Phoenix Electro High Shine: A Chrome Homage Review
Phoenix sent me Electro High Shine for review, and I’ve been wearing it on the back of my hands for the past couple of days. I had never had my nose on Chrome by Azzaro before. Now I understand why people have been asking Phoenix to tackle this one for years.
This is Phoenix Artisan’s tribute to Chrome by Azzaro, one of the most recognized fresh masculine fragrances ever made. Chrome launched in 1996 drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean, clean and optimistic, a signature scent for an entire generation, a benchmark that has held up for three decades. Phoenix set out to recreate what made it unforgettable.
The Scent
Phoenix described the process:
Top: citrus, rosemary, bergamot, neroli, pineapple Heart: jasmine, oakmoss, cyclamen, coriander Base: musk, cedar, sandalwood, cardamom, Brazilian rosewood, tonka bean
On the splash you get gorgeous bright fresh citrus right away. On dry down it gets warmer. I pick up some powder, some florals. Later in the dry down, creaminess and warmth come through. The soap tub reads as a full medium on scent strength, and it’s very close to the splash character.
On paper, bergamot and neroli up top with oakmoss in the heart is going to be interesting. Tonka bean and Brazilian rosewood in the base should bring warmth without going heavy. The label looks like the laboratory where the scent was developed, with some professor character on there. I don’t know who he is, but he looks the part.
I never had my nose on Chrome before, but this is absolutely outrageous. I see why it was a hit.
The Ascension Stainless Steel Razor
This shave’s razor is the Ascension double open comb twist adjustable from Phoenix. 316L stainless steel. Comes with a bomb tip, and I put the dark red one on to match the red in the label and on the brush. The handle is removable, so you can run it shorter or swap out the tip color.
Looks intimidating. It’s not. I loaded a Kai blade on its third and final use, snugged it up, and dialed back about an eighth of a turn. That is my sweet spot. What impresses me every time is the adjustment. You set it, it stays. No drift, no movement mid-shave. I dial back a bit because that improves the efficiency for me, and it just holds. How Phoenix pulls that off I don’t know, but it’s a great feature on a razor you use every day.
The Atomic Rocket Brush
The Atomic Rocket from Phoenix. This was my first synthetic brush and my first brush from Phoenix. 26mm knot. Cream and dark red colors, which matched perfectly with the setup. The artwork on the bottom of the handle is modeled after an Ever-Ready brush handle. Gorgeous. Every time I pick this one up I’m glad I have it.
The Shave
Hot day out, so I started with a little ICE TUBE 2.0 on the face. Mentholated pre-shave, absolutely called for in this weather. About two and a half days of growth going in.
The Electro High Shine lathered up beautifully. CK6 formula. Very slick. Three passes. Called it done. BBS, baby butt smooth.
One thing I always do: take whatever lather is left in the brush or the bowl and put it back on the face before rinsing. Three reasons. It smells great, so you get to enjoy that bright citrus a little longer. It’s good for your face. And if you missed any spots, you’ll catch them here. Nothing missed.
Cold water rinse, then some Galactic Witch Hazel from Phoenix. Good for the face every time. Then Mysterium Serum to finish. The dry down on the splash post-shave is where the powdery notes and the green notes come through from underneath that citrus. That’s what I’m talking about. Wonderful scent.
Thanks to Douglas and Fran for sending this over for review. Stay cool, and I’ll see you next time on the Luxury Shaving Hobbyist.