Harry's
Continuing
Evolution
To say that Harry's made a splash in the grooming world would be an understatement. Launched in early 2013, the brand sold well over 100,000 of their affordable shaving kits—a razor, set of blades and shaving cream—in their first nine months alone. They followed that up with a corner barbershop in New York based on their core principals of high design, top quality, fair prices and ease of use. Then, just before their first anniversary, the company bought the 93-year-old German razor factory that was making their premium blades. The modern grooming brand is always moving forward and in an effort to round out their offerings, they've just released a foaming shave gel and a moisturizing aftershave. Both products are formulated with a blend of natural ingredients to protect the skin while preventing irritation and redness. We caught up with Harry's co-founder Jeff Raider to learn more.
We're fans of your original shaving cream, but we know some guys swear by foam. Was this something you heard from customers?
Absolutely. Since we launched, the most consistent feedback from customers has been 'when are you creating a foaming shave gel?' Cream vs. Gel, it's personal choice. Our new gel is dense and lathers into a foam, providing cushion as you shave with lasting hydration. Our shave cream is lighter in texture, providing a smoother glide for your razor. We've found that guys are very loyal to the formula that they learned to shave with. So we respect that.
Foaming Shave Gel
Our
Thoughts
The gel foams up quickly with a texture that's rich but also frothy, like the stuff that comes out of a barber's hot lather machine. The scent is subtle but masculine.
$8 at Harry's
After Shave Moisturizer
Our
Thoughts
A cooling lotion that's ideal for post-shave (or sensitive and temperamental) skin. A little goes a long way, it lives up to the hydrating promise and there's no oily residue.
$10 at Harry's
You're known for some intense Research & Development. What was this process like?
We have an amazing product team that's been working on these items for over a year. We started by trying every aftershave and shaving foam on the market. We then talked to anyone and everyone, asking our customers and friends what they liked and disliked about their foams and after shaves. That allowed us to identify the pain points and zero in on what we wanted to solve, and what would make these products the perfect complements to our razors. We heard from guys that they experience dry or irritated skin after shaving. With our new Foaming Shave Gel and After Shave Moisturizer, we are providing hydration and protection all day long--no more dry face. We went through many formulation iterations to make sure we could solve this problem using high-quality, natural ingredients and working until we found a product that we'd be proud to launch.
What's your personal secret to a close shave?
I'm a big believer in shaving immediately after showering. Pretty simple, it opens up your pores and tends to soften the beard hairs. Then, apply the foam (or cream of your choice) and leave it on your face for at least two minutes before you start.
FYI
Harry's giving model donates 1% of its sales and 1% of employee time to charities like City Year (with no cap to the amount of money donated).
