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"Aphrodite" by Laban: Fountain Pen Ink Review
- Mar 1
- 4 min read
A sophisticated, dusty rose-pink with a unique brownish undertone that gives your writing a vintage, "faded-ink" charm.
Core Properties 🖋
✅ Standard Fountain Pen Ink
❌ Sheen
❌ Glitter/Shimmer
❌ Waterproof/Permanent Ink
The Review:
Laban Aphrodite is a remarkably well-behaved ink that strikes a perfect balance for everyday use while hiding a sophisticated personality. Over the course of my two-week test, the flow proved to be very consistent—leaning slightly toward the wet side of the spectrum without becoming overly saturated or messy. I experienced zero hard starts or clogging issues, even when switching between a Diplomat, a Tom Hessen, and a Noodler’s Ahab. The ink truly shines when paired with a flex nib; the Noodler’s Ahab allows for a beautiful backflow effect where extra ink pools at the end of a stroke, creating a deep, saturated contrast against the lighter initial marks.
The aesthetic of the ink is deeply tied to the nib size you choose. In a fine or medium nib, the color is pleasant and unique, but you do sacrifice some of the ink's most beautiful characteristics for the sake of utility. For instance, the drying time on a fine nib is an impressive 12 seconds, making it a fantastic choice for quick note-taking. However, if you move up to a 1.1mm stub or a broader nib, the ink truly "wakes up." While the dry time stretches to about 30 seconds on these larger nibs, the trade-off is worth it to see the stunning, light-to-dark shading that gives this ink its namesake "Goddess" personality.
Paper choice is the final piece of the puzzle for Aphrodite. On high-quality Clairefontaine Triomphe paper, the ink is flawless with no feathering or bleed-through. However, on lower-quality Pen+Gear paper, I did notice some Feathering and ghosting with finer nibs, and even some bleed-through with larger nibs. To really see the unique color and depth this ink offers, I highly recommend sticking to premium paper; lower-quality fibers tend to soak up the ink too quickly, "flattening" the color and muting the shading.
Maintenance with this ink is surprisingly simple for such a vibrant color. During my cleaning process, I found it to be a "quick flush" ink that leaves no significant staining behind. Even though it behaved perfectly in my tests, the pink-leaning tones mean I would still suggest a bit of caution and regular cleaning if you plan to use it in a demonstrator pen. Overall, Laban Aphrodite is a pleasure to use—it’s reliable enough for your daily journal but possesses enough artistic flair to make your special correspondence stand out.
To bring the review to life, I’ve included a series of photographs that demonstrate the ink’s behavior under real writing conditions. These images highlight everything from smudge resistance and drying time intervals to the flow characteristics observed during extended writing. You are seeing my authentic comments penned using the ink itself, offering a direct glimpse into its consistency, saturation, and personality of the ink. These snapshots serve not just as proof, but as part of the ink’s narrative—capturing its strengths, quirks, and overall impression.
**Please note that our reviews may differ significantly from what you typically see from other individuals or companies. This is more than just a review—it's an ink test conducted for both our benefit and yours. We use each ink for one and a half to two weeks to gather as much information as possible. During this time, we test a range of nib sizes to evaluate how the ink performs across different writing styles. Some inks are tested with everything from a fine nib to a 1.1 mm stub, while shimmer inks may only be used with broad and stub nibs, as we generally advise against using shimmer inks with fine or extra-fine nibs.
This isn’t a “sit down, open a bottle, and write a review in 15 minutes” kind of approach. Instead, we aim to offer insights based on real-world tests and extended daily use. Keep in mind, every pen writes a little differently, and ink performance can vary from one to another. We also conduct several tests on various types of paper. Most of the time, we use Clairefontaine Triomphe 90g paper as our high-quality benchmark, and Pen+Gear 20lb copy paper as a lower-quality comparison.**
Performance Factors
Saturation & Depth - (How rich and bold the ink appears)
3 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✧✧) – Well-saturated. A nice balance between bold and soft.
Shading / Sheen / Shimmer - (How the ink performs against other inks in this category)
4 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✒️✧) – Beautiful shading/sheen/shimmer! Ink has depth and personality.
Consistency & Flow - (Is is smooth & reliable while writing?)
4 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✒️✧) – Smooth & steady. Reliable, no skips, great ink performance.
Feathering & Bleed-through - (How much the ink spread/bleed on different paper types)
4 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✒️✧) – Excellent! No feathering on quality paper.
Drying Time - (How fast the ink dries on paper?)
⬜3 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✧✧) – Moderate. Dries in 13-20 seconds, decent for daily use.
Smudging & Smear Resistance - (How well the ink resists smudging)
⬜4 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✒️✧) – Low smudging! Stays clean with careful handling.
Water Resistance - (How well the ink holds up against moisture)
1 Nib (✒️✧✧✧✧) – Completely washes away. Will vanish with a single drop of water.
Cleaning - (How easy it is to flush ink from a fountain pen?)
4 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✒️✧) – Quick flush. Minimal effort needed—leaves no stubborn traces.
Staining – (Does the Ink Leave a Mark Where It Shouldn't after cleaning?)
4 Nibs (✒️✒️✒️✒️✧) - Little to no staining visible. Feed may retain faint traces, but barrel and nib clean easily.
Overall Opinion
Aphrodite Foutain Pen Ink by Laban is a pleasure to use. Beautiful color, good flow, and just enough uniqueness to elevate your writing. Not quite perfect, but it rewards regular use and offers a refined experience without fuss.
Interested in this ink?
Fountain Pen Ink Review: Aphrodite by Laban
Fountain Pen Ink Review: Aphrodite by Laban
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