Ex Nihilo Paris: perfume you can personalize
Ex Nihilo is a Parisian house and says so in its names: Cologne 352 is named after its address on rue Saint-Honoré. In the brand's boutiques there is the Osmologue, a brass dosing instrument: you choose a fragrance from the collection and add a final accent, which is weighed and bottled in front of you. The compositions are signed by perfumers such as Quentin Bisch, Jordi Fernández, Antoine Maisondieu, Olivier Pescheux and Natalie Cetto. On the house's website the catalog is divided into collections (Initiale, Interdite, Iconoclaste, Visionnaire, Babylone, Quintessence), while Fleur Narcotique, Blue Talisman and Lust in Paradise each have their own series.
Ex Nihilo fragrances by olfactory family
Florals
Among the florals is Fleur Narcotique by Quentin Bisch, a peony that starts out delicate and then opens into a full bouquet. Lust in Paradise is also built on peony, white peony in this case, with pink pepper and lychee, cedar and musk. Rose takes center stage in Rose Hubris, a portrait of the May rose with green leaves and citrus notes, in Spiky Muse, which pairs it with strawberry and pistachio, and in My Sweetest Morphine, with lilac and mimosa. From the Initiale collection comes Iris Porcelana, which pairs pale iris with violet leaf. Then there is Jasmin Fauve, a white flower with a leathery character, and Viper Green, a green floral with galbanum, angelica and iris. Finally, Explicite has pink pepper, a bouquet of peony and lily of the valley, vanilla and a few drops of sandalwood.
Amber and gourmand
Blue Talisman has pear and bergamot set against musk and amber notes. Venenum Kiss combines candied apricot and vanilla with amber, suede, rose and saffron, and Amber Sky is an overdose of amber with woody notes. Honoré Delights, signed by Natalie Cetto, is a pastry-inspired gourmand with bergamot, neroli and orange blossom. Gold Immortals by Jordi Fernández also opens on pear and bergamot, over an amber base.
Woods, oud and leather
From the Iconoclaste collection comes Outcast Blue, the Ex Nihilo take on a fougère, with tobacco, saffron, chili pepper and cedar. The Hedonist pairs ginger and bergamot with cedar and Akigalawood. Oud Vendôme is a spiced agarwood with saffron, ginger and cinnamon, and Santal Calling by Antoine Maisondieu is built on Australian sandalwood. Vetiver Moloko is a vetiver with creamy, milky notes, and Cuir Celeste is a leather by Quentin Bisch inspired by a vintage bomber jacket. There is also Bois d'Hiver, a woody fragrance with a powdery, musky heart, and Speed Legends by Jordi Fernández, fresh and aromatic, with bergamot and pink pepper up top, black currant at the heart and a woody trail.
Citrus
Cologne 352 is the house's interpretation of a cologne, as an eau de parfum, with Italian lemon, orange blossom, white cedar, guaiac wood and white musk.
Eau de parfum, extraits and accents for layering
Many of the fragrances also come as an extrait de parfum, more concentrated and reworked by the perfumer, including Fleur Narcotique, Blue Talisman, Lust in Paradise, The Hedonist, Gold Immortals and Outcast Blue. The Oud, Rose and Musc extraits are a family of their own: the house designed them to be paired with its other fragrances. Musc by Olivier Pescheux, for example, works with the orange blossom of Cologne 352 and the rose of Rose Hubris, while Oud pairs with the patchouli of Midnight Special or the vanilla of Venenum Kiss.
Hair, body and travel sizes
The hair mists are meant to accompany a fragrance. Galvanize brings out its fresh, musky notes, Magnetize the base notes, Fascinate the floral heart and Emphasize the musks. For the body there is the Cologne 352 lotion and the Blue Talisman and Fleur Narcotique hand creams, light and silky in texture, which the house formulates with 92% ingredients of natural origin. There is the set of five 7.5 ml bottles of Fleur Narcotique, also available for The Hedonist and Honoré Delights. Generation(s), with pear and fig, is presented by the house as an alcohol-free fragrance.
How to choose an Ex Nihilo perfume
You can start from the raw material you love and follow it through the different compositions. If you like citrus and pale fruit, try Cologne 352, which the house describes as fresh and sparkling, or Blue Talisman, with pear and bergamot. For peony there are Fleur Narcotique, Lust in Paradise and Explicite; for rose, Rose Hubris, Spiky Muse and Devil Tender. If you prefer amber and vanilla, look to Venenum Kiss, Gold Immortals and Amber Sky, and for woods and oud there are Oud Vendôme, Santal Calling and Bois d'Hiver.
Once you have a fragrance you love, all that's left is choosing the format: eau de parfum, extrait or one of the hair mists designed to go with it.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ex Nihilo perfume is best for rose lovers?
Rose Hubris is a portrait of the May rose with green leaves and citrus, spicy notes. Spiky Muse pairs rose with strawberry and pistachio, and My Sweetest Morphine sets it alongside lilac and mimosa. Finally, Devil Tender has Bulgarian rose, grapefruit and rose water.
Who founded Ex Nihilo?
Ex Nihilo was founded in 2013 by Benoît Verdier, Olivier Royère and Sylvie Loday. The name, Latin for "out of nothing," reflects the idea that every perfume begins with a blank page. The house's compositions are signed by perfumers such as Quentin Bisch and Jordi Fernández.
What is the Ex Nihilo Osmologue?
The Osmologue is the brass dosing instrument Ex Nihilo uses in its boutiques to personalize perfumes. You choose a fragrance from the collection and add a final accent, then the creation is weighed, filtered and bottled in front of you, with a numbered, signed certificate.
What does Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique smell like?
Fleur Narcotique is a floral built on an overdose of peony, created by perfumer Quentin Bisch. It starts out delicate, then becomes a richer floral bouquet. It comes as an eau de parfum, as a more intense extrait de parfum, in the set of five 7.5 ml bottles and as a hand cream.
What are the notes in Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman?
Blue Talisman opens with pear and bergamot, softened by musk and amber notes, and the house describes it as a hypnotic jewel. The Extrait de Parfum version is more intense, with deeper notes, and the same fragrance also comes as a hand cream.
What is the difference between Ex Nihilo eau de parfum and extrait de parfum?
The extrait de parfum is more concentrated than the eau de parfum, and the perfumer recalibrates the composition. For The Hedonist extrait, for example, Jordi Fernández added lychee and grapefruit and increased the patchouli, while the Outcast Blue extrait adds an agarwood accord.
What are the Ex Nihilo Musc, Oud and Rose extraits for?
Musc, Oud and Rose are extraits designed to be paired with other Ex Nihilo fragrances and change their character. Musc works with the orange blossom of Cologne 352 and the vanilla of Oud Vendôme; Oud, with incense and agarwood, pairs with Midnight Special and Venenum Kiss; and Rose with the peony of Lust in Paradise.
How do you use Ex Nihilo hair mists?
Ex Nihilo hair mists bring out one part of the perfume you are wearing. Galvanize, with mandarin and pink pepper, enhances the fresh, musky notes, and Magnetize, with rose, patchouli and sandalwood, the base notes. Fascinate has rose and jasmine sambac for the floral heart, and Emphasize has musks, iris and vanilla.
Is there an alcohol-free Ex Nihilo perfume?
Yes, Generation(s) is presented by the house as its first alcohol-free fragrance. It is an eau de parfum with notes of pear and fig, conceived as a contemporary perfume to share and dedicated to the story of the Ex Nihilo family and its spirit of love.
