Reviews of Angel (1992)
by Thierry Mugler

A*Men is too much: too much tar off the top and on my skin so much caramel in the base it's a joke. I've worked my way halfway down a 100ml bottle and then switched to Angel which is so much better. The drydown does resemble A*Men, but it's more balanced with less of that hideous caramel. And I haven't been looked up and down wearing it - yet!

It's odd that I so love Angel yet so abhor A*men, as many of the same notes are there. But what I get from Angel is patchouli and chocolate and sweet burnt sugar, while all I get from A*men is rancid cocoa and burnt tar (and lots of the latter).

Angel, for me, is as rich, sensual and vanilla-laden as A*men is harsh, bitter and migraine-inducing.

This fragrance is so very unique! I am one of the unfortunates who cannot wear it well. When I get a whiff of Angel on someone else, it's intoxicating...however, after about 30 minutes of his on my own skin, I smell like I've stuck a chocolate bar under each arm ~ not pretty! It just seems 'too much' for me to wear for any length of time. If this original Angel is not to your liking, I suggest trying the floral Angel's. I'm in love with the patchouli base! The drydown is sexy - in an angelic way! Oh yeah, my husband really likes it too.

05/2008 update :

Finally, I have found enjoyment in wearing this treasure...it's called EXTRAIT! Just a dab, lasts all day long! Absolutely stunning! The great thing about Angel is there are so many options available ~ you just need to spend some time finding the way to wear it that works best for you! Now I can love wearing this one along with the rest of you!

I just adore this. It is so different, and when worn by a friend for years, I always wanted to lick her neck! So I finally bought some for myself and it is such a treat.

This fragrance is absolutely mystifying in it's complexity and it's other-ness. It is playful and feisty in it's sweetness, while also mature and grounded with the weight of the base. In the world of the olfactory, it is a modern work of art, and for me, takes me back to a time of soul-searching, discovery and the pure essence of carpe diem.

It is sweet and unmistakable. Its power and mystique rely heavily on its gourmand distinctiveness. I would get it for my girlfriend, but I have A-Men for myself, and I must admit that the two are quite similar.

I don't know if it is an instant classic, but a woman wearing it will never want for attention.

With Angel, the initial impression is a very spicy kick to it…the patchouli is initially very strong and I was a bit worried as while I like patchouli – I prefer it to be more mellow as patchouli itself just does not “suit” me so well! I was pleasantly surprised where after that initial kick (which quickly dissipated) I entered into a very rich, warm chocolate-caramel-vanilla flavour with that underlying patchouli kick to keep it from being cloyingly sweet for me (though I still am tempted to chew on my wrist. I can’t help but feel immediately toasty and warm putting it on – and even while I was shovelling in the -30 C temperatures the other day the occasional scent that drifted up from the depths of my winter coat to my nose warmed my insides.

For the record, I HATED the smell of it in the store when I initially put it on – it did have a very musty, mouldy smell to it but once it was on my skin and began to blend with my chemistry it turned into something quite amazing. I went back a couple hours later to buy it.

My only vice is the bottle that is really kind of annoying in that it cannot stand up; and it’s not exactly cheap particularly on a budget. It does however go a LONG way as you should really only use a little dab and I don’t use it as my everyday fragrance.

I don't smell it very often around here, so I don't feel like I am one of the crowd!

It's incredibly strong and has the ability to either attract or scare people away. Isn't this a good enough of a reason to get one now? :)

This is a scent I've loved ever since I was a kid. I think my Mom has had this scent probably ever since it came out (and I would've been like 3 or 4). I remember the adorable blue star bottle and the sweet scent that smelled like food the I used to want to spray myself with for dance or piano recitals or my 8th grade "graduation".

Now that I'm older, I tried this on myself again and I find that it's not quite the same as I remember it from my childhood. My mom doesn't use it very much any more, the liquid or the bottle has taken on a strange greenish tinge, and the scent seems different from what I recalled. It now has this distinctly sour note in the opening that I don't remember at all. When it dries down it settles better and starts to get that delicious, sparkly nummy desserty scent that I love, but it still has this very slight not-quite-right scent to it. I love this scent and still occasionally steal a spritz of it from my mom's closet.

If it weren't so gosh darn popular, or at least wasn't worn by a woman at work, I myself would wear it more often, or at least I'd like to. Angel unfortunately still has this feminine je ne sais quois quality about it despite the generous punch of patchouli in the mix which hardly makes it any angel at all! Certainly not a cute perfume, and it's actually the patchouli that makes my nose swoon--the musty type, as compared to the sweaty green type worn by hippies of the 60s and 70s. Back to Angel...it's probably that berry note that makes it feminine to my nose. Despite all this, I love it, love smelling it, whoever wears it, including myself when I want to be reminded of it when I'm at home. I can understand why it's so popular. I love the mens version as well, but sadly you always have to get over that brash tar beginning, A*Men and B*Men alike. Beautiful-but-edgy is the mark of Thierry Mugler--yeehah!

Does anyone out there know that you can get Britto for women for less than half of what you pay for this fantastic stuff? And you can't tell the difference either.

Compare notes:
Britto Notes: Bergamot, Hyacinth, Clementine, Amber, Evergreen, Blackberry, Loganberry, Wild Lily, Sambac, Nutmeg, Patchouli, Sandalwood

Sample them both back to back and you will be amazed. Angel is awesome stuff, smells yummy. Britto's longevity is on par, and the price is better, so I love Angel, but Britto is the way to go.

I cannot believe the word "Patchouli" is not in the list of ingredients above, because it is SO there. Lots of it. The berries are very prominent, as well especially in the opening notes. They do fade and in the end you get the patchouli (which never really goes away) the vanilla, honey and chocolate in the dry down. If you can wait that long, you will love it. If not, you are out of luck! As with anything with Patchouli in it, this scent does not wash off easily! Angel is also not a scent to wear on a whim; it needs to be tested on your skin when you go shopping or something first. If you like it, you need to plan to wear it...meaning, you need to consider the occasion, people involved, weather...before wearing this scent. If you just don't want to bother with that, then you need to be able to take criticism or don't mind that people will avoid you. This is a scent that some people will love, but some people will intensely detest. I completely agree with Tovah; Angel evokes smells of warm summer nights to me. I think one of the reasons is because you need to wear it when you are going to be surrounded by fresh, moving air. In winter, everything is too closed in for a scent like this. Most of the time I have to apply it...and then wash it off after 5 minutes because no matter how little I use, it's always too much. I can live without the berries, to tell you the truth. Sometimes the dry down smells a little plastic-y to me, but not always. Still, Angel is a great scent, wonderful for romance and an innovation in the perfume industry.

The opening notes all clash horribly, then it begins to dry down to a bright, warm comfortable place. I honestly don't get chocolate out of this after that first nose-punching blast where it's arguing with the mandarin. Dry down is vanilla without the cream and sugar (thank God), a breath of sweet patchouli and a little whisp of mandarin, I suppose: whatever that whisp is smells slightly floral so who knows where that's coming from.

I agree with Tovah that it's very much a summer scent. I don't wear it in winter either. And I personally abhor patchouli in all forms. Once again, who knows why this form works on me? It just does.

The patchouli and tendency toward "heaviness" that is characteristic of Angel suggests that it would work best as a Winter scent, yet, I much prefer wearing it in the Summertime. I'm not sure I even like it in the Wintertime. When my skin is warm and my body temperature is high, Angel is one of the most beautiful fragrances I could ever imagine. It's dreamy, feminine, magical, and comes across as a vanilla with light florals (a la Susanne Lang Midnight Orchid). In the Winter...well...I have to agree with some of the previous reviewers who find this fragrance to be, ahem, unpleasant. Angel needs to be applied with DISCRETION and it helps if it's worn where there's a lot of ventilation or some nice strong breezes. I worked with a woman who wore Angel heavily, every day and I swear the smell of it, ignited by indoor heating, used to seep through the walls. People would think she was in a room she'd vacated 1/2 hour before because her sillage was so...potent. But applied with just the right touch (too much is nauseating), Angel is really, really beautiful. I find La Rose Angel to be easier to wear, and much more versatile. I'd love to own it as well. In the meantime, Angel is such a classic, her beautiful bottle deserves to adorn my collection in all its groundbreaking glory. Works of genius aren't always enjoyed, or understood, but they can be admired and appreciated. Angel deserves this from me, at least. And I love wearing it, lightly, on a warm Spring day.

Angel is simply legendary, whether you like 'her' or not, you cannot deny that she is a powerful force within the fragrance industry. I personally love Angel and all her counterparts (Innocent and The Garden of Stars). They're sweet, spicy, sexy, earthy (that'll be that patchouli!) and the boys love it :P

I absolutely LOVE this fragrance, and although I can smell the chocolate, the most dominant smell I percieve is the patchouli, although it is not mentioned in the notes. Anyone, like me who is an aging rock chic will love this as it reminds me in a much more subtle way of my earlier head banging days. However, most people who comment on how nice I smell when wearing this fragrance have never been into this music genre, so please don't let that last comment put anyone off!! Again, this is a very sexy fragrance, so I rarely wear this during daylight hours. I also never wear this when going out to dinner as it is a little strong for some people. I would recommend keeping this for special night in with the partner of your dreams.

absolutely love this fragrance! Its my signature perfume! Its difficult to find a perfume without flowers - any suggestions? Evie

I love it!!! AND I live in Rio de Janeiro!

ANGEL either loves you or hates you. You don't choose Angel ....Angel chooses you.
I will agree with someone else. Angel does best in less humidity and cooler weather. I live in South Forida and it is reserved for cooler months.
Not my very favorite but I do love it. It isn't a perfume that I could wear all the time.

I love Angel. I agree with other reviewers--a little goes a long way.

Why do I love it so? I suppose it's the number of times I've worn it to a party, and people look around, asking aloud, "What is that wonderful smell? Who smells so delicious?" Once they say, "Oh, it's you! What ARE you wearing? It's heavenly!" It makes me feel like Kudra, which I think every woman wouldn't mind! And then I tell them it's Thierry Mugler's Angel. But I do agree that it doesn't smell this way on everyone, I guess I lucked out, having a skin chemistry that meshes well with it.

Gorgeous.Simply gorgeous.A fragrance which
changed the idea of oriental.Not for everybody,better the day than the night.
Please,don't be dressed to kill while you wear it!

Love this scent but I can totally understand why many people detest it - it is very rich and can be so cloying! Saying that, to me it's delicious, not too sweet, and a very unique, one-of-a-kind scent. My boyfriend didn't like it - didn't hate it, but thought it was weird.

This fragrance smells heavenly on Persian and Armenian women. Must be body chemistry.

I LOVE THIS SCENT! This is one of my favorite scents. My twin sister introduced me to it, and I love it because it reminds me of her. It's so rich, complex, and intriguing. I always keep at least two bottles because I never want to run out.

This is a love it or hate it scent. If you like it, try flowerbomb or Miss Dior Cheri. Angel is heavy and long lasting, but there are better examples of the style. Angel is heavy on the food/chocolate scent. I like it, but flowerbomb is more subtle and possibly longer lasting. Sillage is excellent on Angel as well as FB and MDC.

This is an unbelievable fragrance! Unbelievably good. Let me explain: my preference in scent tends toward the complex and interesting even puzzling. I despise mediocrity; if I wanted a citrus smell, I'd squeeze a grapefruit on myself and be done with it. I like concoctions, makes me feel I paid for something good produced by hard work.

Angel's complexity therefore makes it one of my very favorite scents. Everything is here: the brashness one should expect from the topnotes of a perfume, tempered with the other notes which rise from time to time to the fore only to be beaten back but which then finally win the fight and gain ascendancy, after which the drydown occurs several centuries on, exactly like a witch's cauldron.

For me, this is a truly remarkable fragrance, but I can understand the negative reaction it engenders in others. Genius usually does.

This fragrance should be unisex, It doesn´t smell femminine at all to me.
It´s a fact that, generally, men love the smell while a high porcentage of women hate it with passion, (strange).
I found it velvety and juicy at the same time, and I can smell a big note from berries,chocolate, passion fruit and diverse wild fruits, but no single one flower.
Caution!: Spray it too far enough as is quite scented and you could end up being a skunk! :)

I've fallen in and out of love with Angel over the years. At the moment, I'm in love with it again. I've been wearing just the tiniest dab of the edp lately and have been receiving compliments. Maybe people apply too much and that's why so many hate it - because a little goes a very long way. I guess I'm just in the mood for this again.

I like ANGEL. This is one of the few fragrances I know in which the masculine version (A*MEN) smells very similar indeed to the feminine version. In fact, as a reviewer here has noted, the feminine version may even be more assertive than the masculine version. Certainly the feminine version has a more pronounced menthol and bitter cassis note in the head, which to me, greatly offset the sweetness of the candy notes. This fragrance really is genius... I think that patchouli goes surprisingly well with the sweet notes; I love patchouli, and will never complain that a fragrance has too much of it. It is possible that this fragrance-- as with, say, POISON or KOUROS in the past-- is a great fragrance suffering from its own popularity. A fragrance can lose a bit of its cachet when everyone cottons onto it.

It took me a while to embrace what I first thought was a clash between some very contrasting notes: patchouli and chocolate, for example. Or bergamotte and caramel. Different notes seemed to fleet around, isolated from each other, in some kind of weird, sweetended patchouli-space. OK, I'm going to cut the introvert crap, because believe me, I hear how ridiculous it sounds (lol, it's still true though), and just say that I love Angel now! Sometimes I suddenly miss it. Despite the fact that there are several cheap copies, there is nothing like it. I also find it far superior to all the later variations – the garden of stars and Innocent - even if some of these are also nice. Personally I prefer to dab a few drops of EdP to pulse points, instead of spraying on larger areas. Angel is so noticable, just a tiny bit is needed

This was my love around 2001. I swam in the stuff. Florals tend to sour on me and this was the perfect solution at the time. I never smelled anything like chocolate on me,lots of patchouli and honey. I don't wear it anymore..too many other loves right now.

This was the favourite perfume of a woman I used to know, and I found it (and, consequently, her!) irresistable! A stunning fragrance. Sadly she found me all too resistable!

its strong and seductive, worn by lolita temptresses of all ages. the bottle is ethereal but the scent is a provocative man-chaser! younger men in their 20s seem to like it on me...

Definitely a winner in my book! It's sweet at first but never cloyingly sweet on me. I always wear it on my wrists in order to be able to sniff it all day (lasts a long time). I realize that people either love it or hate it which was true for my sister. Of course, that just meant that I was the lucky recipient of a new .8 Fl. oz bottle.

I detest this scent on many people. It smells delicious if you have the right chemistry and I love it on me. I get so many compliments on this perfume, mostly from men.

I love Angel, and more importantly Angel loves me. It is warm, soft, sweet but not cloying and it melds with my chemistry perfectly creating the most discreet-yet-sexy sillage. On me it is downright ethereal.

I steered clear of Angel for years because I didn't like the way it smells on most people. Then someone spritzed it on me when I wasn't paying attention and I fell in love with it, ten years after all the hype. On me, you can't smell the chocolate, vanilla, or caramel at all... my body chemistry seems to bring out the honey note most strongly, and under that, cedar or cypress maybe. It reminds me of the eastern Mediterranean... a trip to Yugoslavia and Greece in childhood. I find it very warm and sexy but it has to be applied very sparingly and preferably in places where air can circulate, like the back of the neck.

Been wearing this one for nearly 10 years now and NEVER tire of it. A perfect gourmand tht never fails to thrill me. Warm, sweet, slightly edgy (patchouli), and with a fruity tinge. Always elicits compliments and lasts forever. Constantly being "borrowed) by roomamtes and friends...sexy!

This to me seems like a darker and more masculine version of A*men. In fact, a guy could wear this without any problem at all. It has a heavy dose of patchouli and woods in the base that make it brooding. Just like its counterpart, it has extremely impressive sillage and longevity. While I still prefer A*men, this is still the first gourmand scent and it's a classic. It does seem to generate a lot of mixed responses. Some love it while others absolutely hate it, but at least it's never described as being boring or mediocre.

only one word needed - GLORIOUS..i first discovered this in Germany and soon everyone was wearing this...on me it smells heavenly...but i agree on some people its like BO....always gets noticed but some people tend to spray far too much. With this one, less is more..

Angel is wonderful. Angel holds a place in the legends of perfume, right next to Chanel No. 5. Angel is a brilliant and innovative fragrance for women, that was such a huge departure; there are no floral notes in Angel. This is a sweet, rich gourmand fragrance for women. It’s delicate while being seductive and unique. Brilliant fragrance.

delicious. i am not a big-time perfume lover, and yet i must drench myself in Angel. i have many body products by Angel, all of which are very good. the lotion and the shower gel are great. it captivates you and keeps you a happy prisoner of its deliciousness.

What first attracted me to this fragrance was the shape of the bottle. Honestly! I picked it up in the department store just to look at it with no intentions of buying it. I didn't even know what it was called.

After I saw that it was called "Angel" I decided to try it. I sprayed a little on my wrist and went on my way shopping. I just couldn't stop sniffing my wrist off and on for the next several hours. Finally I just had to go back to the perfume counter and spray it on again. This time there was no turning back, Angel was mine.

The fragrance will envelope you in a sense of peace and serenity. It will remind you of cozy evenings on cold winter nights by a fire with hot chocolate and marshmallows.

Every time I wear this fragrance my husband wants to get "just a little closer" it seems. I gues you could call this fragrance heaven sent.

This fragrance is wonderful on certain people (notice the "certain" part). The patchouli note is intense but can smell overwhelming or just like b.o. on certain people. I personally recommend women use the body cream (one of the best on the market) and then spray Angel Innocent on top of it. Mixing the two in such a way produces a very pleasing smell.

I love it and am the only one in my neighborhood who wears it. I'm keeping it all to myself.

Angel was my first real, true love- a love that lasted for seven years, in fact. The soft, candied sweet topnotes, the sensuous chocolate-patchouli drydown. I though I'd found the one. But then I began to find Angel everywhere, in every cafe, meeting me on every street corner. Angel's love was a little too freely given. So I had to let Angel go. I still do long for Angel at times, but I know that it happiest making others happy, not just me and me alone.