A Google search will reveal lots of print in Cyberspace about this aftershave on shaving forums. It seems both polarizing and mythical with comments like “The Veg Chooses You” vs. “It smells like a urinal puck.” It’s been around over a century and historical evidence would indicate it was once rather popular. Bottom line, it doesn’t smell anything like a modern fragrance or aftershave one may be familiar with. One should place themselves in the context of 19th Century to early 20th Century urban life or simply just Main Street USA. Dominant smells would be horses and their excrement, coal and wood fires, tobacco, and whatever accumulated in garbage cans and gutters before the plastic trash bag neatly contained our wastes and made it less accessible to flies and vermin. Coming out of the Barber shop then sporting a floral bouquet of Lilac was a fantastic mask to the harsh odors of the day. I imagine they likely didn’t have the woodsy earthy men’s fragrances of today, because there were enough “earthy” scents in life to contend with. One may like the fragrance of Lilac Vegetal or they may not but urge all to try. The best advice out there bar none is it must be decanted into a glass bottle. If one takes a whiff right out of the plastic, it 100% smells like a urinal puck and also very chemical. I take this one step further and believe it works best with an atomizer. In glass for a few days, Lilac Vegetal takes on a much cleaner, powdery scent that is both refreshing and rather subdued. Years ago a YouTube reviewer said Lilac Vegetal smells like “Grandma’s Laundry.” That may not be too far off. It’s a scent one could consider unisex. It’s certainly not like a modern masculine fragrance. It’s definitely a great one to apply after shaving or showering. I like it as a change of pace in the warmer mos. It functions well in the aftershave space like other Pinaud classics. I’ve paired it with soaps that have lighter, non woodsy fragrances. Arko and Cella both come to mind. The small Pinaud 1.7oz bottles present minimal risk to trying. Again, always decant from plastic to glass before using and making any judgement. It may very much work for you and get a spot in your rotation.
