Alien Les Parfums de Cuir

I sampled this while searching for the Alien Liqueur I didn't find. I don't like Alien and Alien Absolue, because I'm sensitive to heavy jasmine and heavy amber as a combination. I rarely like leather, either. So it's safe to say that Alien de Cuir is different from what I usually wear, I stick to the floral and chypre families. It's also... very beautiful. Not as strange as its counterparts in the Alien line. The drydown smells superbly of creamy amber and a leather blanket, or the inside of a (real, lived-in, not for display) tipi. The jasmine adds just enough femininity... and the fruit isn't meant to sweeten as much it's meant to evoke nature... the mood is unique. I can see myself wearing this in the stables, out to the pasture, through the trails... on horseback. Except that I don't ride much anymore, and certainly not on dates. When I was younger, there were some English riding instructors, Alberta cowhands, and other horse lovers with whom I spent some very nice times. I wish I'd had this to wear while riding, rushing through air. I might consider wearing this to a late-summer semi-casual, nighttime bbq and campfire. I can also see myself wearing this for any outdoor activities around Halloween and Christmastime. Or, rather, sitting by an evening fire *after* any outdoor activities. If I were someone having a hot and heavy relationship (and I mean *really* hot and heavy, like 3 times a day hot and heavy) I would wear this perfume in the thick of it. Come to think about it... I think I'll buy Alien de Cuir as an affirmation... And make my circumstances fit my perfume. Update (6 weeks later): I tested this a couple more times, because as I said it's a different perfume from ones I usually wear and love. The second testing left a very dry impression on my skin (once in a while white flowers can do this to me) - to the point where my mouth felt parched. For the third testing, I asked the SA to spray the bottle away from me a couple times before I applied it to my skin, and it was better. Except that I'm not sure if the quality of Alien Cuir is high enough for the price it asks ($106 CAN, before tax) for just 30 ml. More expensive than the Chanel fragrances available at the same store! I'm still thinking about buying it. The pricetag isn't a total dealbreaker, but it has prevented me from buying it already. I love the scent for its own sake, so I'm trying not to think about how it's a "limited edition" because then I might feel a little like I'm being hoodwinked by a marketing tactic. Always, whenever something is too expensive for what it is, I don't buy it. Thierry Mugler is causing me some undue stress, lol! Update (9 weeks later): I bought it! I saw a sign at the store for a Thierry Mugler Customer Appreciation Event, that included gifts, desserts, and a $10 discount on your purchase! That was all the incentive I needed!

I wasn’t expecting to see the Parfums de Cuir line when I stopped by my local department store today (in Canada), given that the release date was noted as October. Nonetheless, there they were. The rendition of Alien was my favourite. There is indeed a prominent note of leather, although not as strong as in the Angel version. In Alien Parfum de Cuir, the leather note is blended smoothly with the amber and jasmine such that it comes across as deep, warm and unified. I would agree with the above description that this feels like suede specifically – rich, soft and comfortable. What I love about this version is that it emphasizes the dark woody notes in Alien more than any other version I have tried. It’s drier and more animalic than any of the other winter flankers that have come out in recent years (Absolue, ToF, Liqueur). I also find it a bit salty, in an appealing way. That bizarre, medicinal “solar” accord that is characteristic of Alien stays around through the whole fragrance. The original gives you a sharper medicinal blast in the beginning, which gradually fades out; this version retains that unusual deep scent for the whole duration, except that it comes across as more smoothly blended in with the other notes. Despite the fact that it is dark and elegant, it has a cozy feeling as well. I wouldn't call it a drastic departure from other versions of Alien, but it has certainly taken the fragrance in a direction I like enough that I may well pick up a bottle. It projects and lasts like a typical TM fragrance. The bottles in this line are amazing in person. It’s hard to appreciate from the photo, but the metal claw around the bottle comes to a slightly sinister looking point at the bottom (the bottle stands on its side). It suits the fragrance well. The bottles are also small enough (30 mL) to give the impression of a precious amulet.

I bought a bottle of this a few days ago and have been able to experience this fragrance a little bit more (and not surrounded by all the different smells in a perfume store). First of all: the bottle is so gorgeous! The claws that hold it remind me of an Alien bottle and the back of the bottle, where the claws meet to form a star is very Angelesque. But it is far classier than any of those two bottles. Only complaint is that because the bottle has a lid (and a beautiful one too!), some of the juice leaks out (because the lid pushes the sprayer down a bit when the bottle is closed) and that causes the writing on the leather tag to vanish. The opening is your typical sharp dusty Alien jasmine & (dried) fruits but as the fragrance develops I get an almost buttery quality underneath the sharpness of the opening notes. This stays so through the entire life of the fragrance, causing this version to be the smoothest version of Alien (except for the deep rich Alien Essence Absolue). I don't think I'm getting any leather. I'm not really familiar with leather in fragrances, but I do know what real leather smells like and this is not it. If there is any leather in it, it's a soft buttery suede. I do get strong notes of dried fruits and a nice juxtaposition of the dry woods and the buttery suede-like amber. In the drydown I smell the most gorgeous scent of human skin. Slightly salty, slightly animalic and soooo smooth and touchable. It actually reminds me a little bit of the drydown of Alien Sunessence Or d'Ambre (the pink and gold bottle). What I said in my previous review/comment, this is a less purple Alien, so if you like Alien, but you're looking for a more versatile, office friendly version, do try this. However, if you're looking for a big chunk of raw animal hide, you'll be sadly disappointed.

I got a decant of this in a bottle split. To be honest, I didn't think it was going to be THAT much different than Alien. After all, Alien liquer was very much like the original, just a bit more subdued and with a boozy/ambery edge to it. However, as I opened the package, this intoxicating scent rolled out and mesmerized me. Turns out the perfume had leaked a little and I ended out getting some on my fingers while trying to clean it up. It smelled so amazing,I fell for it instantly! First the jasmine was carried out by this mouthwatering fruit blend that was both sweet (not syrupy) and tart. It was the kind of scent that immediately brightened my mood. Then oh, it just got better! While I was still infatuated with the opening, something along with the softness of suede but the warmth of warm and worn leather, enchants and sweeps me off my feet. After which, I'm floating on a bed of amber kissed wood. In the end I was left with the lingering slightly sweet jasmine infused amber and more prominent wood (sandalwood maybe? It's a dry wood, no balsam notes) plus a wisp of an exotic spice subtle and fleeting enough to not totally recognize. I've never experienced a scent that grabbed me out of the bottle like this and it was confirmed once I wore it - instant love. I immediately procured a bottle of this limited edition beauty. I also have to say, this particular bottle is my favorite design of the Thierry Mugler collection.

I was very surprised to see this fragrance today in the mall. It was the first time I saw it, but I'd been looking for it for quite some time. There was barely anything left in the bottle, but I managed to squeeze a spray out. And I loved it. I think it has a very salty aspect. Not aquatic salty like Womanity, more of an animalic salty quality. Original Alien already shows such saltiness on my skin, but here, it's intensified tenfold. I could smell the dried fruit quite good, but aside the salty vibe of the entire fragrance, I couldn't really detect any leather. Actually there's only one way to describe this fragrance properly and that's by calling it a non-purple Alien. It has lost all the bright purple flashiness of the original. This is an Alien completely suitable for every occasion. An office Alien. It's very very beautiful, but not as weird as the original. Mind you, I love that weirdness, but Alien Les Parfums de Cuir is more elegant, more sofisticated, more understated and more wearable then original Alien.