A nice sweet generic perfume for the budget-conscious beginner
Mauboussin existed since 1927 as a jeweler in Paris, but their foray into perfumery in 2000 with launch of the first perfume, composed by Christine Nagel. Unfortunately, they haven’t made the jump to be the next Cartier making great perfumes. Currently, most of their perfumes are available around $25 at discounters. Pour Lui in Black is a flanker of another generic fragrance, Mauboussin Pour Lui. Pour Lui in Black is a composition of Nathalie Feisthauer, created in 2014.
It opens with a strong black of orange and caramel, with nuances of mint. This intense sweetness puts it apart from other generic men’s perfumes. These opening notes continues for an hour or so, until the perfume more aromatic and woodier. The middle notes are listed as sage and cedar, which I can neither confirm nor deny. The base notes and dry down continue to be sweet and woody, with guaiac, benzoin and patchouli. It is a nice ending though I cannot separate out the notes. The overall generic vibe is that of an airport perfume boutique. However, this is a good perfume to wear when you are home, and you don’t want a lot of sophistication.
I like the longevity and projection of this perfume. It lasts 8-10 hours on my skin. The sillage is good, though a bit generic. It can be worn at work if applies lightly, a few hours before you get there.
Mauboussin pour Lui in Black is a good perfume for the $26 I paid for 3.3 oz. But there are so many similar options at this price point. You are likely to find comparable perfumes from Faconnable, Lalique and many middle eastern perfumers at this price point. Even some designers like Givenchy sell their vintage perfumes at this price range. I recommend this as an inexpensive starter for a men’s collection, particularly when someone is conscious about their budget. It has the distinct personality of a teenager’s perfume. But it is a good inoffensive perfume to reach for when you don’t want to think too much about perfumes. I hold on to it and wear it occasionally to remind me how my olfactory sensibilities have changed.
