If you’ve been poking around the web for subscription-based shaving or grooming services, you’d have noticed that there aren’t nearly enough female-focused brands.

A subscription-based service streamlines the process of getting shaving supplies by delivering them to you in a neat package like clockwork. That means never having to shave with a dull, borderline rusty razor—but nearly all these services are aimed at the male market.

That changes with Billie – a subscription brand that caters to women. It brings female razors and shaving products at an extremely affordable price, and the products don’t fall short on performance either. So much so, that you’ll probably never go back to buying from drugstores.

How does Billie work?

Shaving is not something most women look forward to. It’s painful. It’s time-consuming, and god help you if you have sensitive skin. Since the way women shave is fundamentally different from how men do it, they also need different razors.

Women have more area to cover. There are more curves, angles, and well, ankles, which means more chances of nicking and bleeding. Not to mention razor burns and clogged razor heads—and this is where Billie comes in. Their innovations are intended solely for women, and they give you the smoothest, most painless shave. There’s plenty of space between the razor blades to keep it from getting clogged.

Of course, then there’s the Pink Tax – the ‘tax,’ or extra money women are asked to pay for some products. It’s no secret. Razors are expensive. So, a subscription which sends shaving supplies to your home and only costs $9/month might sound too good to be true. The price is comparable to male-focused subscriptions like Dollar Shave Club and is an initiative by Billie to cut the Pink Tax.

To subscribe to the service, you need to head over to their site, and sign up. You’ll be asked a couple of questions, and you’ll have to pick the frequency of your shaving.

If you shave every day or every other day, choose their one-month plan. If you shave less often, you can also go with receiving refills every two or three months.

You also get to select a color. There are two different pinks and two blues. Pick whichever goes better with your bathroom décor.

Your box will arrive within the week of placing the order. You can also include body care products in your starter kit, including Sudsy Body Wash and Dry-bye body lotion.

Types of products available

The box your starter kit arrives in is gorgeous. It’s minimalistic, but not dull or too basic. There’s a colorful Billie logo on the front face. Inside is a bag with all the goodies in it. It also has the same color palette but with two very adorable illustrations.

Pop the bag open, and you’ll find your razor neatly tucked in a separate box. There’s also a magnetic holder in separate packaging. I’m happy to report that the whole packaging design aesthetic is eye candy—unboxing is pure joy.

The razor itself follows the overall aesthetic. It’s minimalistic, simple, smooth, and has tons of functionality to boot. The lower end of the handle features rubberized material to provide you with a secure grip when you’re in the shower. It’s incredibly lightweight too, which is a great design choice because heavier razors work against you on curves and angles.

It has a 360-degree aloe soap border and a five-bladed razor head. Since the shaving gel is built-in, you can get a smooth and comfortable shave without shaving foam. It glides over the contours and follows your curves perfectly, so you won’t be tugging on the hair, which essentially means next to no nicks.

The cartridges last pretty long too. A single cartridge should last you anywhere between two to three weeks without getting dull, and when they do you can replace it with the press of a button located on the razor handle – another nifty feature. You can also nestle the cartridge in the plastic cover.

Since each box is shipped with four cartridges, you won’t run out of them often either. I’d mostly attribute this to the fantastic blade design and magnetic holder (which keeps the razor dry while answering the age-old question of, “where should I put it?”

Pricing

The starter kit includes a razor handle, two cartridges for it, and a magnetic holder. It costs $9. After that, your $9 monthly box will include four refill cartridges. Shipping is free on all orders.

You can add items to your starter box, such as shaving cream, body wash, body lotion, or a storage bag for $8 to $10 each.

Company history

Founded in November 2017 by Georgina Gooley and Jason Bravman, Billie aims to provide women quality shaving products for half the price.

Half the price because women are often charged twice as much for certain services and products – the so-called Pink Tax.

Billie was launched to combat that and, considering how it’s quickly one of the best shaving clubs for women, I’d say they’re getting there.

Alternatives

If you think that Billie’s subscription isn’t for you, there are plenty of other shaving subscriptions marketed towards women. Here are a few notable ones:

• Flamingo is the women’s version of Harry’s Shave Club.
• Dorco USA sells budget razor kits with a subscription service.
• The Personal Barber offers single-blade safety razor kits.

Pros

• Premium quality razors and refills for half the price
• Smooth and comfortable shave
• Cartridges are long-lasting, if you shave twice a week, it should last you longer than a month
• Razor cartridges come with a 360-degree aloe gel
• Free shipping for every subscription
• The brand is taking a stand against the Pink Tax
• The overall design is sleek and aesthetically pleasing
• The magnetic holder adds to the convenience
• They donate 1% of their revenue for women’s support

Cons

• Some customers have complained that the built-in gel can become gooey and sticky after a few shaves
• The razor handle can be slippery at times, especially when you’re all sudsy
• You only have one razor choice (albeit in different colors)