Whenever I feel like wearing minimalistic perfume, I always go for Iris Porcelana by Ex Nihilo. This is an excellent iris scent for classy, subtle perfume devotees.
Even though I love Iris Porcelana, I can’t even think about wearing such an expensive perfume frequently.
Hence, I researched and actually found several affordable fragrances that smell as sophisticated as Iris Porcelana.
And now, in this article, I’m gonna elaborate on my findings.
So, if you also wanna find out the greatest Iris Porcelana, stay till the end.
What Does Iris Porcelana Ex Nihilo Smell Like?
Iris Porcelana by Ex Nihilo has a sophisticated, powdery aroma throughout. It starts with the freshness of violet leaves and soon gets a rich, aromatic nature from the fantasy floral tone of the iris. Finally, it settles with sensual nuances of musk and sandalwood in the base.
The young perfumer Dalia Izem composed the gorgeous Iris Porcelana by incorporating the following notes:
Top Note: Violet Leaf
Middle Notes: Iris and Rose
Base Notes: Musk, Sandalwood, and Cedar
Iris Porcelana has a simple yet intensely addictive composition. From the first whiff, it has a soft, ozonic, green tone. As the perfume develops, it gets smoother and creamier with iris and rose in the heart.
Well, this fragrance is all about iris, which is even in its name. So, for a long time, you’ll feel the refined, mellow iris with an earthy, woody undertone.
I love the iris here, but what mainly sparked my interest in this Ex Nihilo creation is its luxurious, musky, woody base.
Musk is very prominent in the dry-down. But the smooth, comforting sandalwood is the one that leaves a pleasing yet enchanting aura.
Overall, Iris Porcelana is a soft, delicate, and insanely lavish perfume with over 6 hours of longevity.
It doesn’t project much and offers an intimate sillage. So, I personally love to wear it to work, weddings, or other casual or formal parties all year long.
What Perfumes Smell Similar To Iris Porcelana Ex Nihilo?
With each spray, Iris Porcelana by Ex Nihilo ruminates elegance and seductiveness. This perfume is highly luxurious, and so is its price.
Hence, now I’m going to introduce you to some similarly luxurious fragrances that you can get within your budget.
And here’s the list of best Iris Porcelana Ex Nihilo alternatives:
1. Eclat Mon Parfum Oriflame
Top Notes: Violet Leaves, Pear, and Pink Pepper
Middle Notes: Orris, White Iris, and Heliotrope
Base Notes: Almond, Musk and Patchouli
Imagine Iris Porcelana with a spicy, nutty twist, and the result will be Eclat Mon Parfum by Oriflame.
This perfume actually surprises me. It is a luxurious, sensual aroma with an outstanding performance. But guess what, you can get it by spending only a few bucks.
The first sniff of Eclat Mon Parfum will give you a refreshing, juicy, green feel with a spicy undertone.
Towards the core, it gets really powdery and aromatic with powerful orris and iris accords. Meanwhile, heliotrope adds a hazy, nutty edge to the scent that will instantly make you fall for it.
When it starts to settle, almond brings more creamy nuttiness to the aroma. In the end, the base flourishes, radiating a captivating, musky, woody aura around you.
Eclat Mon Parfum projects moderately. But you will feel its elegant, chypre floral aroma over 8 hours on your skin.
When To Wear
This perfume is perfect for all kinds of occasions during the clean spring and fall days. Personally, I think it is best suited for romantic lunch dates or as a wedding and daytime party scent.
Why Should You Buy
- Insanely low price.
- Well-balanced powdery tone.
- Fresh, clean, and sophisticated.
- Great value for the price.
- Smooth and comforting floral notes.
2. Guerlain L’Instant Magic Elixir Guerlain
If you need a lighter version of Iris Porcelana along with a nutty, vanilla twist, try Guerlain L’Instant Magic Elixir.
This Guerlain perfume is extremely simple and linear. But still, it will give you a wild ride in every stage of its composition. It starts kinda softly with the nutty gourmand touch of almond.
Soon, it transforms into a sophisticated, powdery floral aroma filled with orchid delicacy.
And from this powdery heart, it turns into a creamy, sweet vanilla aroma. Towards the end, musk with a spicy, woody undertone gives the fragrance a glorious and alluring closing.
Plus, this beauty will stay on you all this long after spraying only 2-3 times. I won’t say it offers a crazy projection.
But whenever I wear this gorgeous fragrance, my husband can feel my presence even from the other side of the room.
So, for me, Guerlain L’Instant Magic Elixir is a worthy Iris Porcelana substitute at a reasonable price range.
Additionally, if you like Guerlain fragrances with a heavy dose of vanilla and iris, try out Mon Guerlain and other perfumes similar to it.
When To Wear
The deep, cozy texture of Guerlain L’Instant Magic Elixir works best with any romantic or formal events in winter and fall.
Why Should You Buy
- Easy-to-wear.
- Cost-friendly.
- Sweet, gourmand touch.
- Spacious almond accord.
- Perfect for nutty, vanilla scent lovers.
- Unique and elegant formulation.
3. Tardes Carner Barcelona
Top Notes: Almond, Brazilian Rosewood, Rose, and Geranium
Middle Notes: Plum, Virginia Cedar, and Celery
Base Notes: Heliotrope, Tonka Bean, and Musk
The soft and creamy Tardes by Carner Barcelona is an amazing Iris Porcelana Ex Nihilo dupe. Daniela (Roche) Andrier certainly knows how to create an elegant, floral, woody perfume, and she showed it through Tardes.
It has a seductive, gourmand opening with dominating almonds. It also has a sweet, powdery tone from rosewood fused with some florals.
This soothing, powdery nature remains till the core, where it also gets an aquatic, green dimension.
Well, the richness of this fragrance doubles in the dry-down with the hazy, vanilla-scented heliotrope and musk. But I must say, the spicy, woody hint of tonka takes the aroma to another level of seductiveness.
In a nutshell, Tardes is a dimensional, sweet, vanillic powdery aroma with a subtle, spicy, hazy touch.
On top of that, it is really long-lasting. You can easily expect around 10 hours of longevity. Plus, the perfume offers a moderate projection and sillage.
When To Wear
Other than the hot summer days, you can wear Tardes both in formal and casual events throughout the year.
Why Should You Buy
- Affordable price.
- Unique and classy composition.
- 70% similarity to Iris Porcelana.
- Nice and well-balanced aroma.
- Versatile.
- Stunning and classy perfume.
4. Flower by Kenzo
Top Notes: Bulgarian Rose, Hawthorn, Black Currant, and Mandarin Orange
Middle Notes: Parma Violet, Rose, Opoponax, and Jasmine
Base Notes: Vanilla, White Musk, and Incense
I personally love Alberto Morillas compositions. Hence, when I learned about Flower by Kenzo, which he created along with Christian Dussoulier, I instantly got a flacon.
So, I’ve been using this perfume since my school days. And you know what, when I first sniffed Iris Porcelana, it actually reminded me of Flower.
It opens swiftly with a sweet, puffy cloud of rose and hawthorn, having a subtle green, citrusy undertone.
After a while, it embodies youthfulness with a rich, powdery blend of Parma violet and roses in the core.
The aroma also exerts a slight hint of jasmine and opoponax. Jasmine here is not flirty or lusty, instead, it gives a refreshing green undertone to the floral heart.
During the dry-down, the powdery florals subside, and the creamy, musky, vanilla-incense combo comes forward. The base smells extremely addictive and also gives a cozy and luxurious quality to the composition.
Well, Flower by Kenzo is less expensive and actually lasts longer than Iris Porcelana. It also presents a moderate sillage and projection.
So, I would say this perfume is definitely one of the best dupes of Iris Porcelana.
When To Wear
Flower by Kenzo is best suited for any daytime classy or romantic occasions during the spring, fall, or winter.
Why Should You Buy
- Gives off a pure, delicate, feminine vibe.
- More than 8 hours of longevity.
- Elegant and cozy dry-down.
- Phenomenal powdery tone.
5. Mojave Ghost Byredo
Top Notes: Sapodilla and Ambrette (Musk Mallow)
Middle Notes: Magnolia, Violet, and Sandalwood
Base Notes: Ambergris and Cedar
The next clone on this list is Mojave Ghost, which is an excellent perfume from the luxurious house Byredo. This fragrance carries a clean, powdery classiness, almost identical to the Iris Porcelana.
The only dissimilarity is that this dupe is a bit sweeter and less on the green side.
From the beginning, Mojave Ghost imparts a tart, fruity aroma mixed with the musky, ambery tone of ambrette.
Gradually, the sweetness subsides, and you’ll feel a smooth, delicate, slightly greenish magnolia aroma in its heart. The core further enriches with the rich, woody sandalwood mixed with the powdery, romantic touch of violet.
Well, I could feel this polished powdery tone straight to its dry-down. The base also presents a smoothened, musky, woody nuance that enhances its rich, sensual quality even more.
Mojave Ghost is truly a luxurious floral perfume that never gets boring or inoffensive. It will give you a comforting, refined aura that lasts around 6 hours with moderate sillage.
When To Wear
Mojave Ghost perfectly vibes with the clean, warm days of spring and fall. You can wear this classy fragrance with any kind of attire, casual or formal.
Why Should You Buy
- Less expensive.
- Niche quality.
- Balanced powdery notes.
- Unisex.
- Good performance.
- Trendy and versatile.
6. Beso Negro Beso Beach Perfumes
Top Notes: Violet Leaves, Guatemalan Cardamom, and Green Notes
Middle Notes: Cypriol Oil or Nagarmotha, Orris, Indonesian Patchouli Leaf, and Violet
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Virginia Cedar, Leather, and Ambroxan
The last clone on my list is Beso Negro by Beso Beach Perfumes. This fragrance will be my recommendation for you when you need both classiness and naughtiness in your perfume.
Violet leaves add a breath of freshness to the opening of Beso Negro. So, initially, it smells quite similar to our Iris Porcelana.
However, the sensuous, spicy touch of cardamom with some green nuances at the top is what makes the fragrance stand out.
From a fresh, bright opening, it suddenly becomes an earthy, floral aroma in the core. The earthiness is pretty powerful in the middle, which blends glamorously with powdery orris and violet.
In closing, this perfume also settles with a comforting, woody base aroma. But what got me sold is the warm, leathery hint that also keeps the fragrance extremely irresistible and elegant till the end.
Furthermore, Beso Negro provides 4-6 hours of longevity with standard projection and sillage.
When To Wear
This Spanish fragrance is incredibly versatile. You can wear it to almost any kind of occasion all year round.
Why Should You Buy
- Masterful composition by Christophe Raynaud.
- Charming and provocative aroma.
- Wild and mysterious dry-down.
- Complete head-turner.
- Attractive and elegant.
Final Thoughts
Iris Porcelana is comparatively newer in the world of lavish fragrances. Yet, within these few years, it has made its place in the hearts of elusive perfume lovers.
However, many back out from enjoying this lovely aroma just because of their limited budget.
If this is the case for you, try checking out the above-mentioned list. All of the enlisted perfumes come in a similar profile as Iris Porcelana but are pocket-friendly at the same time.
So, hurry up and pick your next signature scent from the list.
