555 Alien

555 is a minimalist take on Alien, built entirely from sambac jasmine, cashmere wood and white amber. The jasmine opens rich and slightly narcotic, close to the heady white-floral character that makes Alien instantly recognisable. Cashmere wood adds a soft, creamy woodiness at the heart, a gentler stand-in for the mineral, almost solar amber-woods accord that defines the real fragrance. White amber closes things out with a warm, sweet glow. What's missing compared with the genuine Alien is the sheer density: Mugler's original is a famously intense, radiant amber-floral that fills a room, while this oil version is noticeably lighter, softer and closer to the skin, with far less of that solar, almost otherworldly power. Still, the jasmine-amber-wood shape is recognisable and pleasant, making 555 a gentle, everyday-wearable nod to Alien for those who find the original a lot to handle.