BespokePost Box of Awesome Review

Box subscription services are a relatively new idea that are spreading like wild fire across all parts of life. You can find them for comics/geek stuff, women's fashion, men's shirts, and stuff for kids. Bespoke Post is a fairly new service that caters towards men's needs in a broad, yet selective way. You can find a wide assortment of items for purchase on their site and through their subscription boxes: bar goods, grooming, athletics, fashion, and more.

Bespoke Post is based out of New York City. They work with American and international partners to bring some small batch and custom-made items to men around the world. This is not a site to find the latest shoes from Nike or jeans from Levi. Instead, they work with small independent producers of goods to find the best that they offer for reasonable prices. Most items are priced below the retail price, and their subscription boxes are packed with value.

The subscription service works by people choosing a box out of the 5-6 boxes they have created for the month. You have about a week to decide on which one you would like, and each box has a full, detailed listings about the items. There are no surprises involved. For some items, you have options in colours, or sizes. Others have options about which items to include. They are all well thought out and selected.

The best part is you can opt out of the box, you are not required to purchase one every month.

If you subscribe, each box is $45.00 US. If not, boxes are available for $55.00 US, with free shipping in the United States.

In addition to the subscription boxes, they have a comprehensive store to help you find additional value to add to your box. Audio, food, books to read, and more. It's not a confusing site to browse like Amazon, and allows you to find exactly what you are looking for quickly.

Below is a selection of the boxes they have offered in the past six months. They will focus on the grooming side of things, but will include snapshots of some of the other boxes to give you an idea what to expect.

Or visit their site to learn more: Bespoke Post.

Upgrade your bathroom with this box!

$99.95 in value for $45.00!

This subscription box was made available in January 2016. It included some great value in the box. Items are listed below with the retail prices underneath.

Peştemal (Bath Towel), 63" x 34.5", and Peşkir (Hand Towel), 35.5" x 15.5" - Bespoke post

($60.00)

These towels are custom made for Bespoke Post by a textile factory in Turkey. The factory has been producing cotton towels for over a hundred years. These towels are incredibly light, very comfortable, and dry incredibly fast. As a test, I pulled the towels directly out of the washing machine and hung them up. They were completely dry within three hours, without being in direct sunshine or heat. They are also a stylish addition to a bathroom, especially a bachelor's. Order a pair before they are sold out.

Everywhere Lotion, 3.3 oz - Das Boom Industries

($20 for two)

Thanks to Bespoke Post, I have been using moisturizers more frequently. I was using after shave, of course, but never bothered to apply it on other areas of my face, neck, and so forth. Most of the grooming boxes come with a different kind of moisturizer to try. This one from Das Boom Industries is a travel size to sample. It is made from natural ingredients and smells incredible: a musky mix of rum, smoke, and dirt. Not a typo. It leaves the skin feeling great and not greasy at all. One of my favourite products I've received from Bespoke Post. A regular size bottle is around $25.00.

Organic Body Brick, 4 oz, Charcoal Pine - Kent & Bond

($14.00)

This bar of soap is something I was a little skeptical of- scrubbing your body with charcoal? I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. It's a great ex-foliating bar and has a musky smell to it, not smelling too much like a campfire. The only downside is it tends to stick to the shower stall more after coming off your body. That's it though. Lasts about two weeks with daily showers. I promptly re-ordered it with my next shipment.

Charcoal Bristle Bamboo Toothbrush - Ernest Supplies

($8.00)

If I was skeptical about a bar of soap, I was really skeptical about this. The first few times of brushing tasted awkward, but after using it several times a day, I adapted and started to enjoy it. It's a lightweight brush and left my teeth feeling a little cleaner than before, because the bristles are stronger than a regular brush. Highly recommended to give something new a try.

Premium Natural Toothpaste, 5.25 oz - Mint - Davids

($7.95)

This is a nice tasting toothpaste made from all natural ingredients. It is fluoride-free and left my teeth feeling clean with fresh breath for the duration of the day.

Prepare for your getaway in style

$120.00 in total value for $45.00!

I picked this box out because I needed a new dopp kit that would last a long time and be easier to clean than my current one. What I didn't expect was to receive full-size bottles of a lot of these products. The value of the dopp kit made it a no brainer, but looking over the products included sealed the deal for me.

Dopp Kit, (L)10" x (W)6" x (D)4" - Blue Claw Co.

($62.00)

The exterior of this dopp kit is canvas, but has a nylon lining to make it easier to clean. The zipper and handles are heavier duty and unlikely to snap or break. It's a rather rugged bag- fill er up and toss it around like a football if you want. The dopp kit is nice, but the gear on the inside really make this box worth it.

Heavy Hitter Shampoo, 8.5oz - MITCH by Paul Mitchell

($16.00)

This shampoo is fantastic to use. Leaves the hair feeling squeaky clean, and not greasy midway through the day. Has a nice neutral smell too.

Matterial Styling Clay, 3oz - MITCH by Paul Mitchell

($21.00)

Like the shampoo, this styling clay goes a long way. A little dab on the fingers, run it through the hair, and you can expect it to stay that way until you hit the hay. Neutral scent as well.

Natural Handmade Soap, 5oz - Gold Moss Scrub - Dr. Squatch

($7.00)

There are quite a few scents available for this soap. All natural ingredients again. Smells nice, no residue remaining on the skin, and I was sold. Re-ordered several bars almost immediately. Lasts a few weeks with daily showers.

Face Wash, 6oz - Cremo Company

($15.50 per 2 )

This face wash is again becoming a quick favourite of mine. It's affordable first of all, has a neutral smell, and feels great on the skin when scrubbing it in. A little dab will easily cover a large face, which helps make this little bottle last almost a month.

Everyday Lotion, 0.75oz - Gold Bond Ultimate

($21.00 full bottle)

This was the only sample product included so I didn't get a good enough feel for it. The Das Boom lotion mentioned earlier is far superior to this lotion, in my opinion.

Drinker's Detox Multivitamin, Pack of Two - drinkwel

($20.00 per 10)

Miracle workers! Take a few of the pills before you drink, a few more before you go to sleep, and you feel much better in the morning than you normally would. I'm not positive behind the science of them. it just works. If you visit their website, you can get a free sample.

Toothpaste, 0.5oz - Classic Strong Mint - Marvis

($10.50 per tube)

The taste of this toothpaste is much stronger than the David's mentioned earlier. I enjoyed it, but it may not be for everyone. Again, all natural ingredients and fluoride-free.

Over $80.00 worth of products for $45.00

Shaving products are everywhere these days for men. Bespoke sent some high quality items in their The Barber box. Having a good shave routine is important for a man's skin, as much as it is for their appearance. Check out the goods that came in this box:

Double-Edge Safety Razor - Standard Razors

($65.00)

The clear star of the box, these razors are very high-quality. Machined from aircraft-grade Aluminum, their razors are designed to give you the best shave you have experienced- a cleaner cut of your whiskers to keep you smooth into the evening. They are currently sold out on their website, but still available through Bespoke Post at considerable savings.

Elizabeth Street Shaving Cream, 2oz - The New York Shaving Company

($20.00 - 4 oz)

The New York Shaving Company produces their shaving cream in small batches. The Elizabeth Street shaving cream is for men with sensitive skin.

Razor Blades, Two Five-Packs - Derby / Gillette

($6.50 for 50 blades)

There are two different packs of five blades each. Derby blades which are smoother and more comfortable, Gillette blades for a sharper shave.

Alum Block, 3.7oz - Gentleman Jon

($6.00)

The alum block is used after you shave to cure the nicks and prevent irritation of the skin. Includes a plastic case to hold the block after use. Gentleman Jon claims this block can last months, if not years, with proper care.

Barber Towel, 12" x 24"

Not available anywhere else, this towel is used before and after you shave to help your skin. Hot water before you shave to open up your skin's pores, and then cold water afterwards to help the pores close up.

Interested in learning more about shaving with a safety razor instead of the multi-blade razors? Check out this great resource: The Art of a Great Shave.

As mentioned earlier, NY Shaving Co produces some of the highest quality shaving products available today. The Lather box was focused on preparing your face for the perfect shave. For the value packed into this box, you can't go wrong with it. The badger brush is the same price as the entire box, for example. It includes all of the following:

• Pure Badger Brush with Horn Resin Handle, NY Shaving Co ($45.00)
• Chrome Shaving Stand, NY Shaving Co ($20.00)
• Pre-Shave Oil, 2 oz, NY Shaving Co ($20.00)
• Shaving Soap, 4 oz, NY Shaving Co ($20.00)
• Shaving Mug, American Mug & Stein ($20.00)

Another service to check out is Gentleman's Box Premium Box service. This is a new service, sending out a collection of premium goods every three months for the price of $100.00. The boxes contain items to up a man's style (ties, pocket squares, socks), enhance their lifestyle (grooming products, colognes), or accessorize their lives (sunglasses, headphones). It's a growing service and going to become quite popular.

Check out their website to learn more: Gentleman's Box.