Thierry Mugler’s fragrances will always have a place in my heart; Mugler was the very first perfume brand I wrote about when I started at Escentual and I instantly fell in love.
I loved the bottles’ adventurous and creative designs that remind me of Thierry Mugler’s French fashion heritage, but what wowed me the most was the scents; they’re bold, confident and not like anything I’d tried before.
Thierry Mugler has made the transition from fashion to fragrance with style and grace, and gained the respect of fragrance experts and the public along the way. And rightly so; there’s a lot to love about Mugler.
So, whether you’re a fan of Mugler’s iconic Alien or you want to know exactly what Angel smells like before buying it, you’ve come to the right place; I reveal everything you need to know about six of Mugler’s most iconic scents.
1. Alien
The Hypnotic Fragrance For Her
What Fragrance Family Is It? Amber-woody-floral.
What Alien Smells Like: We all know that the most important thing about a fragrance is the scent (although I will admit the bottle plays a huge part for me). If you’re a fan of striking and sensual fragrances, Alien Eau de Parfum is the one for you.
If you think floral fragrances are delicate or dainty, you haven’t met Alien; if you could get drunk on floral scents, this would be the fragrance to do it. It starts with a very heady, opulent white floral note of sambac jasmine that symbolises femininity before it blends into a more cosy, sensuous heart of cashmeran wood before leaving a warm, smooth white amber tone on the skin.
About The Bottle: With a dark purple hue, a multifaceted shape and golden detail, Alien’s bottle definitely stand out. I love its multifaceted design and deep violet shades, which allow the flacon to create a sense of mystery; it’s something you could imagine in a sci-fi film – but only for the most stylish extra-terrestrials, of course!
But what’s the thought behind it? The bottle is inspired by an amethyst, a natural gemstone that symbolises mediation and tranquillity – and as a bonus, it’s also refillable.
Is It Unisex? Alien is more of a traditionally feminine fragrance because of its intoxicating floral note.
How Long Does It Last: As an Eau de Parfum, Alien should last between four to five hours. For me, it definitely surpassed the six hour mark.
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2. Alien Man
The Bold, Dominant Scent For Him
What Fragrance Family Is It? Leather-woody-aromatic.
What Alien Man Smells Like: To me, Alien Man picks you up and drops you in the middle of a DIY store or an old-fashioned leather factory – but it makes both of these places stylish and alluring. It has a powerful woody, leathery tones that remind me of a busy workbench that’s piled high with premium leather, with curled wood shavings scattered on the ground.
It opens with aromatic dill and smoky beechwood before a sensual, mysterious heart of cashmeran wood is revealed. Apricot-like osmanthus flower adds a surprising touch alongside sensual white amber in the base, which subtly links it back to Mugler’s feminine Alien counterpart – and proves that male fragrances can use floral notes with confidence.
About The Bottle: The original Alien bottle gets a sleek, elegant overhaul when it comes to the male version. It’s easy to like thanks to its bold and yet still inoffensive look. Despite this, it’s far from mundane; the moody black, multifaceted bottle still feels ultra-stylish.
Is It Unisex? This is designed as a male counterpart to the Alien fragrances for women, and it definitely feels more traditionally masculine with its leathery, woody feel.
How Long Does It Last: For an Eau de Toilette, Alien Man lasts an impressively long time; I sprayed it on my arm in the afternoon and I could still smell it when I was curled up in bed that night!
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3. Angel
The Scent For Someone With A Sweet Tooth
What Fragrance Family Is It? Oriental-gourmand.
What Angel Smells Like: Sweet, delicious and addictive… Angel is like a dessert in a bottle. Inspired by childhood memories, it feels luxurious and rich.
Olivier Cresp’s and Yves de Chiris’ Eau de Parfum opens with a fresh, bright bergamot note, but it doesn’t take long to reveal the gooey, sugary notes of exotic fruit, honey, golden caramel and praline – and thanks to its food-inspired notes, Angel Eau de Parfum was even classed as the first modern gourmand fragrance! As the perfume mellows and unwinds, it reveals a more sensual base of warm vanilla and woody patchouli.
About The Bottle: Like a lot of Mugler fragrances, Angel’s iconic blue, star-shaped bottle adopts an otherworldly, celestial theme. It’s pretty, feminine and fun, but still feels confident. It definitely shines bright on your dressing table!
Is It Unisex? It feels like more of a feminine fragrance because of its sweet tone.
How Long Does It Last: It certainly lasts the minimum four to five hours for an Eau de Parfum, and although it’s not too intense after this stage, it has a subtle, cosy and sensual tone which I love.
4. A*Men
The Deep, Moreish Scent For Men
What Fragrance Family Is It? Oriental-woody.
What A*Men Smells Like: I’d describe A*Men as a very bold, seductive fragrance, and the almost-edible, gourmand notes make the scent addictive. It feels spicier at first spritz as the woody dimension juxtaposes the likes of peppermint and aromatic lavender with patchouli and soft, sensual bourbon vanilla.
As it mellows, it feels sweeter, richer and more seductive as it warms on the skin. To me, the coffee note really jumps out; even though I’m not a huge coffee drinker, it makes me crave a cup! It combines seductive musk and vanilla-like tonka bean, making it feel like a smooth, rich, indulgent cup of coffee from a swanky cafe.
About The Bottle: Designed by Thierry Mugler himself, the midnight-black bottle for A*Men is sleek and sophisticated, while the heart reveals a contemporary blue star (reminding you of Angel!) Plus, there’s a rubber flask edition and a metallic edition that you can keep replenished with a refill option. Sustainable and stylish; what’s not to love?
Is It Unisex? It feels like quite a masculine fragrance to me, but thanks to well-loved notes like vanilla and coffee, it feels more universally appealing as it develops.
How Long Does It Last: A*Men is a bold fragrance that definitely lasts at least six hours for me.
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5. Angel Nova
TThe Super-Feminine Scent For Women
What Fragrance Family Is It? Fruity-floral-woody.
What Angel Muse Smells Like: Angel Nova is a truly captivating scent. It opens with a shot of raspberry – a sweet, juicy note that often has a rosy feel to it when used in fragrance – which is paired with aquatic lychee for a fresh, fruity and joyful tone.
The Eau de Parfum then centres around Damask rose, a stunning floral note that’s created using a double extraction process; the distilled petals are reused to reduce waste, resulting in a truly unique note that fragrance experts and the environmentally-conscious alike will love.
Finally, the dreamy perfume reveals a smooth, comforting and sensual woody base that lingers on, thanks to vanilla-like benzoin and akigalawood.
About The Bottle: Angel Nova’s flacon feels otherworldly and unique – in true Mugler style! The raspberry pink hue nods at the rosy facets within while recalling the original Angel, but it still shines in its own right. And of course, the eco-friendly approach is continued with the refill bottle.
Is It Unisex? Angel Nova is marketed at women and does feel more feminine due to its fruity, floral tones – but of course, the most important thing about a fragrance is that you enjoy wearing it!
How Long Does It Last: Like most Mugler fragrances, Angel Nova is very long-lasting, allowing you to enjoy the delicious, seductive base notes as the day wears on.
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6. Aura
The Fragrance That Takes You To The Jungle
What Fragrance Family Is It? Oriental-botanical.
What Aura Smells Like: Aura Eau de Parfum feels very green and fresh to me. It’s inspired by the animal and botanical kingdoms, and it captures that theme perfectly.
From the offset, Aura is a very intense green scent; it feels like you’re exploring a dense jungle, brushing your way through weighty, dewy leaves and walking over knotted roots and damp earth. This is all thanks to the tiger liana plant – a note that’s inspired by a traditional Chinese medicinal plant that creates a smoky, sensual vibe. The heart blends orange blossom and rhubarb leaves for an ultra-fresh, floral tone before the more seductive, alluring base of sweet bourbon vanilla and wolfwood is revealed.
About The Bottle: Everything about Aura is green, including the bottle. Cut like a faceted, heart-shaped gemstone with a silver crown, the mysterious flacon makes you feel like you’ve stumbled across an allusive, sparkling jade-green gemstone on your adventures, and it catches the light beautifully.
Is It Unisex? Aura Eau de Parfum is a very bold, powerful botanical fragrance when first spritzed, and feels more universal so I could see all genders wearing this. However, it does have a more floral heart so it feels more traditionally feminine as it mellows.
How Long Does It Last: Aura is a very long-wearing fragrance, which is partly thanks to the fact that it’s so bold and dominant in the first place. For me, it was incredibly long-lasting; I spritzed it three times on my wrist late afternoon, and even by the early morning I could just about make out the subtle, vanilla trails.
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