I've been seeing a lot about Billie and Flamingo, two new subscriptions for women's razors. (*Shakes fist at Instagram ads.*) I'm a current Dollar Shave Club member, and I'm a little curious if I'm missing out on anything not using a shaving club that specifically makes razors for women. (Dollar Shave Club was designed with men in mind, though anyone can use their products. The same goes for Harry's. See our comparison of Harrys vs Billie vs Dollar Shave Club!)
I reviewed the starter kits for both Billie and Flamingo to see what the fuss was about. Which brand has the best women's razor? Read on to find out!
Billie vs. Flamingo—Comparing these Two Women's Razor Clubs
In this comparison, I'll give you a quick look at what you get with both Billie and Flamingo. I'll answer the big questions you have about each brand—you know, the questions that you and your girlfriends gab about! Do the razors work? Are they worth it? Let's get to it!
Go straight to:
My Billie Shave Club Review
Billie is a shaving subscription service that caters to women specifically. Billie lets you choose how often you get an order delivered, and you can cancel at any time.
Billie is probably best known for their outright stance against the “Pink Tax”. The Pink Tax is the premium amount that brands charge for "women's" products or services. NPR's report on the Pink Tax referenced a study that suggested women pay 13% more than men on equivalent products. Billie seeks to eliminate this unfair practice via their product development and pricing. They also donate to women’s causes around the world (although they don't specify which ones on their site).
The Basics
- How much does the Billie Starter Kit cost? Billie's Starter Kit costs $9.00 and includes a razor handle, a "magic" (magnetic) razor holder, and two 5-blade razor cartridges. Each 4-pack razor replacement cartridge costs $9.00. You can choose how often you get replacement cartridges based on how often you shave.
- What's the Billie razor like? The razor handle is super-lightweight, hard plastic and comes in your choice of four pleasing colors—"Billie Blush", "Coral", "Periwinkle", and "Cool Blue." (Sometimes they offer special colors, too, like the pink and blue "DreamPop" style.) Billie only offers one type of replaceable cartridge, which has 5 blades and is surrounded by charcoal shave soap. NOTE: Billie used to offer an aloe shave bar, but has updated to charcoal since I got my starter kit. So the bar in the pictures above is a little more white than the current Billie bar, which is a soft gray color.
- How’s the shave? My legs were so ridiculously soft and smooth after using my Billie razor that I wanted to keep touching them up to three days later.
- What's the "mag(net)ic" holder like? The small, triangular holder matches the color of your razor. It comes with a sticky backing (and some extras, if you need them) which adheres to any surface. Hold the triangular part of your razor up to the holder, and you'll feel the magnets pull it into place.
- Does Billie offer shave cream or other extras? Their product catalog is pretty simple—Dry-Bye Body Lotion ($12), The Shave Cream ($8), and Sudsy Body Wash ($9).
- Are Billie shave/body care products scented? Their products feature scents like grapefruit, coconut, and soft botanicals like chamomile, sage, and rosa canina.
Check out my full-length Billie review to learn more, or buy Billie here.
My Flamingo Razor Review
Flamingo is the women’s shaving club offered by popular men's shaving club Harry’s. While they aren't explicitly anti-Pink-Tax like Billie, Flamingo does advocate for what they call "Quality Equality"—the idea that men's and women's shave products should be equally awesome.
The first thing to note: Flamingo isn't a subscription. In addition to their online shop, you can find their products at Target, ready to grab while you're already out and about.
The Basics
- How much does the Flamingo Shave Set cost? The Flamingo Shave Set (their starter kit) costs $16.00 and includes one Flamingo razor handle, two German-engineered five-blade cartridges, one foaming shave gel (1 oz.), one body lotion (3 oz.), one shower hook, and one reusable storage pouch. Not feeling the body products? One razor costs just $9.00 for a single cartridge and handle. Additional 4-packs of cartridges cost $9.00 each.
- What's the Flamingo razor like? The Flamingo handle features a rubberized grip and metal accents and has a more substantial weight than Billie's. You can pick from three color combinations—"Taro & Rose Gold", "Mint & Gold", and "Pomelo & Silver." Flamingo only offers one type of replaceable cartridge, which has 5 blades and is surrounded by an aloe strip.
- How’s the shave? The Flamingo razor was super sharp and made my legs smooth as silk. The aloe strip on this razor isn't too large, so I didn't notice it melting or getting messy in the shower.
- What's the shower hook like? Flamingo's shower hook is clear with a suction cup on the back. It's meant to stick to your shower wall, but sadly it didn't stick to the textured tile in my bathroom.
- Does Flamingo offer shave cream or other extras? Yes! In addition to foaming shave gel and body lotion, Flamingo also offers wax strips for body ($10) and face ($10). Their Shave Set includes sample sizes of their shave gel and body lotion, but you can buy full-size bottles separately, as well. (The shave gel is $5 for a 6.7 oz. bottle and the body lotion is $9 for a 10 fl. oz. bottle.)
- Are Flamingo products scented? Flamingo describes their body products as having "notes of Sicilian lemon combined with iris and finished with a hint of suede," and says that "the scent is warm, floral, and clean." Overall, I found the fragrance to be floral and stronger than the fragrances Billie uses.
Check out my Flamingo review to learn more, or buy Flamingo products here.
My Verdict
After trying both women's razor clubs, I think they both give comparable shaves and offer thoughtful feminine design touches. Which one is right for you?
Cost:
- Both subscriptions offer their baseline product for $9. But Billie gives you more items for that $9—two razor cartridges, a handle, and a magnetic holder. Flamingo charges $9 for one razor cartridge and a handle alone.
Convenience:
- If you want shaving products to automatically show up to your door, Billie, with its subscription-style model is the brand for you.
- If you prefer to get shaving products on an as-needed basis, Flamingo is your best bet.
Fragrances:
- If you like fruitier scents in your bath and body products, Billie is the better pick.
- If floral, botanical scents are more your style, Flamingo products are a better match for you.
The Feel:
- If you like a lighter handle, the plastic Billie razor is a better pick.
- If you like the control of a heftier razor, the heavier, metal Flamingo razor is a great pick.
Extras:
- If you're committed to shaving, then start with the Billie razor and its shave-specific body products.
- If you mostly shave but opt for an at-home wax from time to time, check out Flamingo's line of grooming products!
If you're curious about other personal care subscriptions, check out the Best Personal Care Product Subscription Boxes of 2019 as picked by our readers!
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