The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Ex Nihilo was founded in Paris in 2013 by three friends who believed perfumery needed to escape its own conventions. Their philosophy was simple: give perfumers total creative freedom, carte blanche with no budgetary or artistic constraints. Antoine Maisondieu received that directive when assigned Australian Sandalwood Album, a material with an almost mystical energy in modern perfumery. His task was to build a fragrance that could fully honor this remarkable ingredient, not as a supporting player but as the central protagonist.
The choice to center a fragrance around Australian white sandalwood reflects Ex Nihilo's commitment to working with materials that carry both technical excellence and emotional resonance. Australian white sandalwood offers a creamy, almost edible woodiness that pairs naturally with milk and vanilla, making the heart and drydown feel like a coherent statement rather than a collection of notes. The nutmeg opening exists to introduce the wearer to this world with intrigue, ensuring the journey feels dynamic rather than static. Together, these choices reflect a philosophy of honoring each ingredient while trusting the wearer to appreciate the craft behind the composition.
The evolution
The fragrance opens with nutmeg, chosen deliberately to create tension against the sandalwood foundation. The spicy warmth acts as a counterpoint, preventing the creamy woods from feeling inert. The heart introduces iris and milk, two ingredients that amplify the lactonic character already present in Australian white sandalwood. The milk note bridges the opening and the base, creating a continuous creamy thread throughout the wear. As the drydown arrives, the sandalwood takes full control, blending with musk to extend its presence and Bourbon Vanilla to introduce a warm, gourmand sweetness that deepens the overall impression into something genuinely memorable.
Cultural impact
Community response to Santal Calling is consistent and revealing. The overwhelming majority describe it as creamy and soft, beautiful sandalwood, and smooth without harsh edges. Enthusiasts have embraced the fragrance with a loyal following, appreciating its approachability. Community perception positions this as the sandalwood for people who think sandalwood is too much, reframing the material entirely rather than complicating it. The reception points to a specific kind of wearer: someone who appreciates the note's warmth but wants to live with it daily, without the weight. For that person, Santal Calling is a quiet revelation.
