The Personal Barber Review

What if there was a way to transform your dull, monotonous, and sometimes tedious shaving routine into something refreshing?

A way to turn this chore, into something more pleasant? Something you’d look forward to. Lucky for us, there is a subscription which makes you this promise.

Enter the Personal Barber Subscription.

How does The Personal Barber work?

It’s ridiculously easy to make these promises, but delivering on them? That’s a different story. Let’s find out if they cut the mustard.

At some point, every man has had that morning, when they’re about to go on with their daily shaving routine only to find out at the very last minute that they’re out of shaving gel, foam, razors, or soap. Obvious as it may be, it means a trip to the store before you can get on with your routine. The Personal Barber (TPB) aims to save you from that hassle by delivering your shaving products to your door—and the box delivered to you doesn’t always contain the same contents, either.

They include a hand-picked, high-quality selection of new goodies for you every month. A caveat, though, TPB focuses on bringing men the traditional shaving experience. That means a no-nonsense single-blade razor. If you’re expecting multi-blade with every gimmick under the sun, this box isn’t for you.

But if you’re looking for an old-school wet shave which isn’t just effective (a close shave which gives you a smooth finish), but also hassle-free. This UK-based subscription might be the answer.

Speaking of which, once you subscribe, you get their kit delivered to your doorstep every 6 or 12 weeks, depending on the subscription offer you choose. The six-weekly subscription is for gents who shave every day, or almost every day, but if you shave infrequently, say once or twice a week, opt for their twelve-weekly subscription.

If you need a standalone product, and wouldn’t like to buy the whole package, you can also shop for individual products on their web store.

Types of products available

Same as most subscription boxes, TPB comes in a cardboard box. For added security, they cover it in plastic before dispatching it. The box itself is recyclable, which is certainly a plus.

When you take a look at the box, you’ll find the minimalist style company logo and tag lines inscribed on it. I like that it’s a simplistic but elegant design. Unboxing it, you’ll find the goodies neatly wrapped in dark tissue paper, with company emblems printed on it. After you unwrap this packaging, you’ll be greeted with a bunch of cards. These cards give you some great insight and helpful tips, so you can get a flawless shave every time.

As helpful as they may be, I doubt they’ll be of much use to a wet shaving veteran. These instructions are still a nice touch for the newbies who’d like to teach themselves a thing or two about old school shaving, though.

The items rest on shredded packaging neatly tucked beneath the cards.

Now with the unboxing out of the way, here’s a comprehensive list of everything you get.

• An old school signature single-blade safety razor
• Shaving brush
• A set of ten razor blades
• Two bars of shaving soap
• After-shave balm
• Pre-shave oil/soap
• Men’s face moisturizer
• An alum matchbook

But like I said before, you get a variety of products because they like to switch things up. So, you’ll be getting a different set of blades almost every time.

The traditional double-edged razor ensures a close shave without irritation. It gets all the hair in a single glide, so you won’t have to go back to the same area twice – which causes irritation—and that’s where it excels—comfort and control. You can get an unbelievably close shave even with applying light pressure. It’s well-built and feels sturdy and solid in your hands.

The brush is synthetic hair but manages to impress regardless. The bristles feel soft on your skin. It’s comfortable and produces a good volume of lather. The alum matchbook deserves a special mention. It’s not uncommon for you to nick yourself when wet shaving, which makes these sticks a must-have.

The soaps are handmade, have all-natural ingredients, and infused with heavenly fragrances. It would remind you of the definite smell found in barbershops. They also have moisturizing properties, that combined with the delightful scents, is a most welcome touch.

The aftershave is everything you’d expect from…well, an aftershave. It soothes the razor bumps. Smells great and moisturizes.

All in all, the box is filled to its brim with quality and value. I think the manufacturers hit the mark. It delivers on what it promises and more.

Pricing

By no means is this subscription is cheap, and the price adds up if you reside outside of the UK. Each box will cost you £24.5 with zero delivery charges within the UK. That may sound a lot, but if you do the math, you’re saving just as much. The total value of the contents is north of £60, which you’re getting for almost £25 for your first subscription.

If you like their service, you can pay for three, six, or twelve months in advance for almost £300. That brings the price down to £17.95 for every box.

Alternatives

If you aren’t convinced that the Personal Barber is right for you. Fret not. There are plenty of other options available.

• Dorco USA sells a variety of razors and kits at steep discounts.
• Harry’s Razors offers affordable, budget razor subscriptions.
• The Art of Shaving provides luxury shaving kits from the United States.

Pros

• TPB brings you quality traditional wet shaving products from all over the world to your door like clockwork.
• The first box has a great deal of value to offer for the money. Although the second box might not provide the same value, in a sense that it won’t come with a razor and brush again.
• The quality of the products is undoubtedly up to the mark. They’re well-made. Well curated. Not to mention hand-picked. You also get a variety of different products every month – another plus.

Cons

• Although the razor is meant to be entry-level, you’ll need to get the technique right, which requires practice and patience.
• You also don’t have the option to tweak the contents you receive. Here’s an example of why that matters. Say you already have enough blades or soap left to last you another few weeks, so you’d rather not pay for mere.
• The delivery charges for the US are pretty high – almost $9/delivery.