Phoenix Shaving’s Continuum 3: A Modern Reverie in the Grand Fougère Tradition

Continuum 3

Top Notes: Bergamot, Lavender, Lemon, Nutmeg Blossom, Tarragon, Rosemary

Heart Notes: Jasmine, Fir, Geranium, Cyclamen, Carnation, Rose

Base Notes: Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Amber, Tonka Bean, Musk

Phoenix Artisan Accoutrement’s Continuum 3 tips its hat to Gucci Nobile while tracing its lineage all the way back to Houbigant’s epoch-making Fougère Royale of 1882. Its spine is the archetypal fougère triad—lavender, coumarin, and oakmoss—so the fragrance instantly feels floral, dry, and verdantly green.

The overture is a brisk kiss of bergamot and lemon, sparkling like sunlight on cut crystal. Then the composition unfurls its most charming flourish: a playful duo of tarragon and rosemary. These herbs lend whispers of green licorice, cool mint, and peppery zest—much as tarragon enlivens Castle Forbes 1445—making the opening uniquely spirited.

As the scent settles, the “second movement” emerges: jasmine, geranium, carnation, and rose step forward in elegant harmony, their petals warmed by the lingering herbs. Beneath them, oakmoss, patchouli, and a subdued musk evoke a moss-draped forest floor, while lavender drifts through it all, dusting the landscape with powdery barbershop nostalgia.

The 1970s and ’80s marked a second Golden Age for the aromatic fougère—think Drakkar Noir (1982), Azzaro Pour Homme (1978), Polo Green (1978), and, in later years, Tom Ford’s Beau de Jour (2019). Continuum 3 stands comfortably among these icons. Its herb-bright overtone of tarragon and rosemary adds a touch of youthful sophistication that will delight collectors of classic greens.

Here is a comparison of how Continuum 3 stacks up against some of the other venerable fougères of its time. Among the top notes, tarragon is the stand-out scent which truly sets it apart, with supporting roles played by rosemary and nutmeg. Like many fougères it has a floral heart, but the use of rose brings a unique softness which adds to its barbershop powdery quality. As with the others its base is deeply green, the quintessential Fougère hallmark.

Continuum 3 Comparison

Though it walks backward through time, Continuum 3 carries itself like a modern gentleman—polished yet spontaneous, steeped in tradition yet alive with whimsy. As it projects with impressive force, expect each spray to announce your presence and make a statement when you enter the room.

As with all of Phoenix’ soaps, Continuum 3 employs the groundbreaking and beloved CK-6 formula, renowned for its blend of three Amazonian butters—bacuri, cupuaçu, and murumuru—with shea butter, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, and glycerin. The result is a voluminous, high-density lather with exceptional moisturization properties that offer excellent cushion, above-average slickness, and rock-solid stability.

Aftershave Details

Ingredients: Denatured Alcohol, White Sage Hydrosol, Essential & Fragrance Oils, Aloe Vera, Elemi Resin, Willow Bark Extract, Jerusalem Pine Resin, Benzoin Resin, Bayberry Extract Inspiration: Gucci Nobile (1988)

Scent Strength: 9

Longevity: 9

Skin Food Breakdown

Shave Soap Details

Ingredients: Potassium Stearate, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoate, Aqua, Potassium Kokumate, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Shea Butterate, Potassium Castorate, Sodium Stearate, Potassium Cocoa Butterate, Potassium Avocadoate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuacu) Butter, Astrocaryum (Murumuru) Seed Butter, Platonia Insignis (Bacuri) Seed Butter, Parfum [Fragrance]

Inspiration: Gucci Nobile (1988) Lather Type: Textured

Cushion: 9

Density: 8

Stability: 8

Slickness: 7

Scent Strength: 9

Longevity: 8

Skin Food Breakdown

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