Sacre Bleu by Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements
TLDR: This is some good shit! Smells just like Aqua Velva, but even more potent. Gives it that Emeril’s BAM!
Aqua Velva. Disinfecting, soothing, and toning skin since 1917. It was the identifying scent of my maternal grandfather from my youngest memories of him from the early 70s.TLDR: This is some good shit! Smells just like Aqua Velva, but even more potent. Gives it that Emeril’s BAM!
My first career (U.S. Army) required daily shaving so it was only natural that I chose to wet shave and follow that with a splash of good ol’ Aqua Velva. I watched the bottle change over the years. From that traditional bumply textured matte glass finish to a new shaped smooth glass finish, to the plastic bottle that was the same as the glass new shape.
In my second career I continue to maintain a shaving regiment because I want to. And up until last year, Aqua Velva was still my daily splash, bringing grandpa forefront to my thoughts. Every. Day.
What happened last year was that I found Phoenix Shaving which opened a whole new world and level of enjoyment to shaving. All the wonderful, strong scents to choose from as well as hardware – razors, brushes, etc.
Phoenix also comes out with homages to other scents, some long forgotten and produced no more.
That’s not the case with Aqua Velva. I still have 3 bottles left that I bought last year. But Phoenix does make an homage to Aqua Velva and so I had to try it. On principle.
This scent is spot on, but even more. Phoenix gives it that Emeril BAM! that takes both the scent and menthol to the next level. The shaving soap utilizes their CK6 blend and doesn’t skip on the scent. The foam is what I’ve come to expect from Phoenix soaps – super luxurious lather that lets any blade just glide over your face without nicks or burns. The aftershave gives you the traditional bite and a menthol that lasts quite a while after application.
