A well-considered shave begins long before the razor meets your skin. This month’s Discovery box from The Personal Barber is built around preparation, giving you everything you need to elevate your routine from a daily task into something far more satisfying. With a focus on skin health, smoothness and quiet refinement, this selection is designed to help you start your day feeling sharp, comfortable and in control.
What is The Personal Barber Shaving Club?
The Personal Barber is a curated shaving subscription designed to turn a daily routine into something genuinely enjoyable. By switching to a single-blade razor and proper preparation, shaving becomes closer, more comfortable and far more satisfying than the typical cartridge experience.
Every six weeks we select high-quality wet shaving products from respected artisans and independent brands around the world, helping you build a routine that improves both your shave and your skin.
How the boxes work
Our Discovery Box rotates between three themes across the year so your routine improves step by step rather than randomly.
Pre-Shave – preparation and comfort
Post-Shave – recovery and skin health
Extra-Care – finishing touches beyond shaving
This month: Pre-Shave — This box is centred on building the perfect foundation for your shave. It softens the beard, protects the skin and ensures your razor can do its job with ease.
Scroll down to discover what’s inside this month’s kit.
Spearmint Shaving Cream RRP £9.95
This month’s shaving cream is handmade in East England by our skilled artisan soapmaker, using a traditional, vegan-friendly formula that prioritises performance and skin comfort.
The moment you begin to lather, you will notice the difference. It builds into a dense, creamy foam that cushions the skin and lifts the hairs, creating the ideal surface for a close, controlled shave. The blade glides effortlessly, reducing drag and helping to prevent irritation, even on more sensitive areas.
Formulated with coconut-derived ingredients and glycerin, it does more than just create lather. It actively hydrates and protects the skin throughout the shave, leaving your face feeling smooth, calm and well cared for rather than tight or dry.
The fragrance opens with the bright freshness of spearmint, bringing a cool, revitalising lift to the shave. Notes of eucalyptus add a clean, invigorating edge that enhances the refreshing character, while a touch of lavender softens the blend with a subtle aromatic warmth.
The result is a fragrance that feels both crisp and balanced. Fresh enough to awaken the senses, yet smooth and calming as the shave progresses. Like all of our creams, the scent rinses away cleanly, allowing your aftershave to take centre stage.
Directions: Scoop an almond-sized amount of Spearmint shaving cream with a dry finger, then use a damp brush to work up a lather in a bowl, your hand, or directly on your face. This cream is quite thirsty, so don’t be afraid to add a few extra drops to build a thick, cushioning lather. To keep your cream at its best, avoid letting water enter the tin.
Ingredients: Aqua, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium Cocoate, Potassium Olivate, Sodium Olivate, Potassium Castorate, Sodium Castorate, Glycerol, Mentha Spicata Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Kaolin, Tocopherol, Limonene, Linalool, Geraniol
Neroli & Bergamot Ultimate Pre-Shave Oil RRP £14.95
We’re proud to include the latest edition of our in-house Ultimate Pre-Shave Oil, this time infused with a bright and refined blend of neroli and bergamot essential oils.
This is far more than a simple add-on to your routine. A few drops worked into the skin before lathering creates a protective layer that transforms the way your razor moves. It softens coarse hairs, smooths the skin’s surface and significantly reduces resistance, helping to prevent razor burn, redness and post-shave irritation.
The formula is built entirely from cold-pressed oils, preserving the full range of nutrients that support healthy skin. These oils are carefully chosen for their ability to hydrate, calm inflammation and maintain balance, all while remaining lightweight and fast absorbing.
Blackcurrant seed oil delivers powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Jojoba oil closely mimics the skin’s natural sebum, providing hydration without clogging pores. Hemp and safflower oils help strengthen and protect, while watermelon seed oil ensures the blend absorbs quickly with no greasy finish.
The blend of neroli and bergamot does more than simply scent the oil. Neroli brings a calming, skin-soothing quality that helps reduce irritation and support healthy skin, while bergamot adds a light cleansing and toning effect, leaving the skin feeling fresh, balanced and ready for the day. Together, they create a subtle citrus profile that feels clean, refined and quietly uplifting.
The result is a smoother, more comfortable shave with less effort, and skin that feels properly looked after long after you have finished.
Directions: Apply a few drops to damp skin and allow it to absorb for around 30 to 60 seconds. This is the ideal time to build your lather. The oil will soften the hair and prepare the skin for a smoother shave. Apply your shaving lather directly on top without rinsing, then proceed to shave.
Ingredients: Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil*, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil*, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil*, Tocopherol, Parfum, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
*cold-pressed oils
Flanerie Pore Refining Exfoliator RRP £26
Flânerie is a modern skincare brand that focuses on effective, well-balanced formulations designed to improve skin over time without unnecessary complexity.
Their Pore Refining Exfoliator is a simple addition that can make a noticeable difference to your shave. By gently removing dead skin cells and clearing away built-up impurities, it allows your razor to move more cleanly across the skin and helps reduce the risk of ingrown hairs.
The formula works without being harsh. Calendula helps calm and soothe, making it ideal for skin that is prone to irritation. Aloe Vera cleanses and refreshes while helping to minimise the appearance of pores. PHA provides a mild, even exfoliation that smooths texture and supports a more balanced complexion.
Used regularly, it leaves the skin looking clearer and feeling more refined, while also improving how your other products perform. It is a small step that quietly elevates the entire routine.
Directions: Apply a small amount to damp skin and gently massage in circular motions, focusing on areas prone to congestion or roughness. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and follow with your usual shaving routine or skincare. Use two to three times per week, or more frequently if your skin tolerates it well.
Ingredients: Aqua (water), glycerin, cellulose acetate, chondrus crispus powder (carrageenan), polysorbate 20, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, carica papaya fruit extract, gluconolactone, xantham gum, calendula officinalis flower extract, mesembryanthemum crystallinum extract, gellan gum, parfum (fragrance), sodium benzoate, citric acid, sodium hydroxide, potessium sorbate, propylene glycol, Cl 17200 (red 33)
Astra Superior Platinum & Feather Hi-Stainless Double-Edge Blades RRP £3.90
Astra and Feather are two of the most trusted names in wet shaving, each offering a slightly different approach.
Astra Superior Platinum blades are smooth and dependable, striking an excellent balance between comfort and sharpness for everyday use.
Feather Hi Stainless blades are known for their precision. Exceptionally sharp, they deliver a very close shave with minimal effort, ideal when you want the cleanest possible finish.
