My Honest Take on Ex Nihilo's Lust in Paradise Perfume
add_circle Pros
- The scent is nice and lasts a decent amount of time
- The packaging is pretty and would look great on a dresser
- Ex Nihilo is a well-known and reputable brand
- The perfume comes in a variety of sizes, including a 7.5 ml mini bottle
- Lust in Paradise is available at a range of retailers, both online and in-store
- The perfume has a nice, if unremarkable, scent
remove_circle Cons
- The perfume is overpriced and doesn't live up to the hype
- The packaging is basic and not very durable
- The scent is not unique or memorable
- Ex Nihilo scents just aren't my cup of tea
- The perfume doesn't last as long as I'd like it to
- The mini bottle I got was pretty flimsy
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Editor's Summary
I'll be the first to admit, I was stoked to try Ex Nihilo's Lust in Paradise perfume. My friend's rave reviews and the buzz around it had me thinking it was going to be a total game-changer. Unfortunately, after giving it a shot, I gotta say it didn't quite live up to the hype. The scent is nice, but it's not something that's going to blow you away. I've tried other Ex Nihilo scents, like Fleur Narcotique and Last in Paradise, and while they're okay, they just aren't my cup of tea. If you're a fan of Ex Nihilo, you might enjoy Lust in Paradise, but for me, it's just another overpriced perfume. The packaging is pretty basic, and the mini bottle I got didn't even survive the packaging process. If you do decide to try it, make sure to check the packaging before opening it. Honestly, Lust in Paradise is a decent perfume, but it's not worth the price tag in my opinion.
Specifications
Hello everyone!
I bought Lust in Paradise on a whim, thanks to my friend's recs and general buzz around it. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice perfume, but it didn't blow me away. After trying Fleur Narcotique and Last in Paradise, I've come to two conclusions:
Lust in Paradise is overhyped, in my humble opinion, and doesn't quite live up to its price tag;Ex Nihilo scents just aren't my cup of tea, period;
But I'll get into that in a bit.
THE BASICS
Manufacturer: France;
Volume: I've got the 7.5 ml version, which is available in 2, 7.5, 50, and 100 ml sizes;
Price: 1890 rubles for 7.5 ml;
Where to buy: online store or cosmetics retail chain stores;
PACKAGING
The mini perfume came in a white box, but unfortunately, it didn't survive the packaging process.
The actual bottle is pretty basic, with the manufacturer's labels. There's not much info on it.
The 7.5 ml mini is plenty for me to last a long time. It comes with a sprayer, which is super convenient:
FRAGRANCE NOTES
Top notes: Pink pepper
Base notes: Pion, Lychee
Heart notes: White cedar extract, Musk, Amber
FRAGRANCE GROUP
Fruity
Floral
PERFUME TYPE
Women's
FRAGRANCE REVEAL
At first, the scent hits me pretty hard. I'm not sure what's starting it off - it's like a cacophony of fruit notes and pink pepper.
It takes ages to reveal itself on my skin, and even then, it's not that smooth. The pink pepper and some fruity acidity just follow me around.
After 1-2 hours, the perfume starts to open up a bit and becomes slightly softer. But I wouldn't call it a significant change. The overall sharpness fades, but the acidity remains.
I'm not exactly sure what's causing the acidity, but it might be the Lychee. In other perfumes, this note usually comes across as softer. Maybe it's the combination of notes.
I'm really disappointed that I don't get to experience the Pion - I love it in perfumery. It would be great if it toned down the Lychee a bit. But that doesn't happen on my skin.
I do notice a lot of rose oil, though. Those are the associations I get, since it's not even listed in the pyramid.
Describing Lust in Paradise is a bit tricky. On one hand, it's a cohesive, well-crafted scent with individual notes that are hard to pick out. On the other hand, the overall sound of the notes in this pyramid doesn't seem harmonious to me. In Fleur Narcotique, the lychee and pion are softer, so I liked the scent more. Here, there's always a bit of sharpness.
That's just how it is. The pyramid is similar, but the sound is completely different.
By evening, the scent unfolds completely, and the wood notes appear. Lust in Paradise becomes quieter, calmer. But it's still noticeable on the skin.
I wouldn't call this scent highly changeable. Although it's a niche, I want it to be multifaceted, with a deep sound of notes, magic... Lust is banal, unfolds linearly, with no surprising metamorphoses, no magic to look forward to.
PERFUME LONGEVITY
The scent longevity is quite noticeable and quite voluminous. It's very recognizable. I often catch the scent of rose oil from someone in a mall or public place. I immediately know it's Lust in Paradise.
Although, I have to give it credit, it's not the kind of scent that takes over the space.
It's never overwhelmed me, never caused unpleasant sensations or the urge to wash it off quickly.
The longevity of the scent can be called neutral. The floral notes don't irritate, and I actually like them on others. So, you don't have to worry about overwhelming someone.
The longevity is quite long. Five hours, to be exact. I think this is a good indicator for a perfume. Although... if we look at the price, it's not exactly extraordinary. Montale, with its around rose compositions, leaves Ex Nihilo far behind.
STABILITY
The stability of the scent is quite good. I can feel it from morning till 7 pm. That's a total of 12 hours. After a shower, it's almost gone, and in the heat, it fades a bit faster. But I don't have any complaints, as it fades quickly in the summer anyway.
I think a collection should have super-stable scents, not-so-stable ones (for summer, so you don't get overwhelmed), and scents like Lust that allow you to use something else the next day. You don't always want to use the same scent every day.
What's interesting is that even on my hair, I can barely feel the scent the next day.
By the way, the perfume may leave stains, so I wouldn't recommend spraying it on scarves. I once got overpowered right before going out, then wrapped a silk scarf around my neck. Apparently, the scent hadn't had time to settle on my skin, and at work, I noticed small light-yellow stains. I know some people love 'overpowering' scarves and clothes, but with this perfume, I wouldn't do that.
Regarding application to the skin. I've never managed to overdo it with this scent. I usually do a couple of 'puffs' on my neck and one on each wrist. I like the neutrality of the scent on my skin, after the rose oil. The scent is not overwhelming, I'd call it correct.
ASSOCIATIONS
I've got to be honest, Lust in Paradise didn't exactly set my heart racing. I mean, I just don't pick up on any of those alluring notes or seductive scents. My husband is pretty neutral about it too - he's never even commented on how good it smells on me, which is saying something.
That being said, the scent is pretty straightforward and uncomplicated, so I suppose you could call it versatile. It's not going to blow you away or anything, but it's a solid choice if you're looking for something simple.
The Verdict
For me, Ex Nihilo just isn't my cup of tea. I found their scents to be a bit too basic, and the price point is a bit steep.
I do use Lust in Paradise occasionally, but it's not something that gets me excited. That being said, there are plenty of people out there who love it, and it's definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of pion and fruit notes.
As for a rating, I'd give it 3 stars - I think that's a pretty fair assessment. If you're looking to try it out, I'd say go for it, but don't go in blind and buy a whole bottle based on reviews alone.
Hope this review was helpful! Take care!
