Alien Essence Absolue

Comparison of a 2006 EdP and a 2013 Essence Absolue This one is easy: these are virtually two completely different perfumes. But those familiar with Mugler will say “of course they are, this is no surprise, where have you been” and, of course, they are correct. The extraterrestrials on planet Mugler have done this a countless number of times – that is, creating a flanker (frequently numerous flankers) with the original’s name but having precious little to do with the original. The EdP is one of the best synthetic jasmine musk perfumes created this century. A high bar that you are certainly going to ask me to justify, and that a few will scoff at and tell me my head is obviously in outer space. Essence Absolue is not a jasmine, but it carries that otherworldly character of the EdP forward into a new chapter that is very convincing and worthy of the line (even though it has nothing olfactorily to do with the EdP), and, I will say, is one of the best floral vanillas of this century. Yep, I’m going all in today. The EdP opens with a massive blast of the brightest white jasmine that whirls with the plasmatic textures of nebulae. The first spray launches itself like an exploding star. Citrusy, slightly indolic, certainly floral, rich and creamy, a touch green, also fleshy fruity, it’s every aspect of jasmine you have ever or could ever smell, yet the cashmeran in the heart is also already present, which gives this jasmine a texture that – at least at the time it was released – was unlike anything we had ever smelled before. The cashmeran gives it a thick, impenetrable, and fraught feeling while also being very plush and pliant. Nebulae look pretty, but they’ll annihilate you in a second. With Essence Absolue’s opening, jasmine's naturalistic characteristics are mostly absent in the opening but might as well be completely absent since it seems to be knocked-far-off-its-center by the other materials that we get more of an orange blossom and gardenia type floral. There is a sweet fleshy citrus floral like orange blossom, not sharp citrus or greens or indolic like natural jasmine grandiflorum or jasmine sambac, and it is extremely heady and creamy like gardenia. It also doesn’t explode with galactic force; it’s strong, but it’s noticeably less diffusive than the EdP. There are other players here as well, crowding in on the gentle floral notes: a very funky vanilla that smells almost rotted/composted, buttery and starchy orris that keeps the perfume balanced and not falling over the line of sickly sweet, and a note that the brand doesn’t mention but I’m finding noticeable amounts, which is that of heliotrope. There is something unsettling, the smell of bitter metallic and cyanide almonds, weaving almost invisible tendrils around the other notes that are hard to see but impossible to ignore. If the EdP is a bright white and rainbow-color-flecked nebula, Absolue is a plasmatic nebula of a more nefarious brown and black color nearing that of the universe’s infinite expanse where you question whether you’re about to step into the nebula and be consumed or are you taking just one more step into the void. Yes, two very different perfumes, but they stick to the same brief somehow: one is a bizarre and otherworldly jasmine, the other a bizarre and otherworldly floral vanilla. In the final stages the EdP sticks with the cashmeran route, white floral and woody, and continuing to play with plasmatic textures all the way to the final skin scent of what the brand calls “white amber.” This is really just synthetic musks that are white floral and soapy in nature but lean a sweeter direction with some vanilla and are given a good dose of animalics that help them belt with a rounded galactic boom. Think of rich soap bubbles that are the texture of some alien goo, and you’re there. Curiously, Essence Absolue goes in a little less of a sci-fi direction, taking the floral vanilla amber and giving it some lovely, green, and resinous myrrh smoke - a very clever and natural link to the heliotrope (or what might have been it) - and also some of the EdP's animalic floral/soapy musks while the vanilla and orange blossom stay fairly prominent. Essence Absolue’s ending doesn’t leave you with the EdP's shock and anxiety of exploring the final frontier, rather it leaves you with the peace and equanimity of the infinite silence in the warm glow of a star. So, there you have it, and my apologies as I’m going to gather this is going to be less than helpful; some simple educated guesses from a glance at the note pyramid for each perfume will probably have gotten you mostly to this point. However, I still feel the need to do this simply because I love both of these perfumes very much and they need to be compared for posterity so that they can deservedly stand on their own. They couldn’t be more different, and yet somehow they still convey enough in common to be noticeably related. Even today, twenty years on from the EdP’s release and thirteen years on from Absolue’s release, they still feel and smell like they’re far in the future. Despite this quite difficult creative brief, and the very obvious use of synthetics, the best characteristic of both is that even with their futuristic, weird, and extraterrestrial personalities they have remarkable clarity in their voices, and they are so very well defined as to fit in any era or generation they are encountered. I can’t help but think of Nebula from Guardians of the Galaxy when I smell these: when she wears Absolue she’s in a kind and fun or flirty mood, wanting to invite me in for a drink. When’s she’s wearing the EdP, I’m not getting out of there alive.

TLDR; This liquid is pure nectar of the gods. But--for the best and most consistent experience of this glorious creation, keep this baby in its box. It really makes a difference with this one. Full review: I bought my first bottle of this in 2015 and instantly fell in love. I had a love affair with Alien, collecting the flankers and this was my most-used one, my go-to in cooler weather. Then I went on a 5-year fragrance hiatus, storing away my entire collection during this time. It was only last month, in mid-September when it was still warm out (around 70’s or low 80’s I believe), that I re-visited AEA after coming back from my hiatus. One spritz and the memory of its deep, rich, cozy luciousness came flooding back. BUT there was also this potent menthol note that I do not remember whatsoever from the banks of my scent memory. I was not a fan. Maybe my nose became more sensitive in detecting this note, maybe my tastes simply evolved after all those years. Who knows. I was in the process of selling off my entire Alien collection at this time, but because I had such fond memories of AEA, I decided to keep this bottle, the last Alien left in my collection, to re-visit during cooler months. Yesterday, I sprayed this on and oh my goodness. The depth, the sensuality, the sweetness that envelops you without being cloying. All of the yumminess was there—WITHOUT the menthol note. None whatsoever. The only explanations that I can think of for this is that: 1) The composition of AEA is in peak synchrony during cooler / colder weather. Wearing it off-season will throw off it all off balance, e.g., a way off-balance menthol note 2) My sensitivity to certain notes has changed after this recent bout of covid that has been going around this past Fall Whatever the reason, this scent experience has highlighted the virtues of patience as a fragrance lover and just how delicate our relationship to scent is according to so many personal or environmental factors that are beyond our comprehension. I am so glad I didn’t declutter this considering how much it’s going for these days. UPDATE Nov 24, 2023: A few weeks after I posted the above review, I sprayed this on again and the menthol / indolic note was back. Puzzled & back to square one. Today I received a 60ml bottle with about 15ml of juice left. Juice color was way lighter compared to my bottle, and this bottle was kept in the box for most of its life except for instances when it was in use. The bottle condition was almost pristine considering how much juice was used. Scent also does not have that mentholic note whatsoever. With my original bottle, I 100% believe the maturation of the juice outside of its box brought out this note. Scores of perfume lovers and experts have recommend this as a best practice, but this is the first instance where I have experienced firsthand the preservation of a fragrance over time when it was kept in its box vs. when it was not. My bottle has been hanging out without a box since 2015. This one is a finnicky one according to my varying experiences. In summary, for the best and most consistent experience of this glorious creation, keep this baby in its box. It really makes a difference with this one.

Oh I took my time before writing a review for this one. Alien EA was the second fragrance to completely win me over, body and soul, after 10 years of wearing nothing but Angel. Then Alien EA came out... and I had to have it. Alien DNA is immediately very recognizable: vanilla lightened by jasmine and a medicinal note. But here, it's anise and licorice, which deliver more of a "plant" and balsamic medicinal and not the "pharmacy" medicinal of Alien OG. EA's vanilla is very round and immediately warmed by cashmere and iris root, giving it a silky, deep, warm and very slightly powdery feel. It's like snuggling up in a big, luxurious blanket in a living room with old wooden furniture, a licorice tea waiting next to you. After a while, it becomes increasingly ambery and almondy, still with the anise twist that gives it depth. I also distinguish an almost earthy woody-mushroom accord (cashmere), which makes it as addictive as Angel's patchouli could be... EA is comforting and lifting at the same time. Mystical and solar. Complex and so well-balanced that the whole seems like a perfect evidence. Sillage and longevity are excellent. Through the years, the juice darkens to a reddish-black (vanilla!) and becomes even more balsamic. Lasting power is slightly reduced, 6-7h still. I could literally bathe in this scent. I was lucky enough to discover it as it was released in 2012 and to wear it daily for several years. It's a huge perfume from the great era of Mugler, who took the best of the Alien monument and transcended it... the flanker surpassing the original, in my opinion. An heresy for L’Oréal to have discontinued it as they acquired Mugler, in order to launch the just okay Alien Goddess line, which, needless to say, is not even close to EA level. Would I have preferred it to stay and be reformulated with an axe?... Maybe not. EDIT : reading the comments saying Fragonard Grain de Soleil was almost a perfect match, I went for it. Sure GdS is slightly more powdery, less resinous and deep. But I must admit that, side by side and after like 10 minutes, it is very very close to Alien EA. It is like her more polite little sister. I am so glad I found this, THANK YOU SO MUCH to the person who mentioned it!!

This truly dries down to the most gorgeous thick rich ambery vanilla. It has the very distinct Mugler Alien Jasmine in the opening and also brings a bit of a musty medicinal backing before everyone comes together. And WOW ...do they come together. The vanilla is so perfect (and I’m not really a “vanilla “ person). It raw ,rich, dark, brown ,sticky vanilla. I don’t really have any notes for this perfume ....if you see the listed notes and think you would like it ... you probably will. Don’t worry ....the initially awkward myrrh/ incense combo smooths out and brings some grounding smoky depth. I was surprised how quickly that loud (and sometimes obnoxious) Alien Jasmine took a backseat. This just works. I do wonder about my bottle, but I think I may just go nose blind to this easily because it doesn’t seem to have the legendary throw I was expecting. But this is a stunner. (It’s oddly a fairly linear and simple perfume for me once I get past the hour mark ....I am not complaining....just sharing bc it was surprising to me.) This is a perfume that when wearing it, I catch myself thinking “who smells so good”...and it is me! (BTW I initially bought this for the orris addition ...I would not say it’s strongly present, but I do pick it up in the texture a bit. Or it’s wishful thinking ...but regardless I don’t regret tracking this one down for a second! Super happy to own it!)

The original Alien is one of my favourite fragrances and I might love this version just a little bit more. They are pretty similar. The same jasmine and amber in both, but while the original has a strong woody quality this one does not. Essence Absolue is instead, smoother, richer and boozier. I find it also has a bit more sweetness than the original Alien. Because of how difficult this is to get now, I have been saving this as one of my "special occassion" fragrances, but I will still randomly wear it at least a couple times in the fall/winter. I have a 30ml and a 60ml back up, so really I can wear it a little more often. I find it works best in fall and winter. It has that cozy, warm feel that I crave in the cooler weather. It is sexy, like the original, so it is a perfect scent for a night out with a special someone. The performance is excellent. It doesn't have the room filling, massive trail that the original Alien has. But it does last all day (10-12 hours) and projects at least a couple feet more than half that time. I purchased mine when it was still available retail, but towards the end of it's run. It had a fair bit of hype even then and I felt it exceeded that hype for me. But I wouldn't pay some of the crazy prices that are being asked for it now. It is so disappointing that it has been discontinued.

Clean, Powdery Marshmallows & Rootbeer-Floats melt into a River of Honey... This review is for the Julianna's Perfume dupe of Alien Essence Absolu Mugler called Scarlet Letter (not in this database yet). Opens with white-floral, clean and soft-purple tones from jasmine, but already vanilla & myrrh are swelling through. As it deepens into the heart the white-floral tones with added orris root become more marshmallow-y, powdery & sweet, and the myrrh-amber-vanilla combo intensifies bringing Root-Beer float tones. Jasmine lingering in the heart, takes on some faint near-grape tones, and here you see the Alien jasmine. The base notes are a sublime blend of white-amber, vanilla-pod, incense & myrrh that carries the marshmallow-rootbeer for well beyond average performance, but eventually melts it into a thick ooze of white-floral-honey. This is a gorgeous white-floral & amber-vanilla scent that does get quite sweet but wears exceptionally well in cooler weather. While this is a dupe of Alien Essence Absolu, I also catch reminders of other resinous white-floral & vanilla scents like Classique Essence de Parfum JPG, Amarige Marriage Givenchy, Cinéma Yves Saint Laurent & Organza Givenchy. It's a love for me. Enjoy!

The best Alien flanker out of everything they put on the market, irrespective of the style of perfume or season they tried to cater to! Alien Essence Absolue was the best, strongest, creamiest, blend of vanilla, jasmine, cashmeran, orris root, incense. Warm, slightly sweet, resinous, balsamic, smooth, still heavy on the jasmine but more complex than the OG Alien. Unique. Masterpiece creation. This would be your cold weather Alien. A strong performer, in a beautiful bottle, reasonably priced, guaranteed compliment getter! People used to tell me that they smelled me before seeing me, which made my little heart melt... I went through a 60 ml bottle of this and luckily I got another one as backup and a 30 ml on top of that. So I can enjoy, responsibly, the magic of Essence Absolue for a while, but after that it’s gone forever... I adore this scent and am heartbroken that it is discontinued. It smells so comforting, so creamy and so luxurious, unlike anything else I've smelled and I have smelled a lot of fragrances in my lifetime. L’Oreal, please, please bring Alien Eseence Absolue back! You’re gonna have crazy sales if you’re bringing this back and we know that’s what you’re in for: profit!!

kind of bummed that i've experienced a sample of this absolute delight because now i will truly never know peace again. this might be my favorite smell of all time, not to be dramatic or anything..... but she rly is the amber fragrance to end all others of her kind. alien OG is my love and my signature scent but tbh i wish this wasn't discontinued so it could be instead. on me, i get mostly a deep sweet warmth from the amber with a background kiss of true vanilla, woodiness (the iconic alien DNA i love) and incense -- not too spicy, not too sweet. all the notes compliment each other just right. i fondly remember wearing this on a HOT summer day, on a walk with my friend through a nature trail. this probably doesn't seem like a summer scent to most but the humid florida heat just made the sillage even larger, and the sweetness even stronger. literally perfection. if you don't like the original alien you are guaranteed to fall in love with this.... but be careful!! like kms i seriously will probably never sleep until i secure a bottle of this gorgeous wondrous honey for myself !!!!!

Wow what a beautiful fragrance and such a shame that it’s been discontinued. I love this one as well. Fortunately I have two bottles of the intense and I’m selling samples and decants on Mercari and eBay, I’ve got all 100% positive feedback, message me if you want to buy authentic legit samples or have any questions . I have over 400 Niche, designer, vintage and discontinued fragrances. I had a lot more but many sold out. I’m 57 and have been buying and collecting perfumes for decades. I also have a honest kind retired brother in Christ who’s 66 and also is a long time fragrance collector. He has thousands of bottles and dozens of Tom Fords in his collection. Many are 2007-2012 vintage Tom Ford perfumes. He sells 15ml and 30ml decants at great prices. He also has 100% positive feedbacks on his Mercari page. It’s very hard to find honest sellers who sell authentic and rare perfumes, I always hold on to the good honest sellers and always go back to buy from them . I have many repeat buyers. So If I don’t have what you want, I’m sure my friend has it. Thank you and God bless...

I just blind bought this.. literally literally literally one of the best perfumes I’ve ever smelled in my entire life! Smells like a dark, sticky syrupy vanilla straight out of my wildest dreams.. almost like vanilla root beer in the most luxurious way possible. The vanilla is deeeep, buttery, resinous, and unbelievably rich.. I envision warm ambered vanilla syrup melting into smoky woods and incense. There’s this sexy golden thickness to it that makes it feel almost molten on the skin. You still get that unmistakable OG Alien DNA glowing underneath everything (which I have come to appreciate with time considering I’m an Angel girly) buuut it’s WAYYY more catered towards my preferred scent profile here. The jasmine, amber, and smokiness from the incense and myrrh blend into the vanilla so beautifully. It’s truly addictive. I’m genuinely mad at myself for buying this knowing it’s discontinued because... WOWWWWW. Can u even fathom L’Oréal putting out anything even remotely CLOSE to the greatness of this and Angel Muse? Sigh sigh sighhhhh

I confess that my personal, sentimental associations & irrational love for the old house of Mugler color my assessment. But THIS is special. This has two differentiators to my nose: 1. The medicinal, mentholated opening shouldn’t work, but it does. It’s reminiscent of Aura’s green menthol. Only vintage Mugler could pull this off. 💔 No other designer house could have released this. That’s guts! AEA is an avant-garde achievement in a sea of competing vanillas. 2. The myrrh is divine. A combination of jasmine, vanilla & myrrh seems easy to replicate. Yet, no reputable house has. Why? It must be magic. ———- **Edit: I just spent $279 for a 60ml on eBay. Zero regrets. Word to the wise: If you try to find this, get pics of the batch code (on the box AND bottle) & pics of the front, back and bottom of the box! Also, NOTE! All of these bottles were refillable, so the liquid could still be something else. A reliable seller is beyond critical! 99% or higher with many reviews- and accepts returns.

This is my signature scent, of which I have 5 ml left in the bottle, and only half a refill bottle left. Probably enough to fill this gem with the liquid amber one last time. When I found out it got discontinued, it made me want to rage quit perfume. As of now, I am still searching for "the one" (not D&G) to replace this wonderful fragrance. Are there no bottles left? There are. Am I willing to pay over € 200,- to some f*ckwit trying to make money out of my misery? F*cking contemplating it! Why? Because this baby is the embodiment of a woman that is shy, loud, sweet, loving, cold and harsh. In no particular order. This can be a blanket of warmth, love and comfort, through the amber and cashmere. Yet demaning of respect and equality with its presence through the calming, boss bitch vibe of jasmine and myrrh. All the while never letting go of the enchanting and mythical body of incense with vanilla. It's a mood. All the moods. In a perfect curvy bottle. Darn you, Mugler! :(

I really liked this one, I always got compliments wearing it (mostly from men), but a girl friend thought it smelled like toothpaste lol. I can’t wear the OG Alien, but this flanker is right up my alley with it’s deep mentholated butterscotch vanilla. It’s very ambery and I love that. Distinctive scent with fantastic projection. There’s still jasmine in here but it’s not screeching at you like in Alien, instead, a warm, golden vanilla is the queen that rules this elegant composition. A great choice for fall/winter special evenings, but it’s not cloying, so I find it just as wearable on slightly warmer nights (as long as it’s not too warm). My favorite Mugler. I bought a 2oz bottle back in 2016, and I used up half of it before it got stolen 3 years ago. I stumbled upon a bottle by chance online yesterday, and I promptly ordered it since the price was great (hopefully not a fake!), so I am looking forward to be wearing this beauty again. Update: it’s not fake! Yay!

This is so beautiful I'm almost at a loss for words. I found a decantor and will covet this source forever ☺️💗🤐🤫 ThIs is pure amber. So resinous like a vast, thick forest of fir trees oozing balsams in a sparkling dreamscape. Trapped in the amber is the most arresting, carnal jasmine you'll ever put your nose to. Clusters of velvety jasmine blossoms are supported by boozy, aromatic vanilla. Intoxicating. The juice itself is the color of molasses and almost the same consistency. Once it dries it's almost sticky- locked in place on the tiny patch I half-spritzed on my wrist. The incense/myrrh accords develop later, and only serve to enhance the sheer beauty of this creation. The most deserving of the description of "ethereal" in fragrance- and I stand on this. I honestly can't fathom how any true lover of scent could speak negatively of this. I'm almost glad it is discontinued, because the masses don't deserve Alien essence absolue. 😏😉 👽🛸🌸💜

WOW! Honey mentholated throat candies with a big dose of resinous vanilla and that signature Alien jasmine. It's so opulent and rich. I was worried that Alien Essence Absolue would be way too much for me in the initial opening. The myrrh note mixed with that Alien jasmine is so intense that I even experience a cooling sensation in my nose and throat. I should recoil, but I am captivated and repeatedly sniff my wrists. The intense opening lasts for about 45 minutes and the dry down reveals its cashmere wood heart, while the amber and vanilla emerge in perfect harmony. I get it. This is a masterpiece. It's warm, rich, and cold all at once. The quality and performance are incredible. I'm headache-prone and sensitive to orris root and I have zero issues with this fragrance. It should be worn with confidence by anyone of any gender. Exudes wealth, power, and sexiness and is not for the faint of heart.

Guys I would like to second the below comment by HDL regarding Juliannas Fragrance Scarlet Letter. Alien Essence Absolue has been my ultimate favourite fragrance ever, I just feel like it matches my energy so well. But now this is a coveted gem so I really never wear the scent! I still want to experience the scent so I decided to go with a clone. Julianna's Fragrances version I can attest is 95% similar. Scarlet Letter to me is more floral (jasmine heavy) in the beginning, then settles to something VERY similar to Alien Essence Absolue that it absolutely scratches the itch for the wonderful scent. Side Note: I realized why I love this perfume so much and why it feels so healing and meditative to me. It honestly smells similar to Baby Oil. Like Baby Oil smells on your skin after it warms up. Very calming and nostalgic smelling.

The intoxicating, mentholated Jasmine of purple Alien is definitely here, but she is completely wrapped up in warm amber and powdery vanilla...it’s so rich, thick like butterscotch, enveloping like a cashmere blanket. The cashmere wood keeps the composition plush and velvety, and myrhh gives it depth and mystery, and the incense adds a subtle dry/smoky aspect so it doesn’t get too piercingly syrupy. Very seductive and distinctive. If you love luxurious vanilla scents, give this a try. The jasmine in regular Alien is too much for me and I can’t wear that one, but I love this one. Room filling sillage and 24hrs+ longevity. One of the best scents ever made, superior to purple Alien imo. I would classify this scent as a vanilla oriental, because it’s the vanilla that steals the show in this composition. Shame they discontinued it.

Now this was a blind buy I was nervous about, mainly because of the incense note. I looked up so many Fragrantica profiles and most of you lovely lot have totally different tastes in fragrances to mine which also made me nervous, despite the glowing reviews. I needn’t have worried, and I’m sooo glad I managed to pick up a new bottle of this. I’ve only smelt it a couple of times (I’ve given it to my other half to hide until our anniversary) but it’s so intriguing - I definitely get a sort of menthol from the top notes, but not herbal sweets, more amaretti vibes. The dry down is Alien with added vanilla. It’s close enough to work for Alien lovers but so different - enough to justify owning both. Even my husband said “this is a date night perfume... a special one”. It lasts forever too. Yummy :)

you know those fragrances that u wish u had never smelt because it is ridiculously priced, but u fell in love & bought because u can not unsmell something that amazing? this is a HOLY GRAIL. i don’t understand why it was discontinued. as much as i love the og, essence absolue is worlds ahead of it. this is the sexiest, most well rounded, DELICIOUS thing i have ever smelt. Yes i spent the insane amounts it’s going for on a bottle. it’s worth it to me, because this is one that u never forget. i need it in my collection lol. it is beast mode longevity, a compliment magnet, & makes me feel like i’m walking on air, which only a few fragrances can accomplish. anyone else who has this knows exactly what i’m talking about. mugler, please get rid of that awful “goddess” & bring this one back! 10/10

This is an absolute masterpiece—creamy, woody, powdery magic in a bottle. It's a warm, balsamic, ambery dream of a scent that performs like a niche fragrance. I bought it a few years back before I was able to appreciate it, but hung onto it knowing how special it was. Now that I've resolved my headache and migraine issues (ciao ciao gluten) and have trained my nose I'm finally able to give this perfume the adoration it deserves. I feel like me when I wear this, but save it for special occasions or when my mental health needs a boost. I'm so very grateful to have such a beauty in my collection but simultaneously mourn for the house of Mugler. Alien Absolue was created at the height of Thierry Mugler greatness. Loreal sure knows how to destroy fragrance and beauty brands.