I'll Be Haunted Until Everyone I Know Owns One of These 2 Cult Perfumes

Sometimes I really wish I could keep my cool a little bit more when it comes to fragrance. For instance, I FTFO whenever A) a new fragrance is launching, B) someone asks me about my bottle collection, or C) a friend, family member, or reader hasn't experienced a history-altering olfactive masterpiece à la Chanel N°5, CK One, Miss Dior, or perhaps Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue. Perfume is a hyperactive passion point for me, especially when it comes to two equally iconic scents I didn't mention above: Thierry Mugler's Angel (which has been causing pandemonium since its birth in 1992) and Alien (which, while equally famous and recognizable, came along a little later on in 2005). To put it bluntly, both are just so, so good at what they do (whether you want something sweet and gourmand like Angel or timelessly classic like Alien) I get physically itchy when I meet someone who's unfamiliar. If you own one perfume in your life, I think it should be one of the above. (But fear not—more on both later on.) 

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(Image credit: @sabinasocol)

Of course, there's more to this dynamic duo than their arguably perfect scent profiles—they also represent a pivotal facet of Thierry Mugler's legendary footprint in the fashion, art, and beauty industries. For instance, when Angel launched in 1992, nearly 20 years after the fashion label's original establishment, it became instantly famous as the first "gourmand" fragrance in the history of fragrance, no doubt inspiring thousands of perfumes to come. (Fun fact: In 1998, Angel had become so popular that it dethroned Chanel No. 5 from its number one slot in the French fragrance market.) Not surprisingly, Mugler was often referred to as the "The Prophet of Futurism" throughout his career.

Alien, which launched in 2005, made equally exciting waves, as it was the first major fragrance launch since Angel—I love a beauty product with a history, so it's no surprise I go wild for Thierry Mugler's cult-loved creations. To celebrate, and because I've been talking about Thierry Mugler's best fragrances more than ever lately (despite their 20-plus-year heritage), I've rounded up (and ranked) the best perfumes from the label that are still available. Keep scrolling!

#8: Womanity Eau de Parfum

#7: Aura Mugler Eau de Parfum

#6: Alien Fusion Eau de Parfum

#5: Alien Goddess Eau de Parfum

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#4: Alien Goddess Eau de Parfum Intense

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#3: Angel Nova Eau de Parfum

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#2: Alien Eau de Parfum

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#1: Angel Eau de Parfum

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Shop My Favorite Thierry Mugler Eau de Toilettes

Up Next, Everyone in Paris Smells So Good, and This $26 Scent on Amazon Is Responsible

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.