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Billie vs. Flamingo—We Put These Women’s Razors to the Test

Marne Orenich
ByMarne OrenichSep 2, 2020 | 46 comments

billie vs flamingo womens razors review 2019

I've been seeing a lot about Billie and Flamingo, two new subscriptions for women's razors. (*Shakes fist at Instagram ads.*) I'm a current Dollar Shave Club member, and I'm a little curious if I'm missing out on anything not using a shaving club that specifically makes razors for women. (Dollar Shave Club was designed with men in mind, though anyone can use their products. The same goes for Harry's. See our comparison of Harrys vs Billie vs Dollar Shave Club!)

I reviewed the starter kits for both Billie and Flamingo to see what the fuss was about. Which brand has the best women's razor? Read on to find out!

Billie vs. Flamingo—Comparing these Two Women's Razor Clubs

In this comparison, I'll give you a quick look at what you get with both Billie and Flamingo. I'll answer the big questions you have about each brand—you know, the questions that you and your girlfriends gab about! Do the razors work? Are they worth it? Let's get to it!


Go straight to:


My Billie Shave Club Review

Billie February 2019 - All Products Review 9

Billie is a shaving subscription service that caters to women specifically. Billie lets you choose how often you get an order delivered, and you can cancel at any time.

Billie is probably best known for their outright stance against the “Pink Tax”. The Pink Tax is the premium amount that brands charge for "women's" products or services. NPR's report on the Pink Tax referenced a study that suggested women pay 13% more than men on equivalent products. Billie seeks to eliminate this unfair practice via their product development and pricing. They also donate to women’s causes around the world (although they don't specify which ones on their site).

The Basics

Billie February 2019 - Razor 23

  • How much does the Billie Starter Kit cost? Billie's Starter Kit costs $9.00 and includes a razor handle, a "magic" (magnetic) razor holder, and two 5-blade razor cartridges. Each 4-pack razor replacement cartridge costs $9.00. You can choose how often you get replacement cartridges based on how often you shave.
  • What's the Billie razor like? The razor handle is super-lightweight, hard plastic and comes in your choice of four pleasing colors—"Billie Blush", "Coral", "Periwinkle", and "Cool Blue." (Sometimes they offer special colors, too, like the pink and blue "DreamPop" style.) Billie only offers one type of replaceable cartridge, which has 5 blades and is surrounded by charcoal shave soap. NOTE: Billie used to offer an aloe shave bar, but has updated to charcoal since I got my starter kit. So the bar in the pictures above is a little more white than the current Billie bar, which is a soft gray color.
  • How’s the shave? My legs were so ridiculously soft and smooth after using my Billie razor that I wanted to keep touching them up to three days later.
  • What's the "mag(net)ic" holder like? The small, triangular holder matches the color of your razor. It comes with a sticky backing (and some extras, if you need them) which adheres to any surface. Hold the triangular part of your razor up to the holder, and you'll feel the magnets pull it into place.
  • Does Billie offer shave cream or other extras? Their product catalog is pretty simple—Dry-Bye Body Lotion ($12), The Shave Cream ($8), and Sudsy Body Wash ($9).
  • Are Billie shave/body care products scented? Their products feature scents like grapefruit, coconut, and soft botanicals like chamomile, sage, and rosa canina.

Check out my full-length Billie review to learn more, or buy Billie here.


My Flamingo Razor Review

Flamingo is the women’s shaving club offered by popular men's shaving club Harry’s. While they aren't explicitly anti-Pink-Tax like Billie, Flamingo does advocate for what they call "Quality Equality"—the idea that men's and women's shave products should be equally awesome.

The first thing to note: Flamingo isn't a subscription. In addition to their online shop, you can find their products at Target, ready to grab while you're already out and about.

The Basics

  • How much does the Flamingo Shave Set cost? The Flamingo Shave Set (their starter kit) costs $16.00 and includes one Flamingo razor handle, two German-engineered five-blade cartridges, one foaming shave gel (1 oz.), one body lotion (3 oz.), one shower hook, and one reusable storage pouch. Not feeling the body products? One razor costs just $9.00 for a single cartridge and handle. Additional 4-packs of cartridges cost $9.00 each.
  • What's the Flamingo razor like? The Flamingo handle features a rubberized grip and metal accents and has a more substantial weight than Billie's. You can pick from three color combinations—"Taro & Rose Gold", "Mint & Gold", and "Pomelo & Silver." Flamingo only offers one type of replaceable cartridge, which has 5 blades and is surrounded by an aloe strip.
  • How’s the shave? The Flamingo razor was super sharp and made my legs smooth as silk. The aloe strip on this razor isn't too large, so I didn't notice it melting or getting messy in the shower.
  • What's the shower hook like? Flamingo's shower hook is clear with a suction cup on the back. It's meant to stick to your shower wall, but sadly it didn't stick to the textured tile in my bathroom.
  • Does Flamingo offer shave cream or other extras? Yes! In addition to foaming shave gel and body lotion, Flamingo also offers wax strips for body ($10) and face ($10). Their Shave Set includes sample sizes of their shave gel and body lotion, but you can buy full-size bottles separately, as well. (The shave gel is $5 for a 6.7 oz. bottle and the body lotion is $9 for a 10 fl. oz. bottle.)
  • Are Flamingo products scented? Flamingo describes their body products as having "notes of Sicilian lemon combined with iris and finished with a hint of suede," and says that "the scent is warm, floral, and clean." Overall, I found the fragrance to be floral and stronger than the fragrances Billie uses.

Check out my Flamingo review to learn more, or buy Flamingo products here.


My Verdict

After trying both women's razor clubs, I think they both give comparable shaves and offer thoughtful feminine design touches. Which one is right for you?

Cost:

  • Both subscriptions offer their baseline product for $9. But Billie gives you more items for that $9—two razor cartridges, a handle, and a magnetic holder. Flamingo charges $9 for one razor cartridge and a handle alone.

Convenience:

  • If you want shaving products to automatically show up to your door, Billie, with its subscription-style model is the brand for you.
  • If you prefer to get shaving products on an as-needed basis, Flamingo is your best bet.

Fragrances:

  • If you like fruitier scents in your bath and body products, Billie is the better pick.
  • If floral, botanical scents are more your style, Flamingo products are a better match for you.

The Feel:

  • If you like a lighter handle, the plastic Billie razor is a better pick.
  • If you like the control of a heftier razor, the heavier, metal Flamingo razor is a great pick.

Extras:

  • If you're committed to shaving, then start with the Billie razor and its shave-specific body products.
  • If you mostly shave but opt for an at-home wax from time to time, check out Flamingo's line of grooming products!

If you're curious about other personal care subscriptions, check out the Best Personal Care Product Subscription Boxes of 2019 as picked by our readers!

Marne Orenich
Marne Orenich
Marne is a lipstick connoisseur, record collector, and twice over cat mom. She loves discovering new clean beauty brands and has quite the collection of beautifully packaged serums and moisturizers.

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46 comments

Shivani Jha

i definitely prefer the Flamingo razor! i love the consistent deliveries of Billie and i wish Flamingo did that too, but Flamingo’s razor was much higher quality, and the razor’s point of pivot was not the same as the point of connection, which made shaving easier and much smoother ! i prefer the Billie magnetic holder much more but i’m willing to sacrifice. They truly both are great brands, though.

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Dylan jessica

How many times can you use one of the razor blades on the reusable flamingo?

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KayKay

I cannot answer this exactly as it will vary person to person, but personally I change my blade every week (hygienic phobia!) and I typically shave 2-3 times on it. That does not necessarily mean it still is not good to continue using. Hope this helps!

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LoriLor

I have been using the Billie for a while now, and while I do like it, there are things that I don’t love about it as well. One, is what others have mentioned here… the handle has no grip at all, and it just feels so cheap. Second, and more importantly for me, is that the head doesn’t pivot back very far, and is less user friendly for highly intimate areas because of that. I ordered and just received the Flamingo today, but I haven’t tried it yet. The handle is definitely way more sturdy and substantial feeling than the Billie though.

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rania

I just wanted to say my Flamingo razed which cost $9 came with two 5 blade cartridges not 1. So price is pretty comparable to Billie.

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Laura

Do you know if you can fit the Billie blades into the Flamingo handle? Thanks!

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Tara

I haven’t tried either… I use Harry’s and we dropped it down to only 1 sub for my husband and I both. Great shave, great price and long lasting razors.

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Marne Orenich

My pleasure, Janet! I do respect DSC for being what I *think* is the original shave club and they do have good prices. But I too got overloaded with razors even though they were only coming once every 3 months or so. I’m also a fan of aesthetically pleasing products though and Bille + Flamingo certainly do a better job at that. 🙂

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AmyM

I switched from Dollar Shave to Billie and I’m never going back. I get SUCH a smooth shave from Billie and the magnetic holder is game changer. It keeps the razor out of the shower stream, which contributes to longer-lasting blades. LOVE it!

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Marne Orenich

That little holder is the BEST.

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Cai

I had Venus refills on my shopping list for about two weeks (I have a legit antique shaver that I was using in the meantime) and I was groaning out loud at Target looking at the prices. Then I saw the Flamingo on the shelf. I’d previously seen it advertised on social media and promptly ignored it. I decided to go for it when I saw it in person. I don’t think it’s mentioned anywhere on the review here – but the blade cartridges are made in Germany, if that means anything to anyone.
The holder is cheap and cheesy but it works. The handle is attractive and a nice weight. The blades look cheap, aesthetically speaking, but I have NOT had the issue that others have mentioned of the blades dulling quickly. I’ve been shaving with it every day and I have no complaints. I agree that the shave doesn’t feel *as close* as the Venus – but to tell you the truth, I think my skin was paying the price for such a seriously close shave with the Venus.
For now I prefer the Flamingo – good design, good shave, and reasonably priced refills.

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Twyla

I was using Dollar Shave since I also get it for my boyfriend, but recently decided to try Billie. Though I prefer the weight and feel of the DSC handle, overall I prefer the shave and magnetic holder of Billie. I added some small rubberized strips to the handle for better grip when wet. I am still using the DSC shave butter, i love that stuff, and it doesn’t seem to clog my razor, but might switch to Billie’s shave lotion if the price is comparable.

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Emilia

I like Flamingo’s design and aesthetics, but it doesn’t give me a close shave like Venus does and the blade dulls quickly, to the point I thought I whole family was secretly using it twice a day for a month. I only shave once weekly. 4 weeks and the blade is spent…

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Victoria

I used Billie and found that it was *almost* as good as my Venus razors. I found it didn’t get quite as close a shave, personally, but the lower cost made up for it.

One thing I like to know about razors is if they rinse easily. If they stay clogged because the blades are too close, that’s an issue.

I am using up my Billie and Venus and then I got one from Walmart called joy that I haven’t tried yet. Then I’ll have to decide if I want to pay more and get a closer (aka longer-lasting) shave, or cheaper and shave more often.

I will say I love the magnetic holder of Billie. It is pretty easy to use.

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Melanie

I recently grabbed a Flamingo at Target. I really like it! And it’s much more convenient that I can stop by there and grab what I need rather than planning out a sub.

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Em

Chiming in to say I use Billie even though I’m pretty much a hairy beast during the winter months. Their site makes it really easy to change the frequency of your subscription throughout the year!

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Claire

Billie shave lotion is impressively natural in ingredient choices so I would stick with them simply for being the most green shaving brand I have run into

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Allison

I only have hair on my head,eyebrows and eyelashes. I had every other single hair on my body head to toe permanently lasered off. Best splurge ever!

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Allison

I splurged on permanent laser hair removal on every single hair on my entire body except for my head,eyebrows and eyelashes. Best money ever spent!

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Melody Smith

Wow really that’s so awesome, I have always said if I win the lotto one of the first things I will ever do is get laser hair removal from the neck down, am I correct in assuming I would have to win the lotto to do this LOL I mean just wondering was it thousands of dollars or hundreds of dollars

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Rachel

I use Billie and I love them. Will never go back to anything else. I found out I was allergic to nickel and this is the only razor I can find that doesn’t cause an allergic reaction and itching. Can’t recommend it enough.

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Heidi

Love love love Billie!!! Never going back!

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Lee

I just do the Dollar Shave Club. It is only 6 bucks for four heads.

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Greygrrl

I’ve tried both brands. The Flamingo razor didn’t last very long. The blades dulled quickly and didn’t feel nice against my skin. The clip included for the shower is simple and not too secure.

The Billie razor stayed sharp for a solid two weeks. Kept dry on the magnetic clip. Provided a smooth shave with the soapy head surrounding the blades.

Out of the two I prefer the Billie razor hands down.

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Ashley

Although I haven’t used Billie before, I have picked up the Flamingo starter kit from Target and was actually disappointed in the razor quality. It only lasted through 2-3 shaves and seemed to get worn down and dull very quickly. I have recently subbed to the “All Girl Shave Club” and find that their razors last longer and the handles are more heavy duty and weighted considering they’re made of metal and not plastic. Plus they come in pretty metallic colors! Maybe, possibly you all could do a review on their service as well. I’d love to know what you think!

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Marne Orenich

Oh wow- a new one to me! I’ll have to see about trying this one out too. Thanks for the head’s up, Ashley!

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Janie

I subbed to all girl shave club for a while too. I love their shave cream, they smell so good and work very well! I do like the Billie razor better though so now I just order the shave cream from the all girl site on its own.

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Kristin

If you had to choose though which would it be?

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Marne Orenich

I’ve been using Flamingo more because I find the weight and handle a little more comfortable than Billie. When (if? haha) it comes time to reorder razors, I think I might go with them. 🙂

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Jill

The Flamingo is the worst razor I’ve ever tried. I bought one at Target & the blade head pops off every 20 seconds when I try to shave (I’m trying to tough it out to not waste the money or plastic). It’s so frustrating that it’s so poorly designed.

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Tina

OMG, that is what happens to me with my Billie razor! It’s like I am shaving and doing an aerobic exercise all at once because I am FOREVER having to bend over and re-attach the blade to the handle. But to give them some credit, that’s about the only fault I find with the razor and if you change the blade at least every other week it won’t pop off

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Jocelyn

I’ve been using Billie for over 6 months and have the same issue with the head popping off several times every shave. It is so frustrating! Change out the blade doesn’t help so I thought maybe it was the handle that was the issue. I purchased a 2nd Billie handle and it does the same thing. Even Venus, which I used for YEARS is being made cheaply now with heads the don’t stay attached. I’m on this site looking for something that holds up and hangs onto it’s heads. If anyone has suggestions please let me know.

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Kim

Truth!!!! The blade keeps popping off the razor handle… I’m pregnant and it’s SO frustrating to constantly have to bend over to pick it up & put it back together. Thank goodness I’m not the only one out there experiencing this! I’m going to use up all my blades and then try Billie. There has to be something better. It’s a shame too, because the Flamingo shave is so smooth.

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Marne Orenich

Oh, gosh! That sounds super frustrating. I wonder if you got a bad one? You should definitely try to return it!

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LeAnn

The blade on the Bilie also pops off a lot. 🙁

Nichole

I really dislike the Billie handle – it’s totally smooth, no texture, and makes it feel slippery in your hand when it’s wet and you’re running the sharp blade along your delicate skin. I’m surprised this isn’t a more common complaint. No bueno for me!

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MizzyMayhem

I agree I don’t do the slipper billie handle. So I use flamingo and love them. I tried the Billie because I’m a huge Billie Eilish fan lol. But quality is better for me. I hate subscriptions also. Ya never know when they pull or mess up. I like to grab what I want and leave the store. Instant gratification is huge these days 🥕lol

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Sam

I agree! And the razor button is on the top where I put pressure on for a closer shave and it constantly detaches the razor! I hate the Billie!

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