Friction Free Shaving (FFS) promises to eradicate that dreaded shaving rash – but does it deliver?
Hands up who’s ever borrowed their boyfriends’ razor? Don’t be shy now…
Did you notice that it’s a million times better than the flimsy, overpriced throwaway razors marketed at women?
When it comes to subscriptions, you can get just about anything on demand; from books, to booze and even underwear, you name it, chances are someone will deliver it to your door for a small fee.
It should come as a surprise that you can also get monthly razor blades sent to your door ready for when you need them. But is this latest subscription service yet another marketing gimmick or is it worth the monthly splurge?
The razor was even engraved with my name
Friction Free Shaving (FFS) offers to take the 'irritation out of shaving' with a monthly subscription service. Subscriptions start at £5 for the basic ‘Frankie’ razor with a three-blade head and four refill razors – which is already better value than the £7.50 pack of 3 throwaway Venus razors I’m used to - and go up to £9 for the Silvia or Rose razors that both have a six-blade head. I was sent the FFS Giftbox to review – which sounds a little steep at £32, but a fair price when you tot up the razor (which was a very on-trend rose gold) and four blades (£9), Pre-shave Scrub, Shave Cream, Post Shave Balm (£6 each), shower hook and blade cover. The razor was even engraved with my name – something that may make my sister hesitate before she nicks it.
Upon receiving the parcel, I was pleasantly surprised. The products looked expensive, with the three-step shaving lotions boasting all-natural ingredients including almond milk, shea butter and coconut oil. Manuka honey features across all three products due to its calming properties that sooth the skin, whilst the natural vegetable milks promise to restore the moisture stripped from your skin during the shave. The Shave Cream snapped up a prize at last year’s Pure Beauty Awards, and, though it doesn’t lather like the foams I’m used to, it seemed to do the job. Those with sensitive skin take note: the Post-Shave Balm is as soothing as it sounds. Whilst applying moisturiser post-shave usually triggers a pricking stinging sensation and renders my legs red raw, I found the FFS balm to be surprisingly soothing.
FFS' three tips for avoiding shaving rash:
Follow the smooth, remove, sooth shaving steps
1. exfoliate your legs to rid them of dead skin and leave them smooth for shaving 2. remove the hair using a shaving cream
3. sooth your legs post-shave with a calming moisturiser
FFS tip: make sure you change your blades once a week, and your legs shall be smooth & sleek. Ridiculous rhyming aside, the brand has a point; razors collect microorganisms off your skin when you shave, which, thanks to the warm, moist conditions of your bathroom, can multiply into millions and billions of bacteria in just a few weeks. Yuck.
VERDICT:
There’s no denying this is a millennial brand – with cheeky wordplay hinting at obscenities (‘FFS’, ‘WTFF’), to the millennial pink packaging, to the sugar-coated website that promises that post-shave your skin will be so sleek you’ll ‘feel like a dolphin’. You’d be forgiven for thinking this is a superficial stab at taking something that’s been around for years, but with a millennial twist and a higher retail price. But, cutesy girly branding aside, this is a monthly subscription you should consider. For as little as £6 a month, four quality razor refills are sent straight to your door, meaning no frantic dash to the shops pre-night out. The three-step shaving lotions are a little more on the expensive side at £6 a pop, but anything that can avoid that irritating shaving rash is worth it.
I can’t comment on feeling like a dolphin – my post-shave legs were still very much the pasty stumps that they had been beforehand (just minus the four-month mane I carefully grew during the winter months). But they were silky smooth and lacked the general soreness my skin usually feels post shave. But the best part? There wasn’t a red bump or glimmer of shaving rash in site. FFS claims are spot on: this is a cleaner, cheaper and easier way to shave.
For £9 a month, FFS subscription shaving kit does in fact live up to its ‘Shaviour’ branding. It’s a cheap way to get decent razors without the hassle of nipping to the shops. For those prone to shaving rash, it’s a no-brainer.
