In case you haven’t heard – women pay more than men for nearly identical products. In a study of gender pricing in New York City, researchers found that women pay more than men for personal care products 56% of the time (men only pay more than women 13% of the time, btw). Razor and razor cartridges, on average, cost 11% more for women than men.
I don’t need to tell you how messed up that is. Most of the time the products are identical and differ only in color. This price differential has been dubbed “the pink tax.”
Why have women allowed themselves to be bamboozled into paying more for the exact same product? Maybe it’s because so much shelf space separates the blue and pink options. Or because unit prices make actual prices misleading.
I’m not here to say you should just buy the blue version to save money. It’s much more satisfying to buy products from a company that acknowledges and discourages “taxing” women for the exact same item. Which is why I decided to cut the crap when it comes to razors and sign up for a subscription to the Dollar Shave Club.
How It Works
You’ll first select your preferred number of blades (two, four, or six) and how often you’d like to receive new blades. Then they’ll ship you a reusable handle with four disposable blades for one dollar. That’s not a typo – you’ll get your handle and first four blades, regardless of the number you decide on, for a dollar. And it ships to your door for free.
The refills, which each come with four new blades, cost $3, $6, or $9 depending on the razor you select. I decided to go with their four blade razor, so I’ve received two months worth of blades and the handle for a total of $7.
The Real Cost
Let’s math this out to demonstrate how much money I’ll be saving: In the past, I used a three-blade disposable razor. A four pack of the brand I buy most often is currently on Amazon for $7.14. If I were to use four blades a month for 12 months, it would cost me $85.68. Through the Dollar Shave Club, I’ll be spending $67 for a better quality razor.
I’ve never been particularly passionate about a type or brand of razors. To be honest, I hate showering and shaving and just want to be done as soon as possible. But I cannot say enough good things about the quality of my shave after using the Dollar Shave Club 4x razor. It was the closest, smoothest shave I have ever been able to achieve.
The razor I received is much sturdier than any razor I’ve ever used. Going from disposable to a reusable handle was a change I loved. The weight of the razor makes me feel pretty legit.
Here’s the kicker for my fellow ladies: it handles the knees miraculously. I didn’t have to slow down or shave cautiously when shaving the front or back of my knee. The scars all over my legs will tell you how good I am at shaving, and this razor is almost dummy-proof when it comes to nicking yourself.
A Razor For Anyone and Everyone
When you first visit the Dollar Shave Club website, you’ll see that the marketing is pretty obviously geared towards men. I don’t find the razors themselves to be particularly gendered as they’re all mainly gray or white.
However, the website definitely advocates for women and encourages them to buy their products. Their page is full of positive reviews from women and they’re receiving a lot of attention for being a “pink tax” solution.
For me, the Dollar Shave Club is a steal because I don’t have to run to the store, the box is automatically shipped every month so I never run out of blades, I get an amazing shave, and I’m saving a ton of money. Try to tax me as you will, pink razors, but I’ve found a replacement that is truly a modern realization of how the razor industry should function.