All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
For years my shaving routine went a little something like this: hop in the shower, begrudgingly run a cheap disposable razor over my legs, nick myself two or three times, rinse, and repeat. Because my hair is so thick and long, I’d have to shave frequently, and it always felt like a time suck.
Eventually I turned to waxing, but that was far from ideal too. It hurts, you have to go a whole week with hairy legs before your appointment, and it's more expensive. But such was life for me until I recently moved apartments, and on top of having to find a convenient drugstore and new go-to delivery spot, I also realized it meant I needed to find a new waxer I could trust. (If you've ever gotten a wax, you know it's as intimate—maybe even more so—as finding a therapist you jibe with.)
Not sure where to even begin, I decided it'd just be easier to travel for a good wax. But then something caught my eye on the way to my appointment: a pink and purple sign that said, “Hi, Hello. We’re Billie.”
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
I’d heard a lot about Billie, the female-first subscription-based shave brand that made cute, affordable razors and body products, but I’d never thought of giving it a try until then. I made a split decision to cancel my appointment and ordered the $9 Billie Starter Kit instead. It included a Billie handle in millennial pink (although the brand offers six colors including lime green and navy blue), a magnetic holder, and two five-blade razor cartridges. I added in a bottle of its The Shave Cream for an additional $8.
The kit came in the mail, packaged in a highly Instagrammable box. Of course, as a millennial, I'm a sucker for great branding. But Billie goes beyond just looking aesthetically pleasing. Its cheery colors and pro-body-hair messaging makes the thought of shaving feel like less of a chore. Just as Glossier makes a nightly skin-care routine something to look forward to, Billie sparks joy in the mundane task of shaving your legs (or whatever else you want gone).
Besides the color, the first thing I noticed about the razor was its matte-rubber core handle, which makes it easy to grip. I'm a clumsy person, and it's not unusual for me to leave the shower with nicks and bruises, so this was much-appreciated touch. (Apparently, industrial designers helped weigh in on the design. Who knew?) The blades are also incredible. They’re probably the sharpest blade I’ve ever encountered outside of a men's razor, but they go so smoothly over my skin. I think a lot of that also had to do with the shaving cream, made with aloe vera, sage, shea butter, and grapefruit. Not only does the shaving cream smell like a fancy spa, but it helps the razor glide softly over your skin, leaving no trace of razor burn or small cuts behind. Your basic body wash could never.
My previous affinity for waxing was in large part because I loved how smooth it made my legs in a way no razor could compare. But the Billie razor actually does—it gives my legs that freshly waxed look for a fraction of the cost. Sure, it's still shaving, so the results don't last weeks. But I will say that the blades last surprisingly long. I’ve been shaving with it every couple of days for weeks and haven’t had to replace the blade yet.
And because you can also choose a subscription and get everything delivered once a month, every two months, or every three months (depending on how often you shave), you don’t have to worry about remembering to swing by a drugstore when it's time to swap a blade.
That ease, coupled with the extra cash it's been saving me, feels like more than enough reason for me to swear off waxing forever. Good thing too. I never did find a new place I like nearby.
Shop the Billie Razor Kit and all other Billie products below.
Tara Gonzalez is the associate commerce editor at Glamour. You can follow her on Instagram here.
