So, not really a review, but I don't see the Phoebus line talked about too much so I thought I would share some thoughts about this one.
First, I didn't really buy it for me-- Mrs. Scandalous was commenting that she'd really like to find a mild-strength lilac perfume, especially one that isn't overly powdery (most are). And she has very sensitive skin, so that's a consideration too. I thought about this aftershave, Phoebus Lilas, by Le Pere Lucien...and sure enough it was on sale at Pasteur's so I took advantage of that and their free shipping. Worth a roll of the dice, I thought.
Here are my impressions after using it a couple of times. It's 70% alcohol, glycerin, and fragrance, plus geraniol, limonene, and linalool. It goes on gently, no real burn to speak of, and doesn't dry down sticky, although I would call it moderately moisturizing-- doesn't leave my skin glassy and tight, but for the winter months I would probably still use a balm too. So, all in all, left my skin feeling nice and natural. Basically what I would expect out of an aftershave. Neither of my shaves were in any way rough or bloody, so can't say how it would do as far as skin repair, but my suspicion is, not a lot.
The scent: basically pure lilac. This is not Lilac Vegetal. No musky undertones, no powder, no cat pee (although I use the Veg a lot and I don't think it smells anything like cat pee, and I have a cat). If you have lilac bushes, you might know that they don't all smell alike-- some smell a little fresher, some a little sweeter. This scent tends toward the sweeter off the top, kind of reminiscent of lily-of-the-valley if that makes sense. It doesn't project a lot; it's not an EDT, but it sticks around for a few hours and dries down to a nice, fresh scent. I am impressed by how natural it smells.
Personally, I love the scent but I don't love having it right next to my nose. A little too heady for me. But, and this is the most important part, my wife absolutely loves it and has been splashing it on her wrists every morning. So, mission accomplished.
A note on price-- I've seen widely varying prices on webshops that still have it in stock. I will say, that if I was buying it for myself, to use as an aftershave, I'd probably not be excited to pay the upper end of those prices for a splash that is, at best, middle of the road as far as skin conditioning. But the scent is very nice, and modest, if that's your thing. No idea how the other flavors in the Phoebus line stack up in terms of strength and longevity.
But if you're looking for a mild, natural lilac scent, it's a winner there.
First, I didn't really buy it for me-- Mrs. Scandalous was commenting that she'd really like to find a mild-strength lilac perfume, especially one that isn't overly powdery (most are). And she has very sensitive skin, so that's a consideration too. I thought about this aftershave, Phoebus Lilas, by Le Pere Lucien...and sure enough it was on sale at Pasteur's so I took advantage of that and their free shipping. Worth a roll of the dice, I thought.
Here are my impressions after using it a couple of times. It's 70% alcohol, glycerin, and fragrance, plus geraniol, limonene, and linalool. It goes on gently, no real burn to speak of, and doesn't dry down sticky, although I would call it moderately moisturizing-- doesn't leave my skin glassy and tight, but for the winter months I would probably still use a balm too. So, all in all, left my skin feeling nice and natural. Basically what I would expect out of an aftershave. Neither of my shaves were in any way rough or bloody, so can't say how it would do as far as skin repair, but my suspicion is, not a lot.
The scent: basically pure lilac. This is not Lilac Vegetal. No musky undertones, no powder, no cat pee (although I use the Veg a lot and I don't think it smells anything like cat pee, and I have a cat). If you have lilac bushes, you might know that they don't all smell alike-- some smell a little fresher, some a little sweeter. This scent tends toward the sweeter off the top, kind of reminiscent of lily-of-the-valley if that makes sense. It doesn't project a lot; it's not an EDT, but it sticks around for a few hours and dries down to a nice, fresh scent. I am impressed by how natural it smells.
Personally, I love the scent but I don't love having it right next to my nose. A little too heady for me. But, and this is the most important part, my wife absolutely loves it and has been splashing it on her wrists every morning. So, mission accomplished.
A note on price-- I've seen widely varying prices on webshops that still have it in stock. I will say, that if I was buying it for myself, to use as an aftershave, I'd probably not be excited to pay the upper end of those prices for a splash that is, at best, middle of the road as far as skin conditioning. But the scent is very nice, and modest, if that's your thing. No idea how the other flavors in the Phoebus line stack up in terms of strength and longevity.
But if you're looking for a mild, natural lilac scent, it's a winner there.
