My name is Mary, and I'm a shave-a-holic. Sometimes I shave twice a day, which I guess is a tad excessive, but I love the feeling of soft, stubble-free legs, even in the dead of winter. But I also like to look good, feel good, and smell good – and as long as this pandemic keeps creeping along, it's one way to feel better about myself.

Over 15 years ago (how am I so old?), I was a beauty editor and publicist for various beauty, self-care, and cosmetics brands. When I was on the editorial side, I received multiple packages on the daily from beauty publicists who wanted me to try and review their products, and also visit their spas, salons, and shops. Sometimes I'd get bribed you with pretty cool gifts –  ahem, one of the biggest beauty public relations firms sent editors the Balenciaga City Bag as a Christmas gift – but that was the early 2000s and times have changed. I received so many beauty products back then that I'd box them up, send to family and friends (my studio apartment was 225 sq. ft. and had zero storage space), and asked them for their thoughts and feelings because I had too many items and not enough time.

No matter how many high-end, self-care products I was pitched, sent, and then tried, I always went back to the drugstore basics. I've used Olay (I still call it Oil of Olay) since my grandmother introduced me to it when I was a young girl, and Pantene has been my go-to shampoo and conditioner since the early 90s. I am now 44 and barely have any wrinkles, which is probably more of a testament to my family's great genes than Olay's ingredients, and for someone who also washes her hair every day, Pantene has not failed me. With all this being said, I've become a creature of habit, and have been trained to be skeptical of pretty packaging, cutesy tag lines, designer ingredients, and lots of marketing fluff. I've seen it all, I've heard it all, I've seen it all, I've done it all.

But during the pandemic, everything changed. I didn't feel safe running to my local drugstore every time I started running low on products. Delivery wasn't always the cheapest option, and the timing just wasn't convenient for me. Then boredom set in, I began searching for alternatives, and Instagram started targeting me with ads from recently-launched brands like Athena Club.

Well, since it was time to replenish my shower with some self-care essentials, I realized now was the perfect time to give Athena Club a much-needed try. So, was it all smooth moves or did I come across some nicks and bumps along the way? Keep reading to find out.

My Subscription Addiction paid for the styling fee of this product. (Check out the review process post to learn more.)

About Athena Club

Athena Club Overview

• Athena Club is a direct-to-consumer brand that sells grooming, wellness, and period products featuring the most sustainable ingredients.
• Athena Club's mission is to bring quality body care to all. They work with organizations to provide women with essential daily care.
• Athena Club lets you pick your essentials, choose your frequency, use your products, and then change or cancel anytime.

How It Works

• Log on to the site, shop it, pick your items, decide whether it's a one-time purchase or you'd prefer to subscribe monthly, add them to the cart, create your account, and checkout.
• Once you've received your order, you can always skip, pause, or cancel the subscription and frequencies.

Cost

• There is no fee to sign up.
• Each product costs between $8-$28 each, and sets start at $26 and go up to $50.

Participating Brands

• This is specific to Athena Club's brands only.

Subscription Frequency

• Delivery cadence is as needed or you can schedule automated delivery every 2 months, 3 months, or 4 months.

Cancellation Policy

• There's no fee to join and the service may be skipped, paused or canceled at any time.

Signing Up for Athena Club

It's easy! Just go to their site, shop, choose your products, check out, and create an account.

How Does Athena Club Work?

Athena Club sells high-quality, sustainable body care, wellness, period care, and lifestyle products in one spot. Customers can either buy items one at a time, or on a subscription basis (monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, etc.) with the ability to cancel anytime.

Who Owns Athena Club?

After years of buying overpriced products filled with shady ingredients, co-founders Maria Markina and Charles Desmarais embarked on a journey to redefine self-care essentials. They've been backed by venture capital firms and independent investors.

Is Athena Club Clean?

Yes! You won't find any harsh chemicals, dyes or additives in Athena Club products. They pride themselves on providing the customer with the most natural and sustainable ingredients which are always listed, FDA approved, and designed to meet all ISO quality standards.

My Athena Club Review

I opened my compact box to discover a white interior with the words "Packaged with (Self) Care" printed on the inner lid. Within the box, I found The Razor Kit in a trendy coral color, the Cloud Shave Foam in a Sky Blue- and Rose-colored can, a bottle of the Creamy Body Wash in Rose, and a bottle of the Dewy Body Lotion in Midnight Blue.

What Did I Receive?

Let's break this down a little bit, shall we?

• The Razor Kit - Contains 2 five-blade cartridges, 1 ergonomic razor handle, and 1 magnetic hook for easy storage in a compact box, $9.00
• Cloud Shave Foam - 6.7 ounces - $9.00
• Dewy Body Lotion - Tropical Bergamot scent, 7.5 ounces - $15.00
• Creamy Body Wash - Rose Vanilla scent, 11.3 ounces - $15.00

The Razor Kit

It's no wonder Athena Club razors have been rated so highly by everyone, everywhere... they deliver smooth, long-lasting results. And as I mentioned earlier, I am a shave-a-holic, and one of the reasons I shave so often is because my hair seems to grow back quickly, but maybe I've just been using the wrong razor my entire life. Made from anodized aluminum with a fiber-glass core, the razor handle is easy to hold and easy to grip, and with five blades and cushioned skin guards, the razor blade glides along flawlessly to ensure the closest shave possible while helping to protect you from nicks and bumps. With the Athena Club razor, my legs feel much smoother and stubble-free for a longer time and this is a feeling I've never experienced before. Needless to say, after this review I will probably break up with the Venus razor for good and slide into the DMs of the Athena Club.

Cloud Shave Foam

I've never been a big shaving cream person. I've always used bar soaps as they're convenient, sudsy, and do the job well. I've tried many different shaving creams in my life and I've just never fallen in love with them, but the Athena Club Cloud Shave Foam is light, fluffy, and foamy, kind of like a cloud (it also makes me crave whipped cream). With hints of roses, lime, sage, vanilla, and cedarwood, the scent makes you feel like you're at a spa. Plus, since it's made with natural, sustainable ingredients, you don't need to worry about having a negative reaction... the only reaction you'll have is pure joy because this thick, foamy shaving cream is a delight!

Dewy Body Lotion

I received the Dewy Body Lotion in the tropical bergamot scent and it's almost like beachy waves meet cotton candy. Packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and omegas, Athena Club's body lotion hydrates and nourishes your skin, and leaves behind a dewy, healthy glow. The bottle is compact and cute, and the material almost feels like you're touching micro-suede, but the pump doesn't shoot straight out and can get a little messy.

Creamy Body Wash

Athena Club's rich, creamy, cleansing, and softening body wash, which doubles as shaving cream, is the cream of the crop. This 11.3 ounce bottle packs a punch and suds up a bunch, with a skin-kissing combo of vitamins, minerals, omegas, healthy extracts and antioxidants. Plus, it leaves you smelling so fresh and so clean, clean!

Is Athena Club Worth it?

Whether Athena Club is worth it depends on who you are and what you need. If you love shopping at your local drugstore for your tried-and-true go-to items, then this might not be for you. If you're a bit more curious, and all about self-love, self-care, and caring for the environment, Athena Club is just the ticket.

Offering self-care essentials that are higher quality, backed by science, and better for the environment, Athena Club products are chock-full of all-natural ingredients like avocado oil, chamomile extract, aloe leaf juice, manuka honey, vitamin C, vitamin E and B5. Damaging ingredients like formaldehyde, drying alcohol, GMOs, synthetic fragrances, or lead never make the cut. Higher quality ingredients make Athena Club worth it.

While I only got to review a few items, Athena Club offers a wide range of products like tampons, liners, multivitamins and probiotics, wipes, deodorant, and more. If you subscribe, you'll not only save yourself time and a trip to the store, but you'll also save money. In times like these, we all need a little pick-me-up and Athena Club offers a colorful, comfortable, calming experience that's delivered right to your doorstep.

My Athena Club Verdict

While I find the prices to be a little steep, I can absolutely understand all the hype. Beautifully packaged in a palette of calming, cool colors, when you receive a box of Athena Club, it's like taking a little spa-cation at home. Athena Club uses only the most natural and sustainable ingredients, you can rest easy knowing your self-care essentials are free from harsh chemicals, dyes, and additives.

What would I buy again? I think I'll stick with the Athena Club razor, but I'd like to find a way to buy additional blades on their own without getting another kit. The Cloud Shave Foam pairs perfectly with the razor and makes me feel like I truly am getting a closer shave, but I waste so much of it so quickly, I could see myself just going back to bar soap. The Creamy Body Wash cleanses, moisturizes and protects the skin you're in, leaving behind a refreshing, light scent, but I find the size a little too small to justify the $15 price tag. I feel the same way about the Dewy Body Lotion... it's creamy, smells great, loaded with vitamins and antioxidants, and glides on smoothly, but since I'm very tall with long limbs, I can't justify spending $15 on a small bottle of lotion every two or three months.

I love Athena Club's products, I love the packaging, I love the razor, and I love their mission. Athena Club is a winner and the razor absolutely deserves all the hype.

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Have you used Athena Club before? What do you think of it? Let us know below!