Fabrice Pellegrin, the head perfumer for the team behind Womanity, says of his creation: “I’m very proud of it… I hope it’s going to have the same success as Angel.” Chandler Burr, professional grump and perfume writer, declares, “Doesn’t disappoint.” Geza Schoen, head perfumer for Ormonde Jayne, calls Womanity “the worst fragrance I have ever smelt.” I agree with all of them. Womanity is bizarre and borderline unpleasant. I have only worn it outside of the house once, and three people complained.
Womanity smells like unripe figs and salt water. Robin at Now Smell This speculates that “[the] human is rare” that does not smell caviar in here, but I have never tried caviar and therefore cannot comment. I have no idea what Womanity’s notes are supposed to have to do with Womanity as a concept. That’s what I like about this perfume, actually. Thierry Mugler didn’t choose an insipid fruity-floral or some bimbo sugary scent to represent women. He apparently believes that womankind is worthy of something more interesting, something clever, something that isn’t always pretty or sexy. I probably won’t be wearing Womanity outside of the house again, but I do very much appreciate what it’s trying to say.
SCENTS OF SELF 
I’m with you Arielle. Love it but haven’t left the house in it yet.
I feel really naughty when I wear it, Like I’ve stolen fire from the goddesses
Portia xx
If that’s not a recommendation, I don’t know what is!!
Ok, I apologize, I’m just blown away, does this really have caviar, fish eggs in it?
Arielle, have you tried the new Leather Womanity that came out probably a few months ago? I thought it was great, and smoother than the original.
Desirae, I did, and felt the exact same way. I actually regret not buying it, but it seemed a little expensive at the time. I wish the leather Womanity would come to the US already!
Three people complained! LOL.
Sorry to quibble, but what Robin actually said is that the human who DID smell caviar (“not having read the press materials”) would be rare. As for me, I have read the press materials, and I don’t even think it smells salty. I find it to a completely linear chewy fig fragrance, very pleasant but much more like a lotion or shampoo than a perfume because it’s so simple and linear (and fruity). In other words, I don’t find it very good OR very bad. Shruggles!
Oooop! Thank you for the correction, Elisa! I wrote this review at 8:15, my reading skills were clearly as awake as I was. I agree that Womanity is far from the best fig fragrance, and I’m sure most people would prefer that one wear Physkilos (sp????) instead.
Philosykos is the king, but lasts about 2 minutes on me. It lasts forever on my homme, and I FINALLY figured out why: chest hair!!
I wore this once and thought it was gross. Then I kept thinking about it. I can remember the smell of it SO WELL, despite only having worn it once! Wow, what a scent memory. Womanity started to fascinate me a bit. Then, on a plane in October, I smelled a very stylish gentleman wearing this scent. He smelled like a million dollars. I smelled him all the way to Chicago! Again, wow! I still have my little sample and I want to hit it up again but I’m a bit scared to. What if I just think it’s gross again?
So weird. I’ve also thought about blind-buying The Taste of Womanity from a discounter because I think that flanker got a lot of love. Sadly I never saw Leather Womanity anywhere. š¦
How funny, that’s just what Fabrice said in the interview too! “And what I think is very notable about it – which is very much in keeping with Mugler – is that when a woman wears Womanity, you turn around and recognise it, the same as with Angel and Alien.”
If the Taste of Womanity is cheap enough, I really recommend it. A really rich fig, although maybe less distinctive than the original. I wonder if we’ll ever get to try Leather Womanity here in the US?
I think last I checked (before Christmas) Taste of Womanity was running around $50 at fragrancenet. I dunno. If it was $30 I’d probably jump on it.
Yeah, $50’s too high for unsniffed. Although I think that Fragrancenet currently has a 20% off code…
I agree with Desirae abovee: I like the Leather version more, but it still isn’t my cup of tea.
Oh, you must tell us about the leather version!! It’s not available in the US yet, as far as I can tell. No idea why.
It is here! I got to sniff it at Macy’s!
Whaaaa? Okay, this weekend is a Macy’s weekend.
I’m considering the Leather version of Angel. Better make my decision fast, right?
YOU ARE WRONG! AND ALSO, YOU ARE WRONG!
I bought Womanity because, like one of your commenters above, I couldn’t forget it once I smelled it. And I actually bought it despite having a mini of it. Is it the sci-fi lid? Who knows? I do enjoy wearing it, and it fills well that niche of “What do I wear? I don’t want anything sweet! Or vintage! Or floral! Or clean!” And I put it on and I am good.
I didn’t get the Taste Of because figs sometimes strike me as eww. But I do have the leather, and it’s really good. REALLY good. When you come by again and we sniff vintage Diors, I’ll make you a sample. š
SORRY I’M NOT SORRY! Thank you for graciously not allowing my wrongness to interfere with our sniffing š Womanity really is a perfect scent for Thierry Mugler- it is as distinctive as Angel was back in the day.
I am intrigued by this perfume. And I am told that it works well on a man. I have to get a sniff of this Womanity.
In my opinion, despite the name, I can more easily envision Womanity on a man than on a woman. A twitter follower told me that it’s been very popular with gay men ever since Lady Gaga mentioned that she wears it in an interview!
Gaga…oh dear. Well we shall see then if I get a chance to smell it if I am a little Monster or not. LOL.
I really hated this at first sniff. Hated it. But I kept wanting to try it again. Now I love the stuff. I have no explanation as to why or how. I even have a backup bottle because I found it on sale at TJ Maxx. I wear it out of the house and no one has complained. I can understand why it doesn’t have a lot of fans though. I think it’s a love/hate kind of scent. Honestly I think even the people who love it might not have at first. I will say the name is awful.
Your change of heart is fascinating! And I think it says a lot about a perfume if it can inspire that kind of turnaround in you and Susan.
Want it. Can’t explain why. Just waaaaaaant.
Perfume desire needs no explanation! š
I am really, really tempted to try the Womanity Taste of Fragrance. I am dubious of the very concept of caviar, and to be honest the Womanity bottle frightens me, but the way people keep describing it as a sweet/salty fig sounds amazing. I’ll have to see if I can find a sample of it online- they aren’t still selling it in stores, are they?
Hannah, I’m almost positive that the Taste of Fragrance scents are gone from US stores, but Susan above mentioned that it’s on Fragrancenet. If it’s the sweet/salty thing you’re into, you’d definitely be better served by the Taste version than the original, which is not particularly sweet at all.
I think I like Womanity but I do not want to wear it. Still think it’s interesting and won’t mind adding a mini bottle to my collection… I just do not want to pay for something I do not plan to wear.
Fell head over heels for the fig note after smelling Philosykos for the first time last summer and seriously explored the note, but Womanity…… no. Hell no. There are so many things out there to try, I really don’t feel the need to re-try something to see if I’ll change my mind.
“I have worn it outside of the house once, and three people complained.” Yep, pretty much. š
What Natalie said, and you before her! Except I wouldn’t even get as far as wearing it… The taste of fragrance version is a lot better, and I would wear that – in and out of the house – without flinching.
The Taste of Fragrance Womanity really was so nice. Wish I had bought it while I had the chance! So nice to hear from you, Vanessa! š
I love this perfume!!! Lasting
I love this perfume!!! Lasting and the lotion is awesome š