Iris Porcelana

I purchased about 25 samples from DecantX and this is the one that really stood out to me. I had some really nice smelling samples in my order, but this one really surprised me and is the one I kept going back to. I've been looking for my perfect iris scent and I think I found it with Iris Porcelana. It's just a very pretty spring floral perfume and the iris is done so well here. It starts off fresh and then dries down to a really pretty slightly powdery fragrance. The iris here is not too earthy or masked by other floral or fruit notes. It really stands out and the fragrance is built around showcasing the beautiful, delicate and expensive raw material of the iris. Whether they used iris butter here, I do not know. I know how precious and expensive it is as a raw material used in perfumery. IP is not green, it's not woody, not musky, it is all about the iris here and letting her shine and I love that. I really appreciate when they are able to do that in perfumes. Sometimes it's an explosion of many different notes to create a whole new smell and sometimes perfumery is very deliberate, thoughtful and delicate and a perfumer is able to let mother nature's beauty shine by highlighting and supporting all the facets in a beautiful way and that's what Dalia Izem has done here, and I say Bravo! Yes, this is now a part of my collection and will be placed between Fleur Narcotique and my violet scents. I adore a good purple floral as there are quite a few out there that aren't for me but the ones that are, I just adore. Update. I got my bottle and I adore this scent. It's different than most scents on the market today, it is a purple floral scent, but she's so balanced, nice, and pretty. Definitely my favorite iris scent to date.

Iris Porcelana...an adept name because it smells like a very realistic olfactory portrait of the actual purple iris flower combined with something milky. Not thick nor fatty like cream--just a splash of milk. It is not starchy, rooty or especially earthy. The focus remains clearly on the flower. I love several things about this iris. First, the violet is perfect. If you have ever buried your nose in a purple iris, you might have noticed the scent of violet, as the two flowers share some chemical components. In many perfumes, violet takes over, and I am left with violet pastilles and not much iris. Here, the violet [leaf, apparently] creates a haunting, ozonic effect. Secondly I love that Iris Porcelana doesn't smell like a modern vintage and doesn't smell aloof or even proper, like Infusion d'Iris or Iris Poudre. Third, I love its subtle creaminess, which is not gourmand nor cloying. Its woody base is also very subdued. Anybody who doesn't like orris root and prefers the delicate scent of the actual flower really should seek out Iris Porcelana. I am reminded of Apres l'Ondee in the sense that Apres l'Ondee smells like the entire garden at Giverny, while Iris Porcelana smells like you have taken your camera and zoomed in on a singular flower. It's an absolutely beautiful iris. Masterful. Update: I was reaching for my sample spray vial frequently (direct from Ex Nihilo). It's an effortless fragrance that is elegant, soft, simple and perfectly balanced. I had to buy a bottle. I have no issues with longevity. Lasts several hours on me. It doesn’t project like a beast, but beastly projection wouldn’t be right for such a delicate scent. It was on my Top 5 for an entire year when I finally bought a FB.

I tried about 25 different niche perfume samples and this was the standout for me and the one I ended up ordering. This is definitely my classiest perfume. It's what I would wear to court if I had to pick out a scent for going to court. I'd pair this with a white button up blouse and pearls and I'd feel like my most demure, classiest, easy-going self. It's soft, feminine, not powdery, not lipstick/makeup scented. While L'Instant Magic is pure powder, this is a pure crisp musk & iris scent. It's not an earthy purple floral either; it's actually squeaky clean, fresh, pure. It's the scent of Mojave Ghost with the vibe and tone of Blanche. The musk is a white musk, like The Body Shop White Musk. I would say it's stronger in the white musk category than the iris category. The scent almost feels like it has aldehydes in it but it steers clear of going into that soapy territory and stays on the musky side. It just feels incredibly clean and crisp. At the time I bought it, I thought it was my most forward iris scent but now that my nose and palette has expanded, I realize that iris typically has a more earthy smell, think Apree L'Ondee, LVEB Iris Absolu, Dusita Splidiris, Tender Light. I really respect the iris flower for how mutable she is; in LVEB Soleil Crystal-she's paired with coconut and ylang ylang to make a solar, summer scent. In Tender Light-with tea and bergamot to make a floral-freshie, and in LVEB Iris Absolu to make an Iris based gourmand. Here, she's crisp, clean, bright, and tidy.

[Reviewing from South East Asia] I fell in love with the iris note and after doing much reading on different iris-centered scent, I decided to blind buy Iris Porcelana, my very first perfume from Ex Nihilo. This perfume confirms my love for iris. It's airy, light, a bit powdery but just right. It has some sweetness to it that ties everything together. In my mind, it evokes the colour pastel purple. There's nothing harsh here, it's very well-made. I think Ex Nihilo has their own signature musk because there is something in here that I smelled in Fleur Narcotique. They're two completely different scents of course. Knowing my body chemistry, I was actually worried that this scent might not be able to last throughout the day. It's been almost 2 weeks now and I honestly still can't tell how's the actual performance is. For example, I spray it on my moisturized skin & also on clothes around 7 AM, then by 10 AM I feel like I can't smell it anymore. Then after lunch around 2 PM I notice that I can get light whiffs of it. That happens a lot, and I suspect that I just went noseblind to it. But again, I can't really confirm because I don't go around asking my colleagues whether they can smell my perfume. It's really well-blended, non-offensive, very feminine. A very elevated every-day, signature scent. EDIT: It's been a year since I bought it and it has gotten stronger and woodier, wow.

This may be my favorite new purchase of the year. Confession - I also purchased FM's Iris Poudree, a favorite of mine and quite different than Iris Porcelana, but since I've had samples in the past, I don't count it is new. Iris Porcelana (IP) has an almost fruity appeal that slightly sweetens the generally more powdery or even starchy aspects of iris.. I can only surmise that there is a jammy quality to the rose here, as I can't imagine any of the other notes adding such a delicate fruity effect without smothering the powdery accord. The woody base, particularly the sandalwood, amplify the subtle woodiness of the stalks of Iris, while the violet leaf provides a green freshness that prevents the powdery according from being too dated. I think it's well blended and well balanced. Performance-wise, IP has greater longevity and projection than any of the other Ex Nihilo fragrances I own of have sampled. Fleur Narcotique is probably second, but others just don't last. Sweet Morphine is a complete ghost after 5 minutes. I have acquired quite a few iris fragrances over the years, making it increasingly difficult for me to identify a favorite, but IP ranks among the top contenders. This is a solid love for me!