As a number of people have noted here in the comments recently, Thierry Mugler generally does decent flankers...just as well, perhaps, since they're relatively slow to release new pillar fragrances. Angel Eau Sucrée, the latest flanker to 1992's Angel, "celebrates the sweetness of Angel" and has a matching Fauchon éclair (and a 'sugar'-frosted bottle) to drive home the point. Celebrating Angel's sweetness may or may not be appealing to you, of course, but if it helps, it's not the noisy sort of celebration likely to leave you with a headache in the morning.
Angel Eau Sucrée starts with 'red berry sorbet' — it's sweet, and it packs some sillage, but it's more airy and fresh than thick or jammy. The dry down adds 'caramelized meringue': a vanilla marshmallow, lightly toasted. At times it smells creamy, at times it smells almost biscuit-y, but either way, it's likewise done in a fresh and airy style that isn't likely to overwhelm in heat and humidity. There is just enough patchouli and spice in the far dry down to make a nod at the original Angel, but no more, and it's a noticeably cleaner and smoother patchouli in any case. After several hours wear, Eau Sucrée is a warm musky skin scent, with a hint of vanilla and a velvety finish. A slight touch of berry lingers long into the dry down.
Angel-haters (of which there are many) will find Eau Sucrée much easier to wear. It's not likely you'd smell Angel Eau Sucrée blind and peg it right away as a flanker to Angel, in fact, there are so many fifth-generation Angel copies on the market now that it could be the latest fresh gourmand from just about anybody.
Verdict: Nicely done, and a perfect balancing act between modern preferences for fresh fragrances and timeless / universal preferences for sugar. If you're a gourmand fancier looking for a summer fix, do give it a try, especially if you're a big fan of berry notes. I don't really fall into either category, and so I liked Angel Eau Sucrée well enough without having any desire whatsoever to add a bottle to my collection. So far, the only Angel flanker that I regret not owning is Angel Liqueur de Parfum.
Have a favorite flanker to Angel, or a favorite Angel dupe? Do comment.
Thierry Mugler Angel Eau Sucrée is a limited edition. It is available in 50 ml Eau de Toilette, $80.
I’ve been loving Eau Sucree for about a week now, but I do have an affinity for sugary scents and it is along the lines of La Vie est Belle and Flowerbomb, two other favorites. Also loved the Liqueur de Parfum version for winter, but one of the best flankers is Angel Lys!
Glad you love it! And yes … it could as easily be a flanker to La Vie or Flowerbomb — both of which, of course, could be flankers to Angel
When will Thierry Mugler stop milking the same old cow, aka making flankers of his old fragrances… I wonder if the brand is affraid to release another commercial “flop”… although his fragrances are not.
I’m wearing B*Man today, btw…
I kind of prefer their way…flankers but slow to release a pillar, than everyone else…flankers PLUS a new pillar every year whether it’s good or not. But it’s true that at this point, they’ve done a gajillion.
Shame B*Men got axed, it’s a great scent.
You can get B*Men online for a song.
They are releasing a new collection! Of florals, I believe. I’m excited to try them.
Really, another collection besides Les Exceptions? That’s great news.
To my understanding, they’re launching a new men’s pillar fragrance in the fall. They already did their major fragrance launch for women’s this year and that was the new Alien. I don’t see them creating a new collection aside from Les Exceptions, because they’d be shooting themselves in the foot. I’m 99.9% sure they’re not coming out with a new collection. They’re also saying that this year is most likely going to be the last of the flankers for Mugler. We shall see though.
I tried Prada’s Candy again today and again find it too soft and a little dull – though I know it has its many lovers:) This does sound like a fun gourmand – and far enough from Angel to be palatable. In South Africa though we don’t get most of these flankers, liquor, leather, flowers, etc.
Ah, then no idea if you’ll get this one either. This is WAY fruitier than Candy, and lighter.
Lighter? Then I might have difficulty detecting it at all, so its no loss, lol! But you did make it sound like fun…
Oh, Candy is not that light on me!
I can barely smell Candy. I think it’s a musk thing.
Absolutely – I’m nearly completely anosmic to certain musks and/or iso E super. Glad some others are too – it makes it less lonely:)
It’s really hit or miss with musks and such. There are some I can’t smell, and sometimes single notes drown out everything else. I often wonder if I’m ever smelling what the composer smelled!
And then I also think these olfactory blind-spots may be quite common. Often when I can’t smell a perfume I ask others, and often they can’t smell anything either!
I have a small travel spray of Angel Innocent; its a nice everyday scent and even works for the office (unlike the original which I only wear at home).
I cannot remember Angel Innocent at all, I should try it again.
Innocent is fantastic, R, very sexy too!
Ok, will give it a shot! Can’t remember seeing it in a store recently, but might just be because I haven’t looked.
Our local Sephoras all carry it so I assume yours must, too.
Thanks, they probably do!
I thought the leather version of A*Men was a bit boring (or at least not sufficiently different from Pure Malt and Pure Coffee to be worth owning), but the leather Angel was so arresting that almost despite myself, I bought a bottle. It’s recognizably Angel but sort of weird and off-kilter at the same time: a butch, slightly dirty version of Angel. It’s really something.
I fear the same might be true of A*Men Pure Wood, but we’ll see. I really liked Coffee. A coffee Angel would be cool too.
I think, so far, Pure Shot must be the worst of them all. Unfortunately I only woke up to the series at Pure Havane stage – wish I had smelled the ones before – especially the coffee and malt!
I loved the leather Angel too, although could almost only smell apricots. I never wore Angel, but bought the leather bottle just for this delicious apricot syrup…
Years ago I think 1991? While in Paris with my folks I got a sample of Angel while they were just setting up a display. My parents hated it and I loved
it that much more lol blue bottle! A star! Didn’t smell like anything else. Alas while I have owned a couple of bottles and I respect it, no more Angel for me. I do smell the flankers and will give this a sniff. I think M by Mariah Carey was a nice sorta dupe? Thanks
Those bottles are still probably the most spectacular ones around: the rubber flowers, feathers and bling (of the more contemporary ones) are just blah in comparison!
I do think it’s tamer than it used to be…probably been reformulated several times over. But still a great scent.
I had a strange scent development on my skin with this one.
At first its a nice, much tamer and less sweet Angel (I wanted more Sucree than the original actually but :(… ), then it took a turn and developed this slightly bitter-asian herbal medicine facet that remained throughout the wear.
I thought the bottle was beautiful (those sugar granules? genius.) and now they have a cute mirror as a gift with the purchase. I want to like it and own a bottle so bad but it seems like I will very likely have to pass…
Oh, interesting…wish I got that! I’d probably like that better than the berries.
Mugler does some of the best bottles and images. Have always wanted to love one of them enough to buy one of the beautiful bottles but so far have not. The closest I came was the Alien Absolue, I think. This sounds rather different so I’ll give it a try.
Robin, I picked up a Liqueur de Parfum mini on ebay because you keep mentioning it. That’s an option to consider. Sometimes you even find multiples, and mini or three might be enough. Also – there are FBs on ebay as we speak. (no affiliation)
Hey, but then did you like it?? And I didn’t even know they made them in minis, I’ll take a look.
I like it enough to be glad that I have it. Angel smells good to me but is also too something. I’m still thinking about it, and this is a good version.
The Angel LdP minis are not star-shaped, but rather cylinders with a plunger/dabber top, rather like the white Mugler cologne sample vials, if you ever saw those. They come in little boxes which help to protect from light and keep them from rolling away, etc.
Yeah. A mini would be perfect for me since I’m not likely to wear it often…agree with “too something”.
Thanks!
The description of this reminds me of Lush Prince Charming (valentines day 2014)
shower gel. Has anyone tried both? Is it similar?
I haven’t, sorry!
Thanks for the review Robin. I do like the original Angel but not enough to own it… and most of the flankers were “meh” or “ok” for me… but fresh berry sorbet sounds rather enticing ! I will have to give it a try.
Never hurts to try
Thanks for the review, Robin. I liked Angel Eau Sucree enough to buy a FB. I’m feeling a little guilty because I got my sample from Nordstrom but bought it from Macy’s to use a gift card. Anyway, I like the sweetness, the tame patchouli and the vanilla drydown. My only complaint is 3-4 sprays lasted about 5 hours on me and the it disappeared to reappear again 10 hours or so after first application. I need to see if wearing it in the heat will cause it to last longer.
If it seems to reappear, I wonder if some note is causing olfactory fatigue? Not that it helps, of course. I keep meaning to try that perfume “canvas” primer that Angie reviewed.
Of course, if it is olfactory fatigue, then everyone else can still smell it when you can’t…
Gave it a perfunctory sniff yesterday and thought “what a well-done Pink Sugar flanker!”
Neither a lover nor a hater of Angel am I, in fact I quite like the original Angel but it’s not “me”.
I do like Womanity more and more though.
Ha…fair enough!
I’ve recently tried and loved this, though on my perfume devouring skin, it lasts maybe 3 hours tops. If it lasted a bit longer, I’d be beyond pleased. As it is, I’m waffling on a purchase because it doesn’t last long but it is really lovely and delicious. Thanks for the review which encouraged me to give it a try.
If your skin really eats scent, maybe try this:
https://nstperfume.com/2014/02/24/canvas-concrete-fragrance-primer-product-review/