Angel Elixir

I liked this as soon as I smelled it. I bought a sample and now I'm be buying a full bottle for sure. It is a love at this point. It's a beautiful vanilla floral with a little woodiness. I knew it was familiar, but I couldn't place it. I finally realized what it was... This is Armani Code, but with amber and extra vanilla instead of a powerhouse of citrus and ginger. This does not have the longevity of Armani Code, but, in my opinion it's more beautiful and for me much more wearable. I love vanilla and it plays an integral part in this perfume as well as the amber. The jasmine is beautiful in this without overtaking you. Alien this is not, though some have compared the two. Alien's jasmine is much too strong for me. Sometimes with jasmine and with orange blossom, even though they are beautiful, they can be so strong they cause allergies-even headaches, so much so that you are unable to enjoy the fragrance because the notes are putting you in a choke hold. With Armani Code, this is the case, and with the abundance of citrus and ginger added in, it becomes laundry detergent on steroids. With Angel Elixir, everything is blended perfectly. You are finally getting enough vanilla and with the amber added the scent is more balanced. I would say the longevity for this would be 4-6 hours. The sillage would be arms length. This is office friendly and appropriate for day or night, but would shine best in fall and spring weather. This leaves a beautiful scent trail and will cling well to clothes and hair. I sprayed this on before bed and did not smell it in the morning. I do wish that it had more longevity, but I enjoy it enough to reapply as needed. Anne Flipo is a master perfumer, and to me this perfume creation is no exception. I have to agree as many reviewers have noted, that the original Angel DNA is not present. This is not a gourmand or extremely woody fragrance, and patchouli is not in the mix. I think that's ok though, as Angel has been around for over 30 years and there are dozens of flankers that have been made that also do not share the DNA. Angel Nova as an example, has nothing to do with the original Angel. It is a beautiful fragrance that stands on its own and is well made and was aligned with the trends in perfume at that moment, such as PDM's Delena and Carolina Herrera's Very Good Girl. All in all I think this is a safe blind buy if you love vanilla florals, enjoy a woody base to your perfumes, and especially if you enjoyed Armani Code, but maybe felt it was a bit too strong or citrusy.

I received this iteration of the Angel lineup as a Christmas gift last year, and I've steadily worked through a 0.8-fl oz bottle in that time. I wear perfume daily, but I try my hardest to wear inoffensive or unchallenging fragrances as my profession involves direct physical interaction with hundreds of people throughout the day. Angel Elixir is probably my most consistently complimented fragrance by far, which is odd as I'm a man, and people typically ascribe/associate these cozy vanilla white florals with stereotypically feminine people. I must disclose that I am a gay man (& I am told it is easy to discern that I am), so there's a consideration to be made there. I think, though, that Angel Elixir is simply a very well-rounded amber vanilla with an impactful dose of white flowers. I can see how this may be cloying or blindingly strong if oversprayed (no more than 1x per wrist, 1x on the shirt/neck). Comparatively, I purchased the ALT Fragrances clone of Mugler's Alien. Alien has a straightforward & well-understood formula, and I feel comfortable purchasing a clone so many years after its release. I prefer Angel, not only for the more modern amber raw materials that constitute the base but also for the variance in the white flowers, as Angel Elixir has more variety and depth. I like Alien and the scent profile, but I think Angel Elixir is a direct improvement in the Alien DNA. All of that comparative nonsense aside, I don't feel that the sandalwood or pink pepper comes through very much in this fragrance. I was hoping the pink pepper would have more of a presence throughout the fragrance, but when it comes down to it, Angel Elixir smells like a candied and ambery white floral. I get about 6-8 hours of longevity on the skin and near-eternal longevity on clothes. There is no pissy or animalic side to any of the white flowers; if there are any present, they're vastly outplayed by the base notes. The price is pretty fair, though I'd prefer not to pay an in-store retail price for it. If you can find it online, you'd probably be better off. It's a solid pick, and I'll likely pick up another bottle.

ANGEL ELIXIR: THE MARKETING TRAP WORTH FALLING FOR Like most of the fragrance world, I was initially thrown off and completely confused by this release. Mugler’s marketing heavily implies that this is just a stronger, denser, more syrupy version of the original iconic patchouli bomb. If you walk into this expecting a louder classic Angel, you are going to be entirely disappointed. It doesn't smell like any other Angel in existence. Upon first spray, it felt a bit linear and hit me with that dense, classic "French perfumery" profile—a heavy, thick wall of scent that can be hard to dissect. But after giving it multiple tries and recently side-by-side testing it with Alien Goddess Intense, the architecture clicked. This is actually a highly underrated, incredibly interesting white floral gourmand. The magic happened when I realized there was a prominent ylang-ylang note in here—a personal favorite of mine. The jasmine and orange blossom meld together beautifully, creating a profile that is as ethereal as it is downright scrumptious. It is creamy, sumptuous, and absolutely perfect when you are in the mood for a high-tier white floral. It leans feminine, has great longevity, and effortlessly shifts from a bright day scent to a seductive night weapon. The real crime here was the naming. If Mugler had just called this anything else, the fragrance community wouldn't have collectively panicked. The marketing was totally off. As a devoted Mugler and Angel lover, I can appreciate that this still embodies the risky, challenging artistry the house is famous for. It takes a few tries to understand it, but once you stop comparing it to the original, it completely changes your mind. If it manages to survive and hits the grey market sales, I guarantee we will see a massive public resurgence and a complete rewrite of its reputation. Give it a real chance.

I quite like this but I won't wax lyrical about it. It's not a distinctive fragrance, but by my standards, I wouldn't call it generic either. I find all the candied vanilla bombs out there to be what I call generic today. Also, in full disclosure, I didn't really like the original when I tested it in 2011 – I found the patchouli in that formulation quite dank and with the chocolate and caramel and cotton candy and fruit and everything else a bit of a mess (I felt that way about original TF Black Orchid too), and I'm not sure how it compares to current formulations. I haven't been compelled to try it either even though I'm a patchouli lover. Elixir is beautiful, simple, and an easy wear, lending just enough complexity to not be minimalist or linear. Wooded, with tempered pepper, slightly dark and cool. The flowers are balanced with a little jasmine, a little orange blossom, and a little ylang ylang. It's a shaded pseudo-sandalwood vanilla, with a moderate amber. Reminds me of a woodier, drier version of 90's throwback Fire & Ice by Revlon. That's not a bad thing. It doesn't smell dated. It's not so outstanding that I want a full bottle, but for me it's a perfectly safe scent to keep in a travel size (which I did purchase) in my purse or car, for when I've forgotten to put something on before going out the door, and will work in any situation while still being elegant and sensual. I'd even say that if you don't like anything overly complicated or super hyped, this is signature worthy.

Angel Elixir is a very beautiful fragrance. It has a very sparkling and lively initial peppery note, just enough to not overpower but still give energy and vitality. Here, the flowers quickly enter the scene and elegantly take over. It's not a very mature floral, but a modern one. Jasmine, ylang-ylang, and orange blossom in unison, joining hands with a beautiful sandalwood that gives it that gorgeous, woody aftertaste with the "Oriental Xtreme" note... I won't forget the vanilla; it's one of the best vanillas I've ever smelled. That bourbon note with the amber makes the finish of this perfume a marvel from Mugler. Even though L'Oréal has massacred Mugler, you have to admit that the finishes of these perfumes are still wonderful. It doesn't interpret anything new, but within its genre, it's elegant and delicate, very sophisticated, modern, sweet without being overwhelming, woody without being overpowering, and floral without destroying your nose. Beautiful. Was it a mistake to call it Angel? Well, maybe it was. It doesn't resemble its almost namesake at all, but we were lucky because Angel Elixir has this beautiful bottle of the "superstar." If you're not sure whether to buy it... just keep in mind that it'll probably be discontinued soon. What a shame!