Angelic

Once upon a time it was 1992. Everyone and their sister were wearing Calvin Klein : Either Escape or Eternity (their mothers were still wearing Poison). Then came Thierry Mugler and created his chocolate infused fruity-floral, which became the scent of the decade and stank up elevators around the globe.

Try as I might, I can't think of another gourmand fragrance that gained this much popularity prior to Angel. I actually think that this was what started the trend (epidemic?) of "yummy". Perfumes used to smell sexy, seductive, pretty, clean, dangerous... Not edible. Can you imagine one of the great houses of yore creating a scent that would make you think of fudge?

The "yummy" factor makes the Angel wearer want to bathe in it. Hence the very successful line of Angel bath and body products. And the amount of the stuff sprayed by the fans. Now, I'm the last person who can complain about strong perfumes and the amount sprayed. I love my fragrances, I want to smell them on myself for hours and I want you to smell them on me. And, I expect compliments on my good taste. But even I have to put the limit somewhere, and making the entire room, movie theater or subway car smell like this chocolatey melon and peach concoction is criminal.

Angel has spawned countless imitators and several legitimate offspring. I'm actually fond of Angel Innocent, because it lacks the harsh fruity opening with the weird chocolate, and instead there's a honeyed musky drydown that works quite nicely on my skin. The amber helps as well.

Angel haters can be divided to two groups. The first is the anti patchouli people. I'm not one of them. While there are many examples of patch gone wild, I'm more likely to enjoy it. I belong to the group who recoils at the fruity blast of the opening. Melon and peach are among the notes I dislike most and never work for me. It's everything I dislike in a fruity floral, and no amount of chocolate can help it.

This is why, upon reading Colombina's review of Il Profumo's Chocolat Frais I wasn't all that thrilled at the chance of trying it on. But I did have the sample and I do write a beauty blog, so there I was, applying this fragrance to my skin...

The bad news is that Columbina is right. It's another Angel clone, from the first pineapple note (funny how often a chocolate note turns pineapple. Some smell it in Tom Ford's Black Orchid, while I have no idea what they're talking about, but I fully get it here). It develops very much like Angel and gives the same foody vibe.

The good news is that it's not as bad or as fruity. It's a kinder, gentler Angel. When the pineapple goes away, the feel of it is closer to Angel Innocent, even if not as musky and not as long lasting. It's an okay fragrance, really.

The only question is: Why?

Out of This World- Thierry Mugler Alien

I've written before how some of the most popular and heavily praised fragrances (Prada, Cashmere Mist, Chanel Chance) don't work for me. I either dislike them instantly, or they dislike my body's chemistry and just stink.

On the other hand, some of my most favorite perfumes are a bit left-of-center when it comes to popularity. Like my long-standing love affair with Tiffany (some say it's very old ladyish, but I've been using it bottle after bottle ever since I was 22).

One of the most maligned scents of the last 12 months is Alien by Thierry Mugler. So many reviewers hated it with the kind of passion I save for Escada perfumes. It seems that a lot of people can't stand intense jasmine notes. Also, it's very strong, dark and uncompromising. I admit that just from sniffing the bottle I wouldn't notice the sexy treat that awaited me within.

The bottom line is that jasmine can work for me. It has depth and embracing qualities that for someone else would be too overwhelming, but work perfectly on my fragrance-eating skin. I wore it all winter, sometimes even for daytime and have gotten many compliments. It's different and sexy, but I do understand why it's not for everyone. As the weather gets warmer I'll see how often I reach for it. Maybe for evening.

A lot has been said about the bottle. Like the fragrance, it's different and immediately recognizable. The alien theme is strong in its design, and I've read a comment or two comparing it to a Vorlon encounter suit from Babylon 5. There is some truth in this. I might be as girly as they come, but I'm also a sci-fi nerd in disguise. I named one of my cats after Ambassador Kosh, so having him (the Vorlon, not my orange tabby) immortalized in a great perfume bottle is very nice.

For the non-nerds among you, here's Ambassador Kosh in his encounter suit. You can see and compare for yourself.


November 2007 : I can't believe the change of heart I've had about this one. Jasmine has become my nose's archnemesis, unless it's so well-blended I can't pick it up by itself. Alien started smelling harsh, artificial and skanky and the sillage was a major headache trigger. I don't know if it's my nose, my skin or just becoming more particular about perfume, but after avoiding the bottle for a year, I ended up selling it and couldn't be happier to see it go.