Ex Nihilo is the Parisian house that helped popularise bespoke, personalised perfumery — founded in 2013 by Sylvie Loday, Olivier Royère, and Benoît Verdier, and known for pairing hyper-realistic fruit and florals with clean, modern musks. We interviewed co-founder Benoît Verdier; start with these.
I studied with Olivier back in the day and we always wanted to create our own company.
The Best Ex Nihilo Fragrances
Fleur Narcotique (2014)
Key notes: lychee, bergamot, white peach, peony, jasmine, orange blossom, musk, sheer woods, oakmoss
The cult hero — a holographic fruity-floral that became a modern niche classic, with orange blossom and jasmine over clean musk.
Blue Talisman
Key notes: pear, litchi, elemi, peony, ginger, musk
A bright, juicy pear-and-litchi opening with a sparkle of ginger — fresh and instantly likeable.
Cologne 352
Key notes: citrus, neroli, aromatic musk
A crisp, sparkling modern cologne — effortless citrus freshness with a soft musky base.
Vetiver Moloko
Key notes: vetiver, milky accord, woods
Exactly what the name promises — earthy vetiver smoothed with a creamy, milky softness.
Ex Nihilo FAQ
What is Ex Nihilo’s most famous fragrance?
Fleur Narcotique (2014), a fruity-floral that became one of the most popular niche fragrances of the last decade.
What is Ex Nihilo known for?
Pioneering in-store personalisation and bespoke perfumery, alongside polished, high-impact fruity and floral scents.
Selena Marc is a fragrance enthusiast, freelance writer, and dog mom living in Houston, Texas. When she's not writing about her favorite new perfumes, you can find her enjoying yoga or a morning hike.
