West Coast Shaving Frequently Asked Questions

We are currently operating online only.

In May of 2016 we moved our shipping to the East Coast for a variety of reasons that we feel was in the best interest of our Customers. We are able to fulfill orders much quicker and have worked hard to get shipping times even to the west coast to be quick.

You bet! We'd love to talk to you on the phone. Just give us a ring, toll free, at 877-710-6037 Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm Pacific Standard Time.

No, we are unable to make any changes or cancel an order once placed.

We do not store credit card information and so cannot make those type of adjustments to your order.

If it contained alcohol or compressed air we had to cancel that item from your order if it was an international address, as shipping regulations would not allow us to ship such items overseas (a disclaimer should be noted on the product’s individual web page). We do apologize for any inconvenience, but we did issue you a refund for that item. Please do note, though, that it may take a few days for it to reflect on your Paypal or credit card account.

The most common issue is if the billing address you provided us with does not match that of your credit card's billing address (please double check for any typos). The second most common cause is international banks, which don't support the fraud system our credit card processor uses. For international orders, we recommend you check out through Paypal to avoid this problem. Feel free to contact us if you have any problems or questions related to payment.

Technically, our system cannot accept split payments, however you could either purchase a gift certificate (which is e-mailed to you), and pay with that, along with your credit-card/Paypal.

We do not accept checks, but do take money-orders. The best way to calculate your total is by going on to our website and proceeding as if placing an online order, continue on to Check Out, and type in your shipping information so it can calculate your total with shipping and taxes included. Once you have selected your preferred shipping method, you can write out that money-order to West Coast Shaving and send it to our mailing address. Please include a list of the items you would like to purchase and the shipping method (please keep in mind that we cannot send items with alcohol or compressed air by air) along with your contact/shipping information, and we will send the order out to you once the money order has cleared (up to 2 weeks). If any items are out of stock, we will hold the order until everything is in stock.

In order to be able to place an order with a gift-card, you would first need to register your card (by calling the card's customer service number). They should either ask for your entire billing address, or simply your zip-code. You might want to ask them how long it takes for their system to update that information, as it may take 24 hours or more. When that information has been updated, you would then be able to place your order (either online or over the phone) as normal.

At WCS, we do our best to have promotions every week, making sure we offer the best deals out on the market! This being the case, discount codes or promotions can NOT be combined.

Unfortunately, we cannot give you a completely accurate ETA on when an item will be delivered to us, as they often become back ordered at the manufacturer or get held up in Customs, which delays our re-stocking process. In the mean time, though, we suggest you place yourself on the waiting list (if you haven't done so already) so we can notify you via e-mail as soon as the product comes in. Just click on the "notify me" link next to the product availability information. This does not commit you to purchasing the product; it's only to inform you of when it is available, so you will have the option of ordering it.

As soon as the particular item that you have placed yourself on the waiting list for comes back in stock, we notify everyone on the list at the same time. This gives everyone the same opportunity to purchase that item, if they still wish to do so. It is in no way a commitment to buy that product.

Sorry, no. Our system is not set up to work that way. You would have to wait for the item to come back in stock.

Yes, we ship all over the world and are happy to be accessible to so many people. We are happy to now be able to offer Flat Rate Shipping for our International customers.

The recipient of an international shipment may be subject to such import taxes, customs duties and fees, which are levied once a shipment reaches the recipient's country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be fulfilled by the recipient; West Coast Shaving has no control over these charges, nor can West Coast Shaving predict what they may be.

The USPS does not offer up to date tracking information on international orders. If you have received the tracking number, you can be assured we have shipped it. However, international shipping times do vary from 1-6 weeks normally, depending on customs. Please contact us if it has exceeded 6 weeks.

Typical delivery time for International orders is between 6-15 business days, but can take longer. Please allow 4 weeks before you contact us for further assistance.

Unfortunately, tracking for USPS is often not real-time updated, and sometimes, not updated at all, but they are very reliable.

• This Standard service is offered at a flat rate of $7.95 with an estimated arrival within 5 - 10 business days (within the contiguous United States) from the date shipped. We use USPS First Class for light items and UPS SurePost for everything else
• This Priority service is offered through USPS at a flat rate of $9.95 with an estimated arrival within 2-3 business days (within the contiguous United States) from the date shipped. Orders containing alcohol will be shipped ground and take 5 business days to arrive.
• UPS Express 2Day
• • Delivery time: 2 business days guaranteed, sometimes less if address is local.
  • Tracking: live tracking on ups.com.
• UPS Express Overnight
  • Delivery time: Overnight guaranteed.
  • Tracking: live tracking on ups.com.

Delivery times do NOT include processing time (our time to pack and ship) which is typically 24 hours.

• We want to offer our customers an extra layer of assurance, and we are happy to announce Route as an option for our customers to add to all their purchases. Route is a shipping insurance company that offers shipping protection. 
• Route Package Protection covers lost, stolen, and damaged items. When replacing an item, Route covers the subtotal of the order, the Route premium, shipping costs, and taxes. Route does not pay custom/duty fees. For a detailed breakdown of Route's official insurance policy, please reference their help center here.

No, at this time we are not able to ship to military addresses.

Unfortunately, we can not alter this information once an order has been placed. If this happens to you, please contact us so we know to expect it back and can resend it to the correct address.

We do not alter customs information for any reason. The information that appears on the customs form will be accurate, per the order. However, we do not include shipping charges.

Of course not! You can trust us. :)

For your security, we do not. Thus, the reason you continually have to punch in those numbers when completing your order with us--for your personal identity safety. ;)

Don't get too caught up in the order, except to save the Feather for last. The most important part of the process is giving each blade enough time before making your opinion. In fact, often you may come back after your technique has improved and find that your opinion of a blade has changed. Have fun!

Yes, it is likely that your opinion of blades changes over time if you are new to DE shaving. As your technique improves, you will find blades may behave differently. Additionally, you will find blades performance may be affected by the razor you use. If a blade does not work for you, try it in a different razor.

There are several good razors. One we often recommend for people just starting out is the Merkur 34c. The Edwin Jagger series of razors that are from DE86-89 are also excellent for a start and very similar in weight and size to the 34c.

It is really a matter of preference. However, some people who have thicker beards find that an open comb works better for them.

It's really subject to opinion and brand. With a cream, you will find that it is easier to make a nice rich lather. Many people start off using creams. However, the soaps can be slicker, depending on the brands. That's the beauty of it. You can change it up and alternate.

You can lather using a lather bowl with your cream and brush. This is ideal, in our opinion. If you are using a soap, you can directly work the surface of the soap to get a nice rich lather and then as you brush onto your face, as well. You will want some sort of container to hold the soap in place while you work the surface. Some prefer to create the lather directly on the face by putting the cream on the brush and working it into a lather there. This is called "face-lathering."

This is completely normal and is common for a lot of our creams.They are packaged by weight, not by volume. We can certainly see how it could lead customers to believe it has been tampered with, but please know that they sometimes settle in such a manner that would look as though some has been taken out. Of course, we certainly would never use a product and then send it out. It's sort of like when you buy a bag of chips, it's never quite full.

This cream is not trash! What you now have is pretty much soap. We personally do this all the time when we have creams that have been sitting under the bathroom counter a little too long. Just lather directly on the surface and it should preform very similarly to the product when it was a true "cream."

Of course, there are always factors in this decision and, depending on some specifics that might be important to you, the answer may vary a bit based on these factors. But, in general, men favor a few razors for learning. One is the Merkur 34c Heavy Duty Safety Razor. It's got a great weight, nice short length (for good maneuverability), and a good grip on it. The Edwin Jagger DE86, DE87, DE89, and DE89L are all the same razor with different colors. These are similar in weight and size, but we'd say they are a bit more refined in the manufacturing.

There are some general things to know about brush shopping. There are various types of hair-- synthetic, boar, horse, and badger. The main thing to understand is that badger hair varies a lot in the quality and the price. Of course, all the manufacturers are going use different terms to describe the different grades, just to keep you guessing...but you will see that we have them broken down in grades of hair under each brand. You will notice when looking at the prices that within the brand as the price goes up so does the quality of the hair. The brush softness may also depend on if you are looking to use creams more (softer is fine) or if you want to use soaps (you may want a little more structure in the bristles to gather more soap). We are always happy to help you maneuver the maze and stay within your budget.

Yes. These two blades are the exact same blade, both made in Israel. However, one is packaged in Mexico (in red packaging) and the other in the UK (blue packaging). The difference in cost (for the 100 pack) is simply a reflection of what it costs us to get them.

We certainly understand the reasoning behind this request, however, because of the way they are packaged, we are unable to do this due to hygienic concerns.

Shedding is not too common but it does occasionally happen. Combing the brush is one of the last steps when a brush is made. If this step is not done completely, a brush may shed a little (whether your brush is new or older). We ask customers to do the following procedure to stop the shedding.

• Step 1: Wash it gently with warm water and shampoo.
• Step 2: Shake it out and let it dry.
• Step 3: When dry, comb it with a comb until it stops losing hairs.
• Step 4: Use it for a week.

This shampooing process usually does the trick, but please let us know if the shedding comes back, and we will proceed from there.