Mainstream Monday – Sniffing a Popular Perfume
I’ve been reviewing perfumes on this blog for 10+ years now. A lot of things have changed – from my own life to even just the perfume industry. Anyway, there are a few posts that I’m surprised that I haven’t done yet, even over this past decade. One of those is that I’ve never reviewed the original Mugler Angel perfume, an icon that I have so much respect for that I find it difficult to convey in words.
When Angel Muse launched, it was instant love for me. I ended up buying a full-size bottle (a rare occurrence for me these days). I have utmost respect for Angel but I never wear it. This doesn’t mean that I dislike Angel or what it smells like on me. I think it is a brilliant perfume. It is just so iconic and something I associate with someone else in my life, that I feel I can’t wear it that often. Angel Muse is a softer, gentler version that has learned from one of the best/most iconic perfumes of the 1990’s. It’s one that I can wear comfortably.
Angel Muse opens with honey and citrus with a pink peppercorn. To me, it’s absolutely delicious. The honey is so golden and warm, a little musky. But, before I’d classify it as a gourmand, here comes the cloud of patchouli. This patchouli is the DNA of Mugler Angel and I’m happy to see it in this flanker. The heart of this perfume is like a hazelnut dacquoise. It’s nutty, creamy with a buttery shortbread base. It’s sweet but the patchouli adds an earthiness. I also get a fruity pavlova accord from Angel Muse. I think this is meringue with maybe the pink pepper coming across as fruity berries. It eventually dries down to a dry, nutty vetiver that comes across like hazelnuts. Of course, there is patchouli but it’s not as much as what is in the original. This patchouli adds a cool, mentholated quality to the otherwise warm and golden composition.
Overall, Angel Muse is a gourmand fruitichouli that covers some of Angel’s “signatures” but adds its own unique twist. Instead of berries in the opening, there’s sulfuric citrus. Instead of drying down to cotton candy and patchouli, we get something like toasted hazelnuts (which is really the vetiver!) and patchouli. I feared when this was launched that it was going to be an off-brand parasitic perfume surviving off the name of its predecessor. So many flankers are like this. But, Angel Muse isn’t. It’s a gorgeous tribute to an iconic perfume but is different enough to be a real stand-out.
Notes listed include grapefruit, pink peppercorn, hazelnut cream, vetiver and patchouli. Launched in 2016. PERFUMER – Quentin Bisch
Give Angel Muse a try if you like gourmands or sweet-patchoulis. Or perfumes like the original Mugler Angel, Guerlain Mon Guerlain, Bond No. 9 Nuits de Noho, M. Micallef Mon Parfum, Harvey Prince Eau de Creme and/or Calvin Klein Euphoria.
Projection and longevity are average. I definitely notice it later in the day but it doesn’t wear as “big” as Angel.
Angel Muse comes in a few sizes with the 1.7 oz retailing for $95 at Sephora and Nordstrom. I have noticed that it shows up on discounters like Perfume.com sometimes.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Dacquoise and pavlova added to Angel. A stunner. It’s one of my favorite designer releases in the past five years.
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*Bottle purchased by me. Product pic from the brand. Gemma Ward pic from sparklesandpretending.tumblr.com. Post contains an affiliate link. Thanks!
I think my friend has this. I’ll ask her and have a spray/sniff.
You should 🙂
So good to have you back! Hope despite new job and all the stuff that happens, you won’t give up on eaumg! I’ve never tried Angel Muse, but wore Angel a lot alot back a while ago. I remember going through several bottles, which now seems like an almost impossible thing to do with any perfume.
Happy new year and it’s so nice Gemma Ward baked several cakes and linzertortes for me.
OMG, not to be all ranty but I have missed this. Long story short, I absolutely love my new job but it has kept me so busy. December to a week ago have been very intense and basically all I do is work. On top of that, had a respiratory infection that turned into a 2 month sinus infection. Since I was swamped with the new job, I didn’t have anything in the queue but also couldn’t really smell anything. It has been one heck of an unplanned sabbatical, lol. Anyway, I’m hoping now that I can get myself back into some sort of manageable routine (like twice a week postings). I have samples of some interesting things that I’d like to talk about…especially now that I can smell them. Thank you for reading.
Right? It’s like how did I ever empty a perfume bottle? Who was I?! Now I’m lucky to get through some samples and it’s a celebration to drain a mini/travel size.
I have a bottle of Mugler Angel shower gel in the shower right now. Oddly, it does so well in that format. It’s a way for me to be big and extra without actually committing to patchouli-cotton candy throughout the day. 😉
Sinus infections are so awful!!! Fingers crsoosed you stay healthy! And glad work is good etc etc. La Fille de Berlin is the perfume I’ve bought twice since getting in to perfumes. And Angel body wash sounds like a wonderful indulgence!
I am glad you like it. I tried it last spring, and I decided I like the original TM Angel more. It is very pretty, and I’ll bet you smell wonderful 🙂
I have so much respect for the original Angel. I love it. But, it’s one that I can wear rarely. However, I absolutely love the Angel body products (despite them being $$$, they are excellent quality).
I agree that this one is really pretty. I’m just so happy that Mugler didn’t do something totally different than the original (so many flankers run with the name and nothing else).
I bought Angel Muse after reading your initial review and it’s one of my favorites too, and one I get lots of compliments for wearing. Thanks 🙂
Yay! Glad you like it. It’s one of those that I bought (Mugler website often runs occasional 25% off to 30% off sales throughout the year). Now that it’s freezing, I have wanted these sort of “comfort” scents. I have been wearing it and remember just how much I still love this.
Also, agree about the compliments. Always get a compliment when wearing this one. It’s a crowd-pleaser.
Funny that we’ve talked about this one so much within other review comments but you hadn’t yet officially talked about it :). I gave away my bottle of Angel because I just didn’t wear it. I do wear my deluxe sample of Angel Muse though. It’s just more of what I want to smell like. I have a rocky relationship with patchouli but this is on the good list.
Unrelatedly, I saw your IG poll about rose perfumes and voted Yes! But I have to mention Viktor&Rolf Dancing Roses. I tried it once at Sephora last week and bought the travel spray on the spot. It’s definitely *not* cheap but you should get a sample for comparison with the others you try! I love cherry and can’t get enough of the cherry/brandy/rose combo.
One of these days I will get around to Angel…it’s actually one of those that I “know” so well that it makes it difficult to describe.
Something about the patchouli in Angel Muse is so smooth in comparison to the original (I like the original but never ever wear it unless it’s the body products).
YOU HAVE READ MY MIND!!! No joke, I just scheduled a finished review (last night) of Dancing Roses for the week of the 14th!! I may have to update my review because I didn’t see there are travel sprays now available. Not to spoil my review but I absolutely love it but the $190 price tag had me feeling poor and like I’d never wear it once my sample is gone. With all the perfume that I have, I’d be more than fine with a travel size. And you said “spray” so I’m sold. I like travel sprays better than the roll-ons. *going to Sephora’s website right now*
Woo I knew you’d be on board . Yessss to sprays over rollerballs (I can’t rollerball my scarf or my hair easily!) and a reasonable alternative ($30) to an extravagant FB (75mL?? $190??!). It’s been on my desk all week and when I want a distraction, I take a spritz.
Glad to hear you’re feeling better, liking your new job and things are calming down a bit.
I also like the Maison Lancome perfumes because they also come in a $35 spray. And let’s be real, that small size is really all we need since we don’t commit to just one (or even a couple of things). I hope other brands are taking notes.
I still haven’t figured out balance yet, but I’m working on it. 🙂
How did I miss a rose poll??? I’m so clumsy with IG, so that’s probably how…
It wasn’t “official”, just something in my stories. I am absolutely horrible with IG. I don’t think I have posted an actual pic in over a year :S
How does Angel Muse compare to Lolita Lempicka?
Hmmm…good question. Initially I thought “not very alike”. LL is powdery and more herbal/spicy. But, then I think about the vetiver in the base mixed with some sweetness and patchouli and I think they could be more similar (if I only consider their bases).
Has LL been discontinued?! I never see it around anymore.