Angel Nova vs Muse Perfume Comparison

Angel has been a best seller for decades now. Over that time span, Mugler has released a bunch of flankers under that banner. Two of the more recent popular entries, have been Angel Muse and Nova. As such, it will often come down to these two, when women are deciding which Angel perfume to buy. In this post, I will compare and contrast these fragrances, before declaring an ultimate winner between them.

Tale of the Tape: Muse vs. Nova

Angel Nova

Notes include: litchi, raspberry, benzoin, Damask rose, akigala wood

Read my full review: Angel Nova

Angel Muse

Notes include: patchouli, vetiver, hazelnut cream, pink pepper, wood

Click here to try: Thierry Mugler Angel Muse Eau de Parfum spray, 1.0 oz

Read my review: Angel Muse EDP

Opening

Angel Nova starts off with a burst of juicy fruit led by the raspberry note. There is also litchi and a slightly tropical aroma, that smells like mango, to my nose. It’s actually a sweet and slightly sour blend, but has a great intensity to it.

Meanwhile, Muse starts off with a sugary sweet blend of patchouli, hazelnut cream, and a bright grapefruit citrus note. It’s warm, a bit earthy, and has the nice creamy sweetness.

Which is better? I do really like Nova. That semi-tropical raspberry bomb, is pretty darn good. However, I prefer Muse. Muse is a bit more traditional, but it really smells wonderful and I preferred it to Nova’s start.

Edge: Muse

Projection

To me, Nova had two phases. First, it’s loud opening act, where the sillage is quite strong. Then, it settles more moderate. Meanwhile, Muse is pretty moderate throughout. Though, probably the upper range of what could be considered moderate.

Nova definitely reaches a higher level of power overall.

Edge: Nova

Longevity

Nova and Muse both have really good performance and will hang on the skin for a long while. With Nova, it was 9 to 11 hours. With Muse, it was 8 to 10 hours.

So, not a huge gap between them, but Nova still has a clear edge here.

Edge: Nova

Versatility

Nova skews toward a younger audience and is best in the spring and summer months. It’s also more casual than Muse.

Muse isn’t a warm weather fragrance and should be worn during autumn and winter. I think that it will appeal to a wider age range and can fit into the nightlife or more formal occasions better than Nova can.

Edge: Muse

Overall Scent

I personally enjoyed Nova during testing. The opening act, where it is a fruity bomb was great. But, not everyone is going to like it. It does have some more depth, a bit of spiciness, and notes like benzoin to add more depth.

Nova is a very nice perfume and will give you great performance.

However, I prefer Angel Muse more so than its newer counterpart. It’s warm, sweet, and dry with a nice vetiver note in the base. It also has a creamy sweet aroma mix of hazelnut and cocoa, which comes together extremely well.

No, it’s not as powerful as Nova, but it’s close enough. Plus, it smells better and can be worn in more scenarios. For most folks out there, Muse will be the one to go with.

Winner: Angel Muse

Best Men's Colognes

Best Men’s Colognes started back in 2013, as a way to share my learning experiences with different fragrances, as I dove head first into the hobby. Since then, I have written hundreds of reviews and other pages about perfumes and colognes.