Grooming is an essential part of every well-dressed guy’s regiment. Everyone has probably got their few products that they use and love, but I think every guy is also always on the prowl to see what other great grooming products are out there. A great grooming product can totally transform your day — it can make your shower more enjoyable, make you feel cleaner as you get ready to start your day, make your hair look better, or keep your skin from drying out. The list, truly, goes on.
A little while ago, Dollar Shave Club actually released an entire line of grooming products ranging from lip balm, to shaving creams (of course), all the way to shampoo and conditioner. (Their grooming product line is broke up into “Shave”, “Shower”, “Hair Style”, and “Skin Care.”) I had heard some good things about them and so I decided to give them a shot. Specifically, I ordered their hair conditioner, body wash, and hand cream. And let me just get this out of the way: these things all blew me away. They are some of the best — and now some of my favorite — grooming products I have ever used.
The Shower Products
Hydrating Hair & Scalp Conditioner — $9.50 / 8oz: This conditioner is a rich, great smelling product that leaves your hair feeling super, super soft afterwards — ready to be brushed and styled. I have found that my hair feels softer and brushes better after this conditioner than what I usually use (something you can get at your typical convenience store — not something super cheap, but nothing more premium either). I love the scent, and I love that you really only need a little bit to cover quite a bit of hair.
Calming Body Cleanser — $9.50 / 12oz: They call it a “body cleanser,” but it’s the same thing as a body wash. I went with the Calming Body Cleanser (which is presumably for use at night, versus their “Awakening Body Cleanser”) and absolutely love it. I cannot tell you how much I love the scent of this product. It’s a similar scent to the conditioner, but stronger and more powerful. It’s honestly hard to describe the scent of this body wash, but it’s just so, so good. Of course, scent it always going to be subjective, but I cannot say enough good things about this one. As weird as it is to say, I love how I smell after the shower. I shower at night, and there is still a faint scent that stays with me throughout the day. Obviously, it wears off more as the day goes on, and it’s very faint, but it is there — all of which is a good thing.
My one gripe about this product is that the dispensing mechanism took me a minute or two to figure out. In the end, it turns out it’s the typical “push down on one side and the other side pops up” mechanism, but it took me a second to figure out where to push down.
In short, though, this thing really does make your skin feel smoother, healthier, moisturized, and cleaner after use, and the calming scent of it really is nice before bed.
Quality: A little bit goes a long way with both of these products. They are thick and rich, almost cream-like, and as you lather it you’ll see just how far a small amount can go. From the packaging to the application, they just scream quality. I can’t exactly convey this in words, but it’s just so far superior to something you would pick up at your local, say, Target. It truly just is in a different league. The packaging is premium, the scent is premium, and it feels and works like a premium product as well. I really mean this when I say this: If you, like me, have forever been using typical off the shelf body wash brands, try something a bit more premium. Do yourself a favor. I mean it. It’s a totally different ball game. In fact, I went back to my usual, off the shelf body wash for one night, and it just felt like it was watered down and hardly even a body wash. I suppose this Dollar Shave Club body wash sort of ruined me. I cannot use the cheap stuff anymore. The scent is not as good, does not last as long, and simply does not apply to the body in anything remotely close to the same way.
Value: These products are super expensive compared to the local convenience store. There are no two ways about that. The body wash was almost $10 for 12oz. Some more typical brands can cost $7 or $8 for 16oz. So, consider that when purchasing. That being said, you get what you pay for here, absolutely. But these Dollar Shave Club products ain’t cheap. Still, I would probably say that the same 12oz from Dollar Shave Club will last just about as long as a typical 16oz body wash from your local convenience store given how much less you need to use to cover the same amount (and I would apply this somewhat to the conditioner as well). So, I suppose if you look at it like that, it’s only a few dollars more?
The Skincare Product
Good Shake Hand Cream — $6 / 3oz: This hand cream actually won an award from GQ as being one of the best grooming products of the year. It claims to be a hand cream/moisturizer that has an “instant, powder-dry finish.” And I have to say, it really does. This is unlike any other hand cream I have ever used — and I have used a lot, as someone that tries hard to combat chapped hands. When you squeeze it onto your hand it looks and feels just like any other hand cream, but as soon as you rub it in, there is just simply no grease. It is dry and gone and absorbed almost instantly. The biggest complaint — and reason why many people don’t use it — against hand creams is that they make you all greasy after application. Well, that is completely not true about this one. It’s almost like magic.
That being said, this is not the most powerful moisturizer on the planet. It does an okay/standard job at that, and I think is meant more to keep with you throughout your day, to apply without the worry of greasiness, and then be supplemented by a stronger, perhaps greasier moisturizer after you shower (which is the best time to put on all moisturizers).
One more thing is about the scent: it’s strong. I like it a lot, and find myself putting on more of the hand cream just for the scent, but if you prefer your hand cream unscented, this is definitely not the one for you. Also, this is a bit pricey, and I don’t expect it to last longer than a comparable product. Then again, I’m not sure how many other products go on as dry as this one, nor smell as good (if you like the scent).
Conclusion & Value
It’s rare I find products like this that I really like so much. These are the sorts of things that, despite the price, I really might have to continue to buy. I just don’t think I can go back. At this point, all I want to do is try all their other products. (Can I also take this time to say how much I love their awesome web design and copy? And their fantastic product packaging as well?)
The truth is that I just love this golden age of men’s grooming products. We no longer need to rely on the three or four big, mass-market players in this space. For just a few bucks more, you can get quality that was reserved in the past for prices many, many times the price on the convenience store shelf. Now, while these premium products are more expensive, they aren’t as expensive, and for just a bit more you can get access to a whole new world of men’s grooming products, and I really mean that. Perhaps more so than a new shirt or tie, grooming products can really, truly change your day, and thus your life.
We'll be taking a look at some more grooming products from new companies of this sort real soon on this site, and we’ll speak, of course, about the differences between all these products and try to guide you to which ones are the right choices for you. The difference in these sorts of products is absolutely noticeable and, in my opinion, well worth the few dollars more they cost. This is your body after all. Treat it well.