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. 💎👽

while it is an overworn and very popular fragrance, there is a reason! it's an amazing masterpiece to me and such an iconic perfume. the bottle is gorgeous and collectible and can be refilled! the super simple not composition does mean there is not much transformation while you wear it, but regardless the scent of this perfume is amazing. there is nothing ive found close to it in terms of the feeling or emotion it evokes. it is a perfectly described perfume and smells out of this world. the notes combine to make this super sexy unexplainable scent with an amazing skin longevity and extreme sillage, everyone will smell you entering the room wearing this. i do find though it can be cloying in higher heat, however if you dont mind an overpowering fragrance then this can be a perfect year round signature scent. an amazing perfume for a bold and confident individual. since its such a standalone scent, layering it is hard, however with it having so many dupes, its not hard to find cheap lotions and body mists that smell just like the perfume meaning a super strong scent routine to smelling otherworldly all day.

I wanted to redo my review as I was initially disappointed when I got a new bottle and found it didn’t quite smell like it used to, but I understand brands have no choice due to regulations over ingredients. I’m also aware that perfumes age over time so a new bottle will always smell a little different from the old one. Am I sad about it? Yes, but it is what it is. I still love how this smells, and despite it being ‘weaker’ it still lasts long enough on clothing (we have to remember that we go nose blind to smells when they are constantly around us) The older formula used to be eternal, now I’d say it has moderate longevity. Admittedly, this version is more wearable, and for anytime of the year. You can quite easily wear it to work without it offending anyone. It’s now a cleaner, soapier jasmine than the sweet ‘jammy’ powerhouse it used to be. I feel like Mugler/loreal tried their best to replicate the OG and came out with the ‘Extraintense’ version to try and keep everyone happy. It was the first designer perfume I ever bought myself, so it will always have a special place in my heart ❤️

review of the reformulation. i still haven’t smelled the original 2005 one. such a surreal perfume because it’s literally just jasmine, cashmere, amber. it’s so deceptively simple and nuclear in its jasmineness. i get the animalic/metallic jasmine tang in a very pronounced way, which is like— every negative review of it smelling like a funeral, or cat pee, or formaldehyde, or actual garbage, is kind of true. jasmine has a stanky undertone. it is a metallic and unashamed grandiflora that doesn’t handhold with musks or soapy powder or vanilla. the only thing about this that isn’t straight indolic jasmine is the cashmere that adds this nondescript fuzzy blanket quality to the base. it’s beautiful and surreal but nothing about this is a skin scent or person-like at all. and i sort of love that. she announces herself without muddying the water about what she is (so many niche feminine or loud florals, to me, are egregiously and overindulgently guilty of this). people who hate this are completely correct. it’s beautiful.

This is my signature scent forever. I remember smelling this for the first time. I was maybe about 12-13 years old? and I decided it was time I had to find a good perfume. I was at a ridiculously large airport tax-free, smelling around. And then I see it, the gorgeous flask of Thierry Mugler’s alien. Many people may say they don’t like the bottle, but I’ve always had an eye for artistry, and the design of alien is a work of art. I pick it up to smell it, and love at first sniff it was. Ever since that day I never could get it out of my head. Every time I walked into a beauty store, I sprayed myself with alien. I YEARNED to own a bottle of my own. So then at 15, when I got my first job and my first paycheck, I spent it on my very own bottle of alien. And now no matter how many bottles of perfume I smell, and no matter how many times I think to myself «this might be the best perfume I’ve ever smelt», I’ll pick up alien again, and realize there’s no chance any other perfume will ever dethrone it.

Not every part of us wants to whisper. Some parts want to be heard. Alien is that part of me. I don't wear it every day, and I don't think it was ever meant to be an everyday fragrance. I save it for cold evenings, dark coats, and the moments when I want to feel fearless. There is something almost hypnotic about it. Rich, mysterious and unapologetically bold, it fills the space without ever asking for permission. When I wear Alien, I don't become someone else. I simply meet a different version of myself. The one who walks a little slower. Looks people in the eye. Speaks with certainty. And remembers that strength can be just as beautiful as softness. This isn't the perfume I wear when I want to be noticed. It's the perfume I wear when I remember that I don't need anyone's permission to take up space. For me, Alien belongs to winter. Not because it only suits the cold... But because some stars shine brightest against the darkest sky.

The first time I smelled Alien years ago, I really didn't like it. The jasmine smacks you in the face, and I used to hate florals, especially white florals. Now I absolutely cannot stop thinking about it! Alien is a sexy, spicy jasmine. So very jasmine. Jasmine, jasmine, jasmine. I cannot stress this enough - there is so much jasmine. And to my nose, I almost smell a bit of grape soda? In a fun way. She's strong and powerful, mysterious, she draws attention. Feminine but not girly. Something you can't quite put your finger on, but will keep thinking about until you smell it again. And again. And again. One thing about Mugler, they're going to make their perfumes pack a PUNCH. You either love them or you hate them. If you're afraid to smell polarizing, steer clear, but if you don't care what other people think, this one is SO gorgeous. Lasts forever, too. Very strong. I like this one much more than Alien Goddess.

No matter how into niche and high end private line designer perfumes I get, Alien will always have a piece of my heart. Yes, she's loud, yes, you could be forgiven for finding her screechy, and yes, she'll last and last. But there's just something about her. To this day, nothing smells like her to me. Alien is the right name for it because there's something a little off, a little sharp in the blend of jasmine and cashmeran here and I've never understood why people say it's a fragrance you'll love if you love jasmine because I think it brings out a facet of jasmine you don't typically get. Despite what people say, Alien is the only fragrance I know for a fact other people have bought after smelling it on me, and that's happened more than once (smelling it on a friend is also how I wound up with my first bottle). I think it's a classic for a reason, and it's stuck around for a reason.

Alien by Thierry Mugler was my favorite — and for a long time, the only perfume on my shelf — throughout my twenties and early thirties. Then, when I discovered that there was more to my olfactory world than just jasmine, I gradually set it aside. Last week I wore it to a metal concert, and my husband, standing next to me, couldn’t stop smelling me and giving me compliments. So I decided to wear it again for a few days, just like in the old days. It’s not easy to review a signature scent from your past. The aura of jasmine combined with cashmeran truly takes you to another planet. But it’s the amber, almost animalic, that enhances the skin with a sensual glow. Even though I’ve evolved toward other florals and gourmand fragrances, I will never stop appreciating it — and I’ll always come back to this mystical, sexy alien! And it has...BEAST MODE LONGEVITY!

Alien is most certainly not for those looking for something formal, sweet, delicate or understated.. no, no, you don’t get that here. You wan’t that?, go see Lancome, or Dolce - they got your back with their lush florals and gourmands. But if you want something that makes people turn heads and look satisfyingly confused... get Alien. Shes not a run of the mill kind of gal.. She needs a wearer whose not afraid of the unsual, and downright weird. Because her jasmine comes at you, BOOM right in the first notes.. then takes you through the cashmere wood and quickly hits you with the amber righhhttt at the end... look out. It all happens so soon and it’s confusing but so very enticing. Her amber comes to dominate. Alien... foreign, odd, different and you can’t quite figure it out. Perhaps we never will, but perhaps we arn’t meant too...try if you dare...

This perfume gave me a massive boner (10.5 inches flaccid btw) and also attracted all the ladies to my location and they said “omg you smell sooooo goood I am going to have sex with you now” and I was like “oh yeah radical” and then Obama was there and he gave me a Purple Heart for smelling so sexy and everybody clapped If this perfume had a noise it would be “RAGH!!!” Or maybe “GUH!!!” This is one of my go-to scents in colder weather, but also nice for early spring. Probably one of the strongest scents I have, the jasmine is STRONGGGG but the amber cuts through very nicely on the end. It lasts a pretty long time in the cold. To me this perfume smells like a very evil very sexy woman who takes off her skin suit to reveal aghhhh!!!! Alien!!! I really like to smell this perfume it’s so fun and yucky I could just huff it all day

ALIEN BODY CREAM BOX O M G I am an Alien Goddess and Flanker lover, having never smelt the original, it wasn't until I saw the BODY CREAM BOX for sale in Mugler store online - that I blind bought it and am I happy ? YES The box is everything, its like a heavy amythyst stone of treasure but it doesn't end there. The fragrance is sublime, it's refined with a voluptuous depth of scent, the consistency is plump and satisfying, it comes with a purple spoon, not even Chanel body creams come with the spatula these days (my batch of Chance and Eau Fraiche neither came with spatulas 2026). You can layer your Goddess perfumes all over this, it will make you scent last for hours and give it even more depth, this scent, to me, is more on the Goddess side. Fragrantica: Please create a space for body cream reviews 🌹

Thierry Mugler Alien bursts open with a radiant jasmine sambac that's bold and solar-powered, laced with a metallic green edge like ethereal white flowers glowing under an otherworldly sun. It settles into a warm, woody heart where cashmeran adds a soft, enveloping glow, blending the intense floral with subtle amber whispers for a mysterious, hypnotic allure. The drydown unfolds into addictive amber warmth: deep woods and musk create a sensual, lingering haze — evoking a cosmic floral oriental that's polarizing yet magnetic, feminine and powerful without veering into sweetness overload. Iconic since 2005, its alien orb bottle matches the extraterrestrial vibe. Lasts 8-12+ hours with massive sillage — ideal for evenings or cold weather demanding presence and compliments.

I refuse to call this a "jasmine bomb" given how woody it smells on me, I get a lot of sandalwood from this. For me a lot of jasmine heavy perfumes can be quite predictable, I don't find this so. Jasmine, though I enjoy it, is so often a 'go-to' note on a lot of clean, excessively floral compositions which immediately make me think of weddings, spring and gardens in bloom, Alien absolutely is NOT THAT. There are no bouquets and bumblebees here. It's very abrasive and keeps its cosiness slightly out of reach. When it dries down it's very aromatic, it's where the sandalwood shines and clings to practically everything. It's feminine, but Alien is not going for pretty, it's going for eccentricity, exhibitionism and intrigue and that's exactly what it does.

Love this one...I never gave it a chance when it came out but then I smelled it on a sales associate at Bloomingdales and bought the travel size to test out. I ran through the travel size in less than a week, so good! Definitely have to be a jasmine lover to appreciate this one, so test it out first. Update: I can see what people are saying now about the OG formula vs the reformulation. This perfume does not last long on my skin. It comes through in cold weather, but after 2 hours the scent is gone from my skin. What has helped me is I’ll spray my clothing and hair and that usually helps. If you have the OG formula, use it wisely, new formula...overspray. I’m going to try the Alien Intense and see if that makes any difference in longevity.

For the longest time, I thought Alien wasn't for me. I loved the opening, but always found it a little too linear and kept wishing it would evolve into something else. After revisiting it recently, I finally understand it. Alien isn't a fragrance that tells a story. Instead, it presents a vision and stays true to it: a beautiful, glowing jasmine wrapped in warm amber, with a subtle sweetness running through the background. To my nose, it's surprisingly warm and inviting. The jasmine is rich and radiant, the amber gives it a golden glow, and together they create something both beautiful and slightly intimidating. Sometimes a fragrance takes years to click. Alien finally has, and now I think it's absolutely beautiful.