Binxcat's Purrfect Fragrance

Mugler Cologne: Come Together EDT Come Together is an aromatic green and is one of the new releases in the Mugler Collection.   It is “The original unifying cult cologne by Mugler boasts the same scandalously addictive sensual trail.”   Like the original, it opens with a green petitgrain.   The initial opening is distinctly green and fresh.   Quickly, the initial strength of the green backs off a bit and is joined by a glorious clean musk.   There is a slight sweetness to the fragrance and I detect a leafy white floral accord.   Through the remainder of wear, Come Together retains its olfactory qualities.   It is fresh, clean, and enticing with its white musk.   It is an approachable fragrance which wears well alone or, for those who like to pair, would go nicely with a variety of other fragrances. Come Together wears on me for roughly 5 – 6 hours with soft projection. CRUELTY FREE Photo Credit: Nordstrom

Mugler - Les Exceptions: Over the Musk EDP Over the Musk (“Musk”) is a woody floral musk fragrance released by Mugler in 2014 as part of the Les Exceptions Collection.   Like many of the fragrance in the Les Exceptions Collection, Musk is a slightly different twist on the classic musk fragrance.   This is not your 1980’s musk.   Instead, it is a musk fragrance that add subtle, yet interesting notes with restraint that turns this fragrance into something both comforting and new. Musk opens with a clean, traditional musk note accompanied by the delicate hint of floral from the ambrette.   It creates a softer, almost sweeter take on musk.   Musk adds a bit of surprise for you as it wears.   It takes on a lightly resinous aspect along with a warm, light-handed spice of black pepper.   A sumptuous wood rounds out this fragrance.   The layering of the notes in Musk, while not “in your face”, serve to create a soothing, warm, and somewhat sex...

Mugler - Les Exceptions - Wonder Bouquet EDP In 2017, Mugler added Wonder Bouquet (“Wonder”) to the Les Exceptions Collection.   This floral fruity gourmand adds a decided twist to the fragrance family with the surprise addition of a bread/bran accord. You wouldn’t think it would work.   Sure, we’re used to fruity florals with “edible” notes.   We’re also used to the whole host of gourmands out there with doses of vanilla and chocolate and fig… but bread?   Yes.   It works; and surprisingly well. Wonder opens with a lovely fruity floral offering.   The notes are so well blended that the actual scent feels like a lovely passing breeze infused with white florals.   There is a sunniness and fresh sweetness to the florals, courtesy of the orange blossom, and the jasmine is well tempered.   In the mix is also an almost yeast-like note.   It’s just there, in the background, and yet tangible.   It’s the best of the “just preparing...

Mugler Les Exceptions - Oriental Express EDP To help celebrate the Mugler Friends and Family Event, I thought I’d give you another Mugler fragrance review.   Oriental Express (“Express”) is, not surprisingly, an oriental fragrance released by Mugler in 2014.   Express is not your Mother’s oriental.   It is also not one of those 80s-style in your face orientals.   Instead, it has a “come closer” vibe to it. Express opens with a cozy, powdery slightly spiced vanilla.   There is an evolving greenness in the background that lends a slight edge to the otherwise softness.   Into wear, I get a creamy woody note.   The woodiness is ever so slight as to not move this into a woody fragrance territory.   It simply adds depth and contrast.   There is a sense of classic minimalism to the fragrance while at the same time striking a different chord in the oriental fragrance family.   Express feels like what comfort food tastes like. Expre...

Mugler - Les Exceptions – Supra Floral EDP Supra Floral was launched in 2014.   As its name suggests, it is a floral fragrance; however, it is more than just a simple floral. The fragrance opens with a bright, crisp, fresh note that has aspects of hyacinth.   I feel as if I am standing in a garden and breathing in a freshly blossomed flower in Spring; although cannot identify the note as a “pure hyacinth”.   I get the floral of course, as elements of hyacinth, and it is accompanied by a fairly moderate greenness. The floral is soon joined by a lightly smoked incense.   This is not a “church” incense but is instead closer to a white smoke.   I want to describe this as a clean smoke.   The note adds a depth and complexity to the floral while allowing it to retain all of its best qualities.   I don’t get the typical resinous quality one would expect of an amber in a fragrance.   Here, the amber takes on more of a warm and sweet darkness...

Mugler - Aura Mugler EDP Aura Mugler (“Aura”) is an oriental green aromatic with hallmarks of a fruity floral fragrance.   Released in the United States this past Winter, the brand states it is intended to make the wearer “reconnect with (your) inner nature and to unleash all (your) femininity and (your) aura.”   Based on the description, I anticipated an assertive feminine fragrance. Aura opens with an intensely bitter and sour vegetal note.   The bitterness intertwines with a floral that reads on me as orange blossom.   This duel accord floats on my skin for about an hour before the bitterness subsides and the fragrance takes on a softer edge. As Aura wears, I get a complex smokiness and a sweetness that peeks through.   Again, the contrast of the notes is intriguing.   There is a slight medicinal quality that comes through at about the two hour mark.   Typically, a medicinal note is unpleasant to me but in this fragrance, I don’t f...

Mugler - Les Exceptions: Fougere Furieuse EDP Fougere Furieuse (“Furieuse”) is an aromatic fougere that was released in 2014.   In general, it follows the formula of a fougere in that you get the fern and geranium (here in lieu of lavender) as well as the coumarin.   I would note the coumarin appears as a base note, however, as the wear of this fragrance is fairly linear on me after the first hour of wear, it somewhat defies the formulaic composition.   Furieuse also gives us the moss and wood components with the wood being fairly prominent in wear. Furieuse opens with an intensely green herbal wood.   There is a freshness to the green herbs and a deliberate depth to the woods.   The fern stands out with a crisp bite.   Soon after, these notes are joined by a spicy geranium and white floral notes.   A smooth hay-like veil envelopes the fragrance and I get what feels very much like the traditional Mugler Alien woods and amber.   Through t...

Mugler - Alien EDP Coming a lucky 13 years after the release of Angel, Thierry Mugler released the oriental woody, Alien (2005).  Alien for me is one of those fragrances I thought I had tried but never did.  So, being the fraghead that I am (also not sure I really like that term), I decided to rectify my omission. Alien is a fairly linear fragrance on me but in no way does that diminish its beauty.  It’s simplistic composition of jasmine, woody notes, and white amber belies the complexity of its wear.  The notes, each handled with skillful artistry, seem to swirl and dance with each other creating a spellbinding scent.  The jasmine is a gorgeous, bright, fresh, blooming floral which has enough restraint that it never becomes overpowering.  There is a soft sweetness to the floral without becoming cloying.  Woody notes blend seamlessly with the warmth of white amber creating both a heart and base that embraces and enraptures. Alien is not a ...

Mugler - Alien Eau Sublime Some of the Mugler fragrances seem to be quite polarizing in the fragrance community at large.  It seems that many have very strong opinions one way or another about each release, myself included.  When I had the opportunity to try this new Alien flanker, I was cautiously optimistic. Eau Sublime (“Sublime”) takes the classic Alien jasmine jammy heaviness and lightens it with solar notes.  The perfumer has significantly softened the opening with this flanker.  Sublime opens as a light, fresh, lemony citrus touched with a soft jasmine and tiare flower.  There is a bright airiness to Sublime that is not present in the original.  As the juice wears, the heliotrope lends a floral vanilla powderiness to the fruity floral.  The heliotrope adds a slight sweetness without coming near the sweetness of Eau Sucree. The drydown mimics the base notes of the original giving us the cashmeran wood and amber.  The florals are...