Ice*Men by Mugler

A freshness in the style of Thierry Mugler. It has an opening very similar to Pure Energy/Shot, strong and unpleasant for some, but after five minutes it transforms into a fresh sweetness where mint and patchouli predominate on me. As it’s about to fade, it leaves a pleasant sunscreen-like scent trail.

Another one they stopped making without explanation that I absolutely loved. It was fresh with very pleasant woody notes. On my skin, nutmeg stood out with patchouli (medicinal, spicy… which cleared the nose… haha) and a soft cedar note. The performance was excellent, with great sillage and longevity (back in the day, perfumery was different), and the bottle is beautiful. It’s different from today’s citrusy fresh scents; at its heart, it was a refreshing oriental. It’s rare to say this, but that’s how I feel. Very aromatic. Don’t buy it blindly; this relic doesn’t suit everyone. Like the Muglers, it’s either love or hate, no middle ground. Groundbreaking.

Continuing with my Mugler collection, I once acquired this fragrance. Being from the house, you already trust the quality and buy without testing. The opening is potent, herbal, minty, and very plasticky; it feels like a menthol and pepper alcohol bomb that overwhelms. Curiously, no notes are listed. You wait for its evolution. In the heart phase, an unvelvety, acidic, bitter musk appears, like urine, with raw minty freshness, smelling of fresh coriander. The nutmeg and wood that would give it volume never appear. The patchouli is an illusory hint. It didn’t turn out as expected; the intense freshness fades quickly, like an ice cube in the sun. Light years away from A*Men. Resignation: nothing more is for me. The final phase, close to the skin after 30 minutes, has a slight floral note, but the plasticky sensation remains. Absolute disappointment. The transparent, ice-like bottle loses its charm in its simplicity, and the broken detail matches my urge to throw it away. Not recommended.

One of my favourites. A dry, fresh olfactory marvel of patchouli. Great projection and longevity in summer. Discontinued much against my will. It must return; it’s a great fragrance. I see it more as a fresh version of B*Men than A*Men.

I picked it up in the early 2000s, and upon spraying, it flooded my mind with Othello, that 80s cologne. It transported me back to my adolescence, to those outings with friends full of jokes and adventures after the girls, moments of pure nostalgia. Ice*Men is a summer fragrance; perhaps today it seems more suited to people over 30 as it isn’t as sweet, but back then it looked much more youthful in an era before so many sugary perfumes existed. It’s fresh with a touch of sweetness, in the Mugler style, without being cloying or annoying, thanks to its mentholated patchouli and the wood that gives it body and balance. The longevity is notable for a heat spray, lasting six to eight hours on skin even in high temperatures, whether humid or dry. It brought me great joy to see it back in perfumeries, as they had said it was discontinued, though it still sounds great and I can now find it in several places.

In the world of Mugler’s ups and downs, there are true gems and there are boxes that only look good when closed. A few weeks ago, Ice*Men arrived in my collection, with a reputation I’m not sure it deserves. Compared to Kriptomint and other similar fresh scents, Ice Men has its own personality, feels more accomplished and refined, reminding me of the philosophy behind B*Men. You can sense the structure of the classic A*Men, but with less dense, more vegetal and fresh mid and top notes, slightly boreale, built around a mentholated patchouli (unlisted mint). It’s an A*Men with an organic green accord, very pleasing. It’s atypical and beautiful, drawing on the traditional A*Men base while adding a creamy, fresh and slightly sweet twist. Performance is excellent, lasting around eight hours with moderate projection; you need to apply it generously to get the most out of it. Compared to Kriptomint, it feels rounder to my nose, more restrained without being old-fashioned; Kriptomint goes for jovial and commercial routes. Recommended.

A fragrance I use a lot in the heat when A*Men is too potent and sweet. You can feel the patchouli and coffee backbone, but with a refreshing mint. I’ve read it’s the same as A*Men Summerflash, but to my nose, they’re just very similar. Let’s say this Ice*Men is more Ice than A*Men, while Summerflash is more A*Men than Summerflash. The bases are the same, but the opening and heart notes of Ice*Men are better crafted and less piercing. Sillage and longevity are average. It has brought me compliments. Greetings from Chile!