Ex Nihilo fragrances — a buyer's guide

Ex Nihilo is a Paris house most people know for a single fragrance — Fleur Narcotique. That's both its strength and its problem: the other three sit in the shadow of the bestseller, even though they go in completely different directions. What's special about the house are trademarked molecules — Petalia™, Georgywood™, Ambrofix™, Akigalawood™ — that you'll find in the notes of almost every fragrance they make. Ex Nihilo doesn't try to smell old-fashioned but modern, and for them that's a choice, not a shortcut.

Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique: The fragrance the house is known for. White flowers with lychee and pear up top, musk and moss in the base. If you want to know what Ex Nihilo is, start here — but know that the other three aren't like this.
Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman: The house's most everyday choice and the best value: €2.80 per millilitre. Pear and ginger up top, ambroxan and musk in the base — fresh, no flowers.
Ex Nihilo The Hedonist Extrait: The only one we stock that goes in a woody direction — grapefruit and ginger up top, vetiver and patchouli underneath. Also the most expensive per millilitre, so a decant is almost mandatory here.
Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique Extrait: A reworked, not just stronger, version of the bestseller: osmanthus up top, freesia in the heart, sandalwood in the base. For anyone who already knows the EDP and knows what it's missing.

How to approach Ex Nihilo: (1) Bottle prices will mislead you — compare per millilitre. Blue Talisman costs €2.80 per millilitre, The Hedonist €5.50, almost twice as much, even though the two bottles look similarly expensive on the shelf. (2) Don't assume they're similar. Fleur Narcotique is floral, Blue Talisman fresh and citrusy, The Hedonist woody — if one suits you, that tells you nothing about the others. (3) Extrait at this house doesn't mean "the same, only stronger": both extrait versions have different notes from the EDP. (4) You can try all four as decants for less than one full bottle — with a house that goes in four directions, that's the only sensible order.

Which Ex Nihilo is best for beginners?

Blue Talisman. It's the easiest to wear, the most versatile and the cheapest per millilitre. Fleur Narcotique is more famous, but it's distinctly floral, which isn't for everyone.

Why is Fleur Narcotique so well known?

Because it hit a moment when white flowers with fruit caught on even with people who don't usually wear florals. It was created by Quentin Bisch and became the reference the whole category is measured against.

Are Ex Nihilo fragrances unisex?

In our catalogue only the Fleur Narcotique EDP is listed as feminine; the other three are unisex — including its extrait version. In practice Blue Talisman is the most neutral of all.

What are the molecules with the ™ sign in the notes?

Raw materials developed and trademarked by a specific fragrance manufacturer — Petalia™ for a floral-fruity note, Ambrofix™ for an ambery, dry feel. They're not substitutes for natural ingredients but ingredients that don't exist in nature. Ex Nihilo leans on them more openly than most houses.

Should I buy a full bottle or a decant?

At €190 to €460 a bottle, a decant is the obvious first move. Five millilitres of Blue Talisman cost €25, less than a tenth of a full bottle — enough for two weeks of wear and an answer as to whether you want it at all.