Nirmala by Molinard

We already discussed perfumes that smell like sweat and Nirmala popped into my head, along with Anitarosal. I’ve read others associate it with sweat, and I get it: the passionfruit and grapefruit blend gives a damp aroma, similar to blackcurrants and cassis. I also read that grapefruit can smell like sweat on skin for some, but luckily Nirmala is a hit for me and smells fantastic. It’s similar to Angel, same vibe, but more than Angel, it reminds me of Innocent—they’re super alike! I read Thierry Mugler was inspired by Nirmala to create Angel because his mom used it, what a beautiful tribute. Many say Angel (1992) was the first gourmand, a pioneer, but mm, nope! I even mentioned Angel as one of the first, but besides Nirmala (created in 1955—wooo!), I can think of others like Comptoir Sud Pacifique or Vanille Mokha (1976) that are definitely gourmands and came out way earlier. Anyway, I’m off-topic -___. Nirmala is a rich tropical perfume: starts with blackcurrant vibes (probably passionfruit and grapefruit), moves into a creamy mango that gets sweeter and more vanilla-like, and the base is musky, creamy, and barely floral. Definitely prefer Nirmala over Innocent. Longevity and sillage are pretty decent 😀 Awesome!

Since this brand doesn’t ship to Mexico, I bought it blind. I already own several Molinards and love them, but this is the exception. The opening is super sweet, and that tropical fruit combo—especially passionfruit with mango—just doesn’t work with my skin; it smells sweaty and feels very spicy. It doesn’t improve with time. In English, they say it’s similar to Mugler’s Angel, and maybe it is, since I don’t like it either. Obviously, it’s my pH that clashes with the perfume, and I’ve realized mango or passionfruit notes just aren’t for me. If you love Angel and want something fruitier, you might like this; it’s very affordable online and could work better for you than it did for me.