Dreamy Escapism with Iris Porcelana from Ex Nihilo

Dream a little dream… Iris Porcelana is one of the dreamiest new releases I’ve encountered. This new perfume by Ex Nihilo is full of blurred lines, soft light, pastel colors and gentle emotions.

It carries iris (iris pallida, to be precise) in its name, but I think the main message here is porcelain – the sensation of the finest milky layer between you and reality softening everything that gets through. Sounds get muffled, stress appears far away, colors lose their outlines and contrast in a waltz of watercolor. This sensation is created by the light powdery quality of iris multiplied with sandalwood‘s creaminess and powered by ephemeral musks. Their interplay gives the composition the feel of fine velvety unglazed porcelain as you run your fingers over its surface.

Somewhere inside you will find a tiny bit of rose if you go looking for it. The most prominent flower in this fragrance, however, is violet. The namesake iris is represented by its powdery shell that lends the composition a tactile feel, but not the floral scent. The same applies to sandalwood – there is more of its milky flavor than of the actual smell. The components are hard to make out because their outlines are blurred by the cloudy white musks.

It’s a very delicate work by Master perfumer Dalia Izem. The main quality of Iris Porcelana is blending precision. It takes developed taste and a patient hand to doze everything in a way that lets the ingredients dissolve each other in a semitransparent faience haze. The fragrance has no spikes, it flows evenly at its own quiet pace.

Violet dust, cloudy white musks, grainy echoes of iris, milky skin caress. A perfume that after a while renders close to skin and becomes an intimate companion. Like a slow tide, it sends waves of elevated pleasantness to your senses as soon as you have seemingly forgotten about its existence.

Dreamy, calm, sensual and romantic skin whispers. It’s a fragrance that will bring a lot of joy over many years, because its grace never gets old, and the airy quality feels universally inviting. Quite a surprising turn for the brand too, given that Ex Nihilo are best known for their hit Fleur Narcotique that takes a no-prisoners approach as far as polarizing intensity is concerned. Iris Porcelana is a refreshing and notable reminder of the merits of introspection in the world overflowing with attention-grabbing stimuli.

Will strangers remember your scent trail long after you’ve passed them by? No. Will you experience hours of personal bliss submerged in the cloudy veil of soft olfactory caress? Absolutely! So if you are on the lookout for a feel-good option that is both understated and special, look no further. Give Iris Porcelana a try!

The best place to try this and all the other Ex Nihilo fragrances in my beloved Berlin is, of course, KaDeWe that hosts a chic brand corner staffed with lovely assistants ready to guide you through the Ex Nihilo universe. In Hamburg you can try Ex Nihilo at Uzwei and in Munich at Parfümerie Brückner. Another reliable German online destination is Essenza Nobile (at the time of writing they even have an active Ex Nihilo promotion with the code HELLOEXNIHILO that gets you a free 7.5 ml travel sample with purchase, no idea how long it’s going to last though). Internationally, the best place to turn to for all things Ex Nihilo is their official website with plenty of moody visuals and a web shop. Or you can try Harrods, Saks Fifth Avenue or one of the major luxury retailers closest to your location. My bottle was kindly provided for review by Valin, experts at distribution of exclusive fragrances.

Have you tried Iris Porcelana or anything else from Ex Nihilo? And are you feeling dreamy today?

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