Cologne-Fougère v. (Le Père Lucien)
★★★★☆ lavender, rosemary, mint, hay, bergamot, green tobacco
I never know what to expect when I open a tin of LPL. Will the lather come out thin and fleeting (Rose de Pushkar, Apricot), or will it be a gem of the soapmaker's art (Traditionnel, Cologne-Fougère, Vetiver), or perhaps something in between (Cèdre-Patchouli, Oud-Santal, Oud Neroli)? As you can see, I invested heavily in LPL a couple years ago and got a few more samples recently. My spree was based on some remarkable shaves with Traditionnel. I supposed all the other scents would create just as sumptuous and fragrant a lather. That hasn't always been the case. But today's soap, Cologne-Fougère, has been a stalwart and steadfast latherer on whom I could depend for a safe, comfortable three-pass shave every time. Try it, if you get a chance. Just be very stingy with your water at first.
Cologne-Fougère is a light fragrance in the sense that, like many colognes, it's not at all earthy, and I don't get the violet leaf that's so often found at the end of a classic fougère.