Alien

Alien is not a perfume. Alien is a presence. The opening hits with that unmistakable solar jasmine blast - bright, metallic, almost electric. It’s not soft, not polite, not blended. It’s a beam. A white‐gold, radioactive, otherworldly flash that announces itself before you even enter the room. Then the magic happens: the jasmine doesn’t fade - it mutates. It becomes warmer, deeper, almost glowing from within. The cashmeran rises like heat from skin, giving the whole fragrance a warm, ambery, slightly woody aura that feels both comforting and alien at the same time. The dry down is where Alien becomes addictive: a glowing, ambery skin scent wrapped in jasmine that never fully lets go. It clings to clothes, hair, scarves - it's the kind of scent trail people follow without realising they’re doing it. Alien is bold, radiant, unapologetic. It’s not for everyone - and that’s exactly why it’s iconic. It's pyramid is famously minimal, listing only three notes, but it behaves like 20. It's complex, metallic, solar, warm, woody, sweet, animalic, radiant, narcotic and glowing. It's genius, it's maximalism built from minimalism. It's the Mugler paradox. The Jasmine isn't pretty, it's electric. Alien's Jasmine is metallic, solar, sharp, luminous, almost neon. It behaves like white light, not a flower. Alien feels alive - it has voltage. Before Alien, cashmeran was a background note but Alien made it a structure, not an accent. It makes Alien warm, woody, a skin-like glow and gives it that addictive "I can't stop smelling my wrist" effect. It's the warm shadow behind the solar Jasmine. It feels like a sun goddess. Alien is not a mood, not a vibe, it is a being. Alien feels alive and is instantly recognisable. One molecule in the air and you know Alien was here. It is both polarising and addictive. Masterpieces have always divided people but when a fragrance is universally "nice" it's forgettable. Alien is unforgettable, that's the mark of a masterpiece. If you want a fragrance that behaves like a character, not a composition or background scent, Alien is still one of the greatest ever made. Longevity: nuclear Projection: interdimensional Sillage: “I smelled you in the hallway and knew it was you” personal notes: Batch Preferences: 1. 2005 (pre-reformulated EDP) - worn for impact, not for compliments. 2. Modern EDT - preserves more of the vintage DNA than the current EDP. Vintage Alien was nuclear; modern EDP is no longer weaponised but still strong-ish and modern EDT is just moderate, but plot-twist, the EDT still has the metallic flash and extraterrestrial jasmine solar beam that made Alien famous. The EDT smells more like the original Alien for the first 2–3 hours than the modern EDP does at any point. Latest purchase: 2023 - Still Alien, but with the edges sanded down. Recognisably the same purple‐glowing, jasmine‐solar signature - but no longer nuclear. Softer, smoother, and less radioactive than the original Thierry Mugler formula. Modern Alien EDP needs help to get closer to vintage: Molecule 05 Cashmeran (1 spray), Jasmine Sambac attar (tiny dab), modern Alien (2-3 sprays) to get shockingly close. Alien is solar-reactive - temperature changes its behaviour. Vintage Alien is glorious in cooler temperatures. Cool air tightens the jasmine beam and deepens the amber. Modern Alien is thinner, brighter, cleaner, more synthetic and less resinous - it doesn't "glow" in cold air the way vintage does and needs the right environment to make it behave more like vintage: Wear in cool weather (10–16°C) - to tighten the jasmine and prevent the metallic heat-screech. Avoid outdoor heat - heat exposes the synthetic brightness making it thin and sharp. Wear indoors in winter - indoor warmth activates the amber and cashmeran, closer to giving that vintage glow.

As this has been my signature scent for years, I think it's finally time to give it credit where it's due. Because this fragrance is so personal to me it's harder to express all of my feelings towards it but I will try and edit as I go. First of all, Thierry Mugler is MY house (no I don't own it nor work for them lol)... as in if I were stuck on a deserted island with three things, Alien would be one of them (the Gold Excess Giant Bottle 40.1oz bottle of course)! To me it is so many things: it is beauty and refreshing sophistication, confidence yet vulnerability, alluring and sensual yet innocent, floral, sweet, spicy, and it invokes an actual feeling of purple somehow. To simply say it is foreign, as in Alien, would be too obvious but not wrong. It is my go-to fragrance, especially if I'm feeling down or am ever in need of a quick ego boost. If I close my eyes it transports me back in time to my childhood house, which had several jasmine bushes and vines climbing every pillar. It is also what I've worn in times of happiness, any cause for celebration, first dates, even job interviews; basically every important pillar in the last 5 years of my life. The feelings and memories combined in this fragrance make me feel like... like an invincible jasmine petal! From beginning to end it is a blossoming cold jasmine flower, accompanied with a side of warm, oozing, radiant amber and served on a smooth, creamy wooden plate. The lasting power and sillage is amazing! 10/10 on skin and a 12/10 on clothing where it will last for weeks, if not months! There is no need for more than 1-2 sprays so it can last you a very long time (unless you're like me and spray it constantly on yourself just because you can lol). I also very much enjoy the fact that there are refillable bottles and therefore it is economical and eco-friendly. This is my MOST complimented perfume to date with both men and women of all ages, but in my case, especially the men! ***Dear Thierry Mugler, please never discontinue this as I don't have $2500 for that 40.1 oz bottle and I'm fresh out of genie lamps***

How good is this fragrance? Well, let me tell you: About a year ago I began getting into purchasing fragrances. I started with less expensive perfumes from Victoria's Secret, Bath and Body Works as well as popular celebrity frangrances. Recently, I've been sniffing around the higher end fragrances (Jadore, Miss Dior, Burberry Brit, Light Blue, Bright Crystal, Hypnotic Poison, etc.). I even built a huge "I want it" list based on reviews from this site alone. But about a week ago I found a sample size of Alien in my possession given to me years ago by a sales associate at Macy's. I didn't like it at the time but decided to give it a try. Oh my goodness... What have I been doing and where have you been? You know how people say that you'll know "the one" when you meet them? That's how I felt about Alien. It's as if I was going through the motions with the other fragrances when all of a sudden I meet the perfume of my dreams. I can't imagine wearing anything else. I'm so in love with this fragrance that I don't plan on continuing to build a fragrance collection. I've even decreased my "I want it" list from over 100 to a small handful (all of which I can still live without). Fragrance truly is a matter of personal taste. I don't care whether it's going to draw compliments, or attract men, or make me look like I'm banking a million bucks, I just like it for my own pleasure, and this is the first time that I've had this mindset about a fragrance since high school. I was swept up by all the raves on this site about this fragrance and that fragrance that I never really thought about whether it was right for ME. Anyway...love!

The polar opposite of "Angel". It is nowhere near as beastly as I imagined based on its name, package and reputation. In fact, this one is more "angelic" than its stellar sister. Mine is a fairly new formulation, though, so I am sure it differs from the initial release. "Mugler" has a knack for creating stunning scents with a handful of notes. The ones I have and enjoy are "Angel Muse", "Womanity" and "Alien". Unlike "Angel", these are quite modest note-wise, but they are complete, full scents that need nothing added to them nonetheless. The jasmine is green and fresh in the opening of "Alien" but loses the green accord and dries into a creamy bright note. The scent is velvety and smooth, and has a blankety quality as another user mentioned below. All of these accords are enriched by a subtle amber base. "Alien" is a relatively strong white floral fragrance with a considerable performance. I do become nose blind to it at some point but it manages to remind me of itself whenever my body gets warmer. The sillage is quite nice for a couple of hours then the scent really sticks to your clothes. I can still smell it on myself later in the evening. Overall, I get close to 10, maybe 12 hours of longevity which is insane. Originality: 7/10 Marketing (including name and package): 9/10 Performance: 10/10 Value for money: 7/10 Not a blind buy!

I know this does not smell natural. I would say that Jasmine Sambac & Marigold, Diorissimo, and Do Son smell natural, quite similar to real white flowers, but I can't pull those off. I love the scent of white flowers in nature but not always on me; they remind me of my grandma (and I say it respectfully; I love the way my grandma smells). Well, Alien manages to make me feel attracted. No matter how "synthetic" and overused this is, I always turn my head when someone passes by wearing this. I used to have the Eau de Toilette flanker, which I found more powdery and soapy for daytime (sadly discontinued); they're both kryptonite for me. I smell the jasmine on top of a soft (and white) woody/ambery base. On my skin, this jasmine is super linear. I don't think it is decadent or indolic. It's more juvenile than mature (I'm talking about the attitude only; it's appropriate for all "adult" ages). Wear it at the right moment, with the right clothes and the right smile, and you will conquer the night. I also love the name "Alien" for such a synthetic (but attractive) note and the "talisman" concept of the bottle. It's like an amethyst stone delivered from another planet, designed to conquer the human race. 💎👽