for the 4 blade service from the Dollar Shave Club.  I got my first set of blades a couple of weeks later.  Basic packaging, but if you wanted it to be discrete, no chance.  Although the packaging seemed cheap, it was sturdy cardboard, and the razors and handle were very secure.

Below are some of the other pieces of marketing propaganda that came in the package.  Witty, sure, but basically pointless.

Initial thoughts

Ok, here comes my initial review.  Of course this is several months after I actually started using the Dollar Shave Club razors.  Either way, I wanted to post the pictures I took of the packaging, as well as give some background info on my shaving experiences.

I have a course, dark beard.  I shave about every other day, due to some sensitive skin.  If I shave more often than that I get some serious razor burn and my neck looks like hamburger.

In the past I've used electric razors (15 years ago or so, high school/college time).  I tried the micro screen, which wasn't bad, but I had to work pretty hard to get a smooth shave.  I've tried triple head, which didn't do well on my neck because the whiskers go so many different directions.  I also had a hard time getting under my nose.  At some point I got a free trial of the "new" Mach 3 from Gillette.  I was amazed.  Now I like to have a nice smooth shave, so I typically shave one with the grain, and then finish up going against the grain.  Basically, a minimum of 2 passes on all surfaces.  This is the cause of some irritation, I understand.  I've read that to reduce burn and nicks, just always go with the grain.  But that does not lend well to a smooth shave.

Then I found the M3 Power razor.  Yes, a vibrating razor sounds a little foo foo, but let me tell you, it is nice.  For somebody with a course beard, where shaving is more like scraping, the very subtle vibration made the shaving experience MUCH more pleasant.  But after a few years, the M3 Power died, and I replaced it with just a standard Mach 3 razor handle again.

A set of four Mach 3 blades will usually last me 2 months, and since those suckers are expensive, I stretch them out WAY longer than I should.  Sometimes shaving with a border-line dull blade.

I've tried the 4 blade and 5 blade razors every so often, but found that the shave wasn't any better and the Mach 3 was good enough.  Then I tried out the Dollar Shave Club.

Dollar Shave Club Review

A few months ago a coworker of mine forwarded me a link to www.dollarshaveclub.com.  This blog will be an ongoing review of this service, the razors, and the customer service.

Stay tuned.