I have a crush.  I mean it, I’ve got it bad, like, really bad.  Last summer I fell head over heels for my sweet, little beloved and now this summer, she’s back in town and I’m falling again. Her name is Angel Eau Sucrée and she is my beautiful candy crush.  That’s right, I’m in love and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  Hopefully Angel Eau Sucrée and I will have a long and happy relationship together, and not just a summer fling!

In all seriousness, the news of Angel Eau Sucrée’s relaunch this summer is music to my ears, or pleasure to my nose, should I say.  Repackaged in a deep blue translucent bottle complete with textured glitter (as opposed to last year’s bottle of opaque baby blue), this delectable edition of Angel boasts the same delicious formula as last year, which leads me to think that, If the sweet shops on Planet Mugler all smell this good, then I’ll happily go into space with a one-way ticket.  Could someone arrange that for me?

The Notes

Top: Red Fruit Sorbet
Heart: Caramelised Meringue
Base: Vanilla and Patchouli

How Does it Smell?

First things first, and before we get into the detail, here’s a little bit of back story for you.  Thierry Mugler’s Angel, which launched in 1992, was inspired by Mugler’s childhood and his whimsically gourmand memories of funfairs, candy floss and toffee apples.  Angel therefore boasts a veritable feast of foody notes such as; chocolate, caramel, vanilla and candy floss (it contains a high dose of ethyl maltol, which smells pretty close to candy floss).  The whole thing would be disgustingly sweet if it weren’t for the gigantic slug of patchouli that makes Angel, well, ‘Angel’.  So, Angel was pretty tasty to begin with, but now Angel Eau Sucrée takes things to a whole new level of sweetness.

Rather than following the well-trodden route of summer fragrances with citrus, Eau Sucrée lightens Angel’s iconic composition with a sorbet of red fruits.  The first spritz sends forth a rush of tart and mouth watering fruits that feel cold and glittery.  A touch of mint in the background adds a subtle garnish to this most enticing of desserts, and the initial impression has a definite sense of fun to it, almost as if this particular star in Mugler’s galaxy is Angel’s ditzier, and much less intimidating sister.  Less drag queen and more Bratz doll, if you will.

Things become much sweeter in the heart, which is chock full of sugary meringue.  The shiny, bright shells of the meringue are swirled with pink strips of berry sorbet revealing, as they are crushed and broken, a doughy, fluffy centre of pure, unrefined sweetness.  At times the slightly metallic feel of egg whites can be smelled amongst all of that sugar, and it really is heavenly bliss in a bottle.

In the base Angel Eau Sucrée becomes more recognisably ‘Angel’.  The original’s signature foundation of vanilla and patchouli (an accord that was the starting point of Angel, and is referred to as ‘Patchou’ by perfumer Oliver Cresp).  In Eau Sucrée the patchouli is dialled down, allowing for the vanilla to take prominence.  The balance creates a plush and creamy base with an underlying sharpness that feels perfectly in keeping with the original, despite the additional array of sweet and fluffy treats.

Angel Eau Sucree is all fluffy bunnies and lollipops.  It is the olfactory equivalent of baby pink bows, delicately whipped meringues and fruit syrup.  Marvellously, it doesn’t feel immature, sickly or even silly, it simply feels like a wonderful treat – an indulgence that should be enjoyed in excess.  Let’s just hope Mugler brings it back again next year.  No wait, scrap that.  Let’s hope they bring it back as a permanent addition to the collection!