Ex Nihilo Scarlet Sands is now available as a decant - why you should try it before committing

Scarlet Sands by Ex Nihilo is now available as a decant on our site.

If you haven't heard of it yet, you will. This fragrance has been generating serious noise in the community and honestly, it deserves the attention.

So what is it?

Scarlet Sands is a unisex fragrance from Parisian niche house Ex Nihilo, and it's genuinely one of the more interesting releases in recent memory. It was originally conceived as a Dubai exclusive, inspired by the atmosphere of a Dubai sunset, that shift from warm golden hour into the cooler, darker evening air. That duality comes through in the composition.

The note breakdown:

• Top: Mandarin Orange, Raspberry
• Heart: Jasmine, Freesia, Orange Blossom
• Base: Akigalawood (Patchouli), Amber, Vanilla

On paper it reads fruity-floral. On skin it's considerably more interesting than that. The raspberry and mandarin open bright and clean, but what happens in the dry down is where it earns its reputation . The Akigalawood gives it a smoky, woody edge that the opening gives no hint of, and the amber and vanilla round everything out into something genuinely warm and complex. It's been described as the grown-up, darker sibling of Lost in the Desert. Same DNA, different personality entirely.

Is it worth the hype?

The people who love it, really love it. The people it doesn't work for tend to point to the freesia or the fruitiness in the opening. Skin chemistry plays a big role here, which is exactly why sampling this one before going anywhere near the full bottle price tag makes so much sense.

Full bottles are sitting at around £350, and availability is limited. It had a brief run at Harrods earlier this month and sold through quickly. If you want to experience it without the pressure of hunting down a bottle at retail or paying over the odds on the secondary market, a decant is the obvious move.

We carry 2ml and 5ml sizes — enough to wear it properly over a few days and actually get a feel for how it develops on your skin.

👉 Grab your decant at badshahscents.com

Already tried Scarlet Sands? We'd love to know what you think of it — drop your thoughts below.