Why men's grooming retention works differently
Most men don't browse grooming. They buy something that works, use it until it stops working and then buy whatever is closest to hand. The brand that wins the second order is the one that shows up at the moment the blade gets dull or the jar runs low.
That makes timing the whole job. A trimmer or razor is bought once, but its blades, cartridges and cleaning products are bought on a cycle the customer rarely tracks. A body butter, cologne or face wash runs out at a speed set by how often he uses it. If the reorder email lands 3 weeks late, he has already bought something else.
Men's grooming also has a large gifting audience. A big share of first orders come from partners, parents and friends, which means the person who bought the product is often not the person using it. Both need different emails.
Blade and refill replacement cadence
Set the replacement reminder from how long the blade or cartridge lasts with normal use, using your own product guidance. Most men replace too late, so the email has to explain why it matters (a dull blade pulls, nicks and irritates) before it asks for the order.
| Product | Typical replacement guidance | Reminder |
|---|---|---|
| Razor cartridge | Every 5 to 10 shaves | Every 2 to 4 weeks, by shaves per week |
| Body trimmer blade | Per your manufacturer guidance, often every few months | 1 to 2 weeks before the due date |
| Beard trimmer blade | Per your manufacturer guidance | 1 to 2 weeks before the due date |
| Body butter, balm, wash | By jar size and daily use | About 7 days before it runs out |
| Blade oil, cleaning spray | By bottle size | Bundled with the blade reminder |
We ask how often he grooms in a post-purchase form or quiz, save it as a Klaviyo profile property and branch the replacement flow on it. For subscribers, the same number sets the default blade frequency in Loop, Appstle or Checkout Champ.
Device plus consumables
The device is the acquisition product. The consumables are the business. Every flow after the first order should move the customer from "owns a trimmer" to "gets blades on a schedule".
- Blade subscription at the right moment. Offer it when the first blade is due for replacement, when the customer has felt the difference a sharp blade makes.
- Gift-with-subscription for existing owners. A free accessory or upgraded part in the first subscription box is a strong way to move a large base of past device buyers onto a blade plan.
- Accessory cross-sell. Oil, cleaning spray, a travel case or a second attachment, matched to the device he bought.
- The second category. A trimmer customer is a natural fit for body care (soap, body butter, deodorant), and a body care customer for the trimmer.
Discreet copy for body grooming
Body grooming products sell on sensitive use cases, and most men don't want that on their lock screen or in a shared inbox. The emails can be funny and direct inside, but what shows on the outside has to be safe for anyone looking over his shoulder.
The rules we follow:
- Subject lines and preview text are neutral. The detail goes inside the email.
- SMS is short, plain and never names a body part.
- Images show the product and the result, never anything that would embarrass him on a train.
- Humour inside, respect throughout. Body grooming brands can be playful, but the copy never mocks the customer.
Gifting peaks
Men's grooming has 3 big gift moments: Father's Day, Black Friday into Christmas, and Valentine's Day. Gift buyers need their own path:
- Gift guides and bundles sent to the whole list 3 to 4 weeks before each moment, with clear shipping cut-off dates.
- Gift buyer tagging. We tag gift orders in Klaviyo (gift messages, a different shipping name, or a "buying for" question) so the buyer gets the next gift moment, not blade reminders.
- Recipient capture. An insert or QR code in the box invites the man who received it to register his device, which starts his own replacement flow.
First-use onboarding
The first use decides whether a grooming device becomes a habit or goes in a drawer. Penrose's own post-purchase survey found 26% of buyers almost didn't buy because they weren't sure it would work, and that doubt doesn't disappear at checkout.
- Day 0 to 2. How to use it, which attachment for which area, and what to do (and avoid) the first time.
- Day 5 to 7. The routine: how often, when, and the product that goes with it.
- Day 14 to 21. A check-in with a reply option, a review ask and the first accessory.
For Penrose, the campaigns that taught men how to use the product did the selling. "You're applying it at the wrong time" made $112,679 from a single send.
Klaviyo flows that work for men's grooming brands
| Flow | Trigger | What it does in men's grooming |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome series | Pop-up or quiz | Asks what he grooms and how often, and whether he is buying for himself or as a gift |
| First-use onboarding | Order delivered | How to use it, which attachment, what to expect the first time |
| Blade and refill replacement | Order date plus product lifespan | Reminder 1 to 2 weeks before the blade is due |
| Subscription offer | First replacement due | Blade plan, with a gift in the first box where it fits |
| Accessory and second category | Day 14 to 30 | Oil, cleaning spray or body care matched to the device |
| Gift buyer | Gift order | Next gift moment, not usage emails |
| Failed payment | Loop, Appstle or Checkout Champ events | Card update links before the blade order fails |
| Cancel and winback | Cancellation | Slower frequency or a skip before any discount |
We run about 120 flow A/B tests across our clients at any time, and the first flow is live within 72 hours of starting.
Results from men's grooming brands we run
Bumzzy, body trimmer for men. Case study
- 26.3% of store revenue from email, up from 4.7%.
- 5.9x email revenue.
- $162K in campaign revenue in the last 90 days, up from $0.
Penrose Skin, body butters for men, subscriptions on Loop. Case study
- 23.2% of store revenue from email, up from 15.2%.
- Cancel-flow saves went from 9% to 38%, after we rewrote the cancel page in customers' own words and tested it against the old one inside Loop.
- 32 campaign emails a month, most of them with one practical job: when to apply, how long the scent holds and which scent suits a date, the gym or the office.
Swanky's work with Wilkinson Sword is a good example of an agency doing grooming well, and Klaviyo's partner directory lists grooming specialists such as Brawn and Beard. Ask any agency you speak to the questions below.
What to ask a men's grooming email agency
- How do you time blade and refill reminders? The answer should use product lifespan and how often he grooms.
- How do you move device owners onto consumables? Ask when the subscription offer fires and what it includes.
- How do you keep body grooming emails discreet? Ask to see subject lines and SMS.
- How do you separate gift buyers from users? A gift buyer should not get blade reminders.
- Which men's grooming brands have you run, with numbers? Ask for case studies you can read.
- How fast is the first flow live? Ours is live in 72 hours.
Related guides
- The Klaviyo flows every Shopify brand needs
- How to design a subscription cancel flow that saves
- Failed payment recovery for Shopify subscriptions
- Klaviyo SMS for Shopify brands
Book your free Klaviyo check
We will look at your replacement timing, your first-use onboarding and your gift season plan, and show you where repeat orders are being lost. Your first flow can be live in 72 hours.
Prefer a written review of your whole Klaviyo account? Get a free Klaviyo audit.
